The San Francisco call., 1905-08-10
Widow Says Rancher
Made No Effort
to Shoot.
Tells of Shameful
Relations With
the Slayer.
She Collapses Dur
ing Progress of
Hearing.

Mrs. Lucy Florence Stephenson testified
before a Coroner's Jury yesterday that
Chillfon Bowen shot her husband. W. w.
Stephenson, without the latter having
shown any murderous intent. Acting
mainly on this testimony, the coroner S
jury, after listening to the details of the
tragedy al I015k Larkin street on Au-
gust s. in which the Washoe rancher was
killed by the man who was consorting
with Mrs Stephenson, charged Bowen
with the murder OF Stephenson. The
faithless wife was overcome during the
proceedings and had 10 be led from the
room until she recovered.
Mrs. Stephenson said Bowen shot her
husband as he was entering the room
without giving him q chance TO defend his
life. She claimed Stephenson had once
threatened the lives Of herself and Bowen
II ever he caught them together and this
viii be the defense that Bowen Will urge
~he1 the case comes 10 court.
Mrs. Stephenson did not see her hus-
band with a revolver drawn after he
broke open the door TO enter the room
where she was in bed with his SLAYER
and she was not sure that he had his
hand raised as if reaching for a revolver.
She said her husband opened the door
by force and advanced toward her, that
Bowen was standing by the bed, back of
the door. and shot the defenseless man
before he knew his life was in danger.
She said, however, that Bowen did the
shooting because he feared for his own
life.
REACHES FOR REVOLVER.
From the other witnesses examined it
was learnerd that Stephenson came to
San Francisco to satisfy his suspicious
about his Wife's unfaithfulness and, If
possible, TO drag her from Bowen's tempt
ing presence. officer OSullivan, who was
called 10 the house by the son of the
landlaoy, reviewed the finding Of the un-
true wife and murderer in the room and
gave an account Of their actions.
Hardly had the officer finished the reci-
tai OF the details when Mrs Stephenson
collapsed ana mad to be removed from the
room. Il was some little time before she
was able TO again listen to the examina-
ton Of witnesses.
Detectives Matheson and Mulcahy tes-
tilted as 10 the actions of Bowen and the
woman when these officers arrived at the
house after the murder. Matheson swore
that the dead man had his hand inside his
inside coat pocket and a pistol was re-
moved from Il when searched. He was
lying full length on the floor of the
room" said Matheson, ''as though death
had been instantaneous, with two wounds
IN his head, inflicted at close range"
DR.. Bacigalupi told how the death was
caused. The first wound was not in
stantly fatal, he said, and the second
must have been the wound from which
be died.
Mrs. G. Beck, the landIady. told Of the
events on the morning of the murder,
corroborating the testimony of the others
On the stand.
COMES TO SAN FRANCISCO.
Attorney Walter Gallagher, who made
an unsuccessful attempt to secure the
SlS5 found In the dead mans pockets to
defend the murderer, asked the witness
a few questions, but did not volunteer to
place his client, Bowen, on the stand.
The following statement was made be-
fore the jury by Mrs. Stephenson:
Nv. W. Stephenson and 1 were mar
ried eight years ago in Susanville, Las
sen County, and we moved to Nevada,
where we had lived up TO the time of
my coming TO San Francisco. I met
Bowen last December, when he was
working on our ranch and we grew inti- !
mate IN a short while My husband sus-
pected that we were too friendly, but he
did not accuse me until on his return
from a trip to Virginia City several
months ago. Then he came to me and |
said Bowen would have to leave the
ranch because his actions were causing |
talk among the neighbors. Bowen then
went TO the farm Of a Mr.. Douglas to !,
work and communicated with me by 4
mail. I visited him once after he moved |
on a little ranch he owned some three |
miles from the one my husband rented
acting on medical advice, prepared F:
10 come TO San Francisco for treatment |
VIII intended 10 accompany me- but was
deferred on account Of lack Of funds BY !
q prearrangement Bowen met me at /
Boca, q station in Nevada. and together +
we came TO San Francisco.
Il entered the St Winifred's Hospf- /
tai in this city and stayed there about i
two weeks. then went to Bowen's room |
al I0l55h Larkin street, where he and |
[ lived as man and wife under the name
Of Wilson. We had been there three days
when VIII came.
STEPHENSON FORCED DOOR.
saturday morning at S:l5 Bowen and
heard a rap on the door and | immedi-
stely suspected ii was viii looking for
me. A voice said. Open the door Bowen
jumped out Of bed. and. 1 suppose. got
bis gun TO defend himself. for we knew
that Will would shoot. l tried TO deter
ny husband for minute so I could put