The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-05-12
TOBY BoWENS HANGS TO-DAY.
MURDERER OF ROSA BOWENs TO
EXPIATE HIS CRIME.

The Man Is Possessed With the Same
spirit of Religious FRnaticIsm
That Animates and Sustains Most
Negro Murderers-Snys He Wei
comes Death-Tbc story of the
Crime for which He VIII Die.
Toby Boweus, the murderer of his wife,
Rosa Bowens, will be hanged in the county
jail between 10 and O'Clock to-day. Prep
arations for the hanging have all been
made the gallows cell has been put in
readiness and nothing remaius but the
march Of the condemned man to the cell
door and the spring Of the trigger that
drops the trap
Rev. Prince Black. The negro minister
who has acted as spiritual adviser 70 all
of the condemned murderers that have
lately been hanged in Chatham jail, bap-
tized the prisoner some weeks ago, and
since that time has scent a great por-
ton of his time in Bowens' company.
Bowens processes to believe that he has
been saved and that he viii ascend with
the fall of the trap to the throne of the
fear of death, but on the contrary seems
10 view it as an escape from worldly trou-
bes that he has found hard to endure
and to welcome 1t cheerfully.
Rev Black spent most of yesterday In
jail with Bowens praying and singing
and exhorting The condemned man to be
lieve and be saved The exnortations were
apparently unnecessary, as Bowens' con-
duct would seem to indicate that he has
made his peace with the world, and that
he has no fear of the hereafter. He has
prepared himself for the ordeal through
which he will have to pass and seems pos
sessed by a spirit of religious fanaticism
that renders him superior to. all earthly
fears and quite in a position to endure
the fearful fate that confronts him.
The crime for which Bowens will suffer
the extreme penalty Of the law was com
mitted on Aug 30 1898. when he killed
his wife in a house, near the corner of
Jefferson and Wayne streets. The details
Of the killing were particularly revolving
and the crime itself seemed to have been
committed without reason, provocation
or excuse. There was nothing TO justify
it, nothing to excuse or palliate the Of
Tense.
The woman had been living in a house
kept by Josephine Jones, which bore no
particularly good repute. Upon the night
of the murder Bowens came TO the house
and demanded to see his wife. He had
beat her before and permission was re-
fused. He insisted and finally secured
70 fbp 10 x,tsfa
inside and the quarrel that resulted in her
death began
There is reason TO think that but a few
words were spoken on either side before
Bowens struck his wife with an iron bar.
the blow taking effect behind the ear and
causing almost instant death, He jumped
out Of the window and escaped but was
captured shortly afterwards and taken 10
the station house. There he gave no ex-
PLANTATION of the cause that he was pre-
sumed to have had for killing his wife and
indeed. gave none for some time after the
commission of the crime He
then began to say that when he en-
tered the door of his wife's room he found
another man in the room and that he first
struck at him. The blow fell short. and
he then, he said, turned upon his wife
and overcome by the passion produced bv
the thought that some one else had nm
known to himself, taken his place in his
wlfe's affections. struck her TO the ground.
He had moi meant to kill her. he said. but
in the then state of his temper scarcely
realized what he did or with how nueH
force ne struck the blow that resulted In
the death of his Wife.
Bowens was indicted by the grand iurv
early in September and was tried in the
superior Court in the same month. He
was convicted and sentenced to be hanged
on Oct q. His attorneys made a motion
Tor a new trial, which was overruled
by Judge Falligant. and the case taken
10 the Supreme Court. Here Judge Falli-
eants decision, refusing the grant of a
new trial. was affirmed, and on March
~ Bowens was again sentenced to hang
This time the date of his execution wa
fixed for May u, to-day. The murderer's
attorneys abandoned ali hope of saving
their client and made no further attemnt
10 cornbatswhat seemed and has proved 10
be his inevitable fate.
peculiar feature of the case is thai
Bowens and John Charlton. who was
hanged a month ago, for the murder Of
Harry Mcleod. were originally sentenced
10 hang on The same day, Oct. IS 1895.
Both of the men appealed TO the Supreme
Court and IN both cases their application
for new trial was refused, One of them
has suffered the death penalty already:
the other will die on the gallows to-day.