Richmond planet. [volume], May 22, 1909, Page 5, Image 5

About Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938

Image provided by: Library of Virginia; Richmond, VA

                
>\Tl ItllAY MAY ?Ji!, !?(??.
The Crook
Of THE
Century.
(( ,>iitinu< tl I'li.iii KirM l*B
B hlch he I m;
them from their oola Thal hl
?art of the stc?ry of his ari<
mt arceratit.n which t
told
.lohn (' | about
old, and unniarried. Of his early his
md BBtecedeatS llttle is known
ia V- ? wbo
not Btlllag to tt 11 what the\
know of hlra. An effor- made
r all tli<
? rning his life before he
t<> Washlagtoa to puraat
?
falaa prateaat r six
??> tha
llmallght la Waahlagtoa, N ?'
ahera h. aaaaaiad r" he a praetldBg
He aaa arreated there upon tha
? harge of obtalnlog inmiey under
la much the
aar that ha obtatoed it ln V
althoagh tha exteat ol
bo raeaaa as
T.u llt ?
i" i: a i.it shreadei than
hlngtoalaaa ^ bo aart
raU . ' next
I
and before he bad ha | ortti
.tld before
the ntimber of his victirns was an>
aaari
a and rtrialt] Tha oaaa upon
whlch lt was declded tO tr> hll
log He had made
?
for a
J ? r than thal which ha
'?d-iTi his vi.tun There ap*
BO w.n> rot
t.rtn
la the peoltaatlar]
kntkrkh inswitv PLffi*
Bg left for liiin |b
it to plaad lasaalty, ahh
tii.i North CaroUaa Jaatta
? Biperad with n
. naerej it prorad it:
of ins.inity was -
\ jury was made to bellere r
a aaaa who aoaM asllbe
aaothar man'.- aaoaaj
BttOB that he would
' lt In a profltable enterprise.
and. failing to do that. ha '
his own parpPBBB, was not in
Ighl mind. So Da ? ? nt t<>
-tate Baylaaa for the laaaae n.
madhoust> for four
ara, and. there BBTiag
to the aathoritlee of the Inatltutloa
raport that h. aaptad t,.
aaj ,.f his relloa im
torgotten him. Davis was QBletl
?-d as eai
ii.- eaaae t<? Wa*dalagtoa ataraa
BaaaiT, ahera aa
nately. the mania for gettlag
-.n.ls uiK.n the mon.-v of ,,ther>
agaln s.-i/.-d him. and for baa
hia controlling pasnlon Noa
is agaln
Kteauation and a i
proaacutloa oa the rroaad <>f a
larad aalad LooatJag hinis.-if
Darta apaaad aa ofnc<- and rep
*..i himself as a ;. -;,, f;ir
ia i?e isaraad. he never appt
aa an afetoraa] nd in ar
in the local t'tmrta.
Ha had a suit,- of OBaOBI la tha
Coinmbiaa building. in Pifth -
?he City Hall. but fea law-,
vers about the courthouse bad more
than a BpaahtBg acc.naintance wlth
?he man Many i.. j him at
all. except by name. aatll hla arrest
antl exposure , &KO
atlaaaa saw him ooaalag and
? from his offlirs. but thev sim
Jhought him an attoraey aho
most of his attt-ntiori to r.-al
matters and investments and
had llttle business in the ooort
ittar of fact. Dav
apaal most f>f his tlaaa liattlag
rlcUma and eji< ouraging them t..
and larger ' invest
ta" with him.
SKI.KCTKI) VICT1MS CAREFPI.LY.
person wlth mon
I and a sufflcient amount ,.
Instlnct t,. dtetlagafc :
tat from a death warrant would
Bhted ..f one,- at ;in\ of the
lata did
' lo hare his transactions
with that sort of paapla. Ra Boaaiijil
'<> have almost unerrlng judgment
?>n of hla rlctima, and
ilan in general was the same
wlth all of tl.
One of tbt- first Bbaaaa he made up-1
-?n coming to Washington was t
?lf in church membershlp I
aad a bigger hypocrlte ***** crosaed
the threshold of a house of worship
ln his religious work he was more
daTOBl He was a reK,.?*r att*mdatit
There coulont b,
many meetlngs on Sunday for him
to attend. and he was even a leading
aptrtt at the midweefc prrawr me.-t
ings. Being ?ifted wlth some Baeaey'
Of .-peech. he was a readv talker
aheo there was oeeaslon for anv,
membT of the oongregatlon to make
irka. I
Waa there a subscrlption 11st pass
*-d around to aid any worthy cauae
the name of John C. Davis was cer
tain to be upon lt. and well toward
the top, aad usually for a substantial
Bum. Was there a siek brother or
aiate'r in the congregation. preferably
a widow with some means. or even
a spinister who might chance to have
a Bnug sum lild by. Brother Davis
would be aruong the flrst to call and
Bl his sympathies and condo
teaasa.
