Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1903-03-07
FEARED FOR HIS LIFE.
StegaId, Who Shot Bowen at 6~eneis-e
Acted Aimost,in Self Defense.

Sioux Falls, s. d., March 3-The jury
summoned by Coroner Hawkins to In
vestigate the shooting and killing OF
Frank Bowen at Benclare by Henry E'
Stegald, returned a verdict simply to
the effect that Bowen came to his
death by a shot fired by Stegald.
Since being placed In the county jail
in his city Stegald has steadily refused
to " with newspaper men. On
his arrival In Sioux Falls Friday af-
ternoon he was in a state OF collapse.
A photograph will be taken Of the ex-
press book which Bowen was signing
when the fatal shot was fired. This
book shows hat he had signed the
first two letters of his name. and was
just forming the "a" In Frank when
he was shot. A thin and irregular line
running down across the page tells the
story Of the suddenness of his sum-
mons.
After the shooting. and after the
agent had sent a telegram to the train
dispatcher at Cherokee telling of the
tragedy, he went to the apartments of
himself and family in the second story
of the depot building and waited for
several hours for the arrival of the Of
fccrs. AS a precautionary measure
citizens surrounded the building to
Illustrate any attempt at escape. After
the shooting Stegald wrote a letter,
which was found in his room. Its con-
tents are as yet unknown.
Thursday night, after Bowen had
threatened to kill Stegald, the latter
was so frightened that he locked him
self In his room, and on Friday morn
ing, before the tragedy, which took
place about 8 o'clock that forenoon, he
sent his wife uptown for the mall, be-
ing afraid to 20 himself for fear Bowen
would attempt to carry his threat into
execution. These facts will doubtless
play an important part in Stegald's
trial at the next term OF the state cir
cult court in this city.
The murder vas the result or a dis
pute over demurrage charges on a car.
Thursday evening Bowen and Stegald
had a heated discussion over the mat
ter, and the former threatened to kill
the agent, but left the railroad office
without attempting to carry his threat
into execution.
Yesterday morning Bowen, accom-
panied by his 1~2-year-old son., went TO
the depot, where he again brought up
the demurrage matter. He had reached
the ouC~ to leave the building when
Stegald called him back, stating that
there was an express package for him.
Bowen returned TO the ticket office win
dow and was about to sign for the
package when Stegald drew a S2-calt-
Der revolver and shot him In the mead.
The weapon was so close that a portion
Of Bowen's head was torn away.
Entering the waiting room Stegald
fired two more shots at Bowen's pros
trate form, one of these taking effect
in the shoulder Of Bowen's son.
Bowen was u robust man, and had
the reputation Of being quite quarrel
some.
Stegald, who is a Kentuckian and
had been at Benclare only about five
months, Is OF slight build and nervous
temperament. His defense Will doubt
less be hat because Of Bowen's threat
to kill him he believed his life to be In
danger.
Another story is that Bowen report
ed the agent, and the shooting was a
means of getting even.
Bowen has had trouble with the rail-
way company's agents before. He
leaves a wife and six children.
The wounded boy Is the only witness,
and says there was no quarrel yester'
day morning.