The Portland daily press., 1889-12-25
WAS FRANKLIN B. GOWEN MuRDEUEDp
His Relatives Evidently Trying to
Prove That He Was.
The Sensational Story Attributed to
a Former Molly Magulre.
Other Survivors OF Thar Famous
Band Being shadowed.

WILKEsDARRE, Pa, December PA
former lodge master Of the Molly Mcguire
organization furnishes a local paper with
what he declares is a sure clue to the Gowen
tradgedy. He says the ex-president of the
Reading Railroad did not commit suicide,
but was murdered by man who persoEated
the lawyer and In appearance resembled him
very much. The man in question had been
following Gowen for years with view Of
taking his life. In order to carry out the
plot successfully, the stranger dressed ex-
actly like Gowen, and during the week the
lawyer spent In Washington his double
stopped at the same hotel and noted every
movement. 1t was he who purchased the
revolver at the Washington store. Return
ing to Wormley's he watched Mr.. Gowen,
and when the latter left the h0tel, the strang-
or went up to Gowen's room and secreted
himself. When Gowen returned the man
threw his oyercoat over him and then shot
him. The murderer then, with the aid Of
an assistant, escaped by way Of the win
dow. The murderer blamed GOwen for
many Of the murders in the coal regions, and
to avenge the death Of friend on the gal
lows he made up his mind to kill Gowen
sooner or later.
Mrs. Gowen and the immediate relatives
OF the deceased lawyer In Philadelphia have
from the first positively refused to credit the
theory of suicide. They declared that the
such assumption, and were firm In the be-
lief tnat he was murdered. The statement
of the Molly Mcguire, IL true, confirms in a
startling manner the family's views.
Capt. Linden, upon bis return from Wash
ington last week, expressed his belief in the
theory Of suicide. but 1t Is known that the
Captain, at the request Of Francis L GoweD.
employed number OF special detectives TO
trace all The Molly Maguires who had
recently been released from the pententiary.
The Superintendent Of the Pinkertons had
complete list OF these ex-eonvicts, and he
placed his men upon their tracks with In
structions TO report to him every move they
had made since their release.
PHILADELPHIA, December "a There
seems to be no doubt that the relatives Of
Franklin b. Gowen are. through the Pinker-
ton detective agency, pushing systematic
and searching inquiry into the manner Of
the Reading ex-pEesidents death. The broth
er, Henry g. GOwen, the widow and surviv-
ing daughter cannot be convinced that Mr..
G0wen committed suicide, and base their
opinion on the fact that there Is not the
slightest evidence to prove why he should
take his life.
been told about the condition of the room In
which Mr.. Gowen's body was found at
W0rmley's hotel in Washington. The win
dows Of the room were not fastened, as Civ
en- out. On the contrary they were not even
shut down when the doors were opened aftez
the tragedy had been discovered. Captain
Linden admitted this afternoon that such
was the case.
Rev. Father McDermott, now pastor Of st.
Mary's Roman Catholic church, was sta
| toned at Pottsville during the Mollie Ma
| guire days. He was the spiritual director of
| the six men who were hanged In that city on
| June 10, 1877, for the Molly Mcguire muir
ders. Father McDermott was. asked today
"Do you think that any III feeling still exists
| In the minds Of the children or relatives Of
| the men whom Gowen helped 10 convict?"
II am not prepared to make any statement
@ ~ tnas respect, Ing history vd 'ha' ahaiI ahsii
make a statement some day, and when do
l shall eeme out strong. No such organiza-
| ton as the Molly Maguires ever existed.
| The only order was the Ancient Order Of
l Hibernians"