Ofttlmai hB aaal flowera. or. per
? earrtod some areaaat ta
the ailin?; one. He was such B d..u\
good aoul that he brought sunshine
and aamfort aaarevar he areat. an.l
M might ? Idad that fraqaaat
although
posaessing no particular han.
manner or great foire of < haracter.
Davis aerei the
faculiv ot ingratiating himself Into
<nnd* nce and 88*888
friends. so that th-?>? beatered hlm to
be tha eaaeaca af honor. and integrity
and ahollj
great was their trust in him
? v. n now as he languishe* In a
prison eat] with the eviden.es of his
?n pillng up Baouatala
hlgh agalaat hlm,
Icttma a bo profeaa theli
in his sincerit> . and eOBtead I
ble to
atralajhtea oal -.d aattaf)
his clleata
COXriDBNt
? aotahle laataaea of this coaft
In the man was braaj
ttoa of the dlstrict
in the caaa of I
Qreavea, who has aaaTared a h
aomethlog !ike $i\.. ,,t ,n,. tKimls
of Davis. and who holda nothing but
B bhtch of worthless m??? , nritv
I man who dld not kn.
aatag them. and had no knowl
? ..f the parpoae for
which be was atgalog ,,b
the f
Tl" la Capt. Thom
at flrsl ,1K in
?>id. but
aa to ba al laao
t any crlmlaal act and who has
1.? completelj ezoaeratad b:
district attorney, laatead ..f b.
tha frauds Capl Owea is
? nafortaaati
aaa of
traal whlch he n D the
awlndler.
Deepite the fact that hoth ahe
defraaded out of mai
aada of dollara b) Dai
arli
the mai the
grang Jdrj Ifi idow,
;,i t<> poaseea ;. rable
Her flrst buabaad was Rep
Of North I
h sh.
rell-kaoam
r. ?f Mi
? w idow sh.- now
s at
B time when
fr,,ni illness. and. mov-d to
aympatby tor the am, and alao hai
! conti.i.'ii. e la hlm bv his
real earaeataeaa aad pl<
avaaaem, she latra
?l her baa blm Lstttle by lit
? ohtalaad rarloaa taai
Bd linally the amount
m time U) time Ii.
with al
?dits which he had .
to h.-r on BCCOBBt <>f |,?t Ii
allurlag that
Darta had aa dlaaoalty la ladaclag
her to dip daapar and deepwr lato
,1,r ?' aad tnrn its coaAeata
<>ver to hlm. W henever she wai
sum for expeaaea oT any sorf.
always BUpplled it. usually with
promi .1 su.h wllltaa,
she had Impllclt faith in his .
daughter. Btr n. al
?<? kfoa and amployed la on.- ,.f
>v. rnnieiit departmeata, i
**i'h the | o laaaraace money u-ft
h.-r b] her husbat lt to
for investment. ui?in reeom
mendatrOa <>f her mother
? Wtille Davis had little trouble ln
popularlslag hlaiaeir wiMi .
aromaa, all of whom ha made m^
vtctlBTta, ha aarar woald have
much of a s> aith a worldly
aromaa, or with one with any
koowledge of baalaeaa affairs. Ha
tOO gOOd to be true. and would
baaa Buapected. To thaaa whom
? i to defraad he appi
ta I" th.- inodel man He was a Btrong
< hi rehinan He was a total at.stain
ei and could boasf that nev. ;
B drop of li.juor paumad his lip
aeither amohad nor ehawad t<>!
?as he heard to utt.r a pro
fane or obscene w or.i
His dealings with women were
purely of a bBBiBBBB and social na
tare, and there is no evldi
where of aaj immoraiity in coaaoc*
ttoa wiiii his transartions with his
Jemale cltaataV Th.y i.garded his
moral charact.-i .IS ahoWB suspicion.
There la ar/idaaca, bowewer, af the
fact that in mveral iBataacaa in or
der to laSBfra confldence he pr.i
matiimotiy. which helped t.. ,,er
aaade t.i- ntrioaa Baaaeaaa to mtmst
their money to him.
The Wlidow Karrich. m an BCtaOB
filed against Darfj sin. .- afta a
charges that she was engaged to
niarry him, and was only awaiting a
suitable time to elapse aft.-r the
daath af her husband to i.e.onie hi.s
Bg love fo tha WidoW.
had ingratiated himself into'
t..r favor an.l obtained the i.
la h.-r BBOa the death of h.-i
hustiand.
