Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1889-12-18

The Great Mystery.

Franklin B. Gowen's body has been
laid in the grave without such exam-
ination Of it as surely ought to have
been made in the interest Of public JUS
tice. One Of the most surprising things
about this tragedy to us Is the willing
ness of 80 many of those who were close
friends Of Mr.. Gowen to believe that he
committed suicide while insane, though
he is shown to have been In rational
condition the evening before his body
was found and there Is no allegation
that up to this time he had ever shown
an insane symptom. To accept the
theory Of insanity 1t will be necessary to
assume that it was momentary and
sudden invasion Of sound mind but
this supposition does not flt with the
alleged fact that Mr.. Gowen purchased
the pistol that did the deed at least
twenty-four hours before, and that dur
ing these hours he appeared to be in
sound state of mind 10 those who had
converse with him.
And here II will be noted how shy
those who have assumed the charge of
this inquiry have been to identify the
pistol found in the room with the one
purchased from the Washington dealer
on Thursday evening, by large, well
dressed and prosperous looking man (;
who is not further shown to have been
Mr.. Gowen. 1t does not appear that hi
portrait has been shown this dealer ;
and it is stated that he has not been
afforded an inspection of the pistol
found. All this seems strange, and not
in accordance with vigorous effort to
clear up what is, to the public at least,
the very mysterious taking OFF of Mr.
Gowen.
If there is anything known TO Mr..
Governs family or particular intimates
which the public do not know, II Is u
mistake TO conceal it. The public in
terest requires that the mystery of his
death shall be removed; and Mr..
Gowen's memory demands that no un-
just suspicion shall rest upon it. He
had, it is said, n life insurance of two
hundred thousand dollars and to those
who do not know him this may be
ascrbed as motive for the deed. To
those who do know him, however, It Is
convincing evidence that he did not kill
himself with the deliberation that
would be implied in his purchase of a
pistol with which to do the deed n whole
day before ii was done. For Mr.. Gowen
was an honest man and would not
companies. If he had deliberately in
tended suicide he would have first
surrendered his policies. This he ID
said to have contemplated doing, having
made inquiries of the Philadelphia
agents just prior to his departure for
Washington as to exchanging his life
policies for paid up policies. But one
agent states that Mr., ,Gowen relinquished
this purpose when he advised him
amount be would realize from the ex-
change. Any argument drawn from
this inquiry of Mr.. Gowen, leading to
the idea that he was preparing for an
honest suicide, which would save the
insurance companies, is refuted by the
fact that he abandoned the intent.
When man is slain alone, with q
pistol by his side, with no known motiv,
to suicide, but known to have been en-
dowed with extraordinary mental power
and moral strength, the causes leading
to his death demand the closest investi.
CATION and 1t is simply silly to say thai
locked door bars the idea that another
hand did the deed, or even creates q
reasonable objection to the theory tha
murder has been done 50 easily might
door be locked behind the criminal
while leaving the key still upon the in
eilo