The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-09-28
Who KILLED JULIA DOWO
Acting on Judge Hunts Recent
Charge the Grand Jury
will Investigate.
Husband Jack" DoWd anu Q Sus-
picious Character Arrested
In Butte.
One Resembles the Mysterious Photo
graph--The Widower and the Miss
ing Trunk.

Ono Resembles the Mysterious Photo
graph--The widower and the Miss
ing Trank.
Judge Hunt, Of the Second Judicial dis
trict court Of this county, in his recent
charge to the grand jury, dwelt upon the
importance of ascertaininR, il possible, who
WAS the murderer of Julia Dowd. the
woman who was so brutally murdered in
Clore street house last winter. This was
one of the foulest and most mysterious
murders ever committed in Montana, and
though many efforts have been made to
apprehend the murderer they have proved
futile. The county commissioners offered
reward for the apprehension Of the perpe-
petrator Of the crime, and while this had
the effect Of rowling some interest in the
matter the results were the same. Since
Judge Hunt mentioned the murder
IN his charge to the jury At
taches OF the sherif's odice have
been quietly at work and they have now
behind the bars a man named AL. Van
Leuven and 'Jack'' Dovd, the latter the
husband of the7nurdered woman. On Fri
day Deputy Sheriff Parker and Detective
Phil Best went to Butte for thu purpose of
getting their men, and they brought both
of them to Helena yesterday to appear be-
Il will Be remembered that photograph
of man was found in "One. Eyed" Julia's
house. This man was said BY female
neiRhbors to have been frequently engaged
IN chopping wood for Julia. After the
murder q woman, on seeing the photo
graph, said the person whom it represented
had suddenly disappeared. Many dupli-
Gates of the photograph have been made
and finally the conclusion ia reached that
''Bigal" Van Leuven is the man whom 1t
representa-.
Julia Dowd was known to have been ab-
dicted to the opium habit, and It 10 learned
from good authority that Van Leuven is q
victim also, in fact he was arrested in Butte
in an opium dive of which he Is said to be
the proprietor. just Why Jack" Dowd
was again placed under arrest is not known,
aging evidence against him.
The grand jury revived interest in the
case yesterday morning. They summoned
a large number of witnesses, but did not
finish the examination of all of them. Ow-
ing to sickness in the family Of one OF the
Jury they did not convene in the afternoon
and adjournment was taken until to-mor-
Van Leuven shown to certain women on
viii recognize him as the man
who chopped wood for the murdered wo-
man. This is the second time that Van
Leuven has been arrested on suspicion of
was arrested by Sheriff Lloyd, of Silver Bow
county ON suspicion of being the author Of
a cold blooded crime in California. The
arrest was made on information furnished
by an alleged detective. but il was finally
proven to be mistake and Van Leuven
was released.
Prosecuting Attorney Nolan does not be-
f.An. But against Dowd there is said to be
Sufficient evidence to warrant re opening
the case and trying to prove that he was
connected with the crime. It is said that
the morning of the murder Dowd was in
Butte. "A a telegram was vas, sent S from here 70
Of the race horse Sunday and we'll known
gambler, is said to have first opened
the telegram. It is claimed that II
it was then taken to young 'Jack'' Dowd,
who was in bed. Il is also said that he
read the telegram. The state will claim
evidence. In the first place, the jack
Dowd now in jail can neither read mol
write, again, the elder Jack "Dowd' is moi
man who is out of bed between the hours
of and 8 O'clock in the morning. He il
. "nighthawk' and does most Of his sleep.
ing by day. The credence Of the witnesses
VII s:o % *b called ncna into ps douo
man when young Dowd testified, he sobbei
good deal and was seemingly over anxious
about the possession of Julia's trunk. Thi
trunk contained many letters, which, il ha
since been thought, had direct bearing OF
the case. None of these letters wer
l H.
opened. The trunk was forvarde::
With him when he went homo to Butte
Detectives have since endeav0red to ascer
tain the whereabouts of that trunk. Whel
questioned BY one Of them az to ito disposi
ton Dowd said that he had lost the checl
through hole in his trousers pocket
illustrate to the detective. Il was sliRhtl.
ripped up the seam, but in It he had at tina
time piece of tobacco and several trinketa
He said he never secured the trunk. Th'
trunk was not found at the baggage depot
and while II has undoubtedly been dispose
what became Of il.
Attorney Nolan has little faith In th
theory that q white man committed th
deed. He believes Q Chinaman did IL. ]
was : piece Of slaughter worthy only q
Jack the Ripper. Il was piece Of mutila
ton t00t coulQ nof0ly nave Dean zone Oy
white man. II the crime Vas the work Of
murdeTous heather it would not be % gu
prisinR. The murder was evidently planne
but the execution was awkward. It was NJ
doubtedly done BY some one In terribl
rage. II il was planned, then tho quee
precaution of placing Chinese slipper mes
the bed was previously conceived; but
not, it must have been by Chinaman. I
il indeed a mysterious case. and it il to b
hoped that in the interest Of Justice 1t vi
be unravelled without delay.