At I.-ast two 0tner women who
BBjotBad B80T8CJ as to their
";UI" siateno-nts to
1<? tha ? iect that one of the allure
avaata praaaatad by Davis which in
thena to place their i*oss.
Iiands was the promlBB <>f mai
riinony WaaOB their manner indi
doubt as i.. th.- aacarltj of the
investment D;:vis would reassuie
them with the atatcment tbat ii
could not trust to the lfnalBBBj capa
ettj af their intended I
no one uiwn whom thev
could rely This line of argum.-ut
won the confldence <,f the women
and also got the mom.v
DUPED CAPT OWaat<
Earlv ln his career in Washington
Davis formed the aequaintance. which
rij.ened eoon into a v.ry BtOSl fri.nd
Thomaa A. Ow.n. who
uppeara as slgncr of alraost aoaa
uotes whi.h Davis tendered as
earltjr" to those from whom he ob?
tained money. Owen i? a t\
riverman. rough. rugged. and h.
but his knowledge of the world is
chiefly conflned : the two
banks af the Potomac
He knowa every eddy and cr.. k !
from Great Fa'.la to the polnt where
the river empties Into the Chesa
peake. and a better ptlot never plow
ed the muddy waters 0f that hlstt)rlc
stream Aboard shlp Capt. Owen. ls
niaster. but on shore he is lost. and
BBOaaa ln business matters wlthout a
rulder.
Coaaagaaatly, he fafi an eas>
tim to the diabolical scheme af
vis. Capt. Owen's social transacUons
with Davis graa out of his pair
of a home in South Washington. ana
als,. b| a tagboal wlth which h plted
his aacatiaa (a-i taa liai
qalre which ha was- foread to
some financlai obllgattoaa Darla
with his kaaa se-nao of character.
aa oaaa
He saw in him a man whom he
could handle to his liking. and he
him for his por] [a the
purchasc of his house and his boat
Capt Oaaa lafl ?^rarythlaTg <n tha
hands of Davte, wbo was t,> arrange
for I ile. d or trust (>n the property,
which Oaaa was to pay off from time
Boa aaach BBaasaj ht
pahf tt. Da\ is Bt various tl I
()%s. n BOOB not know. hal
? thal he was fragueal
opoa ... slga a t?at
ahlch Darla i
Ib order to readjust or t
tha ladebtadai
! in l.lank. haviiiK implb r
? in Davis and trustinu :
to hll in the propar BBBooajbi aad da
with thei -i the
praral m many of then he
i Oaea doaa not know There
aare probablj more thaa 100 of
them.
S'OTES A,8 BffiCl RITT
Theae aotaa, in a large aaaibar of
iaatai aa i>\ Davis to tha
aa rroai ahorn ha <d.r
\ favorir
cmployed by Davis aa
lo his ? hat Owea was a
a peraoaal fri.-mi of his.
of funds to carry
on his trnnsa .( h ?ren
taln t Uwajra
1 <? bro-i-hetl the ? . j.-, t t.f BBOBey
iti a caaaal aay He had baeo brt la
ba Oa : ? -inakinir l>u
aroald rej allIIng t<>
' fortuae with hla
fri-i
lf thaj had aay Idla money or bjo
draaiag a i?>w n
la bank aad he alaay.
ptcked those frteadfl w-ho had mo
ha aoald offer ba place it r>r
111*1 yi.-l-l a hand
retura. it was alwaya oo the
>nal frlendahlp tt
BUada theae repreaaatatloa
got inti. the :
tims l . ,1 jn.
in their aelfare and his
attentlon to tio-ir peraoaal i
coinforts. he found lt eoBBparat
bala at Bral bbbbII aaaaa for
...ans?15
or porhj aatha
AJaaya in his n i
Cootraetor Oaaa was la pr.
need of funds to carry oul a blfl
.'larant.e
doaa thal
1 ' BhoaM ge? iti ,,n tbe
grouBd ftoor. Tha laat ?? tha
con
tractor" as aacartty. .\t matorla
tha flrst not. h ha aroald ???
turn the aaaoaata callad f?.r t
or. with the principal BI
i.ig rate of lataraal
tillles
there was a bOBUfl Bfl proflata in ad
ilitlon to intel
?*? ? <? -is woubl
b arouad agala tt. make a so
K.-pt . horaa aad <ar
graal .leal of time
dri\ing about rlaltlag his frlends.
