Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-04-29

Z
resented himself 10 be fire inspector
n, did say. and still says, that he was an
insurance inspector in the employ OF the
board companies. He has figured in
number of sensational court scenes in the
three years since the arson conspiracy
eases were disposed Of. but in but two
has he been found guilty OF any crime
Assistant States Attorney Bottum ham
died the Chinese cases. one Of the re-
suits of that trial was the indictment Of
Cowie on the charge Of procuring perjured
testimony. lie was tried on the charge
and convicted He was never sent TO
prison. some technicality enabling him to
escape With a fire. This was the first
case wherein jury said he was not ali
right. He says that the evidence used
against him in that case was perjured.
THE CHARGE OF KIDNAPPING.
For a time after this Cowie disappeared
from this locality. In the summer Of 1895
the Chicago Bedding Company lost its
plant at Kenosha. Wis. Cowie was active
i'm hunting down the men suspected OF
causing the fire. He. it is alleged. kidnap-
ned Bernard Hoeffcr. of this city. on
, forged warrant and requisition and took
him up to Kenosha as ono OF the suspects.
HoeTer assets that he was kept in the
Kenosha jail for twelve days and then re-
leased because there was no evidence 20
connect him with the burning. Three or
the men arrested at Cowie's instisation in
that case were convicted and sent to the
Wisconsin penitentiary. Hoeffer caused
the indictment of Cowie on the charge Of
Kidnapping. and the case came up Tor trial
before Judge Smith two weeks ago. 1t re-
suited in conviction.
In the trial Of the kidnapping case the
record of the former conviction in the
Chinese cases was introduced in evidence.
The result is Cowie is nov in jail awaiting
tho disposal Of motion for new trial,
with pretty fair prospects OF its failure
and his transportation to Joliet for an in
definite period.
Briefly. the foregoing IS a summary OF
the known career of the man in this
county. The officers who assisted in the
various cases maintain that he is man
of extremely fine attachments, but with
crooked bent. They are unanimous in the
belief that he is a dangerous man. with
the knowledge and skill to involve almost
anybody who will give him the opportun-
ity.
Cowie himself seems TO feel that he has
come TO about the end of his rope. He
denies any guilt but realizes the great
difficulty in reversing the decision of the
jury He maintains his composure at the
JAIL but his eyes take on baleful glare
as he talks Of his misfortunes. He con-
veys the impression that he is the injured
person and is remarkably skillful in the
handling of words to convey just what he
wants the hcarer TO understand. He is
always willing to talk Of himself, but IS
an adept shifting the trend Of the CONVEX
sation smoothly and without startling the
one with whom he is conversing. If for
any reason he wants a new topic. Few
men with records without a smirch can
be any more plausible and Al the same
time convey as few indications of guard
ed speech. Yet he will turn as rapidly as
light from one thing to another if he
thinks the investigator is getting TOO close
TO the mark
A SKILLFUL DETECTIVE.
There can be little doubt Of Cowie's
skill as a detective. He combines a rare
power of discrimination and secretiveness
with an appearance Of candor absolutely
bewildering. II requires constant watch
ing when talking with him, to avoid being
carried into something one wishes to avoid.
He is skilled TO remarkable degree in
setting traps for the unwary talker, and
takes instant and decisive advantage Of
any slips. while leaving few openings for
a return attack. His defensive tactics are
wonderful and his self-control a thing Of
beauty. He shifts his eyes frequently
and rarely looks his man squarely in the
eyes.
Am I willing 10 talk Of my case?" he
said to a reporter for the Chronicle yes
terday Certainly; why not? I have
nothing TO conceal am innocent of any
crime. and if I had been permitted fair
trial / would not be here now. Those fell
lows in Wisconsin had jubilee when they
heard I was convicted. OF course they
did 7 sent them TO the pen, and they
are glad 10 learn that I am in danger or
getting some of their medicine. No, I did
not have a fair trial. I was forced TO
trial when I was not ready, and my attor-
ney was handicapped by the absence Of
some of my witnesses"
What about the Hoeffer case, anyway
"HoeTer? Oh. that fire was out on the
West Side The officers knew as well as
1 did when it would take place What?
the Kenosha case. As 1 said, l sent lot
of those fellows up. Hoeffer was not con-
victed. and he is the only one of the gang
l caused to be arrested who escaped.
Well what about the kidnapping?'
There was a gang of them at work in
this city and the inspector knows all
about them We worked together and he
knows and knew when one of those fires
would take place. You see, the leader
paid his man part of the money agreed
upon to do the job and the man was
taken down with smallpox and sent to the
hospital. Then we secured postal cards
which asked why the fire did not take
place according to agreement. We knew
that it was to take place. but not the ex-
act time after the tool was taken sick.