The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1876-03-09
Mr.. II. C. Bowen and the Plymouth
Church Examining Committee.

An Associated Press dispatch OF the
23d says very exciting and unlocked for
events had occurred at meeting of the
Plymouth Church Examining Committee,
held at Assistant Pastor Halliday's house
in Brooklyn, ON the evening Of that day,
at which Henry c. Bowen appeared by
invitation, accompanied by his sons Ed
ward and Henry E., and DR.. Ward, pub
Usher of the Independent.
HENRY E. BOwEN's VERSION.
The following is summary of Mr..
Henry E. Bowen's account of the affair
On entering the room Mr.. Bowen was
astonished to find a company of forty
or fifty persons assembled. embracing
the members of the committee, the Chair
man of the Council in session, and others,
among the number being Henry Ward
Beecher, his SOUS Henry and William,
Oliver johnson and Benjamin F. Tracy.
Mr.. Bowen being called upon for his
statement, presented and read it. Previous
to doing SO, he expressed his surprise at
such large audience, and asked the rea-
son of their presence. He was told that
the committee never objected to his bring
ing his friends there; the idea was that
Mr.. Bowen had right to bring in any
friend he cared to; the only objection was
to reporters; that the company came with
the committees invitation, not Mr..
Beecher's.
Mr.. Bowen replied that he had no OBJ
lection, but the responsibility of pub
licity must rest with them; he said
he came there to present his state
ment to the Examining Committee and
nobody else; that he should decline
to give it to the press, and if pub
lished it should be by the Examining
Committee and not by him.
After finishing his statement and say
ing, in reply to a question, that that was
all the facts he had to give that evening
he started to leave, when one of the COM
mittee protested against his doing so, and
Mr.. Shearman said he (Bowen) would not
be permitted to leave the room.
Mr.. Bowen stepped toward the door of
the front parlor, when Mr.. s. V. White
jumped up and locked the door, took the
key, and put it in his pocket, and as he
saw Mr.. Bowen looking toward the door
of the other room, Mr.. White called out,
Lock that other door," and several men
jumped toward it. Every one jumped to
his feet, but Mr.. Bowen was too quick,
and got to the back parlor door just be:
fore several of the crowd got to it. His
son, Henry E., followed, rushed to the
door, and called for the press, thinking
that they were there. Here Mr.. Henry q,
Bowen interposcd energetically, thinking
there was going to be row.
Mr.. Henry E. Bowen continued: Ny
father was in the hall, my brother and
DR.. Ward were in the parlor, and go1
on the stoop outside and called for the
press, and the Associated Press reporter
and another rushed up, and Mr.. Bowen
told them of the occurrence. Then one
of Mr.. Bowen's sons upbraided Mr..
White. Mr.. Bowen also expressed him.
self very strongly in regard to the treat
ment he received" .- 10y -s.z.,...-
| MR.. WHITES VERSION.
Mr.. S. V. White was visited, and hi
version is substantially this:
Mr.. Bowen read q statement of fifty.
two pages, in which he failed to give
names or dates. It referred to scandals Of
ten or eleven years ago. After reading .
few pages he handed the paper to DR.
Ward. Then Mr.. Bowen stepped toward
the door, and Mr.. White, desiring to pro-
long the interview as much as possible
and being seated near the door, turned tht
key, withdrew it from the lock and put i
in his pocket. Mr.. Bowen stepped bach
several feet, and, surveying the situation
saw means of exit by back door and
he darted in that direction, upsettins
chairs and other articles of household fur
iture in his flight, and escaped from thu
house. Mr.. Edward Bowen then pointed
to me, and said: = I will fix you; you viii
pay for this!' Henry E. Bowen then rar
to the door, with disheveled hair fyinl
wildly about, and shouted, Gentlemen o
the press In response to his cries tn,
reporters Of the Associated Press and tn
New York TiD.es came up, and in respons,
to their inquiries Mr.. Henry E. Bowen be
sought his brother not to make a fool O
himself, saying that I had made an ass o
myself, and that he, Mr.. e. Bowen
couldn't better the matter by shouting TO
members Of the press.''