The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1858-09-15
T III + DISPATC II.
WEDNESDAY MORNING. .sEPTEMBER Is. 1855.
THE FINCASTLE TRAGEDY /!
EXAMINATION OF
HENRY w. BOWER
FOR KILLING
i a0. mcdowell ar.
lRxpogrED HoR sHs RionAsSp DAILY DISPATCH
TIC II.
FIscAsrLE, Va.
Saturday, Sept. IL, 1858.
lRxsoRrED soa sHs RloaMsSD pAIlr DISPATCH

IkkfokfsD FOB fHn kiohAoND DAIif DISPATCH
FNcAsrLE Va. }
Saturday, Sept. IL, 1858.
4 FOURTH DAY-SATuRDAY
Inc Court met 1t the hour appointed There
were lever spectators present thau on any previ
Gus day-probabIy In consequence Vi the raiu-
But ~ the examination pgosr rsssed, . large mum
Der came In evidencing that there is no abstemen,
OF the interest in this important case
Tho accused stu preserves his calm demeanor
and 10 constantly attended by personal friends
old and respectable men who were probably bis
companions in youth. Two sons Of Mr. Mcdowell
have been in the court house constantly since the
examination commenced
The fret witness called this morning was
ferdinand Volt, who resumed a. follows: The
last conversation had with MIR. Bowyer was on
Wednesday evening previous to the shooting.
told him that would mention to Mr.. Mcdowell
| the reports that connected bis name with Miss
Bowyer, or request some of his friends to do co. 1
left town on Thursday morning for Coyners
Springs. did not speak of the affair to any one,
as did not apprehend that the shooting would
| occur Did not see Mr.. Bowyer afterwards until
! saw him in the court house the day that he was
examined. 1t was my intention to speak to Mr..
| Mcdowell or some of his friends aud 30 told Mr.
Bowyer He wished me to do so. said that if
could not see Mr.. McD myself must name it to
some friend Of his who would name it TO him.
shoild have done this if | had not left town when
DID. spoke to Mr. Bowyer Of the general i'm
pression 10 the community, relative to the com.
p'icity Of Mcdowell in taking bis daughter away.
| Cant recoilect the names of all the persons whom
had heard speak on the subject, but had frequent
, ~ heard It mentioned. Told Bowyer that it was
the impression through the town, that Mellow
ell was connected with EIizsbetb's leaving. bad
| neard gentlemen speak 10 very harsh terms of it,
One highly respectable gentleman in particu-
| lar
| (TLe name ofth gentleman was demanded. and
l q. - hat ra1tr flv.l
Iecoilect hearing the Common wealth's Attor.
| ney say tnat II Mr. Bowyer heard of Mr.. Mellow
eifs connection with his daughter, he would shoot
aim as certain as there q God in Heaven
| This WAS after Miss Bower was taken nvav-
| Al my conversation with Mr Bawyer on this sub
Ject was after she left. do not know that he WAS
aware OF my intention of going to the Springs 1
whether had spoken to Mr.. Mcdowell on the sub.
| ject or not No
Ihad known Mr.. Bowyer all my life. I went to
| live in his office in 1926 Mr.. Bowyer and myself
wrote together deputy clerks of the court under
| his father. was intimate 10 Mr. Bowers family
lived with him after was married, until was
elected clerk OF the county. in 1888. We we're as
| intimate as II was possible for two persons to be-
not connected by blood. ! really looked upon him
| as father.
| Cross Examined By tie Commonwealth
had heard of Miss Bowyers improper conduct
| bsf1re heard OF her intimacy with Mr.. Mcdowell
The defence here objected to this testimony -
They we're willing to admit all that Mr.. Woltz had
| communicated to Mr. Bowyer, but not that which
| he heard besides as rumors
The Court decided that the testimony should be
| admitted.
| Witness resumed II did hear of Mas Rowver.s
improper conduct with others before heard Mr.
hcDoweifs name connected with her. think it
| has been three or four years since first heard
ruDors against her character. Don't know that
specified to Mr. Bowyer the length of time these
| rumors had been in existeoce. He remarked to
| ne that 1t grieved him TO think that he had been
associating with gentlemen who were aware of
these rumors, yet kept them from him In giving
him the names of gentlemen 1 only said thew were
mentioned in connection with the name of his
daughter. l intended to tell Mr.. Bower that 80
far as could Judge. his daughter had acted very
improperly In her advances towards gentlemen
| 1t seemed to be the general impression that she
had been improperly intimate with some persona
have been for many years intimate with Mr.
