The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-09-17

needed $40 SO badly that he was willing
to give 500 for it. Knowing how
close money matters are ct times Oh
Wall street and what high rate of
interest parties on the Stock exchange
are willing to pay for short loans on per
sonal security, Mr.. Owenby no doubt
would have been perfectly Justified in
stepping In and relieving distress In that
way.
But the letter written by Mr.. Owenby,
of this state, was received by officers of
the law, as understand it, and Mr..
Owenby'B motives were impugned. He
did not know this till one day In July,
when he happened to be looking over his
motives and saw something peculiar
about them.
Soon after he read In the st. Louis
paper that his letter had been printed,
and that the public had been left to
sur1nise that MIR. Owenby wished to
take advantage Of the financial depres-
sion and get an exorbitant rate Of in
terest on his ten dollars.
Strangers have impugned Mr.. Owen
by's motives, and he does not know what
to do for it. AS a resident Of this state
am glad to come forward with sim
pie explanation regarding the matter
and insert here u letter he sent to The
Citizen, of Asheville, showing how it
happened. Those who know Mr.. Owen
by here In North Carolina say that if he
had received the money he would have
relieved distress with it; but the parties
to whom he wrote were arrested by the
police and treated shamefully.
Mr.. Owenby's letter fell into the Off
GERS hands among others, and was print
ed. He wishes this plain statement
made to show that his motives were in
good order when he wrote the letter:
Yes, wrote just as tho ST. Louis Globe
Democrat had it, but not for the purpose they
supposed. Several weeks ago Mira. Owenby
read the ad. inclose, and we had up q bet us
TO what 1t WAS; to decide it Of course Pe wrote
on to thom.
When found they had counterfeit money
determined to get sample and all tho proof
necessary and turn them over to the proper
authorities
They premeditated trouble by my boitinese
In sending billhtad Of my business, and had
not sent tho sample thoy promised. Then /
was certain of their fraudulent business, and
wrote them the letter referred to In the St.
Louis papers.
was too Late, as others had worked up their
case and arrested them in day or two after
this letter reached them.
l did not want their goods, but should have
liked the amount Uncle Sam would have given
me had not been too late In bringing them 10
Justice. p A. OWrSny
hope this will silence every criticism
regarding MIR. Owenby, for he says that
these men ''premeditated trouble and
did not send him tho goods" feel GER
tain that had Mr.. Owenby received the
goods he would have gone on and ar
rested the parties at once. paying his
travelling expenses of course out Of the
money SO received.
But these men who advertise to give
500 for $40 do not do as they agree.
at least that is my experience. 1 have
answered two or three Of their ads, in
tending to go ON to New York and ar
rest them as soon Gs got the money
from them. so that would not have to
make the journey at my own expense,
but l have yet to deal with one Of them
who could be regarded as man of in
tegrity
Swindles are common everywhere,
and find that get along very poorly
in the sleuth business. My purse was
taken in New York one day on the
street, but Ito flend in human form was
richly punished for his wickedness. All
that the purse contained was postof-
Ace money order that had tried for six
weeks to get the money on, but being
stranger in Now York. and the cashier
at the postof;ice being also stranger in
the city. the men who knew me and came
there to identify me were strangers to the
cashier, as we moved in different set
and were both very little known in trade
circles, his friends being men who wore
trying to 1.-Two on their salaries in the