The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-01-05
STORY OF THE LOWRIE FUND.
NOT UNDERSTOOD HOW FURTHER
REMITTANCEs ARE MADE.

AhG MAIZE,
Thought Here That the RECENT Of
All the Money DefauIting Agent
Had Not spent Few Years Ago
Left theI seotchMan's Request En-
Observation-Disclosures Dispatches Indi-
cate the COntrary-The Last Re-
1nittance of f16, However, Is Said
10 BE the Last That May be Expect
,ed-The Small Fund Is Expended
for the Library of the COIored
College.
The Lowrie bequest to the cause of the
education of the negro in Georgia was re-
called by a dispatch that appeared in the
Morning News of yesterday from Atlanta
in which it was stated that f16 had been
received from Scotland by Secretary of
state Cook to be devoted to this purpose
1t was said the money, as have former
remittances, would be sent to Savannah
Tor use by the Board of Education in the
negro schools.
Supt Otis Ashmore was asked about the
Iowrie bequest. He had not seen the
dispatch and expressed surprise that such
information should have been received, as
the facts as given do not concur with his
knowledge Of the clause contained In
I.owrie's will The story of the beduest
IS strange one and though it has been
told and printed before, Will not fail to
interest.
In the early years of This century two
brothers came over from Scotland. They
bought lands ansbwtt dis gree above sa-
vannah, on the flEsF a part of the prop
erty being an island, and devoted them
selves to the cultivation of rice and cot
ton. After a few years of hard work,
fortune began to smile, and soon pros
perty had claimed the brothers for its
bcnefices.
Their name was Lowrie, and one of them
was the man who sought to improve the
condition of the negroes in Georgia. one
of the brothers aied and the survivor, this
man with the desire to aid the negroes,
succeeded to his wealth. After a time the
surviving brother returned to Scotland,
having converted his estate in this coun-
try into cash. He died after his return
to his native land, and his estate was
administered by kinsman
In this kinsman's administration of the
affairs of the departed Lowre there must
have been faults, for there was a pro-
vision in the win that set apart some $4,000
for the education of the negroes of Geor-
gia, and particularly of his old plantation
on the Savannah river. Nothing was done
TO see that this money was expended in
the way the testator had wished.
A few years ago the Governor of Geor-
gia learned that in one of the banks in
large city of Scotland there lay this
money. Its presence there had, apparent
ly, been discovered accidentally, and The
bank officials wanted it TO revert 10 those
for whom it was intended. The will
lating to the money was a hand, and the
discovery found its way into the newspa-
pers in Scotland, clipping from one of
which conveyed the information 10 the
Governor.
A correspondence was instituted, and
this resulted within short time in a spe-
clal agent being sent over by the state
With power Of attorney to secure the mon
ey and bring il back. The agent got the
money and decided TO have a good tine
on it. He thought he needed it worse than
the darkies in Georgia. He knew old man
Lowrie's negroes had all been scattered,
abe bequest having been made before the
war, when the Iestator was only hoping
for the emancipation of the race, and il
was easy enough for him to convince him
self that he could spend the money 90
much better advantage than officials could
in devoung il to the educational needs of
The colored people
The agent came in this direction after
he got the money. The West Indies, how
ever, was the nearest he got to Georgia
until he was brought back. A detective
was sent post haste on his track soon
as news of his defalcation reached the
Governor, and the officer chased the nervy
agent all through the West Indies and
South America. 1t was almost water
haul when he found him. the man had
managed to have a good time. He was
getting to the end of his row, though, as
the money was running low. After the
detectives expenses and fee had been paid
there was but about $3.50 of the fund left
Ihis was turned over to his eXeellency.
The state officials were in a quandary
as 10 what they should do with the money
After some talk, application for it was
made by the commission in charge OF the
Georgia Industrial College for Colored
youths at Thunderbolt The money was
turned over to the commission, and it was
decided to pace it in the hands of Com
missioner Ashmore, TO be expended as
Mr.. Lowrie had desired. The money was
SET apart as a library fund, and all OF 1t
has not yet been expended There is about
$50 left, and now and then Mr. Ashmore
draws upon 1t for additions to the library
al the college. Practical works on sub
jects relating to the departments in which
the students are Instructed are bought
and found of great assistance. The purpose
Of the Scotchman is thus achieved at this
ate day. though the rascaIty of the de-
1dulting agent robbed the bequest OF the
far greater benefits 1t might have con-
Ierred upon the race.
That is the story of the Lowrie effort TO
neip the negroes To MIR. Ashmore 1t
seems strange that there should have been
another remittance from Scotland. The
Incident. so far as that side of the water
was concerned, was supposed to have
closed with the turning over of the money
70 the agent. No subsequent funds have
been received in Savannah though the
dispatch stated that they had been ar
irving yearly. 1t was further said thai
the Lowrie estate had been squandered,
and that the ZIG was the last the negroes