The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1869-09-09

teH HedTu Ill Tue LOWU OF JaOkSOD, as TO
the intimacy said to exist between Mrs.
Bowen and DUNCAN, was forCibly inn
pressed with the belief that he was
there for no good purpose.
9Th Q.-Did DUNCAN speak to you at
that time?
Ans.-He didnot. ga. fIa~y
9th Q.-What was the distance from
where you stood to where he lay on
the lounge7
( Ans From ten to twelve feet. 4,
7th Q.-At what time in that day
was it that you saw Mr.. DUNCAN at the
house of Mr. Boweni .,r Y41Es
Ans,--I think it was dark. l am
sure it was after nightfall. '' IT. %
9th Q.-Was the window curtain
down, or not Ff -@a
Ans-I think It was.
9th Q.--Was there a light in the
room at'the time2
Ans.-I think there was some light,
probably from the CRATE; am not posi-.
tive whether there was lamp in the
room or not.
10th Q.-Were there any other per-
sons in the room but Mrs. Bowen and
Mr.. DUNCAN at the time?
Ans.-I saw no other persons but the
two.
18th Q,--Did Mrs. Bowen invite you
into the house7
Ans.-I am quite sure she did not.
(Signed0 SAMUEL PIKE.
Mr.. Bowen, in his petition for divorce,
applied for the custody of their little
girl. l called Mr. DUNCAN to the wit
nessfstandto prove that Mrs. Bowen
was an improper person to have control
over the morals, education, and raising
Of the child. In answer to my ques-
tions, Mr., DUNCAN claimed that he had
been well acquainted with both Mr.. and
Mrs. Bowen for several years, and that
he, believed they were both proper per-
to have the training of a child
that he had never known any improper
conduct on the part OF MEs Bowen that
untitled her for such duty. This was
the substance Of his testimony, and l
"dropped' him as would hot brick.
This was after the doctors had fixed
upon her the disease, under circumstan-,
ces that left no room for doubt of her
guilty conduct, and just before the
reading Of Sam Pixies deposition.
About the time finished reading the
deposition, Mr. DUNCAN went, and pri-
vately spoke to Mr. Mackley; where
upon Mr.. Mackley arose and stated that
Mr.. Duugan wanted to make a state
ment He was allowed to do so. He
stated that he had gone down to see
Mr.. Bowen in regard to some business
concerning the paper - perhaps the
publication Of some legal notice. That
Mrs Bowen told him that Mr.. Bowen.
had not been to supper yet, that he,
(BOwen,) } would be down soon, and in-
vited hlm, Dungan) in, which invita-
ton he accepted He also claimed that
there was lamp burning in the room.
He also claimed that he had never heard
of the town scandal!!! of which Mr..
Pike had heard so much | give the
substance Of Mr, Dungan's testimony
aud subsequent statement from recol-
lection, because | believe he should have
the full benefit of all the weight his
statement is entitled to, particularly so,
when Mrs. Bowen declined to invite
into her house, Mr. Pike, an admired
friend of her husband.
| was not in the Court Room when
Judge PIyley was commenting upon
the testimony and assigning the reasons
for the decree in Mr. Bowen's favor,
and therefore know not what he said
concerning Pixies deposition, nor did l
ever hear any rumors as to what he said
on that occasion. But at the time the
deposition was read, the Court did not
intimate, either directly or indirectly,
in fact or il, substance, that the deposit
ton { bitterly proved nothing" Courts
are not in the habit OF commenting on
testimony by piecemeal, until they are
ready to dispose of the case so far as
their duties require, unless some ques-
tion is raised making it proper to do
so. If Judge Plyley had made such
comments at the time the deposition
was read in Court, and such comments
we're well founded, why did Mr.. Dun
gan become so oanxious, aud ask the ex-
traordinary privilege of making a state
meat in reply to sworn depOsition'
The reader may now put Pixies depo-
sitiOn and Dungan's statement together,
and form his own opinion If you be-
lieve both deposition and statement to
be true, it wonld be charitable to sup
pose that Pixies conclusions were found
ed upon rumor, in connection with
what he saw, and not charitable to pro-
nounce them guilty, simply on accou mt
of Mrs. Bowen's embarrassment and
Dungan's silencej forever pure inno-
ceuce may be both silent and embar.
rassed. II would be exceedingly rash
to charge a man with crime, because,
in the round of his legitimate business
he had an opportunity to perpetrate a
wrong. BY the application of such a
rule, any mans reputation may be
ruined.
l have written the above with great
reluctance. 1t would certainly be un-
pleasant for any one to discuss so un-
fortunate an affair in the columns Of a
newspaper; but when it is publicly or
privately insinuated that / ever, alone,