The Sunday globe., 1901-06-09
AN INNOCENT MAN
The Sunday Globe Believes u, B.
TOWleS to Be.
SENTENCED TO PENITENTIARY
One Of the Most Complicated Cases Growing
Out Of The Gettysburg Deal Fully UnrNsIIed
for Our Readers The Inside Facts and the
Present Status Of Affars-The SCapsgOat
VIII Come Free is the Belief Of His Friends

NH GOm6 tf66 Is Inc b6ll6I OF MS fIlendS
The Gettysburg Hotel and Spring
Company, a syndicate Of which H. o.
Towles was president, and Gilbert B.
| Towles secretary, has occupied public
attention for some time. The Globe is
satisfied, from a thorough investiga.
tion Of the facts that Gilbert b. Towles
| has been made a scape-goat Of and an
innocent man whom it would be a
crime against humanity to immure in
a penitentiary.
This syndicate bought about 1900
acres near Gettysburg, which was a
part Of the Confederate lines at the
Battle of Gettysburg and included
within the lines on the official map Of
the Gettysburg National Park.
These parties and their associates
took up the options on the 1900 acres
in '93, paying in cash $4,000 and
placing deed Of trust for $4,000 on the
property Improvements amounting to
$4,000 or $4,000 were made on the
hotel structures, bringing the original
cost Of the property up to about S2O5..
600. Much Of the original money paid
was raised in Washington, at banks
and other monied institutions.
When the property was bought. il
was expected that the Government
would purchase the same within a rea-
sonable time, as Congress had passed
an act authorizing the Secretary Of
War to purchase which was manda-
tory, but up to the present time al
though many years have passed, no
action by the Secretary has been taken.
hence the trouble
during these seven years, interest
ana expenses have accumulated. and
20 meet the demands, notes signed by
u. Is. IoWles, mostly as maker. and en-.
uOiseu by Zenas G. Robbins. H. q.
IOWles ana G.. G. Bryan. and few en-.
uoIsed by others, until the amount of
notes put out to carry the propert,.
amounted to about $4,000, owned by
lhe clllzens of Washington. All went
well as long as the notes could he
Hoated, but when the public would alb.
oofD no more and payment was de.
Alahued, instead Of renewals, the cash
was not forthcoming.
Inc renewals of this paper and pro.
curing OF money to pay interest. and
III many cases, large bonuses, kept Mr.,
o. b. Iowles as secretary, extremely
busy and in many cases there were
changes made in the body of the notes
some FOR less amounts and a few for
more than original amounts, but no
signatures We're forged or changed, and
as secretary Of the company, G.. b.
IoWles made the changes to suit the
amounts falling due, of paper, that was
put out without change, all parties be-
ing iully advised as to the amount Of
paper being put out by G.. b. Towles
receiving notices from the banks of
the amount Of notes when due. etc.
ana later protest notices. showing
amount and time due. This went on
weeks and months, without claim be- |
ing made by any of the endorses that
the notes were fOrgeres. but at the
last, when the endorsers must meet
the paper, the very brilliant idea
struck Robbins, IL. o. Towles and c.
{. Bryan, or a suggestion from some
source might have been made, that the
notes were changed and the endorsers
could not be heiu. Forgery Was claimed !
IN the changes, but it is claimed lhcv
were made by full consent Of all con
cerned and rightly beyond a shadow
of doubt.
The arrest and conviction Of G.. b.
Iowles followed. The evidence of
false swearing against him by the two
OF the three put on the stand, is ample.
his brother II. o. Towles, not having
been called to the stand, but did go be- |
fore the Grand Jury, and aid in pro
curing an indictment against his
brother,
Public sentiment is with G.. B.
IoWles and i'm view Of present develop
ments, there is little doubt but what |
the Supreme Court Of the District will |
grant a new trial
Zenas c. Robbins and c. C.Bryan
We're arrested on May 27th, and placed
under bonds Of $4,000 each to appear
before the Grand Jury.
The Traders National Bank of Wash
ington discounted a note for $4,000. /
bearing the endorsements of II. o.
Towles. Zenas G. Robbins and c, c.
Bryan, H. o. Towles receiving the
money on said notes. Three witnesses
saw Zenas c, Robbins and c. c. Bryan
sign said note and the great handwrt-
ing expert Of New York, Mr.. Coriveld,
pronounced the signatures genuine.
which Zenas G. Robbins denies under
oath and c. c. Bryan claims he signed
the note supposing the signature Of
Robbins was genuine when, i'm fact, me
signed the note before Robbins.
II. o. TOwles is made witness. and
must either convict Robbins and Bryan
or. as he received the money on the
$4,000 note, must be made particips
crimlnis with his brother who stands
convicted of forgery