The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-09-15
THEIR STORIES CONFLICT.
Police Say the Sweet Pea Girl
Is Married-Her Friends
Say Not.
THERE MAY BE TWO OF THEM.
Captain Lees Says She Is Mrs. G. ).
Bowers Of Oakland The
Husbands Story.

The item to which was attached the cnleI
interest in the Durrant case yesterday was
the disclosure of the identity OF the sweet
pea girl" by THE CALL.
The fact that she has attracted attention
to herself by her almost constant attend
ance at the trial and by her undisguised
sympathy or admiration for the prisoner,
whichever it may be, had given the young
lady great deal of Importance IN the
minds of the public. Then, too, the fact
that the police had exhausted their ener-
gies in an Intellectual effort to discover her
identity lent additional interest to the
lady's story, and had given people Keen
desire to know something of her per-
sonality.
An air of the deepest mystery surrounds
the case of this much-talked-of young
lady, however, for while friends OF hers
who were seen yesterday maintain stoutly
that she is none other than Rosa Holland,
Captain Lees thinks differently. After an
investigation of her case he, last evening,
gave out the statement that she is mar
rled woman, the wife of c. j. Bowers an
insurance broker, employed with the
Etna Insurance Company at 5l2 California
street, and that they have resided since
last May at 264 Eleventh street, Oakland.
Captain Lees processes to have been in
possession of the information for some
time, but refrained from making her lden-
tity known from desire to save the nus
band from annoyance.
A week ago yesterday she packed her
trunks and left her home for some I'M
explained reason. Her husband still oc-
cupies the house on Eleventh street and is
Iu Gov no tu1f0 n
She is keeping her whereabouts secret, but.
it is believed that she is living in the
neighborhood of San Pablo avenue and
Twenty-third street.
Her husband is heartbroken at her
strange actions and the notoriety she is
receiving. If she had been a giddy girl
instead of a married woman about 26 years
of age her actions might have been under
stood. She did not arrive here till nearly
aAmonth after Durrant was arrested and
did not come into prominence till few
days after the trial commenced in Judge
Murphy's court.
She is being well supplied with funds,
but for what purpose is matter OF con-
lecture. Two or three days ago she is
known to have cashed check for $500 in
one of the city banks. 1t is said that the
check bore the signature of man largely
interested in Alaska mines.
The husband and mother of the erring
woman was seen at their residence in Oak
land last evening. The mothers name is
Mrs. Palmer. When asked regarding Mrs.
Bowers she replied, THAT is my daughter,
but she has not been home for several
days. Her husband is here; would you
like to see him?"
On being answered in the affirmative
Mrs. Palmer showed the way upstairs to
some very comfortable, almost luxurious
apartments that she said were occupied by
the Bowerses. Mr.. Bowers was reading a
paper, and although he was striving hard
to conceal his emotions his condition was
positively pitiable. He trembled and
choked back tears during the interview
and appeared like what he said he was, a
broken-hearted man. His references to
his wife were tender and while telling his
story ne frequently interiected, "But she
is very lmpresslonaDle and more to be
pitied than blamed"
Mr.. Bowers is an insurance man, and is
about 80 years OF age. His story which
was only told in short answers to numer-
Gus inquiries convey more than the words
indicate. The many half-uttered express
sions and recalled phrases, and the many
pauses, just when he seemed on the point
of making some admission that might
reflect unpleasantly on his young wife, all
help to supply the untold chapter. Mr..
Bowers story was as follows:
Ny wife left home last Wednesday, and since
that time l have not seen her, nor have at
this time the remotest idea where she Is. Poor
girl! She is to be pitied more than blamed.
She is very impressienable, and am afraid
this publicity may end in a second chapter,
but l do not care to state how or when or
where we were married, nor will say whether
or not my wife is an Oakland girl. do know
that she is not in any way related to Durrant,
and am sure she did not know him before he
came into such unpleasant notoriety. My
business takes me away from home great
m
done during my absence cannot tell.
She may have been reading the papers and
have been so impressed that her mind is af-
fected. 1T l were to express all opinion re-
garding her / should say her mind was af-
fected. do not care to say whether or not she
| ookdowers to Durrant She may have done
so. have looked at the pictures in the papers
of the sweet-pea girl, but it may not be my
wife. will not say that it is not. She is more
to be pitied than blamed. We have no chill
dren. do not care to tell you how long we
have been married or anything connected with
our married life.
| Mr.. Bowers smiled little when asked if
| he were making search for his wife. His
| looks indicated that his mind was at rest
! on that point. mo, l am not looking for
her." he said. "Poor thing, she is too i'm
| questionable for her own good. | do not
| fear she has harmed herself, but do fear
| four days. Did we ever have trouble?
No, we have not had any trouble, and she
has never left me before since we were
married. All wish to say now is that my
| experience of the last few days has crushed
| the life out of me and rendered me unfit
| for business. Is the woman who takes
Durrant flowers my wife? Please excuse
me from answering the last question" was
asked.
| Mr.. Bowers only answered in an absent
minded way. 1t is very plain that he was
evading direct question, but at the same
| time his manner and words together more
than conveyed the impression that the
| ''sweet-pea grip was his wife.
ut is all due to that trial." he con-
| Guided. If she has read it, it has affected
| her mind. But she has left here and
| have not seen her for four days. Poor girl;
| she is very impressionable."
| 1t was very evident from Mrs. Palmer's
demeanor that she and her son-in-law are
on the best of terms, but the people living
| next door are under the impression that
the Bowers family moved away some days
ago, this story having evidently been cir
| culated to throw off suspicion.
The possibility remains that there are
two "sweet-peas'' girls, with perhaps more
to develop.
The prosecution has found still another
witness whose testimony will prove of