His ct.iuinir was always aeleOBBed,
and ln many BOBOaa ha wa- ragardad
as a gnat baaefactoi. Ba aoald drop
m at dinner time aad gractoaal
tha proffered larltatioa ta ap
appattte Ht Bjood
mallst, aud had with him
B convin. ing mant.er. and a p.
aace which carrled conviction antl
usually aOB his point. Tht> wife liketl
r him talk; so did tbe chlldren
while the head of the hoaae becarae
in his narration of his haa.
affairs The Itino w;
spinisters he would take out drlrlag
l the tb.-ater. but the
productlon would haaa to i?- ??f blgh
character; a Bhakeapaarlaa drama
or an opara
lli:\\ BO PRORLKM PLAY
The problem play aad the averaso
?a aas d.-moralizing to oaa
of his aaaumed Chrtstlaa char
and he would not pBtronise them
Ilien there aere from time to time
Mttle presents for the women. Ine^i'
ahly his conversation raerad to th<?
subject of investments. Re had pr,
Beated to hla aaothar opportualty
ror large i.rofits. and agala if his
I wanted t,, take another
chance. which was alwavs a
thing. he would lot tliei,, Ib on the
grtound floor
Each time. whenever it was possi
r?le. the amounts invest.,1
r and larKer. The iBrestments
I i i ?? b.oketi uraon aa aaeh a
pood thing that it b.,au.e th.- c.s
lOBl of many of his rlotlBsfl to .,
; rJaciple to remain m his hands
tmeot. as he saw fit. while
t took only th.- profifs proflta
which were. in fact. paid out of
IglBBl ;?mount loaaad, for th.ro
: ?;,. ,,,.
ataace ia all of Davis' long car.-.-r
wh'*n "?' lagle dol?
lar for any one of his clients in any
sort of enterp
it rraqaeatlj haaaaaed in manv
thal laraatora eama la
ooafldeaee that they ai
jowed their proflts t.. remala in his
aecepttag only from ti:
hey might*ask for it or ha
< t.. Bdaa it to them a fraudu
conooctad atataaieal of th.-ir
int ia his hands. Orcasionaliv
w1"" Ihej aaatad bboi aoald
adraace it to them ta bsbbII BBsaa
rfully. His frtend* came to re
gard him as their business agent
and gave money to him In the same
w*y ' would dept.sii || i?!
a bank with the purposo of allowlng
lt to rtmain and ftccumulate If a!
woman wanted coal and applhd to
him for.rooaay he would tell her to'
aaajli attend to it.j
?al would eoaaa ap on tim, i
she aroald have no touble about it.j
for the kind Mr. Davis a*as actingl
for her and attending to her w;
was no reason in her mfnil,
why sho should worry about business
matters wheu all her affalrs were
in the bands of so bouorable and
nice a gentleman as Mr. Davis.
A FAVORITJJ SC'HEME
Anotber Blm pie but fat ? heme
enipioyexl by Davis waa to
blnaaa nt of a large coati
who wiBhfd to purchase a bt|
aignaaent of lomher la
couid obtaln it eheap for
cash and avoid tl" ,,* the
lumber trust. There vn~ ,. 0|d
st.-ry of big proflts and B willln
lO let his friends ln OB the ground
Then the thought Of Baalstiag
vade a tl
too. and the money was torthcomlag.
\t other ttaa woald repre
BBBl that be 8 | ,,ur
a large quantlty ,,r coacrete
h had been comlenined. The con
waa i-. rfeeUy food aad there
?r amklag a
amount of u.
The contractor who und<
about it would g
agala the money would poar lato i>a
It the not
by Oaraa thej aaa the aame
of P. C. VVUlaoa. i
o Wlllaoi lerk la I
goverrunent department and so is
Miller. In Wlllaoa'a
iinilv
He had made investmcn's for therii.
aad there was alaaya ???
ing of profits aa
Wlllaoa got money from him when
be waated it
why he
leatad hlm to execute Wlll
BOB tinds it hard to explaln Davis
obt< rad aome plaa such
idjustment of loan>. and tl
ecatioa <? ?
terma whlch uillson aupp
all right aud he readiiv d) |
requested hln .,?. is
? troe ia tbe eaai Miller
4 aay
lo anything wroag <>n the
'h.-r ..f theae two
I tustla." whose Dan
of tha aataa whlch Davia
aa aecaiity f..
-
reloi i aroman wl
! in the Agricult 81 al I..
