Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1876-03-03


The spectacle of the Bowen family break
ing out Of Mr.. Halli1ay's parlor, and fleeing
from the violence of {. Mr.. Beecher's min
ions," with shouts to the reporters to come
and take notice of the outrage upon their
personal liberty, must have been ediiying
and exhilarating in the highest degree. Ii
has been popularity supposed for several
years that Mr. Henry c. Bowen, crammed
10 the muzzle with an oyercharge OF lnior-
nation, was waiting impatiently Tor some
body to touch him off. He has been eau
tioning all Brooklyn to beware of the ex-
plosi IN, and daring Plymouth Church to
come near him with the lighted match OF
investigation. Nothing vexed him ike the
fear that he might not be compelled to
break silence When accordingly he was at
last summoned before the Examining Com
mittee of Plymouth Church and requested
to put into plain English the accusations of
which he was currently believed to be the
author, and to indicate at the same time the
names of witnesses and the particulars OF
time and place by which his charges could
be substa inflated, the pu'!,e certainly had
right to expect some interesting develop
ments. But Mr.. Bowen, according to all
reports, did nothing but repeat the old gen
eral allegation of Mr.. Beecher's inhdelity
based upon statements made to him by per-
sons whose names he would not disclose.
That was all he had to tell and when the
Committee proposed to ask a few questions,
he broke loose and ran.
Broke loose and ran, with an agility and
strength quite surprising in a man of his
years, upsetting furniture and lodging dea-
cons in his escape from the parlor, while
his sons shook their fists in the faces OF the
pursuing conclave, and the Rev. W. ii.
Ward of The Independent planted himselfin
the way, like Horatius Coolies defending the
bridge. Broke loose and ran till he was
safe within his own walls and close at his
heels ran a reporter, continually grasping
at his coat-tails, and continually not catch
ing them When Mr.. Bowen disappeared
in his own hallway, the front door was shut
bard, and the reporter, out Of breath, sat
down on the steps, where he was soon joined
by two or three score of his professional asso-
GATES, and a prolonged demonstration was
made upon the bell-handle.
All this was sight to SEQ but we are
inclined to think that tile most interesting
exhibition of the evening must have been
presented by the Plymouth Committee at
the precise moment when Mr.. Bowen, hay-
ing darted through the back parlor, went
scudding down the entry. There stood Mr..
S. V White guarding the key of the front
parlor, which he had JUST turned in the lock
There stood Mr.. Shearman, With open mouth,
from which had Just issued the useless man
date, " Mr. Bowen, YOU will not be permit
ted to leave" There sat Mr.. Beecher g be
hind the door, yawning." There were half
a dozen pillars of the church falling over one
another in haste to lar the rear, Just about
q half-minute too late And outside rose
the noise Of the escape, with the voices OF
the young Bowens calling to the reporters
to come on,-an invitation whose eonse-
quences the Committee probably knew how
TO appreciate. If the expression on the
faces of the Committee could have been
caught at that moment and interpreted, it
would doubtless have told Of rising suspi-
cion that they had been sold. Mr.. Bowen
had been playing with them, precisely as he
had played for years with the rest OF the
public. lie never meant to tell them any
thing. He never meant to spoil his secret
by diyulging it, He lured them on u give
him the authoritative invitation which he
had so long wanted and having got it be
made a damaging and exasperating allega-
ton which no man could prove because he
withheld the elew, and no man could dis
prove because it'embraced no definite partic
ulars. lie seduccd Plymouth Church into
giving him this opportunity, and then he
darted out the back door That was the re-
suit which the Committee had the satisfae
ton of contemplating, and they could not
help feeling at the same time that they had
given it the greatest possible eclat by max
ing egregious fools of themselves. The next
time Mr.. Beeeher's minions'' Try to lock
up Mr.. Bowen they will not make the mis-
take of Understanding the suTpleness of
his revered legs.-N. 7. TriilHe