Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-02-28
MURDERED. BUT BY WHOM,
The Mysterious Fate Of Banker Cowles'
wife.


Wife.
special to the New York San from Clarkes
Neb, says in regard to the mysterious case
which has excited so much interest the arrest
OF s. B. Cowles, president of the Pacific Bank
| OF this city, charged with the murder Of his
| wife. has created greater sensation through
out Nebraska and the northwest than any crime
ever committed in this state. The prominence
OF the man in commercial and political affairs
and Of the wife in society. the character Of the
crime, and the motive which may have i'm
PEELED him to commit it, IL he did commit IL,
make thrilling story. The murder was com.
mitted on the morning Of February between
the hours of II and o'clock.
According to Mr.. Cowles' story the family,
consisting Of the father, mother and five-year-
old son. had retired about 10 o'clock in the
evening. About midnight Mr.. Cowles was
aroused by a noise in his kitchen. Getting out
of bed and putting on his clothes. he proceeded
| to investigate. From the bed room he entered
the dining room, which adjoins, and in which
was a stove, the fire shedding a dim light.
From the dining room q door leads into the
kitchen. This door Mr.. Cowles opened and inn
mediatcly received a blow on the head from
man standing Just inside the kitchen. He fell
that his assailant was a man of medium height
with . dark overcoat and a SLOUGH hat, and
wearing mask which covered his face from
the eyes down. When the banker came to his
senses he was almost frozen. Staggering to his
feet he rushed to his wifes ROOM and found her
dead Almost crazed he rushed out and sum-
moned the neighbors and medical aid When
the physician arrived he stated that Mrs. Cowles
had been choked to death. Indeed the blue
marks of the murderer's fingers werc plainly
ylhiDIa There VIC of RI 90 OIL
All this time the little boy lay peacefully sleep
ing.
In the course Of the investigation which
Immediately followed it was ascertained that
pane OF window glass in the kitchen had been
broken, the catch unfastened and the window
raised. This gave the burglars admission to
the kitchen. At the door of that apartment they
we're confronted by the banker. whom they
struck down, it was supposed, with pair Of
brass knuekles. Stepping over his PROSTATE
form they had apparently proceeded to the bed
room, murdered Mrs. Cowles. and then pro-
ceeded to ransack the bureau drawer for
money. Jewelry was evidently not wanted.
Two gold watches, pair Of diamond earrings,
able articles which were on the bureau in plain
view were left untouched. Out in the street
jew rel case with the jewelry remaining in it.
and Mr.. Cowles' empty pocket book were
found
There was no satisfactory clue to the perpe-
traitors of the crime. No suspicious characters
had been seen in the town. and the authorities
were greatly puzzled. The banker offered a
reward Of $1,000. which he subsequently in
creased to 5000, for the capture Of the muir
derers. But no one could be found who could
even be suspected of the crime. Gradually
grave rumors began to be circulated connect
ing MIR. Cowles with the tragedy in a way that
had not previously been thought of. 1t was
limited, in short, that he had deliberately MUIR
dered his wife, and had arranged all the other
details in order to divert suspicion from him
self. 1t was hard for even Mr.. Cowles' enc
mics to give credence to these ugly reports
His integrity had never been questioned and
he was In every way considered perfectly up
right man. His affection for his wife was SO
well known that. a prominent physician
states. he was held up as model husband by
all the wives in the town. How could it be Dos
sible that he had murdered her?
Several days after the murder the coroner's
inquest was commenced. verdict was not
reached until the 14th. During the week the
jury WAS considering the case some startling
evidence was laid before them. which was how
ever, Of 80 indefinite character and SO con-
ficting that the case was referred TO the CITY
attorney, with the verdict that the deceased
was choked to death by persons to the jury I'M
known. The testimony of detectives before the
coroner's jury did much to strengthen the suspi-
cions against Cowles. In the course Of their
Investigations they had found the $50. which
COwles said had been stolen. hidden in can in
closet: the window was found to have been
opened with a Ratchet, and the Ratchet was dis
covered in the stable. The wounds OH the
bankers head. which he declared rendered him
unconscious, were shown upon examination to
have been mere scratches. which could easily
have been caused by himself The discovery of
this fact was what caused the suspicious that he
was the murderer of his wife. The night of the
murder it was noticed that his clothes were
covered with blood, The physicians who ex-
amined his head expressed doubt that all the
blood on the person of the banker could have
come from such small cuts. 1t was also ascer-
tanned that Cowles had taken out a $1,000 life
insurance for his wife in the Legion of Honor
and the authorities looked upon this as a posi-
BILE motive for the crime.
When Cowles discovered that he was sus-
pectod he WINS terribly agitated and requested
the closest scrutiny. The city attorney, wher
the case was referred to him, had stated that he
some citizen would voluntarily sign the in
formation. Monday at noon Cowles boarded
the train bound, Ostensibly, for Omaha. I'm
mediately thereafter Robert Gregg ex-sheriff
OF Saunders county, went before the city attor-
ney and filed complaint charging the banker
with the murder of his wife. A telegram was
sent ahead and Cowles was intercepted at
Columbus and brought back. He Immediately
retained four of the best lawyers in the country
and expresses confidence in his acquittal. Toa
Sun correspondent he said:
Il have no fears as to the outcome Of this
case. know that a trial will result in my vim
dication, and as nothing but trial will relieve
me from this weight OF suspicion am anxious
for it to come. My only concern as to the
charge against me is the stigma it will cast upon
my little boy. My wife had been troubled
with heart disease for four or five years and
during the past year it had grown worse. She
was frequently rendered helpless by an attack
OF it, and it was necessary to use camphor to
restore her. She had a severe attack the night
before her murder. DR.. Robinson told me that
in case Of a sudden shock the disease would
terminate fatally. On the night of the murder
we retired at 1920 o'clock, and INV wife then
appeared to be in as good health as usual
When next saw her II was about / 80 O'Clock
and she was dead. have had detective work.
ing on the case ever since the murder"
Mr.. Cowlcs stated further that the insurance
on his wife's life was taken out ten wears ago
and could, therefore, have no connection with
her death. 1t is charged, on the othe. hand.
that this money was needed to tide him over a
financial crisis. There is nothing to show,
however, that he is in need of funds
Cowles came here about six years ago from
Genoa, Vance county, and before that time he
had resided in Saunders county. He was for
seven years an officer in the Union Pacific
transportation service and is q prominent Odd
Fellow and Mason. His banking institution is
one OF the largest in the state. Its business
has been transferred to the Merrick County
Bank Of this city, that concern assuming all
liabilities.
AN INFANTILE JOAN OF ARC.