The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-05-23
Young Englishman Preferred
Prison to Disgrace.
He Obtained Money Under False
Pretenses.
SERVED A JAIL TERM.
Now He Has Inherited a Million
and Half
Left Him by Rich Old Uncle
in England.

Louisville, KY. May 23.-Pride caused
young Englishman of good parentage
and of wealth to suffer prison term.
Now he is heir to an estate of 81, 400, OOO
which he will soon return to England to
claim.
In 1896 ]. B. Burton was arrested in
Louisville on a charge of obtaining
money under false pretenses. A draft
for $50 which he had given was return
ed unpaid. Burton made no defense,
telling nothing of his past or family,
and was sent to prison for three years
Now it develops that his name is J.
Burton Beverley, an English subject,
and the victim of unlucky circum-
stances. Beverley was sent to this
country for his health when quite boy
and he liked it so well that he remained
and took the full college course at
Washington and Lee university in Vir-
ginia.
He then travelled for several years
in all parts of the world, but returned
to the United States in the early '90s
when he became infatuated with horse
racing and fell in with fast set Of
plungers. He was enabled to follow the
game for several years by reason of
frequent drafts on his rich uncle, who
promptly honored them. Finally, in
1896, he landed in Louisville. and cashed
draft for $50, which. for reasons not
then explained, came back unpaid, and
his name, was arrested for obtaining
money under false pretenses.
After he went to prison he was made
assistant clerk of the penitentiary and
made friends with all the officials, to
whom he confided the story of his life,
but did not tell his real name. In March
his health failed and Acting Governor
Worthington pardoned him. as his time
would expire in July anyhow. He Dor
rowed money from the guards and Of
ficers with which to get to Buffalo, N.
V r.
surgical operation. While in prison
he had shut off all letters to his home
people, fearing his disgrace would be
discovered and they would begin to
search for him.
Early this year advertisements con-
corning him were sent out from Wash
ington, resulting in tracing him to
Louisville, where all clewS were lost
in 1896, when he was convicted. After
he reached Buffalo he saw one of the
advertisements and answered it. His
brother, who was in Washington con-
Quoting the search, hurried to Buffalo
and joined him.
A letter from Beverley to one of the
prison guards, received this week. de-
tails the happenings since his pardon,
and money was inclosed to pay all from
whom he had borrowed before leaving
Frankfort. He further stated that his
uncle had recently died and left him
about 81, 100000, and he would sail for
England this week if able to travel, but
would return in a few months and re-
ward those who had been kind to him
in prison. He told the prison officials
that he would have notified his uncle
when first arrested, but thought that
the punishment would only amount to
few days in Jail, and when he was given
three years he had not the heart to tell
them of his disgrace, though he knew
he was innocent of any intention to
commit a crime. He thinks he must
have misdrected the draft, as he was
drinking at the time, which fact caused
it to be returned unpaid.