Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1883-11-06
Statement OfMrs. King and MIR. Dawson,
Affhe IHnfaU

The suicide of johnson is supposed to
be Il consequence of the death of his
nephew, Lynch, killed by Rowell for de-
bauching his wife. AS to this even we
have the testimony of Mrs. King and Mr..
William i. Dawson, of the National Hotel
Mrs. King who took tea with Mrs. Bow
ell and Lynch ON the evening of the trag-
edy and her husband, gave her version of
the affair. She says that her little daugh-
ter had been over to Mrs. Rowell's in the
afternoon to play with the Rowell chill
dren, and when Mrs King returned she
found the three children at her house.
They brought with them note from Mrs
Rowell TO Mrs. King, in which the writer
said that she had unexpectedly received
dispatch from friend who would take
tea with her, and that she was not pre-
pared for visitors at supper, and asking
Mrs. King if she could not help her out of
her difficulty. Taking some cake, cold
meat and bread i'll a basket, Mrs. King
carried it to the Rowell house, leaving
the children at her home. Mrs. King
found Mrs. Rowell trying hard to get up
presentable supper, with very little to
work with. 1t was then train time, and
Mrs. Rowell expected her guests any mo-
ment, though she was not properly
dressed to receive them. Mrs. King
sent her upstairs to make her
toilet, while she (Mrs. King) pre-
pared the supper. Mrs. Rowell did not go
to the train to meet Lynch, and it was
somewhere near 6 o'clock when he ar
rived. Mrs. King had left word at home
for her husband to call for her, and lust
after they had sat down to the table he
came. Mr.. King was anxious to get home,
and his wife excused herself and returned
with him at about $50 o'clock The chill
dren had been put to bed by the servant,
and at Mrs. Kings suggestion they were
not disturbed. Mrs. Rowell was brought
| to the King house at about midnight
| William +. Dawson, proprietor of the
! National Hotel, says "Just previous to
Rowell's departure he came to me and
asked for woman's stocking, saying, Il
want to put this in it, holding stone in
his hand, to make slungshot' He asked
me ii had any cayenne pepper in the
house, and said no. He then wanted to
know if | had any black pepper. He said
that would do as well. told him couldn't
let him have anything. WELL he said
drawing picture of woman out of his
pocket and holding it out at arms length
I'm after the - that's been after th:,
woman or that's after this woman
don't exactly remember which, 1t ha,
been disclosed that William L. Palmer wa.
in league with Rowell to punish Lynch
and plan had been devised for wreakin.
vengeance on the adulterer without takin.
his life. Palmer learned from the tele
gram sent to Mrs. Rowell by Lynch, whicl
was delivered at the factory and passed
through Palmer's hands, what time he wa
coming, and notified Rowell It had pre-
viously heen arranged that Palmer SHOULD
get together few friends, who should 90 t,
RowelPs house late in the evening, at
time when they would be certain to fine
Lynch and Mrs. Rowell retired. Rowel
was to quietly enter the house and avail
developments, and Palmer and his force
were to wait outside and join in Lynch
punishment. The story goes that Lyncl
was to be stripped of every vestige o
clothing and be sent into the street in
nude state. His clothing was to be boxe,
and sent to his friends in Utica. Paine
admits that the story is true, and says tina
Rowell had not intended to kill Lynch.