The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1892-02-18

Witness was asked to repeat what
Bowen had said to him.
Witness" Il want you to talk tC
Alice, and get him to walk around IN
front of the office, and then you steE
backwards or ahead of him and give
us chance to kill him, and I'll give
you $780, L saw two shotguns in
Bowen's office, and pistol. l knew
one of the shotgunS, for | had hunted
with it. Bowen told me if anything
happened, he would get me in the
ranger service, where | would get $50
o month"
Mr.. Franklin for the state-"Where
were you raised?"
Witness-"I was born and raised in
Atascosa county,
Mr.. ranklin-"Did you not pass
most of your time in jail?"
Witness-"No sir.u
Mr.. Franklin -" Were you not
charged with killing your step
Witness-"Ye and l was in Jail
about twenty days, but was turned
out and discharged. Inever had a
trial.
Continuing his testimony the wit
ness said: "Bowen and me were good
friends. [ used to go hunting with
him. L drove the wagon for him. L
testified at Pearsall, but do not know
whether Scott and Givens testified or
not"
Mr.. Franklin-"Did you not have
aiming trial?n
Mr.. Franklin-"D you remember
having conversation with Mr..
Harper near the depot, and did you
not tell him that Alice had given you
new suit of clothes and $40 if you
would testify as to what Bowen said
to youW
Witness-"I do not remember talk
ing to him at ALL"
Continuing in reference to the con-
versation with Bowen witness said:
~ thought he was trying me to see if
he could find out anything about the
killing of my step-father. thought
he was feeling around to see if had
killed my step-father by seeing if L
would agree to his offer. His offer
did not insult me. did not tell Cap
tain Brooks, the sheriff, the constable
or the rangers in town about what
Bowen had said to me. L only told
Mr.. Alice after had consulted with
those believed were my friends. |
thought maybe it would prevent
trouble. 1 did not see Bowen any
more until he was brought in dead. |
was arrested on suspicion of killing
my step-father, but was never in
dicted.
Court then adjourned until o'clock.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
w. A. Scott was the first witness
called after dinner. [ live in Pearsall.
L was working on the railroad in 1891
building fence along the road. |
know Frank Moore and Alice. | did
not know Bowen. have known Alice
about ten years. Moore asked me
sometime in May to deliver message
to Alice. He told me to tell Alice
that Mr.. Bowen had guns in his office
and would kill him if he had chance.
Moore told me this in Cotulla and l
told Alice of it in Pearsall, and Alice
said he was not going down there. 1t
was about week after Moore told
me. l did not testify at the examin-
ing trial. This is the first time l have
testified in this case.
At this stage of the proceedings the
jury was excused until the question of
admitting an editorial written by
Bowen could be settled. The court
after hearing argument on both sides
decided to admit it.
The jury was then recalled and Mr..
D. S. Huff took the stand. 81 reside
at Millett station. l resided in Cotulla
in May and worked in the Cotulla
Times office as q printer. The Cotulla
Ledger was also printed there by w.
@. Bowen. | worked for Mr.. Bowen
on the 10th day of May
helping him to publish a
paper that day. He sent
his son for me, and L went over to his
house. left his house about 2 O'Clock
and went down to the office, made up
the forms and put the paper to press.
| saw an article in the paper that /
thought was pretty tough and told
Mr.. Bowen so. He looked it over and
said yes, it is pretty tough, but l
wrote it while was drunk and may
be had better change it. 1t had ref
erence to Mr.. Alice. 1t was all set up
except about six lines and l set them
up from copy in Mr.. Bowen's hand
writing. | then put the forms on
the press and printed two copies. Mr..
Bowen told me had read the article
in manuscript to two or three people
and they advised him not to publish
it.
81 advised him so too, and said to
him, IF you publish it the people OF
Cotulla may string you up He
said, Yes, it is pretty tough, and it
may get me into trouble on account OF
the libel law | do not remembe eX-
actly the words of the Objectionable
matter that was taken out. | think il
said that the grand and petit juries
had such friendship for Alice that il
is our earnest desire or wish that
Alice now rape the wives and
daughters of the jurors, and from
what we know of Alice, he is capable
of doing such thing"
Witness was shown the editorial as
printed, from which the Objectionable
matter had been taken, anC
identified it as the same
Continuing witness said: "Mr
Bowen and myself printed about hal
the papers, and during the time, he