Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1906-07-31
BERTHA BoWLIN' s MURDER TO
BRING PARENTS TOGETHER.
DIVORCED II YEARS AGU
Former Wife Asked to Join Him in
Washington-Bowlin S Relatives
Are Wealthy.
"Grief oft unites again estranged
embittered, separated hearts"

Kansas City, Mo-, July 3O.-ln a
plain little home at l0l4 Jefferson
street, on bluff above the roar and
rattle of the Union depot yards, lives
a little dark-eyed, dark-haired woman,
about forty years of age. On a door
is the sign: "Sewing done here"
Twelve years ago she was the wife
of the son of very wealthy Missouri
farmer. But differences came, and
The marital bonds were broken. On
ler complaint, the woman was granted
a divorce at Independence. Their four
children, three girls and one boy, were
given to her custody, and with seam
stress needle she earned the living.
Her husband followed the setting
sun toward the West The money god
was good to him and today he is a
well-to-do ranchman, near Watapo,
Wash.
But the Great Incident came into
their lives as it comes to all. Eleven
days ago, at 3 o'clock on the morning
of July 20, the body of a 2l-year-old
Girl was found at the base of the pre-
cipitous bluff off Kersey Coates drive.
Life was all but extinct A fractured
skull precluded even hope of recovery
Her body was bruised and crushed.
Twenty-four hours later death came in
the hospital
The little dark-eyed, dark haired
woman who lives at l0l4 Jefferson
street, was her mother, and through
the long hours before the slender life
cord snapped, she sat by the narrow,
white bed and held the hands Of the
girl. Then came the Complete Silence.
The press spread the story of the
brutal tragedy over its wires. Out in
far-oif Washington a ranchman read
the "story" His eyes dimmed, and a
lump came to his throat. 1t was his
tragedy-the murdered girl was his
laughter-his favorite girl.
A letter came to the little woman
the other day. 1t bore the address
"Mrs. George Bowlin, 10l4 jefferson
| Street, Kansas City, Mo- 1t was
from George Bowlin, Watapo, Wash
Il was letter from a husband to his
wife, husband who had been separat
ed from his wife bv divorce.
cit was sad letter." said Mrs
eowlin last night. Such sad letter
He is heart-broken He thought Sc
ruch of Bertha"
"Will your daughters death bring
YOU and your husband together
,gain?" was asked.
"Perhaps-yes,' was the answer.
"Will You join your life with his
,gain?'
at would be better for me than a
have things now,' was the reply.
"Does he wish for you to come
back 2" was asked.
"I-I probably could have gone be
fore, but | didn't wish to leave Kansas
City, she answered. ''Now | must gC
Il cannot-I will not stay here.
nm afraid to live here. Bert Cront
las brother just as bad as he is. IN
,fraid of hin"
"Then your family may be reunited
lgaiu ?" was asked.
And a smile with something pleas
mt in it broke over her sad face a'
he answered: " Yes-perhaps.'
"Your husband never married
,gainq 2"
"No," she replied, she declared HI
would never marry anyone else thar
me.
There was much i'll those words
more than it would have been fair t.
ask the little woman to say. Time
years-distance-all were as nothing
II is an easy formula. A common
grief equals common heart.
When the funeral was held severa
days after the tragedy, an old mal
stood by the opened grave. He paiC
the funeral expenses, and aided the lit
tie mother otherwise.
"That was Bill Bowlin, as he il
generally known" said Mrs. Bowlin
Ola ;c tho father of my husband