The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-11-07
~ ~ .43.i8 . aft : 2 -,
DEATH OF BOWLER.
Sad Termination of n Sunday Row

Sad Termination of n Sunday Row.
REVIEW OF THE CASE-PREPARATIONs
|: FOR THE AUTOPSY AND INQUEsT-sTATE-
4 MENT OF JOHN A. JOHNSON AS TO THE
ORIGIN OF THE OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
THE FLIGHT OF ATKINS. g.
William Henry Bowler, who was stabbed
on Sunday afternoon while going up the
Broad-street steps of Ford's Hotel, by j. L.
Atkins, died yesterday morning at 9:15
O'Clock at his residence, No. 2215 Franklin
street.
DR.. Taylor, the Coroner, was at once noti-
fed Of the fact OF Bowler's death, and pro-
ceeded to the late residence Of the deceased,
where the body was viewed and arrange
ments made by Dr.. Taylor for the post
n,ortena examination, which he will make at
II O'Clock to-day, with the assistance Of Drs.
J. B. Coakley and H. D. Taliaferro. who
attended the deceased after he received the
fatal wound. An inquest will be held at
noon. '".
1t appears that the deceased and J. 7.
Atkins were together in pelarue's saloon
on Saturday night, where Bowler accused
Atkins of picking his pocket; that he took
dollar note from BowIeT,s pocket, and in
getting it out the note was torn in two,
Bowler. retaining one part and Atkins
securing the other piece. One OF Bowler's
friends was proceeding to take Bowler
home, and on the way notified policeman
that Atkius,. who was persisting in follow
ing them, had picked Bowler's pocket. The
policeman offered to arrest Atkins, but
Bowler asked that he should not be arrested.
He was not arrested. and Bowler went
home.
On Sunday they came together again, and
then were apparently on friendly terms,
and were proceeding into Ford's Hotel for
the purpose, it is supposed, OF getting
drink.
Suddenly Atkins turned and plunged a
pocket-knife, with a large blade, into
Bowler's neck. inf1icting a mortal wound,
that penetrated to the spine on the left side.
The blow paralyzed Bowler, who fell, help
LEGS, down the steps. Immediately after
wards Atkins rushed after Mr.. Zack Rogers,
who was in company with the two men.
Rogers retreated briskly, pursued by At
kins, and was only saved from being cut by
Atkins stumbling and falling. It is said
that Atkins also made demonstrations
against some one else, asking il he was not
one of those d. pickpockets. 1t Is fur
tier stated that Atkins went to the hotel Of
fee and applied for room. saying that he
had been assaulted by pickpocket. What
became Of him afterwards is not clearly
known. r
These occurrences drew great crowd to
the hotel, where Drs. Taylor and Coakley
had been summoned to the assistance of the
wounded man. The city ambulance was
summoned, and after Bowler's wounds had
been dressed be was conveyed to his home.
Bowler retained his consciousness almost
up to the time OF his death, and made
statements in accordance with the facts
above related. ..~. ..
HOW THE DIFFICULTY WAS BROUGHT ABOUT.
John A. Johnson, who was with Bowler
when the difficulty with Atkins originated,
but not when 1t terminated, gives the fol-
lowing statement:
Imet Bowler at Delarue's bar-room Sat-
urday night about II o'clock. Atkins came
in five minutes afterwards and asked us to
drinking now; will you come and join
US ?" He replied very coolly, Thank
you, WILL" He took the drink with US;
afterwards treated the party.
went into the dining-room, order
ed my supper, and asked Mr.. Bowler II he
would have supper with me-. He declined !;
said be had been to supper. r> y
while Twas sitting at supper Mr.. Bowler
came into the dining-room from the bar
room, stating that this man (Atkins) was o
-pickpocket, charging him with picking his
pocket. then said. Harry, you may. be
mistaken" lie said to me, "Here is a
dollar note torn in half. caught him with
one half in his hand, the other half in my
pocket, and seized him by the wrist with
the one half in his hand" 81. ..G..
He (Bowler) remained with me in the
dining-room. Atkins followed him Bowler)
in. Then Bowler for the second time ac-
cused Atkins OF the pocket-picking. At
kins was silent for moment; then he
walked to the next table to that at which
I was sitting, ordered supper, and in
yited two men to eat with him. They ac-
cepted.
While they were still at supper finished
my supper and caught hold of Bowler by
the arm and asked him to come home with
me, as he was driniy. He told me that be
would 60 home with me. We went out Of
the dining-room to the corner OF Fourteenth
street and Exchange alley. We were there
overtaken by Atkins and two others un-
known to me.
Atkins attempted to take Bowler's arm;
I reconstructed with him; told him Bowler
was my friend and I would see him home.
He insisted on going home with Bowler.
l then told him that if he didn't stand
back | would kill him; that Bowler was
my friend and l was seeing him home.
Atkins then stepped back and put his hand
behind him, looking as il in the act OF
drawing 4 weapon. The second man, un-
known, came to me, handing me razor In
the case, telling me to use that; he the
second many had a gun which had never
been fired since he loaded it. ! took the
razor with the intention OF defending
Bowler, but suspecting the man meant to
get me in trouble, not being acquainted
with him, I gave it back.
Then two policemen came up the alley. |
accused Atkins of being pickpocket, and
asked the policemen to arrest him. One po-
liceman caught hold OF Atkins and said to
me, "Willyou swear to it." said, cam
not, but my friend Bowler charges him with
it,
The policeman then asked Bowler the
came question. Bowler replied, "I will"
The policeman then said to Atkins, 81 will
arrest you." Bowler exclaimed, "Don't ar
rest him. I don't want to see him pun
isbed, but make him 60 away from u.s."
Atkins said to the policeman, "You know
me; am telegraph-operator at the West
ern. Union Office" and the policeman re-
Piled, /" Yes, know you; 60 on" and the
policeman showed him away across -Four
teenth street, in the direction OF the print
ing-oflce. Bowler and I then went on our
way. ,.n
Twas not present Sunday when the diff
Guilty occurred which ended in Bowler's
death