Iil.'fit
culated b) Davla wltb
l to be ?
i{i:i-Ki-:si:\i rous
? ir I >u. n Wil- n, and Miller.
aach of ti ? i aj i>-,
?
d darafllnga ani la boy
ing lamhar aad
them < \. r waa . -truct
Ing b
of tlmber or a -
Nelther dffd tha) BwW ?
bualoi
Of money from Davis for 88) pur
That t his f;i
e.i by thaaa trom arhoaa D
tnoiiev is i kable
when the credallt)
? * io a ere his ln\.-st
W.'tV
nev.-r brought tOgathei l?.:
w blcl ' aiei ? I) aa .i mat
: friaadahla.; it hon.
apart trom 1 busin.
tha)
looked upon him as a gentlemu
th.* hlgheal moral i ba
t that he
**as B BBd zzbr. a bv
ler. forger. and COB
All
tigiire in BOBM ot l?n\ is' 11..
and ther.' have been unearthe.i thua
?ar aereral la where i,.
? b-d deada <?f tru-t wlii. h .
aolutely worthleea, for the i.
Ihat they we:
who had n.i equitv wha'ever in the
l,r?l" ictlons in this
t show th- crude and olmple
inethods which he Bomel
ployed as wall .is hia nilalay Ha
would take aa aaaaBjpecttag and
COBBdlBg woman before a n<
latrodace h.-r ;,v a cltaat, aad
Igoatara
of trust, under repreaaatatloa tl
waa a legal documenl connected with
h.-r investment. and the
Iwhlch she dld BO< kaOB <>r un.l.T
ataad. Th i . v. ,,fe an in
strument ooaveylBg propati
which she had i ? i w hats..
.v.r.
Then. in ordOl t<> make a ahow
ing before aaothei vletlm, he woald
- d and hold it
lieat'a loaa Buch
in a little tin
aoa in hl arhara they were
deroaadad; bal always witr thi
that thej be allomad to remaia
with him for saf.
KMI'I.OYKD BaWBRAL ci.KKks
lintanied I 8uite of three
in the Coliunbian bnilding.
and there he had employed at dlffer
BBt timi's two or three ? lerks A p
larentlv. the malntenance of th.
eftt.es aaa more for apj
and to give a BBOW 0f doing bu
aaythlag el*.-. for ha never in
I a dollar. so far aa can ba
talaad. aad tiaaaacted ao baal
apt to : Ictlma
aTmal tha elarka did la more ai
(,t :i : <>n<- of them was th.
daagl owen. whom Da
vis patroalaed extravaganti,
her home and giving Ii, , |jttl,- preg
.n.i gratuitlea. thus belplag t..
eoatlaaa In good favor with h<
ther
.mlaatlon al iam pv na.t^
lail.-d t.. reveal anything <>f value.
aad, in fa.t. nothlng but a fe?
worthl.ss pap.-rs. If he ever kepf any
have elther been hid
dea or <i. ,, ta,
ledgera has boea found it la beHered
that B0 k. ,-t only a memorandum,
which he mus done in ordai
to furnish th- - aafa whi.h he
dld from time to time to thoee of
Us elleata who asked for th.?-..
to Whom he belie\.'(l a sllOW |fl
such bus-ness, niethoda waa nocoa
sary ln order to keep their conf.
dence.
Gradually Davis eiroh- of friends
Wtdeaed. aa his inveatora reported la
their aoaaalataacm tbe arofltahle re
aal| af their dealings wltb bll
represented by the statements and
claima whlch he marje to Ihaai
ularly unfortunate case where
a woman waa indueed through the
r*?commendatlon nf friends to plac-e
all of her money ln the banda of Da
vis. where she waa aasured of large
rataraa, ls that of the widow of Dr
Gow. Dr. Gow was well known in
Washington. had a lon* Ust of
frtaada, and was highly res: ?
He dled abtt.it B year ago. leavmg his
?a a small sum of BbDBBJ and
$ -."".. in life laaaraaai This Mr<
Qoa itiv.-sted in a Bpll oatBbl
aad raapOBathla building and loan a<
ra she di ? eaat
lateresl \.<:- ha aaaaai
darlrlag a largar raaoaaa Mrs
? frloaJi
an order upon tl ,, for
tn. which h.
aad t<? his own par|
The money reari tlcall)
all that the BOBBBB had. and
u?.w oaar her i.
: alm.tst similar in
i hlch hav beea r
district Bttoraej s nfflce. and.
dOBBl aay t.thers of like char
r which will b
I PatACTfCBD M\\Y DfSCEITB.
\ proi
clan feii int.?
liar a
BBder arr.st antl indictnient. had
?
?ii oparatlon upoa him,
and rastored hlaa to health.
most grateful foi
aad skiii ? i by the doctor He
I his hlgh B| tl t>f
?i.l the blll
rfully, and ladleal illlBg
aeae tlaaa to dt. ti ?
