The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1871-03-03
a PLEA FOR BOWEN. .
From the Washington Chronicle OF

[From the Washington Chronicle Of
! Wednesday]Sa s a
Wehare receivedsa, lel!er from Mrs.
S. Peaigru Bowen Which 4noveg us To
| the very hearts core. 10 woman ac-
compllshed, proud and sensitive as she
! Is, TIE events oi weeks past must have
I brought lcXptcsalbie laln, and wrought
in liur Tue lnHlHcsg iinhsnat!oH and.
haze. We c;fIEot print the' conmi,In
cation because oi its length, ana hecause
that with much or itcillIitc.atiUn' Winch
Is severely Just,~tLcre.ls Is Aisu uljIst
dcnsuic, she says, $totchiDgiN or AIr.
! T.. &. Bowen tll&t
lite htd L hot c0ncea!td lis ,antece-
! dentsffunl nle.S knew tlist HE lad
Ueeil All oipll.n hoy without relation, or
! trIcnlts, li;l,. uiiftcu INTO tie cD1npaiiy ot
| gamblers ana PROSTITUTES, and l,&u lived
lhcir Ike unul 1t pleased The good God
To lit them from 1he inire: and 10 stir
within him the spirit OF reformation
ui.d purllicali0n.N
| Knowing &. G. Bowen well, we know
tliat wien he married Mrs. Pctigru King,
he did it'With The firm resolve tD 1@a.! @
temperate, slud!Gus and honorable life.
! We personally know that for nonths
thereafter, and we believe that to this
day, ne lIa, kept that resolve. She
states also truly, That Tie prime movers
Ill these prosecution, are actuate,l 10y no
zeal lprs the welfare Of society, but bN
sinful ANA hateful lrevenGc, and pursue
these matters with the Sole purpose OF
breaking down tie political sirrngth Of
Mr.. Bowen i'll his owl Congressional
district; amdprcjH,!icing in advance BE-
fore Congress III, contested election case.
/ Were it not :u: this the recent l'rr.ccu-
ton would never have been heard OF.
ii is also true tha; Tie facts Oi tile carly
li!c Of Mr. Bowen exist, and that ths
United States Court cuuu0L. refuse tC
take clgH :Zancesoi tilfDi when brought
to lis notice. . 1t was lie duty 2of~tiie
attorney to Prosecute, AMI 0i ;ile court
To try tile case. The motive of the IN
! former aud lirelrss pursuey las nothing
20 dn wiiE this. We wrote Huihin@ dur
seem 10 prrjud &C lLe case. We cannot
uow justify or III any. -n:lnEcr' excuse
Mr.. Bowen. Even if not guilty OF big
amy lis l'a:,t record is terribly dark
having sown tle wind he has rcapec
the whirlwiud. lie tliat wuiketh ui'
> rightly Wake; h surely" aud lie alone
; Yet we would dwell on all mitigating
circumstances as:giveli hy Mrs. Bowen
untlas we Know them to he tue, We
would with charity grant opportunity
for repentance and for living DOWN th'
evil OF youthful days. We Indignantly
y cob denn Tie sp.l!t OF reIristsiIt naiict
with which this prosecution is pushed
! Wc give tttllOst tcuriliih hCtd to the cos
ing appeal wrulg from this -atitaict
vile in The bitterness, OF her sonli:
This persecution takes every shape
murder, arson, forgery. burglary are a'l
ded to the charges Of bi2auy. Tl:'
most ridiculousIy ghastly stories ar'
gravely inserted IN newspapers by orde
OF one person.: warrants are .issucda0;
his sole testimony again AMI again ; W.
shall he reducef'sto affect poverty by
legal requislions; my Ike is liarraSscd
nay health undermined, my reason tot
ters, and lie at the mercy Of Il villail
whose very c0untcllance should il.spirs
disbelief and nistruSt.. ..--,, -. s,,
II appealto tho people in every State
! Timplote the press:t0yentilate this i0u
: business. ask Protection az tlfe hand:
Of honest men a;ld .womeI everNwheH.'
by the memory of my great lothcr
whose life was a lesson OF l!ubirncSS ant
duty; wEcse time Belonged to tie 5np
pressed oil c"cry sex and ,ace, I ask Gre
lief ilon this vile persecution. SEa!l
- : - S. pETTlGRU BOWEN.