The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-09-12
TRAGEDY OF TWO LIVES
MISERABLE STORY OF A wIFE's
STRUGGLE FOR BARE EXISTENCE.
Arrest of Secondhand Dealer Brings
10 Light Evil That Liquor Can
Work I'm One Family.

The arrest OF c. G. Ludwig, keeper OF a
secondhand store at 62S Massachusetts, ave-
nue., for receiving stolen goods yesterday. re-
vealed to the city detective department the
brutal neglect and wretched treatment OF
a young wife by Earl Fowle, who, IL Is said,
is a victim of drink
Mrs. Ada Fowle, the wife, is Z refined and
comely young woman. with oatience and
fortltude stamped in every line in her face.
while her husband Earl. once handsome
and we'll educated, is now a ragged drunk
ard. Day after day he has taken his wife's
small earnings. she says, and has squan-
dered them for drink. Mrs. Fowle has been
supporting herself and husband by the pit
tance she earns from making dresses In
her little room over p North Pennsylvania
street.
Thursday her Husband came home drunk.
she said. and stole nine yards of silk. which
she was making into a dress for a customer.
and sold it for IS cents to Ludwig, the
secondhand store man. promptly spending
the money for whisky. Mrs. FowIe learned
that her husband had sold the silk TO Lud-
wig and went to his place OF business yes
terday and demanded it's return. Offering
to pay whatever had been given her hus-
band for il.
PUSHED HER FROM STORE.
Ludwig refused to return the goods and
ordered the little woman out of his store.
pushing her into the street with one hand
and siamming the door in her face with
the other. She then appealed to Detectives
Bray and Holtz. and they recovered the
silk Ludwig, after considerable argument.
went into his house m brought forth the
stolen property, which he had given TO his
wife as a present. AS there was no doubt
in the minds of the detectives that Lud-
wig positively knew that he was purchasing
stolen property when he bought over nine
yards Of silk for rs cents, his arrest was
considered advisable.
When seen in her little room last night
Mrs. Fowle was almost hystericai with
grief. Her husband, when she m2rried
him, she said. was a prosperous young
ical appearance. A dark cloud never en-
tered their home until one day when he
speoulated heavily and lost on that day
he became a drunkard, and from a bright
and promising young man he fell TO one
whose ambition was merely TO drink all the
whisky he could secure money TO buy. A
short time ago he secured a position with
a local wholesale house, and for two weeks
abstained from drinking. During that time
he bought himself a new suit OF clothes,
new shoes AID a hat. but on the second day
OF the third week he was In rags, having
met some Of his old companions and sold
or pawned his clothing for drink Every
piece OF furniture that belonged 10 his wife
was sold by him piece by piece. and the
proceeds were spent in the saloons OF the
city, while his wife remained at home and
worked day and night sewing for q living.
Mrs. Fowle said that both she and her par
ents were well-to-do people, but she would
not let them know Of her troubles on ac-
count of the worry IL would cause them
and the disgrace IL would bring upon both
families. She was in destitute circum-
stances, without money 10 buy a single
meal, and when she finished telling her
story she laid her head in her hands and
cried.
The case was reported 10 Mrs. Cakes. OF
the City Dispenssry, and she will to-day
endeavor TO find aid for the young woman
in her distress. The police are looking for
the husband. and expect 10 have him SEN
fenced 10 a long term I'm the workhouse.
and in that way cure him OF the drink
habit.