The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-05-17
CAPT. FOwLE's POKER DUEL.
IL Taught Him IA Better Lesson and
He Has Never Since Played Cards.
From the WashIngton Post.

lie Has Never since Hluyed cards
From the Washington Post.
A Virginian who has long known Capt.
w. II. Fowle. who has just been appoint
ed collector OF internal revenue to sue
coed Gen. Fitzhugh Lee:
Il read the article recently headed, Are
Opposed TO Mr. Fowle' with pain and
surprise. When the war broke out Capt.
Fowle, though a young man, just reach
ing his majority. was a partner of his
father who was a merchant prince of
Alexandria, and in those days the old
burg was a busting city, at whose wharves
could be seen the flags of many nations.
Capt. FoWle raised company, which was
one of the famous Seventeenth Virginia
Infantry. Leaving fortune and a life of
ease, he went through the war with dis
tinguished CALAMITY. lie was twice Sc
Verely wounded. and but for his affection
and drilled he would have risen high In
command, for ho was a born soldier. Az
ter the war he returned TO Alexandria,
broken in health, and with not Vestige
of his wealth remaining. his fathers prop
erty being sold for taxes under the war
measure known as the act TO collect
taxes In the insurrectionary districts
Entering into business life he proved
his qualities by making a success Of his
profession, and was the foremost man Of
the city. In 1874, when the democrats car
rted the lower House, he was elected as
sistant postmaster Of the House OF Repre-
sentatives, and later on was chosen TO
represent Alexandria in the Virginia leg
islature, and now occurred that episode
or the poker party, which, after twenty
years, rs raked up against him. The plain
facts in the case are these.
During the Christmas HOLIDAYS Judge
stevens of Nelson county, a member Of
the House, and Capt. Fowle were IN the
city and became involved in poker duel
that lasted for nearly a week, and Cant.
Fowle lost about $4,000, which he paid
and the state did not lose one cent. The
story That Virginia was out that amount
by Capt. FOwles action Is an atroci JUS
calumny. If ever man were TO be debar-
red from office because OF q bog poker
game, then there would be but few who
could aspire 70 a position Of trust or con
hdence. At least / am sure II Is 50 IN
Virginia.
the legislators was three times as much
as at present, and the majority Of ne
members were adopts at the art of draw
poker. Anyway, this affair was fearful
lesson to Capt. Fowle, and he took Il 10
heart and has never touched a card since
IN the investigation by a committee
Parson Massey was chairman, and a Bap-
list minister would be certain not to lean
fayDrably toward an eYil-dOer; yet, de-
spite the most searching review Of the
case, not fact was found that tended TO
show a stain or slur on Capt. Fowle's
character as an honorable heightened
Capt. Fowle resigned his seat In the
legislature, as did Judge Nelson. The
latter ran again and was triumphantly
elected and had Capt. FoWle entered the
race he would have been alike indicated
by his people. Later on he entered into
business with his brother-in-law in Staun-
ton, and has been a power in Virginia
politics for years. During the last cleo
ton he organized what was known In
the campaign as the Cleveland clubs, and
there were over 10000 men enrolled and
every one voted on election day. Capt.
BoWle was secretary, and on him devolv-
ed the labor, and his executive ability
was acknowledged by every democrat in
the state.
an the stating Of offices after the cleo
ton MS claims for recognition were so
prominent that he was chosen for the
marshalship of his district. and it was
a mistake in the date of meeting that
prevented his congressman from prompt
~ pressing his claims. Nearly every mem
him, and it was only one of those mis-
chances that befau every public man in
life.
executive ability to run the office Is 50
preposterously absurd that 1t is hardly
worth the task of refutation. During Pres
ident Cleveland's former administration
Capt. Ham Shepherd was collector and
Capt. FoWle chief clerk He was so perfect
in the discharge of his duties that wnen
Capt. Shepherd was nominated again for
the office, during President Cleveland 3
secocd term, he would have no other as
sistant that Capt. FoWle. Collector Shep-
herd was from the time of his second in
duction to Office a very sick man, and to-
tally unable to attend to his duties. Capt
FoWle took his place, and for nearly three
years has conducted the business to the
perfect satisfaction of the government
What more can be said2 A Drawer, truer
man, a more conscientious Christian gen
tleman than William H. Fowle, never liY-
ed, and, moreover, he is a democrat amone
democrats, and never scratched a party
ticket in his life"