B gOOd turn if th, with
? la his aay. The ehance dtd
?
for to ohtala tha dotHor'a
the tiot t..i tn, t Darla har
rylBg atoag 11 ,m his ?
B hic deed with a
eby he aaa to aaak<
tha old. ol
jthe eontractor being presaed for mo
J BOJ and will,
- f?!I f.>r it when reminded
ted to do him
a fav.tr in roturn for th
i w hlch h.i -,,1. rt .1 t.
?'
-r the faet that I
?
Bllght ha\
In this last
curr.
' '
!'. I?.t\
raa to eome in
a round D
ITpoB one pretext at. r he
m.l off I r nn
tiii Inaagaratloa tim.
broaghl t<>
P C
M -
M. Keow n ha.!
t .bt
' it wlth
Th.
sht.rt time loaa aad apoa raturalag
to Claetaaatl foraarded
draft for f i ...oi. ti
of the |
rn of his
I
H ith him a t.-l
tatiag
t hat the atoaej had I
a ith ahlch t,, ro<
drafl
OOT iDDITIONAL MtiN'l'.i
Darla propoail loa t bea \?
could on' '
uat, and that
t the draft t.i hla own ?
an.l draw aKainst i' \
for the raraali ? a faror ?>f
I
I the do. *
Bdeace, and h>- did as |
ed thlnkin*: tha* he aoald
gal lldw on accmint
hoaorad all ri| I then th.
tor's . ? sbed
appeared later and
that th tor would fall
aud woui.i b?> loat aaleaa ha coald
gal ? ii.rk
!?? ad
ral hundre.i dollara ad
dltloa :?!.- did ti
th,- BOtaa of the pythlcal cootra
epted i? ? ipts.
Wh loaa f.n
.n.i than rallnre in
neal ame Buaplclous, aad ba
iti? w iser t hnn t I ? I 1 the
matter in the hands of a .
wl... rt tected th,- fraad, arhlch
letl t.
ttoa of t]. ? lc frauda ol" which
BaJhal baa Davis dOBS with the
!.>?>? he has gatht-r
ad from his rtcttana? Tha
not hard to Bad. Ther. .... r.-ports
to the eff.ct that he hrst much of it
mhling In margins where the
backet shops aera tn operation in
fVaahlngton. Hut ahathar that is
true or not it is not n.-.<-ssar> tt.
tit in this way for tl.
"t the $21 | perhaps $:.'.?
which he has obtall
KAItNKD NOTHING HnNESTLY.
He has live.l ten \ears m Wash
lagtoa without aaralag an t.,
dollar. While he has not Bqpaadered
th-- tnonev ir. dhartaatioa or riotoaa
? ba] has Bxpaadad aarga
sums. which in the eaaa of a aell-to
table bua
a oahj n..t be ooasidt r.-.l
hltaal or evtravagani But wit!
vis it was the principal in
him for investment
haaa $1 ??.?## woaiid eorat
this livim- in u perlotl of ten
of the i.
is b.-iieved to oa toaai
Imburslog those whom he vlctli
in North Carolflaa in hla
!'i i.. aajaare hims.it alth his
:s at home. Other BOrtloaa of
rladpal hare haaa rataraed t<>
rm of Inti
Profll not having been any
?1 oi proi . prtn.
cipal. hacaaaa Davis matle no Inv.-st
I
At. aaaaal profit of 10 par eaat,
? yaata eoaaaan ti.
tire aavoaal of a gfrea principal, but
aay of his
ib allowed their praf
and accumtilate. as ?
poaed. 16 per eaat aaaaaH* has not
I ?" taaaa AI] the time
r priaclpal coining ln
which Davis from time to time as
occasion. required. paid out to other
Investors. thus maintalning a sort
of chaln system. robblng Peter to pay
Paul. until flnaily all was exhauated
and the thain snapped. landing tbe
prlze swinuler of Washington behlnd
the bars
SEVEN POISONED
BY BURDOCK
Family Eats II ln Mlstake Foi
Horseradish.
TWO ARE LIKELY TO OIE
Boy of Four Diacovera Wa.d In Lol
Near H.a Home, and Hia Mother
Thinking lt Waa Horaeradtah, Serv
*d to Family, and All are Taken III
Philadelphia. May |f, _ Decaust
u.dther foai yearold Atlam \v.>.
homas Wood, kn-w
the dlffen k an.'
ire family of
Bed BBd two may do
iCbeen years old. thf
? Boa, and his father are in tli*
laag
an evaa aaaatiea at tha West Phila
deiphia HoaBeopathlc hospital ahethei
they would '.:?
