The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1927-04-08
PAROLE SOUGHT
FOR NOTORIOUS
L 0 W RY YOUTH
One of the Worst Young Grim
inals Town Ever Produced
Claims To Have Reformed

John b. Lowry. Jr.. serving
a ten to fifteen year sentence
in the State Prison at Raleigh
after one Of the boldest and
most sensational careers Of
burglary and housc-breaking
! in the criminal annals OF East
crn North Carolina. wants to
regain his freedom and a seri-
Gus effort is being made by his
ibrother Robert Lowry. a young
attorney Of this city, to have
John paroled.
Up until n few years ago the
names of John and Fulton Lowry
struck terror To the hearts OF peace
ful and law-abiding citizens i'll
Elizabeth City and other parts OF
Eastern North Carolina and Tide
wafer Virginia No Jail could hold
them. They were arrested time
after time. following crime after
crime. and each time they escaped
from prison.
They were finally brought to trial
in PaSquotank County in March
1918. Fulton Lowry was sentenced
to - to % years and John to 10 to
IL years in the state Prison. And
they escaped from the State Prison.
Fulton Joined the L. :. Navy, Scrv-
cd in the navy during tn" world
war. sent pictures Of himself home
tu his folks. was discharged from
the navy and then dropped out of
si.ht. His family here in Eliz-
alcth City insist that they haven't
heard from him in several years.
John Lowry was rccapturrd about
three years ago and again confined
in the penitcntiary. He is not
known to have made any effort to
escape since that time. lie has
Scrupulously obcycd the rules OF
the prison. ingratiated himself With
officials and guards OF ~tht prison
and joined The prison Sunday School
class. He has become Il model prl-
Sonrr who insists that he wants II
chance to 80 straight.
John Lowry is now 81 or - years
old. He is the son of john Il.
Lowry. the proprietor of Il smelly
cook shop on North PoindcXter ST.
The Lowry boys were the victomS
Of IL brutal father John Lowry,
Sr.. beat. kicked. cursed and hhuS-
cd his Ioys when they were Kids.
lie treated them lik" young wild
animals and the kicks. the blows
and the curses he hcapcd upon their
bodies and heads blarkpned and
bruised their hearts. They became
desperate criminals, prcyinS upon
their fellow mrn ruthlcSsly. They
were cunning ;;nd rrSoIlrt"fnl.
Fulton LOwS' was represented aS
ihr brains of ihr pair. Fulton was
hard and coarse. John WAS win
some and mild hammered. John
could steal II citizens heart away
while Fulton WAS sand bagginS
him and taking his pocket book.
Robert Lowry. Il younger broth
or of the notorious Lowry'S. who
went To college with the assistance
of philanlhropirally minded Eliz-
ahcth City, people ana VIII" has
established himself in the practice
of law here in Elizabeth city. be-
licvcS hc can keep his brother
straight if hr gets him ont Of pri-
son. But there are some who
wonder what would Robert IOwryS
Influence count with John if the
mysterious Fulton should show up
again: Would Fulton Lowry. whose
whereabouts have been unknown for
some years. turn UP suddenly and
IccE:0n John Cfr into another series
of criminal adventures if John were
released: This question is puzzling
the minds of some citizens who
would he inclined to give John Il
chance.
\ good mauy people will sign Il
petition for the parole Of young
John Lowry. AS black aS his re-
cord is. il was the record of mis-
guided youth who never had Il de-
cent home environment or Il real
chance to he fortnight and up !
standing citizen. This fact is going !
to soften the hearts of Il lot of folk
who would feel more comfortable |
with John in prison than with John !!
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