New-York tribune., 1886-01-29
WAS HE INSANE From JEALOUSY?
BOWLING TELLS WHY HE SHOT WARD.
A NEW STORY OF THE SCENE IN THE LAWYERS

NEW STORY OF THE SCENE IN THE LAWYER
OFFICE MS ALLEGED CONFESSION.
The trial of Thomas A. Downing for shooting bis
lawyer. Captain H. NJ Ward in the Office of the latter
III Paterson on October %, 1885, drew large crowd
to the Court of Quarter Sessions in that city yesterday
Judge Dixon presided instead OF Judge Woodruff at
the request of the latter jury empaneled, and
Prosecutor Stevenson opened the case torthe State
The indictment was in two counts for assault with
piso with intent to kill and for atrOciOus assault and
battery The Prosecutor asked for conviction the
former count
Ward was the principal witness for the State He
testified that Dowling. who had been CLIENT OF his
visited his Office on October 2S and desired that suit
be started against one Charles Berdan for the seduc
ton of Downg's wife, The witness refused because
Dowliug had not paid him for former services in
Chancery suit. Bowling told Ward:
IL am going TO kill Perdln. viii you stick by me
The witness told Downg that he must do nOtl ins
of the sort.
Bowling then said Ward, you have been a friend
to me will you be one still E.
The witness said " yes" and Dowling extended his
left hand Ward seized it with his right, and then
Bowling suddenly shot him in the side, firing twice.
After the State rested Senator j. w. Griggs opened
the, case for the Gelence, claiming that Downg was
insane when lie shot Ward. The Senator proposed to
the
bowling had unsettled her husbands mind. lie said
that his duty was a painful one III showing such an
offence agaist his fellow member OF the bar, WIN WHOM
his relation. had aiwa, been pleasant .
Judges Dixon, Sanderson and lngus held q Wills
pered consultation AMI Judge Dixon said that OWING
TO the nature the and the character OF the de-
fence outlined. DowlHG would be reinandtd d 10 the
custody of the SheIin. senator Griggs rote'ted, ana
said hc could give the court reasons why such pro-
cceding would embarrass the Defence Inc senator
hisucred his reasons to the court and the 0fder or
putting Downing Mto tue ohelih D ou7'''J was "
ylked. =, ., 49,
fhere was silent attention IN the court rOOiI lie was
dressed in corduroy snit and did not appear eXcled
just then Prosecutor Stevenson called Dr Il. H.
Macdonald of the New-YOrk City Asylum Tor tue
Insane who took o seat behind the Prosecutor lie
hints we're arranged that the ight would TALL on
the witnesss iace. bowling testified that on octoDer
20 he returned to Paterson and made a discovery
which led him to charge his wife with lnudety Win
Charles Berdan. She made written cOhlesSiOn
bowling took the confession to the Kew fatHer NC
Nulty but did not remember what the priest sald lie
thought it was that he should cal AGAIN "neh Il eS
exced He did not know what lie dld after that, DuC
learned afterward that he had gone to his mothers IL
the country SubseJU entity his wife retracteu her con-
esson and said il had been forced from her. she sun
later admitted her guilt again IN presence OF her
brother The witness sent her to convent at Peeks-
kill Then he went to ard once 70 uiGe nun @ 70 o stf
proceedings in a civil suit in which his '" lie was inter-
csced lie asked Ward for private interview ana
they went into the private Office.
- then showed Ward a revolver continued the
witness, aud said, Ward, my wife Is untrue, ana
am yoinr to kin her beraycr' Ward fell on his knees
and begged me not shoot. but to give him chance
In exuiaIn Lwas astOnisbed. told Ward had no
idea OF shooting him. Ward was greatly excited and
| began TO have new suspicious. Ward then tod nc
that my wife had solicited his affections and that he
had refused her then weut to Peekskiil and saw my
wife She made a full confession TO me ana toid NE
that her betrayer was Ward who had told her was
bad and had only married her Tor money. went Oaek
10 Patcr. on and on the 2Sth called at Ward Once
ana We wo nj into the pirate room. said to NaFd
nm noe going to shoot BerdMn now. Ward you are my
,1ifr's Jrtrayerr Ward replied. Why iDowiing your
vii. can't remember who s her berByer. Any man
would insult her on the street. can tellSou OF ten or
dozen men who'haye.b been intimate with her, lake
that back' said l. and Jumped up.-sW ard Jumped 1p
too and we eluched. Ward hit me on the forehead,
and what happened after hat Is a blank to me-
The witness did not remember the shooting, his run
ming 10 the police station anything else that oc-
cured that day. Downg's testimony as to what
occurred in the interviews with Ward CAUSED sensl-
tion IL the court room.