The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-04-08
A SOLDIER IN
BAD COMPANY.
Two Gin Mill Sharks Play Upon His
Generosity.
GET HIM DRUNK, TAKE HIS ROLL.
Justice John Recognizes an o'o Ac-
quaintance in Spencer Jones-"e"-
ing Web of Evidence Against
some Bad People.
GET HIM DRUNK, TAKE HIS ROLL.

tnclT Hlldl pay III Ai'ii R''H~t''
John J. Fowler, of ST. Louis, private
in the Nineteenth Infantry has been
holding up this reputation for the past
few days, and dispensed dollars as freely
as VIM X. Vanderbilt. Jr.. on his bridal
tour.
lie was discharged in Ponce, Porto
Rico, and Thursday arrived at Norfolk
on an old Dominion steamer from New
York
THE FIRST DRINK.
When he landed IN Norfolk he took
! a drink with his companions, who came
| down on the boat.
They separated. and Fowler took anoth-
| er drink Shortly after he drank some
| more. lie ramblcd into variety theatre
and drank some more
There he made the acquaintance Of
! Spencer Jones and Harry Appleton. beer
| jerkers in the show. and they introduced
huu TO the variety girls and the soldier
sc. EN- up freely and said the bills.
Jones and Appleton stuck 10 him closer
! than brother and made themselves
| so agreeable that Fowler with a soldiers
| generosity. bought tickets FOR each TO 80.
| Louis. and was going 90 carry his new
| found friends to his home in that city
| with him.
BLOOD SUCKERS
The two blood suckers followed the
! soldier to the steamer Louise and they
| drank some more Fowler ordered din
ner on the boat. and paid the bill. lie
pulled his roll OF bills from his pocket,
| and the eyes Of the thieves glistoned with
cunning when they saw IL. The soldier
now thoroughly drunk, and perhaps also
| drugged. dropped some Of the bills IN his
soup. and these Spencer Jones secured TO
| take care Of When the soldier reached
| the train he had not a cent
| Robert Thomas. a member or the Hos
| pital Corps I'm Porto Rico. who accom-
panied Fowler from Ponce. got the con-
ductor TO telegraph the circumstances TO
| the police Sergeant Alex Tomunson met
the train and took Jones and Appleton
in custody.
| SOBERED Up.
| Fowler sobCred up during the night.
and though vctimzed, did not desire TO
| prosecute the men who robbed him.
| Robert Thomas was however. made of
sterner stuff. and insisted on prosecuting
the vampires who accepted his friend
] generosity TO rob him.
| All hands were before Justice John
| his morning The two soldiers told
was recognized as an ex-convict and
| thief and Harry Appleton was judged
| by the company he kept
JONES RECORD
Jones was twice sent 10 the peniten-
| tiary from the Hastings Court 0f this
| City for burglary and the last time was
| railroaded from court direct go that iH-
| sGtution. the only case i'm this city in
! which this course has ever been taken
hg f1t~4afgrtrH frs
| court 10 Kill Sergeant Tofnliuson n he
| ever got free His record in the Police
| Court is also succession of crimes.
Justice John stated that there was no
| doubt in his mind that Jones and Apple
ton robbed the soldier OF his money. but
that the evidence was not sufficient 10
convict them Of the felony.
Spencer Jones and Harry Appleton Were
put under bonds Of $500 each and in de-
fault went to jail for twelve months.
Fowler got back about $50 Of The $50
he had originally. and with his COM
panions took up his westward Journey
He was good pluck. and 10 the end made
no complaint or whimpered one bit AT
his loss.
WEAVING DAY.
1t was weaving day with Justice
John-weaving the web Of the law
around wicked people who had been un-
| kind TO their fellow men. Lawyers tried
10 tansle and knot his skoln bat lis
shuttle worked with firm and unorring
clack. shooting back ana forth through
the mixture Of fasity and truth, until
the fabric OF justice was smoothly spread
out the web and wool each perfect In
its place. and the lint of perjury. and the
trash Of attorneys talk Was in the waste
Jim Lord and Burton Smith. coiorcd
answered 10 the charge OF being sus-
| picious characters. The specific tharge
was also laid up against Jim Of stealing
a set Of harness from Mr.. n. C.. Lynn.
Jim had "a lawyer and the attorney
tried to prove an alibl for his client
Two witnesses. white citizen and
small boy identified Jim as the man who
stole the harness. They saw him with
It and said he was the man
COULDN'T LOSE HIM.
The lawyer cross-qucstloned the Wit
nesses ana tried 20 discount their tcsti-
mony he put the prisoner on the stand
| and also his brother to prove that the
accused had gone to their unc'c's. in
Manchester 10 carry n satchel at the
hour the harness was taken
Then Justice John started his loom.
and following the threads OF the evil
denco exposed each ravellcd end. jim
could not tell his uncies name or where
ne lived I'm Manchester and finally adj
mitted that Re lived with his mother on
Franklin street
His brother yawned over the questions
asked him bv the court until there vas
| danger of dislocating his jaw and wouhu
himself up so tight when he did answer
that il will take him the balance OF the
year to untansle his mind.
CHARGE AMENDED.
The charge against jim was amended
| I'm court TO house breaking ana Was con-
tinued till tomorrow 10 allow me us
oner 10 summon witnesses.
Along with Burton Smith jim was put
under bond for twelve months as aGs-
ricious character and the two went 10
| Jail.
The Same time. was one Of the gang
charsed a few days ago with stealing
yror, BROAD street stores and escaped for
nsnt of evidence He has continued in
~ o,d habits and Detectives Gibson and
W., propose to produce evidence to-
,,nrrow that will show that he IS re-
,o,s,hie FOR several petty rOhberies
since he was in the police court before.
WIN owen colored. charged with hav-
,ng driven off with James Hays buggy,
ybich the owner left standing In the
street was fined 3.
los. Roach a negro boy, who threw a
,ock I'm the street and struck a citizen
sItting in a street car severe lick on
the hack OF the head came out OF the
.cn with tousled head and weeping CO.
piousy.