Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1893-11-16
FRANK BOWEN'S CAREER.
Passages in the Life of the Alleged
Slayer of Clayton.

St Louis RepJfblic:-Frank H Bow
Ell, who has gained Il national reputa
ton by being charged with having haG
Il hand N the murder of Congressman
! Clayton, at Morrillton, Ark, which oc
CURED in January, 1889, called at the
| -Four Courts last night He is Oh his
way from Mason City, Iowa. TO Morrill,
ton, where the grand jury is now con
| Sidering his case and Determining
whether the evidence is strong enough
against the man to indict him. He will
arrive there this morning.
! A reward of $4,000 is offered for the
apprehension Of the murderer of Clay
ton. and desperate attempt viii be
made to have Bowen indicted, SO that
the men who caused his arrest may
divide the reward.
Bowen has had 4 strange career in
! the last five years. He was raised in
| St. Louis, but his home is now in
Mason City, his wife living there.
Some time ago while in Butte City,
Mont, a policeman named Jordan was
shot and instantly killed for political
reasons by some unknown enemies.
On information furnished by man
named Burkhardt, to whom Bowen
gives the alias Of LanderS, he was ar
rested and charged with the murder
A reward Of $4,000 had been offered
FOR the arrest of .Jordan'S slayer. and
Il desperate attempt was made to con-
Wet the accused. At the trial on
March II last Bowen was acquitted.
| The following day he was rearrested
on information furnished by Buckhardt
and charged with the murder of Clay
ton. After being taken to Morrillton.
Bowen laid III Jail until May -, last,
when, as the evidence against him was
very weak. he was released ON a 81 600
brc'l 4, SICK and fell from III pounds
to al pounds. Since his release he
las been slowly picking up again and
now weighs III pHldlGs. He will prob
ably never again be the healthy man
he was as Imprisonment broke down
his constitution
BoWen's case was tlllcn up yester-
I day morning by the grand jury at
IOrrillton. but because Of a misunder-
standing he failed to be there. His
attorney wired him to come at once.
When seen last night by 4 Republic
reporter, Bowen stated that he formed
the acquaintance of Bmkhardt in Ana
conda, Mont, about two years ago, and
that they fell cut shortly afterward
over Il business transaction. Since the
dispute Burkhardt has been his worst
enemy. connecting him with the above
murders, Bowen claims in hope of Sc
curing the large rewards. 30 ven claims
that Burkhardt is the man who some
! tine ago went from city to city break
ing his leg on bad sidewalks and by
falling down cellars and then suing for
/ damages. That he worked the game
with success in Cincinnati, Denver and
other points and tried to play it in st.
/ Louis several years ago, but failed.
! The game, Bowen, alleges, has Melted
the man about $4,000 already.
Bowen claims he never knew Clayton
and never was in Arkansas in his life
until he was brought there by 81 Off
GER. He expects that the grand jury
will ignore his case He says that a
strong evidence Of his innocence is
/ that he is cut on the small bail OF
81 900 and the charge against him is
murder in the first degree. which is
! punishable by death. When he clears
! himself in the Clayton case Bowen says
= he will prosecute Burkhardt for per
jury.
Before leaving the -Four Courts Bow
en- stated that a policeman had beer
killed at Mason City Monday, ant
T1lat when he cleared himself of con
nection with the Clayton killing, Burk
hardt would probably have him arrest
ed for that crime