, 1876-03-01
BOWEN.

10 thu Editor of The Chteaoo tribune:
Az 1Iaury o. Bowen has 1nsds htrnsoi aoua8-
what notorious Of late. 1t may not be tlninto1.
osting to linow eomc of lila antecedcnte. I am
IN old Now-Yorjsor, and knew him personally
number Of years after 1slo and Of him for olght
yoary previous. In 1887, Lo WAS young man Of
about 20 years Of nge,-A clork In Arthur Tappan
Co.'s store, In Hanover eQuato, the thon leading
eilk.goola honsn Of Now Yort. During thn Abo-
lit;on riots OF that year, whom the Flotors bold
possession Of tho city for two or thsoe nights.
Arthur Tapran i Co.s Btoro wAs mcnaced but.
although tho mob hsd, without hesitation,
sacked two churches. II wavarad when 1t
reached Tappan's store, md found small cau-
oou roady 10 discharge its contonts upon the
tosomost mo,nbegs of tho aaBau!tng party, and
twonty clerks, armed with rilos, defending tho
property. Tho mob retired without doing 80
rous dan,age. II Ia said that Mr. DoSan was
conspicuous for Lila absence from tllo company Of
c!erks who so brasoly saved tho atoro and "held
tho FORT
Bowen remained will, Tnppan i Co. until
1910. when. with Theodore Mc.Sa1nec, also
clerk In the sano storo ho formed conhrsner.
ship under the name Of Bowau i McNnu1ee,
with Mr. Robinson, q wealthy man, d spcclnl.
who Invested n largo sum. Ihoy commenced
business at the corner OF South William and
Beavos streets. in opposition to Iappan & Co..
and did succ0sstut business for three years.
WHOM they cut looao from Mr. Robinson, and
continued business nt tho sano stand until 1913,
when they built tho tiuest store that had been
erected iu tho city, Gil broadway, tctwaeu
Wall and Pine ssroots. It was slp-
h1i h9I hsa gs
over until 1866, whom they made another Inogo
up Broadway, to the third door nboyo Pearl
street. no1t TO the then Droatl#ay Theatre, and
commenced building d magnificent store. Dig
1,aia 14}i
woso enjolnod, md woro delayed b. legal pro-
cocdings for 4 long time hui, gaining tho quit
they finished thoir tlpe store. and plaood therein
al immouso atocl. They had previously taken
hardly gotten their new stock in When they
failed. owing an iun,eusa amount. They com-
promised for 20 csuts on tho dollar II l rocoi-
lecs right. Tho Arm dissolved. McNamoo rotir-
have boon sl50.o0o to s2oo. 900. Douon con-
tlnued tho busineRs under tho 1rm-nsno Of
Uowen, Holmes l. Co., and did busiuoss about
ono yosr Of more: but tho circumstances attond-
Ing lie failure ruined his credit, md no house
would he!E him goodH, rich as ho waa supposed to
be,-somo saying tlloY would not deal with him
oven for cash. Fiuaily ho bad to mako + second
failure attor losing largo por!on OF his sas.
iuge frou. hla first failure. His escdisoss lost
largely by bis second failure.
Previous to his Inst failnre, ha put ont OF Ills
hands h!s intezost in tho independent. supposed
to bo eco, goo or moro. This was ia 1857 hnd
50. lie played poverty until, dunug tho War,
ho nas sppolntod Collector Of Revonuo In Brook
Ign, mid msdo largo fortune out Of his office
and tho Independent. coming out as full oHnor
Of that paper, after settling bis second failure.
lie uaH always yory ogotlatical aud unpopu-
lar man,-a most uuretontlng creditor distrcHs-
Ing all who unfortunately onod him, and repro
aeuting all who failed and did not pay their
creditors Ra thioyoa mud tascsts. But no moro
dfsgraccful failure was eyor made than tlas of
Henry G. Bowen. bIcNan,ee, after retiring,
won't into aoroe speculation aud lost MI hr lad.
IIo Afterwards became clerk for A. T. Stewart,
and subsequently clork for Ciatin Co. I do
nos know what has become OF h!ul. KY.