Charles Pike Dow

• General Notes
  • Charles became an orange broker and dealer in Orlando, Florida. He returned to Boston, Massachusetts around 1920 and organized the firm of C. P. Dow & Company, an bond investment firm. The failure of this firm in 1925 with liabilities well into the millions produced no small sensation, its assets small. Indicted on many counts in the Federal Court, he finally pleaded guilty on a charge of using the mails to defraud and was punished by a fine of $2,000. That the firm was very recklessly conducted was freely admitted. The penalty indicates that the Court did not find a degree of criminality charged by the sensational press. A little later he pleaded guilty to a charge of bucket-shopping and was fined $2,500. His unsecured creditors got 10 per cent on $6,000,000 liabilities.