Bowyers family Have often seen Miss Bowyer in
general society at home at my house and else here
Never observed any thing improper or immode6t
| in her conduct myself. When first heard ru.
| mors against her, gave no credence to them
thought 1t must be q mistake. Bot the rumors
tegan to thicken, until at length became salts
fed there must be some truth 10 them Those
rumors attributed TO her vice which would rem
der her very common The rumOr in regard to
Mr. Beale was that she had made improper advan-
ces to him, but l never heard the particulars
This WAS located in or near Bdchanan.
q. By Mr.. Anthony, Common weaith's Attorney:
Was not everything you heard in refererce to
Mr.. Beale's conduct towards the lady, highly
creditable to him?
Witness: 1t was. ! reeollect hearing that Miss
Bowyer made improper advances to Mr.. Beale, and
that he repelled them, showing the great respect
he entertained for the family of Mr. Bowyer.
z By the Commonwealth: What were the ru.
mOrs you heard connecting her with Mr. Price?
The counsel for the defence objected to the
narration Of rumors which the witness had heard
They we're willing to admit all that he had com
municated to Mr.. Bowyer, but nothing farther
fhe question was then put In the following form:
To what extent did the rumors which you
communicated to Mr.. Bowyer, implicate Mr.. Pricei
l only remember saying that they had been seen
together-he on one side of fence aud she on the
other. That was all. Mr. Bowyer replied that
Mr.. Price must give an account of his conduct
Don't think the time Of this occurrence was
specified, but l heard it mentioned some three
mouths age. Suppose had heard Mr.. Prices
name mentioned in connection with Miss Bowyer's
as much as twelve months ago. Frequently heard
the name of SIR. Mcdowell mentioned. Don't
know that can fx the time when first hearSit;
probably 1t was within twelve mouths, but more
frequently within few months past / promised
NJ. Bowyer would ferret out all the Information
could aad communicate it to him. had
conversation with Charles F. Anderson and with
Dr. Hopkins Charles Anderson told me that he
aud his family saw Mr.. Mcdowell going by his
house towards Mr. Bowyer's, and think he said he
Was disguised. MIR. Anderson lives on Church st.,
about "A quarter Of mile from Mr. B,wyer's !
\ had several conversations with Anderson. and the
amount OF all was that he had frequently seen Mr.
Mcdowell going towards Mr.. Bowers hopse and
the impression made on his mind was that he was
going Tor an improper purpose. Mr. Anderson's
house Is not in view Of Bowyer's
l repeat what stated yesterday that heard
| DR.. Hopkins and Rev. Mr.. Carper we're on one
.ccasion converslpg together in front of Hopkius
| house; that Mcdowell passed by and went In
towards the Episcopal church yard a. thoush
going to Mr. Bowyers; aud thar il Was jocu.
| isrly remarked that there was NO service at the
church that night The Episcopal church is near
Mr. UQwyar's farm. and n n fha at 4,
The church lot adjous Bowyers premises.
was also Informed that when Mr.. NeaIe on one
occasion was out on Grove Hill, be saw Miss Bow
yer walking In . certain direction, and soon
| afterwArd a gentleman going in the same direc-
| tion; that he (Neale) did not then know Who the
gentleman was, but soon ascertaiued from another
person who met him that It was Mr.. Jas. Mcdowell,
ar. communicated this to Mr. Bowyer. Told him
| aiso that had heard from others that Mcdowell
had been seen going that way under suspicious
circumstances Don't recoliect that gave him
she names OF sii the persons who had seen him.
| remember telling him heard Mr. Landon say.
after returning from the railroad depot, that Miss
Lizzie Bowyer had gone on, and that when she
paid her fare she had a roll Of notes, all on the
fincassle Bank.
With regard to Mr.. Bowyer's saying that Mr.
Price mast scecunt for his conduct, the impres-
sion then made on my mind was that he thought
Mr.. Price ought not TO have been conversing with
nis daughter in public road, bot remember now
that he sftef wards qualified bis remark by saying
shat be might have done without Improperly.
then thought that Mr.. Bowyer intended merely
10 obtain from him the amonnt Of their converse
ten. and II he we're 70 find that the conversation
was an improper one, would hold him personally
responsible.
In saying TO Mr.. Bovycr that inquiries had
been made In Buchanan If thsre was 70 be any
| shooting ia Hncastle. my object was merely TO
communicate TO him all the reports that came into
my possession. advised him 20 reflect before he
sfots to MIR. Mcdowell, for Iwas fearful that II
correspondence commenced II would lead to per-
sonal rencoHtre. did promise Bower would
communicate the thing to Mcdowell, bet had no
opportunity OF doing was not innuepced TO
% away By any dread Of consequences that might
follow.
heard that my son had received Communication
from bis daughter, through ssrvant. and that be