The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1901-03-08
he Noted Denver, Colorado,
slugger and Murderer Re-
called by several cIarks
burg businessmen and
Citizens.
ocular Family
But InofsnsiVe.
rhsy Had No Visitors and Made
no Visits. Did not even Attend
church. History Unknown.

Cowan, the noted Denver, Colo
ado. slugger and murderer Of Catho-
Il women, said he lived in Clarks-
burg in 1888. He also stated that he
ated Catholics and excused his deeds
4 murder bya further statement that
lis two sisters had been led aStray by
priest and the church had persecut-
ID his parents to death. The man
tave every evidence OF insanity, and
no one believes The latter part Of his
story. The Telegram made an at
tempt last week to identify Cowan
but none of the residents Of the city
seemed to remember anything about
such man.Slnce then, however, several
recall family bythat name, who lived
here some years ago, ard the account
and cash books OF several merchants
who were in business in 1888, show that
Dne AL Cowan was a patron OF theirs.
R. R. Barnett's books show that AL
Gown had his first transaction at that
tore May ., 1883, and his last April
j, 1889.
The Cowan family came here from
pennsylvania about 1883 and lived in
he Pike house, NOV burned), on the
bike farm east of the city. Later they
wed in the Clifford house on Jackson
treet just west OF the present Will
Jams & DavisSon wholesale building
I'D they were also tenants Of B. F. y
Motley Shuttleworth. The family was
composed of the father and mother,
wo sons and two daughters. The
ather's first name is not recalled but
he two boys we're AL and Lee Cowan.
rhe girls names wereHess andLewelyn
The formers age was between % and
5 years and the lattcr's about 20
ears. Al's skin was somewhat tan
led or swathy and his mustache was
lack as was also his hair. In size and
appearance he filled the description Of
he slugger, allowing for the changes
Z advancing age and time. They
gere neither native born nor Irish but
ppeared to be of Pennsylvania Dutch
escent.
While residing here the men folk
il the family engaged in teaming. The
women attended strictly to their house
keeping, The Cowans we're some
THAT peculiar in that they never
ought acquaintance, seldom, If ever,
having visitors and never visiting.
The women seldom came out of the
house and never received any one into
their home. All who called were met
1t the door, but not invited in. A
mystery attached itself to them In this
respect but they all appeared so inof-
Iensive and easy-going that no par
ticGlar interest was taken in them and
their history was never looked up The
daughters were. quite young at that
lime, one being IA or Is years of age
and the other IL or Is. They all vent
plainly dressed and were of ordinary
appearance.
These people did not contide to any
bne anything about their lives and no
pneever took the tlouhle to enquire into
their affairs. They lived peacefully
and quietly and none ever had the
slightest difficulty with them. That
they had had any such trouble as Al
describes no one ever suspected. Ger
tain it is that no such trouble ever oc-
Cured here.
They never attended church and
never participated many social affairs.
In 1889 they moved west and no one
ever traced or heard from them after.
ward, until the murderer stated that
he formerly lived here.