Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-04-29
Chlcaso Cnran.e..

Chicago Chronicle
is Fred q. C0ui- a dangerous man with
criminal tendencies. or is he the victim
Of circumstances which seemingly stamp
him as criminal?
Two furi.s in the Criminal Court of
Cook county have answered the first See
uou of the foregoing question in the az
PRIMITIVE. and have declared their couvic-
tion of the cuiit Of Cowie of the crimes ser
out FIN The indictments. The man himself.
NOW confined u the county jail waiting
sentence under the recent conviction IN
judge Smiths court. declares his inno-
cence OF any crime. He says lee is the
victim of conspiracy organized 10 en-
compass his downfall The records so tar
are AGAINST She prisoner. TWO assistant
States attorneys have tried him on
charges amounting 10 felony, and both
have secured verdicts. Cowie states that
pc was forced 10 trial unpreDared and
that the testimony against him was the
result of the desperate efforts Of his enc
mics TO overthrow him.
Fred C.. C0wie. according 10 his own
story. has been i'm this part of the coun~
try for seven or eight years. He has
been known 10 the officers of the law in
one capacity or another for half that time.
-hree years ago ho assisted i'm the prose-
cu-on OF what are known as che arson
conspiracy cases. Within a year after
that ne was tried for subOrnation of per-
fury in tho Chinese arson cases and found
guilty. He did not serve any prison sem
tsnce. Now Dee IS under conviction for
having kidnapped Bernard Hoeffer in the
Kencshl arson cases. A motion for q new
trial is pending. and unless the attorney
for tho defendant can secure new trial
or STAY of execution Cowie will soon be
rakcn To- Joliet TO serve out a long SEM
tcnce.
LOOKING AFTER INCENDIARIES.
Cowie. according 20 his own statement.
Is q native Of Washington City. He says
De- has two brothers I'm the navy, that his
father was chief clerk of the United
States secret service for years and that
Do himself is detective He is undoubt-
e5lv q man OF fine educational attain
w.r-s excellent intellectual endowment
au5 great natural shrewduess. BE says
his business Tor years has been that or
Insurance inspector. Tie .0ys that Z was
vr- of his duties to investigate cases
where there was doubt of the honesty of
She fire loss that the companies he repre-
scented mieh- Doe saved the payment cf
tho loss Incidentally he was frequently
called upon 90 assist the criminal authori-
tiles iu c0rvicrue the suspects I'm this
latter regard the records of this county
bear him out % great extent.
There can Pee little doubt Of the fac that
Cd, man comes from a good stock. lie is
q smooth ta'kor. entertaining and glib.
whether his own case or THAT Of somebody
else is under discussion. His language is
correct and well selected. showing good
schooling better education than is usual
in common school bred boys. lie is man
Of splendid physique and great nervous
energy. Tie talks with as much apparent
cardor concerning his own affairs as the
most innocent man I'M the world. I'm fact
ne may Do said to Doe trihe too candid.
1Ie saws p. has contract with the inSur-
auca companies De represented, but that
the document is now i'm New York where
he has brought salt 20 recover the money
due him for his discoveries I'm certain
cases iu the west.
SUCCESSFUL. As a PROSECUTOR.
Cowie's first appearance i'm q prominent
month The arson conspiracy cases wherein
Peck Rowe and Jersey were defendants
were tried Assistant States Attorney Nor
rison prosecuting. The defendants were
charged with fraudulently conspirinG 20
Get The money on cert2iu fire losses.
Cowic was brought into court by Inspec-
tor Conway of tho fire department, and.
MS Mr. Morrison says he handled those
cases with consummate skill The de-
PENDANTS were found guilty and fined.
During the trial. which lasted for three
weeks. the court room was filed with
representatives Of the insurance compa-
MES. Cowie said ne was an inspector for
the companies and his statement went
uuchall,rged.
To is asserted on one hand that Cowie
~cnrosented himself to be a fire inspector
I'm the employ OF the city. and that ne
used this statement TO villr42ten certain
persons with prosecutions MIS- certain
sum Of money was paid TO him Two
cases not on record in such q manner as
70 be exclusive OF facts arc alleged.
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