The herald., 1895-07-20

him self to Warden Hale. He was well
dressed and had the air of professional
man. The law. like Brother Death, is no
respecter of persons.
Rowland was turned over to Captain
Edgar, and the erstwhile self-appointed
preacher soon realized that he was in the
hands Of the outraged commonwealth.
He was compelled to submit to the sys-
tenn of measurement and identification.
Then he was shaved and his hair was
cropped. He turned over his effects to
the clerk of the prison, took the peniten-
tiary bath pnG donned the stripes of
prison servitude.
Deputy Sheriff Buchanan left Los An
grles with his prisoner on Sunday and
should have reached San Quentin Mon
day night or at the latest Tuesday morn
ing. The delay led to inquiry. and then
it was discovered that Rowland had made
an effort either to escape or to kill him.
self. The truth has not been made clear.
as the two persons interested tell entirely
different stories.
Buchanan, when questioned by the
officers of the prison. said that in coming
through the San Joaquin valley Rowland
was taken i'll with spasms of the bowels.
and that he had to leave the train with
his charge at Wesley to seek medical aid.
Wesley is q station south of Tracey.
buchanan exhibited a document in the
nature of a certitic ate purporting to have
been signed by DR.. A. M. Richie of
Tracy. 1t acknowledged the receipt OF
money for attendance on Prisoner How
land and gave color to Buchanan s story.
Deputy Sheriff Peck of Fresno county
turned up a little latsr. however. and
gave different version of the affair, as
he heard 1t along the line. 1t was to the
effect that Rowland received permission
from Buchanan, who had great contiden ce
In the honesty of the prisoner, to 60 to
the lavatory at the rear of the train. In
stead of doing so he:reached the rear plat
form and stepped off. Wher Rowland
returned to Wesley and recaptuIed his
man.
Rowland himself tells still another
story. He says he was sitting on the
rear platform of the last car and that
while the train was under full speed he
fell off. When Buchanan discovered
what had happened he stopped the train
and went to his aid and on the following
day they resumed their journey. When
asked where the officer was at the time
ot the accident he said he did not know.
The opinion of the officials at San
Quentin is that Rowland jumped from
the train near Wesley either in an effort
to escape or with tho intention of COM
mitting suicide. This theory is strength
ened by the fact that one of Howland S
friends, r. E. Culbreth Of this city. is
said to have received telegram sating
that Howiand had Jumped from the
train at Wesley in the hope that he
might kill himself.
1t appears that an appeal had been
taken in II owland's case. and that he
could be bailed out. Having friends here
he came up with the expectation that this
would be done. lie believed that Cul-
breth would meet him at the ferry. but
when Rowland did not arrive Culbreth
made some inquiries and received the
telegram referred to.
The Los Angles deputy sheriff evident
ly had a hard time of it, for he was COM
PEELED to negotiate loans with the peni-
tentiary officials so that he could get
home again.
Howland's incarceration at San Quentin
is the climax OF long career of crook
edness. He caused the arrest in March
last of Z. S. Howard, a weil-known and
wealthy resident of Pasadean. on a charge
OF disturbing the peace of religious
meeting. Rowland cliamed to be the ex
ponent Of heavenly system whereby the
lives Of men were opened to him through
the stars. Howard was acquitted. and
charging that Rowland had testified
falsely at the trial had him arrested for
perjury. The trial was sensational one
and brought out the fact that Rowland
had lett wife and bad reputation at
Briggs Corners. in Massachusetts: that
he had been ordained as a Baptist preach
er in Rhode Island IN the presence of the
sheriff and chief of police. although he
ind gnantly denied having been under
arrest at the time. 1t was bad day for
for 'the singing preacher" as he called
himself. The jury found HIM guilty and
the court sentenced HIM to two years
term in prision, the service OF which he
entered upon yesterday.
In March, 1894, Rowland mysteriously