The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1897-09-17
BOWIE MURDER TRIAL,

Tense, and as the sheriff had taken Will
son to the penitentiary, but not left a
list of talismen nor deputized his depu-
ties to make one, the court adjourned.
On Tuesday, August l4th, court was
convened with the full bench and tai
ismen examined until the full number
OF jurymen was sworn.
States Attorney Kinks explained at
length the law bearing on the case and
then the facts he expected to prove.
The first witness was Mr. Charles
Baker, who stated that ON the day of
the shooting he was planting corn. The
hands working with him, Jas. TIMBER
ger, Charles Toodles, Chas. V. Smith.
Jesse Baker, and - Crum testified
that between 6 and $50 Bowie crossed
the field with gun, the hammer
raised; he walked AS far as where Chas.
Toodles and Chas. Smith We're, and
asked for a chew of tobacco; Smith
said, "who do you mean?' Bowie said,
mot you, you tried to poison me-"
ToOdles left the horse where he had
been ploughing to meet Bowie. Bowie
went to the left till he was in good
range of Smith and said, "why did
you try to poison somebody" or some
to poison your" Bowie sided to one
side from around the corner of a corn
row, and shot as Smith said the above,
then Bowie walked away, looking
back, Smith being about II PAGES from
Bowie. He used a musket, single
barrel. Smith fell and was crying, the
musket load struck him in the stom-
ach. Smith called for his wife. The
doctor was sent for. He died next day
near 10 O'Clock a. IN. Smith was "A
married man, in good health. Witness
knew of no difficulty between them.
Jesse Baker lives in New Market and
on the day of the shooting was drop
ping corn. Between and $50 Bowie
came into the field with his gun cock
ed. The rest of this witnesses testi-
mOny was in substance the same as
Charles Bakers.
After the shooting Bowie walked
away leisurelv. No effort was made
to catch him.
Charles Toodles corroborated this
witnesses testimony. Bowie did not
take tobacco. Now poison me-" he
said as he shot.
l went to Smith. He was lying
down and said he could not get up.
DR.. Howard Hopkins testified that
he has been practicing medicine for
two years and half Went to Smiths
house between and O'Clock with
my father and DR.. Clary. Smith was
in state of collapse, pulseless and his
case was hopeless. He was vomiting
blood. Saw shot holes in abdomen
and chest and saw him again the next
morning about o'clock. He was
dying. Assisted at the post-mortem
examination and there was 7S shot
holes in the abdomen and chest in
space of eight or nine inches in diam
eter. Seven shot holes were in the
fore arm and hand. Some of these
made mortal wounds, one penetrating
the heart, intestines perforated and
aorta pierced, making it necessarily
fatal. Smith died of internal homer
rhage produced by the wounds caused
by these shot.
Herbert Norwood substantiated
first three witnesses testimony.
Rachel Watkins testified that Owen
Bowie came to her house in the morn
ing about eight or nine o'clock and
said that he was sick and wanted to
borrow a gun to shoot squirrel. The
gun was behind the door. He went
and took 1t. Had no powder or shot
in the house. She identified the gun.
Here the case was stopped and by
agreement of counsel with the consent
of the court the verdict was asked not
for murder in first but in the second
degree, which the jury gave.
Bowie was Immediately sentenced to
the penitentiary for Is years.
-, e. nd
the heat court adjoured.
OTHER CASES.
Court convened on Wednesday
morning at the usual hour with Chief
Judge McSherry and Associate Judges
Lynch and Henderson on the bench.
The first case called was the State
versus Luther Deacons, colored, on the
charge of assault with intent to kill
his wife and also with wife beating.
Trial before the court.
Mrs. Kate Deacons testified that her
husband had struck her with an axe
She had done nothing to aggravate
him. Her son and daughter, Thomas
and Cora Deacons. corroborated her
testimony. Niles Abrecht testified to
arresting Deacons and taking him to
Jail.
DIR. McComas testified to dressing
the wound. 1t was an inch or so long,
cut to the bone and did much bleeding.
No further injury.
The defence first put Luther Dea-
cons on the stand. His testimony
showed that there was a family fight
all against him. That he took up the
axe to ward off the chairs, pots and
pans hurled at him.
The verdict of the court was not
guilty of two charges alleged, but
guilty of simple assault, for which he
was fined $l.00 and costs. Mr.. Motter
was attorney for Deacons.
The next case was the State versus
Silas Croue for bigamy. He plead
guilty and was sentenced TO Is months
in the State Penitentiary-the mimi
mum sentence. Messrs. Harp, White,
Kolb and McSherry represented MI.
Crone.
State versus Granville Brown, for
larceny, was then called and was also
tried before the court. Mrs. Chisholm
Falk testified that a writing-desk and
contents were taken from her home on
the Montevue Road by Brown and the
desk thrown back over the fence as he
ran away. That she asked Mr.. Staley,
who was then passing, to arrest Brown
but this he said he could not do, but
would follow him to town.
Mr. Christian Falk testified that he
saw Brown about the place and ran
him down the road q short distance.
Miss Clara Falk substantiated her
mothers testimony.
Mr.. Staley said that he followed