The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-09-30
JACK DOWD IS INNOCENT.
So Says the Grand Jury on 1nyes-
tigating the Julia Dowd
Murder.
A Chain of Circumstances that
Lays the Crime to a
Chinaman.
Another Man, Who Looks Like the Pho
tograph, Being sOught-Van
Leuven Released.

Another day has passed by and the ques-
ton of who killed Julia Dowd is not yet
solved, though the grand jury yesterday
examined abo0t fifty witnesses to establish
the guilt or innocence of Jack" Dowd, the
husband of the murdered woman, and his
innocence was established beyond any
doubt
The man "Big Al'' Van Leuven. who was
brought over from Butte asrthe original of
that mysterious photograph, could not be
recognized as the man seen in the vicinity
of Julia's house at frequent times, and he
was released last Saturday night.
All means of placing the guilt to "Jack''
Dowd have been exhausted. That he was
in Butte at the tine of the murder ia beyond
doubt. The operator that took the dis
patch and the man who read it to Dowd
and others that saw these incidents have
been examined.
The wood-chopper and the Chinaman are
in the photograph, who is believed to be
the one who occasionally chopped wood for
the woman. Yesterday Deputy Sheriff
Parker went in the direction of Butte for
another man who is supposed to bear a
close resemblance TO the photograph.
uo WlUucSSO6 WuO WcI0 eXAMlucO III
cluded everybody that could have any pos
sible connection with the case. These were
people of this city, of Butte, of Great Falls,
of Missoula and Of Elliston. Even man
who walked into saloon on Broadway
early on the morning of the tragedy was
examined, but he had no connection with
the case.
The theory that a Chinaman is the guilty
person grows stronger, as the other theories
disappear. One important point was
brought out yesterday before the grand
jury which has strong bearing on the
belief that Chinaman did the butchery.
A Chinaman was seen to go to her place
about midnight of the night the murder
was committed. 1t has been established
that while in Missoula she had Il Chinese
''lover' who at one time was seen in her
company 'hitting the pipe" in her house.
pair of Chinese shoes, with blood in the
insoles, was found beside the bed where the
dead woman was murdered and a colored
woman named Camille and q colored man
named Bob Austin, saw Chinaman run
past them on the same morning. They tes-
titled before the coroner's jury that while
they stood talking together the Chinaman
rushed by them wearing white underclothes
while he carried blue blouse and trousers
under his arm. 1t was about half past four
in the morning and they could not recog-
niZe him.
About five o'clock Bob Austin and faro
dealer named Rainbow Jim, noticed the
door Of Julia Dowd's house open, looked in,
and there discovered the murder. The
Chinaman which Austin saw running down
the alley, across the street from where the
murder was committed went in the direc-
ton of the brick house facing Bridge street,
in the basement of which a lot of China
men were living. Under the stairway
leading to this basement was found the
dirk knife covered with blood, which I'M
q, Hbtedly was used to kill the woman, and
HAT chnafb ipfn which IL ftfal av
atty, was found under the pillow on the
bey'where julia Dowd was found dead.
With this chain of circumstantial evil
dencc 1t appears as Il loss OF time to en-
deavor to tasten the guilt upon anybody
bat Chinaman, and if any mistake has
been made, it was in releasing the China
men who were arrested in that
basement. One of the colored
female witnesses has said that while sitting
in the room where the inquest was held,
mans hand. She thinks he observed it
about the same time she did. for he quickly
looked vp at her, at the same time conceal
ing with his other hand the stain.
Every circumstance seems to plainly point
to Chinaman as the murderer. Missoula
merchant said he sold dirk knife to a
Chinaman a few days before the murder.
There was some slight difference though.
in the knife from others the merchant had
in stock, though it closely resembled the
others. Tia trivial difference was not
considered of Importance by the sleuths,
who believe that Chnaman committed the
crime.
The Missoula Chinese ''lover' has never
been brought before the bar. and why is it
not probable that he was in Helena the
night of the murder; that he called on the wo-
man on or about midnight; that she treated
him not to his liking; and that, in mo-
ment of jealous revenge, he slipped the
dirk from its sheath under the pillow and
plunged it into her time and again until
he was satisfied she was dead. and then
pers behind 2 The Chinese theory is the
most probable of all that has been brought
out, and, strange to say. it has resolved the
least attention from the detectives.
The body was yet warm when discovered
at five O'Clock in the morning, but this wal
no evidence that the crime had been com
mitted within half an hour, or two or tire.
hours previous. as the doctors testified tina
the gashes inflicted were not necessarily
fatal. This left the theory that she ex.
pired from loss of blood, of which the bee
and earpets held pool.
would have prearranged matters by placing
sheath under =, allow. a Chinaman's shoel
by the bed and the dagger at Chinese resi-
dence full block away. The theory that
some other clover" scared the Chinamar
away, then did the murder and followed
the Chinaman to his bunk for the purpost
of throwing the knife near his door car
hardly be probable, as the same people VIII.
saw the Chinaman at 4:3O in the morning
remained where they were standing fol
some time afterward, and would surely
have seen this man as we'll as the China
man.
In view of all this there does not seem t.
be a possibility of doubt that a Chinamar
murdered Julia Dowd, and until the Off
GERS go back on this track there is ever,
al n1r At.k 49, e
guilt elsewhere will never satisfy the de
mands of justice.
Police Pickings.
Great Falls young man accompanied
the Helena excursionists home Sunday even
ing. and arriving here he began to see tn
elephant. He strolled into Harmonic hal