The New York herald., 1868-12-25
The BowIey Account Of tho Arrest.
from the Springfield Republican, Dec. "a.

The B0wleY Account of tho Arrest.
From the Springfield Republican, Dec. 24.l
The brief despatch from New York Tuesday night
announcing the arrest Of Mr.. Samuel Bowles. editor
OF the Rpuottcan, and his incarceration in the
prise, but no more than the event itself
occasloned the victim Of the petty spite Of James
Fisk, Jr., at whose instance the arrest was made.
Mr.. Bowles had been spending several days In New
Yorkin fact had been in that city more or less for
account Of Ill health. Fisk well knew ol his presence
there; indeed had served upon him on Monday
notice OF the dismissal OF the libel suit began against
the beginning of new suit before the New York
courts. he could have arrested Mr.. Bowles at any
tne but full Of malice, he arranged with all the
small cunning that characterizes me successfut
pedler, 10 have the arrest made when IL was lul-
possible TO go through the necessary forms for Mr..
B0wes' immediate release and To neccsstatc his
spending night in jail. and by the and OF his obe-
dent zoos the plan was successfully carried OUT
Moreover 1t Is apparent now that Mr. BOwles'
movements had been carefully watched by spies for
some days previous, so as to be sure and select
time and place that would prevent the miscarriage
OF the plan.
the arrest took place soon after eight O'Clock
Tuesday evening, in the corridor OF the Fifth Ave.
nue. Hotel. Mr. Bowles was standing there In con.
versation with Mr.. William Bond, OF New York, and
Mr.. Halstead, of the Cincinnati Commercial, when
the Sherih's officers seized him roughly presenting
AT tue same time writ from the notorious Judge
McCunn and hurried him to the door and thence to
a carriage which was In waiting. No resistance was
made contemplated, OF course, and the actions OF
The Officers were violent and ungentlemanly beyond
anything their trade would seem TO demand in
such d case Though seized so suddenly Mr.. Bowles
thought at once Of the cause OF his arrest, and,
thou5htfu more than anything else OF the effect
the news might have MRS. Bowles, he managed
TO say TO Mr. Bond, This IS about the Fisk buslness
aud 10 request han to convey the Intelligence TO his
wife 1T the Albemare Hotel, wncn ne was driven
rapidly 10 the Ludlow street jail.
On arrival there lii. Iowles requested the privi-
ege oi writing ! note to ms wife, To Mr.. Fisk's
counsel. Writing materials for the letters were fur
nished with reluctance and their preparation hur.
y ee to Hes reaa e hs
Jailer, though cyi, proiessed naDihty TO send the
notes that night. But by ten O'Clock many persons
gather af the ai, among them Mr.. Bond, Mr.. Charles
a. Dana, OF the sun; Mr. George Bliss, Mr.. Hugh
HASTINGS formerly OF Albany; General Arthur and
Others. The Iaier refused to allow any OF these gen.
tlemen 70 see tue prisoner on the ground that the
seemed willing TO stretcn his authority
In other cases aud allowed other prison.
ers % receive visitors freclya privilege that
was especially noticeable the case OF q
lawyer who had been committed Tor libel but an
hour before Mr.. Bowles. Inc latter was allowed
jailcr longer having any excuse for not sending
tie letters Mr.. Bowies nad written, allowed notes to
he sent 10 Mrs. Bowles and 10 AIR. David Dudley
Field ana Mr. Clarence A. seward, leading counsel
Of Mr.. FISK. Mr. ficid received the note the same
night and made unsuccessful attempts To hnd his
distinguished client but without avail. MT. George
Hiss ~ once took IL upon himself To hunt up the
Sherin, with whom he Is acquainted, and who, he
thought, would rectpr0cate previous ors shown
Inn. That high official was finally found at party
at the house OF Mr.. A. l.. Brown, In r.itl avenue,
gwen IN nonor OF the election OF Mayor Hall, and
where FISK, McCunn and all the Iammany may
mates were assembled aud Fisk and his crones
were laughing over the neat little stroke OF
business he had done. The Snerin pro-
fessed ignorance OF the arrest; but he was very
noncommlttal about release. would do nothing,
and IN fact speedily got Of sight by has superiors
sir. uugn Hastings also thought he had soms caims
for decent treatment from the Sheriff. ana at later
Geacral Arthur aud Mr.. Bliss, wentsto the sheria's
house, but with all their ringing OF the door bell and
nor could he be ioand during the night, though the
three gentlemen named ABOVE made night OF it'
10 tneir Efforts 10 secure Mr. Bowles' release.
Meantime the prisoner was allowed to select tho
beat quarters tae al afforded; he had the Of
sorY VI tue building, and had for . sleeping apart
ucnt room Of good size, comfortably furnished and
moderately clean. lie was not put In cell nor
locked into his room. Except tnat he could not leave
the building there nttle 10 remind him tnat he
was a prisoner; and he obtained such rest ~ was
possible In view or the circumstances and the natural
excitement attending the arrest.
With the dawn of the morning the game was up,
aud II only remained to 70 through the legai forms
TO secure release. And then was positive embar-
rnssmcnt from the amount and the quality OF the as
sstance offered. Mr.. Fisk IAust have seen then, II
he had not thought OF 1t before what great thing
IL TO have friends; and indeed strangers as well as
friends locked to the Jail with tenders assistance
and sympathy. Besides residents or New York
there appeared at an early hour hr. W. X Baker, OF
tins c,iy; Judge Colt OF piitshed; Congressman
Dawes, MIR. Sylvander Johnson and Mr.. Blackington,
OF North Adams; and Mr.. Frederick billings, of Cali
fornia: and among the residents Of New Qrk, Mr..
Ledyard r. Bill brother OF Gurdon Bal, OF this city;
Mr.. George Bliss, Mr.. Clarence seward, Mr..
Bake, son-in-iaw OF General DIX; Mr.. A. A.
selloyer Mr.. o. u. Num- Of the scfent,tc ADse,'i-
can: Mr. Hugh Hastings and Mr.. Cyrus W.
Field, were earliest and most pressing IN their
offers Of aid; while Mr. Il. W: s.oughton, an
eminent lawyer and who ~ ranked ~ q friend and
counsellor oi the "Erie ring" pronered his legal
services tree OF expense. Mr.. Bliss at took In
hand the procuring OF BAH bond but brief as the
time was which was required lor It's preparation,
the indignation oil Mr.. Cyrus w. feId could not
brook the delay and, with Mr. Clarence Seward, he
started for another bail bond, aud actually returned
with II first. so, with two bonds for $4,000 each.
guaranteeing mis- appearance when wanted, the
severity OF e law and OF James Fisk Jr was satis-
fed the PRISON doors swung open, and before eleven
O'Clock Mr.. Bowes was Tree again. Tue suretics
upon the two bonds are A. A. Seiiover and Cyrus w.
Field upon one, aud hugh Hastings, Elliot =. Cow
din and II. q. Aarquand upon the other. The bail
required seems high In proportion to the onense Mr..
Bowlcs has committed; but had IL been hundred
times a. great 1t could easily have been obtained.
so ends another chapter Of the tisk loci suit. The
$50 600 damages which Mr.. Fisk claims for what the
Repubiian has said about him he ls not likely TO OBJ
tam very soon the case is ever brought to trial.
which IL very doubtful But he has succeeded In ad.
ding his cheap not0riey and he has also compelled
Mr.. Dowles TO spend one night In jail. For per-
sOna OF this Kind for little mean revenge
that ne saw chance OF satiating any other ways
the whole arrest carefully planned and az thorl
oughly executed By a complaisant Judge and WIZ