The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-07-13
Mrs. Bowie and Son Set
Free in Five Minutes
by a Maryland Jury.
VERDICT. TOO,
OF THE PEOPLE
Congressman Muld, for the De-
tense, Declares That Law
Written on Quick-Beat-
ing Hearts Justified
the Killing Of
Posey.

LA PLATA. MD, July l2,--1t took I
tho jury in the Bowie murder trial to-
)xay but five minutes to decide that in
4Eou,hern Maryland at least. the "un- I
written law is the law TO which the
Ibetrayer must himself be answerahle.
and While there was no marked DEM
Sonstration when the verdict became
known, there was sufficient evidence
that the verdict OF the jury was the
verdict of the people of this section
! of the country. Both jury and people
iacuuit Mrs. Mary e. Bowie and her
son, Henry, Of all blame for their
acknowledged Staying, last January.
5of Hubert Posey, for the betrayal OF
their daughter and sister, Priscilla
/ Bowie, who with her child, has made
n pathetic picture in the courtroom.
11hat there was no demonstration was
doubtless due to the fact that the YER
dict of the jury was announced to the
Judges while they We're at dinner dur
Ting recess, just prior to which the
| jury had been sent out of the court
room TO consider their decision.
States Attorney Winners request to
the jury that they bring in verdict
lol manslaughter. made last evening,
Twas more noteworthy than the frank
lness with which Congressman Sidney
] f.. Mudd. of counsel for the defense.
tappealed to the 'unwritten law in
behalf of his clients Throughout his
address, which evidently voiced the
jBcntiments Of most OF his hearers, Mrs.
( Bowie and her son sat in stolid COM
| posure. while Priscilla Bowie wept
continuously.
Plends for UnwrIttcn Law.
4 "Gentlemen.' said Congressman
AIudd, we shall claim that these de-
PENDANTS were justified by what the
newspapers have called the 'unwritten
y law" He then cited many cases in
which the avengers of wronged daugh-
s7ers. sisters and wives have been ac-
x,,iitted, and continued Never aince
the formation of this government has
there been tried before jury OF
American citizensya single case OF mllr-
der following wanton betrayal IN
which the verdict has been other than
instant acquittal.'
He argued for the supremacy or
che law indelihiy written on the quick
beating human heart over the cold
type Of the statute book" and said:
Az An Adequate Defense.
"The family in this land OF ours is
she nucleus and the nursery of the
commonwealth. The protection of the
tsanctity OF the family ties. the chasti-
ity OF women, the development and
Atmaintenance of a salutary and exalted
respect for the honor of the mother,
s.he sister and the daughter, become a
natural and essential feature of the
law in this land. In nearly every
State of this country there will be
;1ound an exemplification and recogni-
ton of this fact, and an adoption of
this doctrine.
1T is in this sense that confident
ly claim the protection of what have
called and claim the 'unwritten law as
ian adequate defense for these defend
iants.
States Attorney Wilmer argued
against the '.unwritten law" but urged
sthe jury to give the defendants the
benefit of every possible doubt and
repeated that he did not ask for a
verdict of murder, but for one OF
Emanslaughter. The jury, however. evi-
dently took Mr.. Mudds view of the
lcase and when they filed into court
at was to declare that the killing ol
Hubert Posey was justified.
Pathetic Scene.
The scene in the courthouse during
the earlier part of the DAY was mos,
pathetic. Priscilla Bowie was agar
an attendance, and wept while Repre-.
@entative sydney e. Mudd presented
pdudd made powerful impression
tnpon those assembled to hear him, ant
tsvery now and then his references t
1.-THE defenseless girl and the injury i
lis claimed was done her by the mur
Iered man brought forth fresh sobs
11rhe weeping girl was brought into a
Agreat prominence as was the lawyer
;twho was defending her mother an
brother, and many women in attend
Gancc broke down and wept III sym
ApatLy with her. The girl was on tn
afront bench among the spectators
where she was easily seen by mos
of those present. For the first tim
since she began attending the session
of the trial she was not accompane
by her baby.
Mrs. Bowie and her son Henry wer
az composed as they have been fror
the first day they answered to tn
charge of murder made against then
They were so located that they coul
not see the sobbing girl. and the
hardly took their eyes from the elo
lquent lawyer.