John. s ars old and llttle
Adam htaaaetf and M r* w
In a Rerious condltton l.ucy. fourteen
years old. and Rva. ten y.ars old. ate
of tha suppoaed horseradish. hut
nelthor was sick enough to be taketi
to the hospital.
Adam was the cause- of lt all. Thf
family lives a* ? and
aalle the Other chlldren were away at
i the BO) was pcrmitted to tak*
care of blnisHt
In a aadlhhorlag lot ho found a pe
cuilar plant When he polled it up thf
ba him Just llke those
from ahlch his niother matle horse
ants near
by. and coarlaced that
ere.l
and proadly carrlad them h.
?*-as also
iBBBBadlatel) hagaa to prapare th*
ah" for the evaalag raeal
Sh-? cleaaed th< ? aad grate.i their
into Baa hflta and added vin.'nar tc
Kive them the j>r<>; ??, > th.
tabl*? aha told the family of the indus
try of Adam. BBd the llttle felloa
coaaaaeaded for his "fln.i
y .?ne at<> heartllv and encl,
ilt-ent on hl?
meat Preaeatl; aaplalaad
Of a pain II.- a . k and had tc
tbe table Then the .
nan to bars qaaar pains.
CHILD ATTACKED
IN BED BY RAT
Girl's Scieams Awake Paients.
Who Rush to Rescue.
Middlett.Aii N Y. May 17 -Emmi
Dtinla years old. a
panmtrt with her shrieks when a blg
rat attacked her in bed The parenn.
1 t,> tbe chlld'a rot.m. and thf
rat coaaaad with the llttle girl's blood
ran u bed ?nd disappeared ln
a hole in the Boor. The rat bati bltter
the child tafce ln her left che.-k .
MRS. TAFTS ILLNESS SLIGHT
la Recovering rrom Her Nervoui
Breakdown.
Washington May 1!> Mrs Taft
who staffered a nnrvous breakdown o"
Moiulay is much lmpro\??d After thr
call of Dr Dahiaay. the prealdeut'?
family physit lan at the Whlte House
lt was aaaoaa he presldent?
wife had tably and was
nnii h bet ?
$150,000 FIRE IN NORFOLK
Piano Factory, Two Srtables and 500C
Bags of Peanuta Bumed.
May lt.?Fire which
took three hours to get under control
destroyed Marks' piano factory. 50043
t-ags of peanuts. Pritchett's stablee
and O I. WilMams' stahlee. Nin^ty
r- raacaad. The probabi*
loss |s $: ,,rtly Insured
Motor Cycle Agent Killed.
In.ltanapt.lis. ind May iy. Whll*
aahlbltlag his skill In rontrolling a
motor cyclc. Williaui H Genella. Jr.. a
salesman for tho machlne. was ln
stantly killed under a ar ln
front of a hotel in thls city. Genella
travelled throflgh the tonntry aa an
agent for a motor cycle manufactory
at Pottetown. Pa.
Woman Dead at 106.
Mattoawan. N Y Mav Lf Mrs
Gertrude Bchoateas. who was boro un
der Thomas JeBaraoa'a administra
tion. tlieti h?>re in h.-r lagth <ar Foi
| the last si i atM has been livin|
in the same house
Stuart S.gned 662, Vetoed 117 Billa.
Harrlsharg, Pa.. tfaj 19. Qoraraoi
Edwin S Stuart approved ?',rt2 of th<
bills sent BO him t.y the last legiala
ture aml rotoed 117 thaaa flgu;
cluding his action upon legislation o
all classes.
Big Fire In Mming Village.
Johnstown. Pa . May IS ? Nearly
one half of tha village of Gilestown. a
mlnina* 8ettl*?ru*'nt fourteen miles from
here, has been consun.ed by fire. Th?
loss is eaUmated at orer $80,000.
Not the Same Thing.
"Did your r- i me to play
cards antedate BBf -nt?"
"Naw V ? ?s far aa
the auite ? Baltlaaora kaaerlcaa
What It Waa.
m.'W house a Queen
Anne*
Owner- \nne in front.
anl Mary *.rn >
K.OFP.
Attention!
P P. XI, v.
Kichmond. Va . May I l ?
To (!?? Distn.t I'.r.md i 'h.in. eliors.
ITfara, Chaacellor Gom
iitai and t.'
i .>f Bubordl
Wh< t aaaaal
atoa, Artlcle II, Bactloa -' <.f tha Coa
atltuttoa aod Lawa <-r t>
Virginia wa* changed
t.> i rovide h>r the botdlBg of our an
nuai aeaaloaa cooBme the
thlrd Toaaday la Jaae, aad th<
Of Kichiuond . huviug
as the pla
proclaia
:: will be held in |
Vlrgtn ? !.i\ we
day, Thursday. and Kriday. .lun
ic. 17. aad i v ll
Ali Grand who
ha*A not alr. ady doae bo wlll for
th.-ir credeatlala to Col.
