Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1893-04-07
The Bowie Murder Case.

A dispatch from Upper Marlboro, dated
the I'd instant, gives the following additional
particulars of the Bowie murder of last
week:
One week ago Mr. Francis M. Bowie, a
farmer living near this place, was murdered
and his body was concealed in well on his
farm. To-day several prisoners were lodged
in the county Jail and the authorities say
that the evidence against them is very strong
The clue furnished by the finding of the
piece of carpet has been closely followed
and by this clue important evidence has
been found.
The reward offered by the Messrs. Bowie
has stimulated the energy of the authorities
as well as that of private citizens. On Sat-
ur day Constable Sweeney and John H..
Clarke went to the branch which runs
through the Bowie farm and which sepa-
rates the Bowie property from the home of
William Pinkney. The two men prepared
to search the stream. The constable and
Clarke were sure that they would find some
thing which might throw new light on the
case The work of searching the stream
was by no means an easy one, rs the water
is about four feet deep. Mr. Clarke waded
in the water and began to feel around. His
search was rewarded by the finding of a
part of the case of gold watch. The case
bore the monogram of Mr.. Bowie. When
they found this they returned TO Marlboro,
when Constable Sweeney swore out war
rant for the arrest of Pinkney's wife. She
was arrested and brought here to Jail.
The woman was questioned and admitted
having thrown the watch into the branch
after her husband had broken it up She
also said Barber spent Monday night at her
home. She overheard Barber tell Pinkney
that he wanted Pinkney to give him Sc and
asked for the watch The two men quar-.
relied. After Barber had left the house
Pinkney took the watch to pieces and she
threw il in the branch. After the womans
arrest the detective and Deputy Sheriff Dove
also went to the branch and succeeded in
finding another part of the watch case. 1t
bore the number of the watch and this was
positively identified by Mr.. Irwin Bowie as
belonging to his dead brother
This is about the only new evidence which
has been found The States Attorney said
eve have gotten the parties who committed
the deed, aud when the trial comes off the
evidence will show the same" No one but
Jail officials are allowed to see the prisoners
The men do not hesitate to tell what part
they took in the murder. Pinkney told
representative of Smith, West Il Lyons that
Barber killed Mr.. Bowie and came to him
hSOut CLOCK On Dunuay HIB0t, dnG ne
(Pinkney) went with Barber and threw the
body into the well that Barber killed Bowie
at the gate near the walnut tree and then
hid the body near the fence until he went
with him to throw 1t in the well Bowie,
he says was killed with a rock Pnkney's
connection with the crime was first thought
to be due to trouble between Mr.. Bowie and
himself about an axe. 1t has since been
found that Mr. Bowie intended to have
Pinkney indicted for being party to the
larceny III "A lot of meat Tor which Barber
now stands indicted. Pinkney is said to
have found out that Mr. Bowie intended to
have him arrested and the theory is that to
prevent this he and Barber resolved to kill
the man and SO remove all evidence against
them in the larceny case The Pinkney
woman also said that Barber told Pinkney
that he had waited to kill Mr. Bowie one
night during the week, but had missed him.
The boy Hall has also acknowledged that
Barber sent a message to Pinkney ON Mon.
day
Court met in Marlboro on Monday and
the grand jury proceeded at once to investi
gate the case