Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-03-29

lated CRIME
Perhaps no crime ever committed In Mary
land has caused more excitement among the
people of a county than the murder Of Francis
Magruder Bowie. 1t is talk of all Prince
Georges and the scene visited by hundreds
OF people yesterday. John Wesley johnson,
the colored man who arrested Monday night
at Bowie station, on the Baltimore and Potomac
railroad. and brought to Marlboro on a special
train is no longer suspected of the crime.
He had red stains on his knees but they were
found TO be paint johnson. il was proved
beyond doubt, Is not the murderer OF Mr..
Bowie. while, on the other hand. he il wanted
in Anne Arundel county on the charge of steal
ing hog from Mr.. Benjamin +. Bosford. He
will be turned over 70 the authorities. When
captured at Bowie he gave his pursuers quite a
chase and was not caught until he had run a
quarter Of mlie.
FORMER TRAGEDIES IN THE COUNTY.
The murders that have been committed in
Prince Georges county are few. but they have
all been Of a sensational character. In 1860
Col. William Lyle, who had a large plantation
on the Potomac river was murdered for the
purpose of plumber by five of his slaves. Four
Of them were executed for the crime at Marl-
boro' the same year. The fifth one. Nimrod
Richards. escaped. and lived for several years.
travelling through Europe. In 1870 he came
OdCk 70 bOSlOU. ne TeCOkUlZtu IueTe.
brought to Marlboro, tried, convicted and
executed
The last murder occurred six years ago, not
over a half mile from where MIR. Bowie met his
death enjamin Lawson was returning home
from Marlboro IN a drunken condition when
ne met old colored man named Steve Hodge
nd murdered him The case was tried in
Anne Arundel county and Lawson was fined
800.
THE AUTHORITIES AT WORK.
Sheriff Middleton, Deputy Sheriff Geo. s.
Done the men who discovered the body as
described in yesterdays STAR and a number of
curiosity seekers visited the scene of the
tragedy Yesterday. The family and the Off
cials maintained the utmost reticence and the
only thing they seemed TO know was that de-
tectiye from Washington was coming down to
work up the case.
When the bottom was reached bunch of
keys, match box, a piece of Brussels carpet and
two g1ano sacks. on which were stamped the
name OF John A. Baker. Washington. ID. C.,
were found. This Is considered valuable infor-
nation. This clue will be followed up TO find
out. if possible. where and to whom the CARPET
and bags belonged The carpet and bags were
undoubtedly used to cover the body up and
prevent the dropping of blood by which the di-
rection OF the body could be traced. The watch
was not found.
A reporter. exclusive of the above facts. dis
covered that the family suspects several per-
Sons. anu requested the OfnclaIS 10 Keep them
under surveillance Benjamin Bowie. brother
of the dead man. who spent the better portion
of the day Walking between the house and the
well. said that he didn't want 70 saw who be
suspected. he did not want to have himself
harmed Mrs. Bowie. who Is naturally verv
much distressed over the terrible death of her
husband. refused to be seen. and the doors of
the house were barred against every one except
the physicians and the officers.
MANY SUSPECTED.
closer examination OF tine scene of the
murder leads to the general belief that the
crime was committed by two men. This
conclusion is founded on nothing more sub
stantisi than footprints Six men are being
watched bv the authorities on the faint sus-
picion that any one OF them may have had
hand in the deed
They are under surveillance not because any,
thing Is known connecting them in the remotest
way with the crime, but solely on account of
their characters. Indeed. there seems to be
suspicion on every hand 1t is the one thing
that is rife. For instance. a story is told of a
white man who was IN Marlboro on Monday
morning, and while drinking in a local tavern
the matter of Mr. Bowie strange disappear
ance was brought up. At that time the body
had not been recovered. He told the people
gathered about him that on SUNDAY afternoon
he and three other white men were down at the
western branch of the Patuxent river preparing
"weir" TO catch fish. The place described BY
him is not more than a hundred yards from the
walnut tree under which Mr.. Bowie had his lite
battered out The man saws that ne was at the
place al z clock IN the afternoon. and at that
time he Mr.. Bowie on horseback. driving
sheep. Mr.. Bowie was, however. in Marlboro
at that time and did not reach home until
O'Clock in the afternoon. and it was fully an
hour later before ne reached the place desig-
mated Because Of this discrepancy suspicion
has attached to him.
A colored man IS also suspected on account Of
the dread and fear he entertained of Mr..
Bowies Threat to have him arrested because of
an alleged theft.
Another case of suspicion is that fathered by
Q footprint found in the field. The footprint is
said to be like that of so-and-so (colored),
although u Is not an uncommon shape
Another colored man is suspected for the
reason that he was in the vicinity about the
time the murder was committed. and. more
over. some of the carpet that wrapped
around the body Of the dead man is not I'M
Ike some that had been stored in the cellar
Of Mr.. Snowden Hills house. where the man
Is employed All these simply vague
theories as yet in the minds of the author
titles.
Nr. Charles Hill, a nephew By marriage of
the dead man. said: II was the last man to see
Mr.. Bowie alive. passed him at a distance on
Sunday evening about 5:45 o'clock He at
building His horse seemed to be standing at
the fence. WAS about a quarter of mile
from him. i did not hear of the murder until
came from school on Nonday.
Mr. BOWIE HAD ENEMIES.
During the Christmas holidays a quantity Of
hog meat was missed from one of his store
houses. and in a few days he had search war
rants served on several colored persons and
finally had one arrested, who was, however, re-
leased on bail Some time ago Mr.. Bowie
charged a cOlored man with stealing an ak from
him He discovered the AK IN the possession
OF another colored man At marlboro who
claimed that he had bought IL from the first
party. II is claimed that Mr. Bowie greatly
harassed the man sboGt the Recovery of the az
sud repeatedly threatened to have him arrested
Only few DAYS ago tine man. becoming SO
worried over the matter, consulted u lawyer
about 1t.
That Mr.. Bowie had enemies is shown BY the
fact that shortly after Christmas an attempt
WAS made to burn down his house late at night
Mrs. Bowie was awakened by inhaling smoke
and II was discovered that dry leaves bad been
piled against the siie of the house and fired
The flames ate into the parlOr before they were
exanguished- Some slight trace of petroleum
was found oa one of the porches.
TEE SLIP MADE By THE NURDERERs.
There is but slight belief that Mr. Bowie
was killed on the impulse Of the moment. On
the other hand. from clues found there is every
evidence to believe that the crime was planned
with the greatest generalization. and carried
out by rhreHd iDIiyiduals II he