The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1880-07-08


advocate. He was subsequently empioy-
ed by the Freedman's Bureau TO repre-.
sent the freedmen ia all cases which were
tried before the court, aud in which il
invariably happcuedi that their old mas.
ter were either complainant or defen.
dant. AS the court travelled all through
The county, and as Bowen always ropra.
scented the negroes befGYG she court. it Is
easy to understand the origin of the
wonderful hold which he acauired upop
: he Affections OF the ignorant blacks.
he was ahreRd enough TO perceive the
opportunity; the negroes in the corntry
regarded him as their savior, and he lost
no occasion to strengthen the influence
which he has ever since exercised over
the blacks in the county, and which
bound them to his interests as with hooks
of steel. In 1906 Bowen and Mackey.
Hurley, II. Judge Moore and Gilbert
the Republican party in this State.
They held convention, the frat Ropub.
Iican Convention ever held in the State.
in Daddy Gains church on Calhoun,
street, but as the other sections of the
State were not fully represented IL was
adjourned aid another was held q few
months later in Columbia. In the inter.
val between these two conventions Bowen
was arrested ct the instance of the Blu.
reau, upon charge of having sold some
cotton belonging TO freedmen ON one of
the islands and refusing to pay over the
proceeds. He was incafcerated in Castle
Pinckney, but his tremendous political
influence with the blacks, althoueh az
that time just in its incipiency. stood him
in good stead. A collection was taken
up among them and sufficient money
raised to defray the expenses of conduct
ing his defence. Some sort of cofnpro.
mice was effected and the affair blew
over, Bowen having been released after n
brief imprisonment, In 1867 he defends
ed the negroes who led the famous street
car riots, and this gave him hold ripon
the city negroes, to whom he had hereto
fore been comparatively unknown.
His first and most prominent appear
auce in politica! life, however. was as q
delegate in the famous CONSTITUTIONAL.
Convention in 1867. He took q promi. !
nent part in its deliberations. and was
chairman of the judiciary committee.
After the adjournment of the Conyen.
tion he S'as nominated for the unexpired
term for Congress-, his opponents being
Q. j. Stol3rand and Gilbert Piilsburv'
There being but one candidate in the
field, be was of course elected. served bis
term, land was reelected for the full term
of 1868-70. In 1870 occurred the split
in the Republican party of Charleston
County, by which the ,,arty ever afte-.i
wards was divided into the Bowen aid
Mackey factions. It was brought about
by Bowen himse'- who, Us CONGRESSMAN.
secured the rem oval of DR.. A. g. Mackey
as collector of ,ae port. The Mackayl
party at once bolted, and commenced n
bitter war against him in the RANKS Of
their own party. They put up r.. q. De-
Large, q mulatto, who will be remem-
bcred as bearing prominent part in the
early history of Republican government
in this State, and, after q very bitter con.
test, DeLarge got the certificate of elec.
tion and was seated. Bowen contested
bis seat before Congress, however. and q
few days before the expiration of the
term the committee on ,privileges and
elections declared thst neither of them
had been elected, and, as was usual in
those days, paid both. 1t was while this
cuntest was going on that he married
Mrs. s. Petigru King in Washington.
and was soon afterwards indicted for
higamy. There were two trials, both of
which occurred in 1871, in the Criminal
Court of the District of Washington.
He had been married previously to-
Frances Hicks, aud it was alleged 10.
Tabitha Parks, although he denied that
he had ever married the latter. A letter
was produced, written by Bowen, and
Offering the Parks woman one thousand
dollars if she would consent 10 q divorce.
One of the trials at Washington resulted
In mistrial on the second he was con-
yicted, and was sentenced to fine and
imprisonment. He remained in iail,
however, but short time, when he was
pardoned by President Grant.
Immediately after his release he re.'
turned to Charleston and began to make
war upon Governor Scott, who had been
instrumental in defeating him In the
Bowen-DeL eLarge contest. By his order
j. j. Hardy, colored member of the
Legislature, resigned and he was elected
In his place. He went to Columbia.
procured an investigation (the Dennis
Hurley committee) snd moved for an
impeachment of Scott. The latter. how-i
ever, at that time, had control of the
trt Aaury; the Investigators were bought
oylr and the impeachment fell to the
gronnd.
After serving ont Hardv,s term in thei
Legislature he returned to Charleston
and in 1879 was nominated for aherits.
against e. w. nj, MacEev. The firbt
was o close one. the Bowen faction Vim.
ming Ey between 500 ana GOO VOTE. The
" ,ckey faction Contested { the eiect;nn
bsff0fe I'll tho i,Jafi ii,Jafi of State canyagsers hut
at thnt time John J. Patterson had his
eyes directed to the limited Statas SEN
afa Po,sa,, =; Al, -. .:.. 80