El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-12-12
Of an Old Man Now In Jail
Convicted Of
Theft.
HE WAS ONCE RICH
And Had Splendid Opportun-
tiles. But Now He Is Re-
duced TO Penury
ard Crime.

In the county Jail at present. con-
victed of theft, and soon to be taken
to the state penitentiary to- serve a
sentence of two years, is a man who
was once a wealthy and prominent
citizen of California and an associate
of Senator Fair
The prisoner was convicted and SEN
fenced under the name of John White
but that was assumed because he
wanted to keep his disgrace from being
known to his relatives several of whom
are highly respectable citizens of Col
orado, California and Nevada
His right name is Charles Fitzpat-
rick and in the old days he was known
as Hon. Charles Fitzpatrick At that
owned by Senator Fair at knights
Landing. California. White was then
worth about 800, 900 and was earning
money rapidly by dealing in mining
stocks. He once had an interest in
the famous Comstock lode near Vir-
ginia City and was associated with
Senator Fair in many important min
ing deals.
The instability of wealth was never
more completely demonstrated than
it is in the condition of John White.
He is now 81 years old and although
worth fortune but a few years ago
he does not now possess a dollar and
Is convict because he stole saddle
to indulge his appetite for whiskey.
He is so poor that he even hasn't
enough money to buy tobacco and last
night when reporter called at the
county Jail and talked to him through
the bars of his cell, White asked that
! plug of the weed be sent to him.
Il do not object to telling my story
he said. ''but 1 would not like to have
! in published in the San Francisco pa
| pers for 1 have children there and nv
brothr-in-law is one of the most prom
| lnent men on the Pacific coast. He
| was once a candidate for governor of
| Nevada on the republican ticket. His
name is Paterson. 1 have a brother
who is worth half a million dollars
and two nephews in Denver who are
we'll to do. 1 would not care for them
to know that 1 have been sent to the
penitentiary." and there was a tremor
about the old mans voice that was
perceptible.
| Il am in for it now he said land 7
will take my secret with me to the
penitentiary. They shall never know
OF my degradation or feel nv dis
grace. 1 could nave secured plenty of
money to conduct my defense. but T
did not let them know and did not uce
one cent. l plead guilty and am will
ling to take my medicine. When I go
back home, if 1 live until nv term
has expired my relatives will never
know that I have worn the convict's
striped garb.
! Yes, 1 was once rich. At one time
L made ten thousand dollars on a sale
OF mining stock. 1 suppose above my
debts I was easily worth S1OO. 900. 7
did not get entirely broken up before
L left California but nearly everything
l owned had disappeared I left there
1 n1S93 with $1,000 cash in my pocket
and went to Central America where T
was there when President Barrios was
assassinated.
About year ago I came back to
the United States and a short time
after reaching Ell Paso was arrested
across the Rio Grande for the theft
OF saddle. 1 was imprisoned in
Juarez seven months and as soon as
got back to Ell Paso I was arrested
again and when arraigned in court
pleaded guilty and was sentenced to
serve two years in the penitentiary.
No. drink has nothing to do with
the loss of my fortune and my present
condition.
Prisoners Offense.
Nearly year ago a saddle was
stolen from Attorney D. Storms of this