Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-06-30
THE MARLBORO JAIL.

soon offered. The county officers Sheriff
Middleton and Deputy Sheriff Dove went to
| work on the case as did several Others and
several arrests were soon made among the
prisoners brought in being several innocent
persons. William Pinkney and Daniel Bar Der
were under arrest in a short while after the
commission of the crime, and the piece Of car
pet taken from the well was used by those max
ing the investigation clue upon which to
work. Barber was under indictment for hav-
| ing stolen some meat from the murdered man
and was soon to have been tried for it. and
this was motive assigned for the murder.
Even after they were placed under arrest and
there was a moral certainty of their guilt it was
some time before that certainty and suspicion
could be confirmed by proof
Barber was visited in his cell by reputable
citizen OF the community who had been salts
fed OF his innocence, but when he left the Jail
| he was convinced that the right men were be-
hind the bars and that it was only question of
trial when they would be held legally response
BILE for the death of Mr.. Bowie. Even after the
men were incarcerated it was several days be-
fore there was sufficient proof against them on
which to take them into court
| The most tangible piece Of testimony was
obtained when Constable Sweeney and Jack
| Clark, an ex-oficer of the county, visited
finkneys house and saw the murderer's wife.
| That was on Good Friday, and the men worked
on her religious feelings to such an extent that
she revealed TO them the whereabouts Of Mr.
Bowie's watch, in the Western branch. The
watch had been broken in pieces and most Of it
| was scooped out of the water with a tin nan
fastened to the end of a long pole.
Pinkney was then told of what testimony had
| been secured, and, like most other criminals, he
commenced talking, making a number Of con-
| ficting statements These statements were
shaped intoa confession, although he attempted
| to shift the responsibility to Barber and make
him bear the burden. Barber also talked, but
his statements conhicted with those of his
| fellow murderer.
During this time it developed that the killing
| Of the wealthy farmer had been planned long
| before the execution OF the tragedy Several
modes OF killing had been discussed, and il was
| all to be done in order to remove the evidence
| OF theft In the meat stealing case. The most
brutal plan was to catch Mr. Bowie on his re-
turn from the city, put him between the
| wheels OF his vehicle and the wagon body and
grind him to jelly. Then the horses were to
have been started off and make it appear as
| though death had resulted from q runaway
| accident.
HOW THE FIRST PLAN FAILED.
The men lay in wait by the roadside to carry
out this plan. but when Mr.. Bowie returned on
that occasion he was accompanied by a neigh
Dor, and thus his life was prolonged several
| months.
Evidence against the two men was finally OBJ
| tanned and Chief Judge Briscoe at the opening
| of court delivered a long charge to the grand
| jury. That body considered the case fully and
| then returned true bills against them.
| TRIAL AND SENTENCE.
Their trial was called at an early date and
both men were held guilty Of murder in the
| first degree and sentenced to be executed to-
i day.
| Following the imposition of sentence there
| was a remarkable chapter in the history Of the
| case recorded. The 81 900 reward had been
paid to different parties who had done effect
i've work in the capture and conviction Of the
murderers, and through the carelessness Of the
jail guard the county and friends Of the de-
ceased were given another chance to give up
hundreds Of dollars for some more detective
| work.
| PINKNEY's ESCAPE.
This was on the 25th day Of /. William
Pinkney left the Jail that morning without per-
mission aud had he ventured far enough out OF
the neighborhood he probably would not have
\ paid the penalty on the scaffold today. Guard
Jones was on duty at the jail the little building
that had been barred against reporters search
ing for news, and the doors were left wide open.
The door Of Pinkneys cell was also open,
although it was thought that his irons bound
him to the floor so securely that escape was i'm
possible. But Pinkney had managed, with the
| aid OF a piece Of glass, to sever the ties which
bound him to the floor and awaited only an
opportunity to take French leave. That op-
portunity was presented when the colored
| woman came in the morning to clean the build
ing and empty the slops. She visited the cell
Of Pinkney and then departed, with bucket in
hand. Slowly she went through the short
corridor and down the steps, while the Jail
guard stood at the front door Out the back
door, with part Of his shackles attached to his
leg, the condemned man slipped and took to
the marsh just below town.
For days and days he played game of hide
and seek with the sheriff, his deputies and citi-
zens, who were endeavoring to again reap the
reward that had been offered. At several farm
houses the fugitive appeared and demanded
food, and through fear his demands were COM
piled with. During the time when he was
roaming about the country feeling of fear
pervaded the atmosphere and after shutdown
many persons were afraid to leave their homes
Seeing that the fugitive's recapture was about
to be one of the impossibillties of life the re-
ward was increased to $3.50, and then efforts on
the part of citizens and officers were renewed
The increased reward what was wanted
and then the fugitive in the swamp was hunted
day and night. He had seen his pursuers time
after time and had on more than one occasion
been within few yards Of some Of them. His
boldest act was on the day of the races at the
| new track On that day the search was abau-
doned and all the men about Marlboro were on
the track. That was the fugitive's chance to
get beyond the reach OF the sporting element
for they were the ones who were making it
warm for him. but, instead of going, according
to his own statement, he got in position where
he witnessed the races and saw the sheriff and
others doing the same thing. He asserted that
he saw Sheriff Middleton crossing the grounds
and saw him take knife out of his pocket.
| PINKNEY's SURRENDER.
Pinkney, too, it afterward appeared, was
waiting for a ''raise'' in the reward as he ex-
pected or hoped to be able to secure some of it
for himself or his family, and having had as
much fun in the woods man could have
under the circumstances, he sent for two
friends Of his own color and with them he drove
to the gate of the Jail, and could perhaps have
driven to Washington had he desired to cheat
the gallows and the community in which he had
resided ali his life. Once more he greeted his
fellow murderer Barber and they exchanged
pleasant greetings. There being reason for
a postponement of the execution, and the
county and citizens having paid S1,700 for the
incarceration of the prisoners in addition to
legitimate expenses. Sheriff Middleton turned
his attention toward making preparations for
the execution. while the prisoners, thoroughly
aware of the fate which awaited them, began to
think of the life to come
Barber was the more serious Of the two and
he received spiritual advice from the Rev.
Father Cunnane, pastor Of the Catholic Church.
During his visits to Barber the other miserable
wretch accepted what consolation he could get
from the pastor whom he had before his es-
cape, intended to knock down, taking his