The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1890-10-22

recent years occurred Sunday morning
in the rural district of Lisbon township.
Bedford county, and about ten miles
from Bedford City. A brief account has
already been given in The TINES.
Jake Spraddling, half crazy cpl
leptic, forty-fve years of age, brutally
murdered Mrs. Ann Bowles, the aged
widow of the late Allen Bowlcs The
implement of death was piece of
plank and the cause of the epileptic's
crime was dispute of the previous day
over the division of some Irish potatoes
which he had raised for the murdered
woman on shares. Spraddling, not
withstanding his wretched mental and
physical condition, is married, and lived
in extreme poverty near the house of
Mrs. Bowles, who, though not rich, was
in fairly comfortable circumstances
Spraddling was arrested that night,
brought to Bedford City and placed in
Jail.
According to testimony taken by JUS
tlce Charles o. Graham, acting as coro-
ner, on Sunday, at the Bowles house,
the particulars of the tragedy are as
follows: After the quarrel of Saturday
Spraddling, at supper, told his wife and
Maud Written, who lived with them, of
the difficulty, and that he had told Mrs.
Bowles that her husband was in hell,
and that one of her feet was in hell, too,
and tho other was ready to cave in.
After supper he pretended to pray for
several minutes, and said that he was
| praying for Mrs. Bowles. lie went to
bed laughing and singing, and finally
| went to sleep.
About l o'clock he jumped up sud
denly telling his wife that he would
stand her quarrelling no longer, and
that he would kill her first. Mrs. Sprad-
ding ran out of the house with her
husband after her. lie knocked her
drown in the yard and was choking her,
] when Miss Written ran down stairs and
| interfered.
Spraddling then said he wanted to see
Mrs. Bowles. His wife told him he
could not get in at Mrs. Bowles' as the
house was locked, when he replied that
he would break the door down, and
| started for her place.
| Miss Written, fearing his purpose,
ran to the house of Mr.. j. w. Bower
half a mile away and called him up,
telling him of what had occurred and
that she feared he was going to kill
Mrs. Bowles. Bowyer and his son i'm
mediately ran over. When they arrived
barnyard gate just as he was leaving the
premises. They were too late to save
the life of Mrs. Bowles, but in time to
| capture her murderer who had finished
| his bloody work.
After Miss Written had aroused the
Bowyer family, Mrs. Bowyer went with
her to Mr.. Ed. Subjects who also lives
near. He-was sick and they went on to
Mr.. VIM. II. Craig's who hurried with
them to Mrs Bowles. When they ar
rived.NIr. Bowyer and his son were ticing
Spraddling. They called for another
rope, and Mrs. Bowyer and Miss Written
| Mrs. l,owles' bedroom window and called
out, but got no answer When they
started to the house from where the
men were tieing Spraddling, he re-
marked: 81 told old lady Bowles to go
to bed and go to sleep"
| Failing to get any response from Mrs.
| Bowlcs, the women returned, and when
| Spraddling had beed securely fastened.
the whole party, composed of Mr.. and
Mrs. Bowyer and son, Miss Written,
| Mr.. Craig, and Mr.. Chastecn Sublctt,
| who had arrived. went to the house,
and opening the front door, found Mrs
Bowlcs lying in the hall in a pool of
| blood, with her head crushed almost to
less and died within half an hour
She had probably gone out of her
room into the hall upon hearing Sprad-
| ding at the door where he met her and
| struck her down.
The bloody plank with which the ter
rible deed was committed was lying in
side the door near the body of the vic
tim.
Spraddling confessed that he did the
killing, and was taken to Bedford City
| by his captors and turned over to the
| authorities.
The verdict of tho coroners jury was
that Mrs. Bowles came to her death by
| blows from piece Of plank in the hands
of Jake Spraddling.
Tho murdered woman was 70 years Of
age, and one of the most respected ladies
OF the community in which she lived.
Mr.. j. r. Preas, who has known
Spraddling nearly all his life, told THE
TIMES reporter that Spraddling is
silent man, rarely speaking unless
spoken to, except during tho fits or
spasms to which he is subject During
their duration he is violent and uncon-
trollable. The prisoner is safely secured
in dark iron cell il the county Jail.
He will talk but little, and the few
words he mutters are so indistinct that
they cannot be understood except by
those who are accustomed to his speech.
lie is of large bony frame and wears a
long red beard which covers his face.
His countenance shows more idiocy
than depravity, but is of so low and bru-
tai type as to be anything but agree
able to look upon.
The October term Of tho circuit court
will begin next week, when Spraddlings
case will be given to the grand jury, and