Crump, Grand Keeper of Recorda
and Beal, Bl 1 \ 3rd Street, through
R an.l s of tneir respectlve
they will keep one copy of
redentialB la their
biiag the ahme to tl
ame wlll be algoed and
I b) the ofBcera or the aubordl
? Which they
hara f..r thla purpoaa may
ba ohtalaed trom the Grai
ol R< oorda aad Bea Lodgea thal
not paid their Bamt-aaaaal tax
Badowmeal Taa for Juae 10th, \:><>:>
and thetr Pytblan Temple Taxea wiii
not be ellglble to j
Boor of the Oraad Laod
'd Repn who
?
ler to !-? oniv
Oraad i,,,,.
tai the Gi
n.i. who
nol received the Grand l
Ml men
Ue the I | the
Improved or.ior of the Kalghl
Khoraaaan The rhargx ? de
but it wlll i..
the Oraad I ?n f..r
* All n >, ,.,;,| t?. ,,r,,.
with i. ?? capa, whlch wlll be
ti Bead this
amouni to th<
Jtreet, Richm
The oraad Lodge wlll eoaveae
lune IS, i :*.
at the Plfth Streel 1;
Flfth stte.-t oppoalte Jackaon S
grand parade wlll take
ne II, ]
P M Btarttng frora th<
17 N Thir.l Stn
drill wlll take place at tbe 1
Streel . I park. Wedn.
?I,?"?' l?. II. at t P m Tha
Prlae f..i the beat drilled Con
will be |2S 00 Bacond Prlxe %\
Thlrd Prlae, g l ^
the Compan) havlag the ?
I
cd. tO the one t!
". alll t .(. to tha
hai remalaa ln camp loi
*' ?. ?1H 1" 1 The
rouada <?f tha Vir
i nion Ualveralt) bave been
? I Tents will be pltChed there
pie time for th<
rlll be .
durlag the eatlre weel
ian Caatle. 727 N Thlrd Street. and
mualc wlll ba la atteadaaee. Arraage
? belag made t..
tertainmenta at th- st. john the
Baptlst Hall groaada, r.-et
oa and Duval Sl
wh.-re the (Han.i Baaquet wlll be
held Thursday night. j,in,. 17
The Public I ,,U] ,?.
??" B P M 8t the Flfth
Baptlal Church.
Por all laformatlon oonceralag
I aod iodging aud assignnient to
Graham
Chairman. lofl 1: L*e>ia;li street
Richmond. Va Oraad Repre*
will flnd it to th.-ir advai
d th.-ir namea in now aad
> will be made aml the
and addreaaea of th. rj
?! wlll be aeat la adi
nriueb trouble w,n ??? avo
oa <-an then go dlrect to th.-ir
?topplng : wagons aad
?*I1I be at the depota Tha
rata for board an.l iodging wtn be
ji 00 ,?.,
Compaalea thal ar- poiag lato
ramaj and arlll tak.- pan la tm
rade arlll aotlfy Adjotaal B. H
tOB. Chairman of Committee on pa
OBd Street. Rlch
m that bar.
rlbed ..r pald anythlng in the
stock Department of the Pythlan Ca
lanthe laduatrlal I
gentlj advlsed to do *<> at
tha pians an . ,a for
the bulldlng at laTTBChharg aad
- oeeded to begtn wor^ The
I'ythian r,i, ,., ,.,,?,
ahould ba forwarded to thla ..m..
Blanka are provided for this PUi
Th.- namea of thoae who I .
fnbuted wlll.be found in the Ifibutea
?[i .1*' ';1S! s*?^""i Th?
aii the Laodges eoatrfhatlag wlll ba
rfut durlag the aesalon of the
? Ihe araaaal
aach as to laspire hope and
ue and
rlarmoo) and not atrtl
I Ihe 1
ratlfylng succeaa and
increased
hip.
hand an
ot the Oraad Lodge of VI
'?' of Rlchmoad thla roartl
01 ?? baadrad and atae
john Mncm:t.r. Ji
Grand Chancellor.
THOhfAl M ck:
! Keejaer of Records and Seal.
WA.VTKD A Pharmacist wanied
at once good positlon for right per
son For partieulars apply to PAN
NIL BROS . Auguata and Proape^t
Streeta. Staunton. Va.