Louisiana capitolian., 1880-09-18

duU tuLco uoyo oAV0A A0A "uAA"A o"As '" w
communicated to him by friend, who
further informed him that arrange.
ments had been made to. disinter the
body and submit it to Investigation.
"Owen was greatly sgitated at this ip-
telligence, and after 5 short pause 70
piled: "If this is done, and poison is
found in Kezia's stomach CHS deceased
wife's Christian name) l will be accused
of her murder, convicted and hanged.
But I am as innocent of it as that tree"
pointing to one near which the CONVEX
sation occurred.
"That night he transferred all his pro-
perty to a sou, disguised himself and
fed the country. The body Of his wife
was exhumed and an autopsy had.
Enough strychuine was found in her
stomach to kill a mule. There was a
universal expression Of horror at the
discovery, and large reward was offer
ed for the arrest of the fugitive. After
some months he was found in Canada,
where he was living under an assumed
name. He was brought to Crawfords-
Vile in irons, and i. was with difficulty
that bis execution by q mob could be
prevented.
"Joe Mcdonald (now my colleague in
the Senate), Jim Wilson, once Repre-
sentative in Congress, and subsequently
Minister to Venezuela, and myself de-
Tended him. There was formidable
prosecution-Lew Wallace, Judge Greg
ory and Others appearing against him.
"t was proven that short time he.
fore Mrs. Owens death her husband had
purchased strychnine at drugstore in
the neighborhood, telling the druggist
that he wanted it for poisoning rats
But he asked that it be charged to him
a fact upon which we laid great stress in
the argument, insisting that had he en-
tertained q criminal design in buying
the drug he would not have put the
damnable evidence of the fact upon re-
cord. A daughter who was visiting bel
fathers house when the poison wal
brought home, testified that he handed
it to her step.mother in her presence
cautioning her to be careful with it. A
brother of his wife, who was greatly
embittered sgrinst him, and was wit
uess for the State, admitted, upon cross
examination, that Owens treatment Of
his sister was invariably consideratt
and kind. There was entire failure tt
establish the fact of his having improper
relations with other women.
"This was all we had to base defense
The odds were fearful. There was th'
remark of the marked agitation of Over
when first informed of the suspicious ex
isting agaist him; his admission that i
a post mortem examination showed tina
poison was the cause of his wife's deatl
he would be accused of administering i
and hanged; his purchase of the poison
his transfer of bis property and flight
all combined, nearly irresistibly led t.
| the conviction Of his guilt. Mr.. Voor
hees,' be said to me, however dark,
things may appear against me. lam no
guilty. and believed him. We Tough
the case like tigers upon the reasonable
doubt which we deemed tha evidenc
had not excluded, and won it.
"Such an uproar as followed l neve
witnessed. Owen was taken to Wilson
private residence, pursued by crow
crazed with disappointment and thirst
ing for his blood. Wilson, McDonal
and stood at the front gate with pit
tolls in our hands and checked the az
proach of the mob until Owen coul
escape from the rear of the house in
conveyance that had been provided fc
him. 1t is the only time in my life tha
I ever saw Mcdonald with pistol. H
showed an unmistakeable purpose t
use it if necessary.
"Owen went to Texas and died ther'
l presume, as l have never seen nc
heard of him since. His wife had con
mitted suicide. He knew it, but pre-
ferred to keep the fact to himself
avoid scandal aud expose her. He wa
weak, but an honest man. For b
safe deliverance he was indebted to
capital jury, men who could be neitht
bought nor scared. The foreman ha
served the county in the State Senat
others had held Office, all were person
of consideration and influence.
"Denunciation in this case, as
Arnold's, amounts to little. There
always disappointed spite to encounte
unreasoning hate, a lawless desire f
vengeance. the old crucifYing spirit