The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1880-03-27

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going 10 bed, and that had my pistol viii
me. | was conscious OF nothing more tina
occurred until aroused next morning by
dog barking, was then lying about guar
tor of mile from my house | did not 70
turn 10 tho house, but went 70 tho house O
q hegro man i've miles on, and waA told lhn
had murdered my wlle. This wins my nfs
knowledge Of what had done did NOTIFY
10 eyade tho officers. | think the law hal
dealt too harshly with me. ! do not think
have had fair trial. Punishment IN th'
pentonlIary for llle would have been Anlll
Client have, however, thought tho who'll
matter over, and have concluded that
would rather die than live with lh'
knowledge Of such crime ellnglnl
~ ma. | am told that foul play
was done In procuring Jury In my case
| want my children properly taken care OF
and 80 guided M 10 never DO humlllalod y
the world by my dying upon tho gollows.
Rev. j. Y. Fallln of the Methodist church
asked concerning hla future pTospeeA' H'
snidi ~ nm not prepared 10 do iesnun
cd the ndyiceof the minister and denounced
tho Bible ~ untrue Fowlos was very restless
all last night Ito could BIO heard pAolng hi
cell nj frequent Intervals. 10 slept but III
Ito during tho morning, Various parties
have spoken with him. lilo soems very Obsti'
nate aud little truth IL accredited 10 hi
statements. Popular sentiment II against
him, especially among tho negroes lIC
stated to hls counsel, Attorney Graves, that
he had been nm accomplish " number OF
murders and robberiep but refused 70 give
any information concerning them. Towlo'
was man Of considerable Intelligence,
TlIE EXECUTION
Was conducted privately only those were
admitted NJ prescribed by law Tho gallowt
was erected on the second floor of tho JUL
lust outside OF Towlos cell door. llo dressod
himselfa nj eleven o'clock and while In the
net the officer discovered concealed knife
in tho facing of his drawers. Towlos said q
friend gave II 10 him In Corsioana; he had
expected 10 kill the officer II the opportunity
offered and escape. II no could not do this
he had thought Of taking his own life,
AT precisely DIP the prisoner took his
stand on tho trap, ascending the scaflold with
firm step lie spoke through the bars: 81
have nothing 10 say; take caro- of my chill
dron have thom visit our grave. Good bye
would rather die than live. Farewell all.
Ho dropped nj 2;1d. He was pronounced
doad In ninc minutes. His body was gwen
10 his relatives for intermont.
THE CRIME
For which Towlos was hung Is one OF the
highest in grade and the blacklist In degree
tho willful, premeditated murder Of de-
lonsoloss woman, his wife. There is not The
loast scintilla Of doubt as 10 Towles' guilt
lIo himself admitted H. The circumstance
attending the murder place 1t beyond pal
liatlon. Hc had frequently quarreod with
his wife, and several times threatened to Kill
her He went homo drunk or drinking. Fol-
some slight oflense Of language by his wife
he commenced shooting hor, she having hol
baby in her lap, which was ierked away
about tho tmo no first fired. IIo SPOT hel
again through tho body md deliberately pu,
the pistol to her forehead and shot her thirt
time. He then ran off, but was captured thu
next morning
FALSE STATEMENTS.
What Towles said about his trial beinl
unfair is all false No excused Juror wa
"rung in" on him, ps he stated He WA
tried on Christmas day and the Judge charg
cd tho Sheriff to be careful to select sobe
mea, men who did not drink. If we mistak,
not they all came from the country ant
composed as good jury as any white mar
could have had. II is true that Towles wal
tried and convicted in less than week after
committing his crime; bat there was no in'
Justice done him In that. The murder wa.
committed almost at the close ofcourt and
the trial had to be had soon, or TO be post
poned until tho next term, which was unnec-
essary, as all the witnesses were present and
there were no grounds for continuance. The
defense had but one witness, and moth
ing of consequence was proved BY him.
Towles' sister-in-law, who, he said, was
not allowed TO testify, was a States witness,
and was not put on the stand, because fur
ther evidence to secure a conviction was not
deemed necessary.
What Towles said about the enmity of the
Deputy Sheriff and District Clerk towards
him, Is also untrue. Tho former could moi
have rung in an excused juror on him, be-
cause his two lawyers could have easily seer
it, and besides, the Judge would not have
permitted it. The District Clerk says tn
letter Towles stated he wrote TO him, in're
gard to the appeal was never received
Towles had made up all this tale, as las
resort to arouse some hopeful sympathy
TowLEs' TALK.
Your reporter had an interview will
Towles during his imprisonment at Corsi
cana. After expressing his belief that whit
the witnesses present at his trial swore thu
truth, had his sister-in-law been allowed t.
testify in his favor. it would not have gene Sc
hard with him. Towes said Of his crime;
ats awful hard to think that j killed my
wife. ] know that it will be overlooked, fol
| never knew anything aboutit. 1t was wits
ky that did it-that caused me to do the
deed, and to make orphans out Of my two
little children. Well, had been drinking
some during the day, and at night got out
Of my mind with liquor. | went home
no, they say went home, for I don't have
any recollection of being there. My sister
in-law was in the house-so they soy. There
was colored friend of mine theresa
learned afterwards. They say / laid down
on the bed, and that my wife said something
about my drinking. After little while,they
say, took out my revolver. and commenced
shooting. had no provocation to shoot.
didn't know that had fired, much lest
hit any one. l found myself
the next morning about $50 yards
from the house. / got up and went to ar
old colored womans named Aunt Jane.
said TO her that / felt bad, and Their WA
something terrible weighing mo down. fell
MS if had done something wrong. She
said: "Allen, they say you have killed
your wife" replied IF that is so, Aunt
Jane, ought to be hung, and l am ready t
die. All Twant is to see my children, and