The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-06-13
MURDER WILL OUT.
The Mysterious Death of MIR. Jas.
Lowe.
A Case of Foul Play.

It viii be remembered that on Wednesday
morning, about 4:90, the body Of Mr.. James
Lowe was found floating in the Old Basin, near
the Clsibosne bridge. The superstition was that
Mr.. Lowe had accidentally fallen in the Basin
and been drowned, but through the skill of De-
tective Pecora, circumstances and facts have
been developed which prove almost beyond q
doubt the deceased WAS
Murdered.
On the body was found all the jewelry that Mr..
Lowe was in the habit of wearing with the ex-
ception Of his watch and chain
The circumstances attendant on this watch
and chain ID one Of the strongest links in the
chain Of evidence which Detective Pecora has
forged. Detective Peoora viewed the body after
it was found, and noticed the absence Of the
watch and chain. also the mark on the forehead
over the right eye Of the dead man, and not
outstanding the assertions Of some physicians
(experts), to the effect that it was made after
death, formed his own opinion in the matter and
decided that it was case of foul play, and he
started off to investigate 1t.
After leaving the body Pecora proceeded out
Cont street in the direction of the levee, and
when near the corner Of Where street his atten-
ton was attracted BY the excited gesticulations
and language Of . woman who was holding forth
to acrowd. As the officer approached, the woman
exclaimed, IF had known that man was going
to drown himeelf, I would have made him sleep
at my house, for he was gentleman"
: The officer stopped and after few moments
conversation, ascertained that the woman was
Mr.. loves washwoman; that Mr.. Lowe had call
ed at her house on Tuesday night for the pur-
had left there about II o'clock, and as he went
3 off had been followed by two men. Detective
! Pecors next went to tho st. James Hotel, where
!, he ascertsined the fact that Mr.. Lowe had loft
there ct 1915 O'Clock Monday night, and at the
? time had on his watch and chain.
\ From the hotel he tracked the movements OF
, Lowe to the house OF his washwoman, and here
for . time lost him, having cleaned nothing ex-
| and had become very much intoxicated. While
, in the Second Municipal Police Court, on Tues
day morning, the attention Of the officer was
attracted to the case Of . man, who was charged
with assault and battery and robbery OF gold
watch and chain.
The case was dismissed and the prisoner dis
charged because no prosecutor appeared.
Recollecting this. and thinking it might bear on
. the case, Detective Pecora on Wednesday took
!, the records to the station, and on examining
them, found the following: Mathew E. Sanders
alias Gainnie, arrested on Bienville, between
. Rampant and Burgundy streets, At a. NJ; Tues,
and robbery OF . watch and chsin; name OF
complainant, James Long, 81. James Hotel;
name OF officer making the arrest, J. Augustine.
Here was
J. Detective Pecora seized it, and following it up,
the unfortunate James Lowe. The facts elected
show that after leaving his washwoman, Mr..
Lowe walked out to Rampant, and up Rampant to
|. Canal, and that ct some point on the way he
pher, william Reilly and James Dfiscoll. The
q three went to the saloon Of II. Seeuws, corner
b Of Canal and Basin streets, where Reilly ordered
= drinks and instructed the bar-keeper to make
d mixed him light drink.
The man that ordered the drinks threw down
10 two bit bill, and was told that il was not
e enough. When Lowe put his hand in his pocket
drew outa hundreddoIlar bill and settled for thu
s drinks, and the three left. Immediately on their
g departure Gainnie entered the saloon and re-
to the scd Hsn ont hs{ are sog
]. on the banquette by Fred. Miller, and the two
% rapidly followed Lowe and his companions Thil
d, was about II o'clock.
d Nothing positive is known Of what happened
d up to the arrest Of Gainne by Officer Augustine
Oncer Augustine states that he was summoned
10 by the cries of murder" and "watch" to TIL
vicinity Of Bienvlle and Rampant Streets and il
r the middle Of the square he caught Gainnie
Of Lowe proceeded to the police station with thu
to officer and the prisoner, and made the charge
stated, and LETT. That was the last seen or heart
ls Of him until his body was found in the Basin.
Do Detective Pec0ra communicated the above
particulars to Capt. Malone, who detailed men t.
find and arrest Reilley, Driscoll, Christopher
!. Miller and Gainnie. After . long search the de
tectives succeeded in capturing them all The
last one was run in yesterday. They were 81
re locked up to await the result OF the inquest
NJ which will be held tomorrow evening at
O'Clock.
%. Az to the mark on loves forehead, Office
10 Augustine states that while on the way to tn
o., station with Gainne, the deceased said he ha,
- been struck in the head. Complained of his hurt
~ and several times supported himself on bis (Au
CO gustine's) shoulders. much for the opinion 0
he Coroner Do Blanc and the other experts"
r.I Tho Theory
va Of the detectives H., that after Lowe left tn
Station he wasmet BY Driscoll and the rest Of tn
% crowd and enticed back of town, either for tn
We purpose of robbery Of silencing him, 60 as t
protect their companion Gainnie, the seriousness
Of the charge against whom they fully appreci
10 ated.
e, After getting him on the bridge, they either
y, in struggle to get bis money, or having prev
70 ously obtained it, deliberately threw him into tn
70 Basin.
A GOOD MARK FOR SUPT. LOAN.
- NEW ORLEANS, June ~, 1875.
v General Order No. 2.
C. From and after the 18th inst. no swindlinp