The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1901-03-15
AL COWAN,
MURDERER,
Not a Son Of Perry CoYan, as
Announced by a Colorado
Paper.

The Denver, Colorado, Republican,
has been interviewing 7. G. Dix and
J.J. Long, former Clarksburgers but
now residents OF Denver, concerning
All Cowan, the alleged murderer OF
Catholic women in that place. Inc
Telegram last week gave a complete
account Of AL Cowan's stay in ClarKs-
burg, which is entirely different from
that recalled by these gentlemen out
their account is interesting though
not based on fact and demonstrates
the unreliability Of memory, as well as
the confusion arising In recallihg
events long past. Mr.. Dix associates
Al Cowan with the family Of Perry
Caviar. who resided at WilSonburg,
and says according to his best recei-
lection, that Mr.. Cowan had two sons
and two daughters. one son was Al
hort and the other was judge when
he knew him. Mr. Dix adds that the
Cowans were Protestants but the girls
had been sent to u Catholic school,
and there accepted the faith OF that
denomination and decided to take the
veil. He says the mother Of the girls
worried over this until her mind be-
came unbalanced and that she finally
committed suicide by hanging herself
in the hallway at her home by using a
table cloth. Mr.. Dix further states
that Albert became 50 embittered at
his sisters after that, that he left
home.
A picture of the alleged murderer
was shown Mr. Dix, who, after look
ing at it, said there was considerable
resemblance between it and the young
man he knew, but that it was almost
an exact image Of Perry Cowan.
The Telegram representative was a
neighbor Of Perry Cowan for years. ae
was schoolmate of his two daughters,
Belle and Anna. They never attend
ed a Catholic school and never entered
a convent. Perry Cowan had only one
son, Robert. not more than Is years
old now. His first wife, the mother Of
the girls, died natural death. His
second wife was Washington lady
and one or the other sccureda divorce
a year or two after their marriage.
Robert, the son, was by this wife and
went to Washington with his mother.
So, Perry Cowan'S wife did not hang
herself, but his aged mother did one
summer afternoon in the way and
manner described by MeSsrs. Dix and
Long. She was the wife Of Arthur
Cowan, both very eStimablc people.
The aged woman was prepared for
burial by Mrs. Col. Ben Wilson, Mrs.
John Cunningham and Mrs. Elizabeth
Morrison, who were her most intimate
friends and who were the first women
to arrive at the Cowau home after the
suicide.
Later there was domestic trouble in
the Cowan family, growing out Of al
legged improper familiaritieS between
Perry Cowan and his houSekeeper, and
a big church trial essued in the
Methodist church at WilSonburg. hut
there was never any trouble about the
conduct Of the daughters.
Perry Cowan and family moved some
years ago to Kansas where both
daughters are married, and all are re-
siding now. Mr.. Cowan has made an
occasional visit here since
OF that family there was only one,
who was a young man, when MesSrs.
Dix and Long lived here. That was
Michael Cowan, son Of Mrs. Matte
Cowan, and nephew Of Perry Cowan.
His father was killed in the Civil war.
Arthur Cowan had one other son, a
judge in Missouri.