The Morning herald., 1876-09-12
THE HeKOWEx CASE.
FkN HsasiMO Before s6qssSrs GyNeill-
X1cltere0w mad BOsre LtDOsser0ted

X5clsrsow and Bssrs ,xHonersted
Yesterday afternoon, before Esquil
O'Neill, hearing was had in the case
Thomas 8. Nickerson and Michael Bow
Q charged with procuring the death of JOSEF
!. McK0ewn on the night of September 5tl
This case has been frequently reported
the HERALD, and its circumstances aI
: therefore well enough known, without goin
any further into detail thaa what is devel
: oped In the evidence to follow
The Attorney General made few open
Ing remarks, referring to the cause Of tn
proceedings being taken against the person
arrsigned.
i The first sworn was - Perkins, VIII
testified that on the morning of the 9th h
saw the body of McKowen 10 Moore's dock
had known the deceased for twelve years
Virginius Harrison was with me. and h
discovered the body first and called my At
tention to It. The deceased was lying on hi
stomach and had his clothes on; thin Goa
1 and pants; informed some men in the ship.
yard who went over, and Afterwards sue
ceeded in raising the body to floating stage
when l saw the body at five minutes before
seventh was lying lengthwise in the dock
half way between railway and wharf
nearly half buried in the mud; often pass
in the shipyard and find gate open; he was
a very large man weighing $50 pounds.
VIM. Robinson, sworu-Had known de.
ceased about twenty five years and never
saw him drunk in all that time; took a
fifty cent note from his vest pocket, my
brother took few coppers from his pants
pockets, and watch detached from the
chain was also taken from bis pants pocket.
Jennie Rhinehard, swo.n-She resided at
house 40 E. Fifth street, kept by Mrs.
Montgomery; never saw Mr.. McKowen but
once, and that time on the evening of the
9Th of September; met him in the bar-room:
did not learn his name until next day when
l saw it in the paper; did not see McKowen
after his death no, could not tell whether
1t was the same man that was at the house
the evening before three young men were
at the house in the evening while the old
man (Mckowen) was there, and they
returned next morning while was washing
dishes and told US OF the drowning; saw
Officer Nickerson in the kitchen with tie
old man Mrs. Montgomery and Kate
Sweeney were also there there was some
drinking by both, and each paid for it
Michael Bowe was behind the bar; he (Bowe)
was in the kitchen about Twelve
O'Clock ; the old man with Nickerson
left the house by way of the back
yard about 10 minutes after 12 2o'clock. The
old man was standing in the dining room
when he said am robbed of my watch and
you (Bowe) have it a quarrel ensued and
BoWe threw the old man on the floor heav-
lily. At the time the old man and Nickerson
were going out in the kitchen together,
Bowe picked upa flat iron to hit the old
man with 1t, and Kate Sweeney rushed in
and wrenched the iron from Bowe saving.
''You have enough to answer 70. row, with
out the charge of murder on your soul :,
saw the old man have roll of money 10
his vest pocket.
The old man was very much intoxicated |
when l fist saw him: Officer NickersOu
went out with the old man aad in about ten |
minutes came back alone, entered by the |
back way; Mr.. Bowe was in the kitchen, |
Judging from his voice, and left N. in the
house again, and Mrs. Montgomery went
iown stairs; M. Bowe struck him in the
mouth at the time the large man charged
lin OF taking his watch: he searched his |
pockets where he usually kept his watch: he |
)ut his hand in his pants pocket, and in less
line than can tell it his watch was back in |
lis pants pocket; he put the watch back in |
lis vest pocket; Officer Nickerson did no.
emain in the house more than five minutes.
Nickerson and Bowe went out together
bout a O'Clock and did not return until
" O'Clock In the morning; did not see anv
'tber one leaving the house but the two:
lad no other motive in view than the ends Of
ustice when went to inform the coroner
II what knew In the case; Ed. Scally was
q the bar-room and offered to treat all in
here, but the old man refused to drink on
he ground that he (Scally) was no man,
Dr. Ogle sWorn.-Was called upon nv
he coroner to make an examination of the
'ody Of mar; found the body in a great
Quantity of ice and could not make a thor.
'ugh examination: had tumor on the side
" his head and little abrasion on the lin
Mr.. l.. W. Palmer sworu-I took him
rom the ice; examined the BODY closely
md found nothing on him except that d.
cribed by DIR. Ogle, knuckles of his rioht
land were little bluer than the other
PARTS.
X. Sweeney sworn.-N ever saw the larpe
nan until on election evening in the house
u Mrs. took drink with him
md with the old man; left the old man in
he kitchen.
He fell on the bucket In the kitcben I'll
lelped him up and he went into the har-
oom through the diningroom; saw Nicker-
on and he old man 90 out of the hacl
loor; Mickey locked the door: Nickcrson
ola me to 60 for his watch saw the old
nan have silver halfdollar to nav for
lrlnks; could not say whether Micke went
'ut after the old man or not be founJ
verything he had lost and was completelv
atisfied. p'''o'y
.; Cur:an, sworn-Knew j. McKowan
sickerson and Bowe, the latter onlv two or
hree months; heard scutfle aud fail m tha (.
loor, got up out of bed and went to the
window heard some one say, "you cot m nv NV
satch," then in lower voice, "you have
our watch in your hand saw large man =
'ass M out the gate; cannot say whether anv.
ooy else was with him or not McKowen