The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1907-07-16
PEOPLE APPROVE VERDICT
No Marked Demonstration Was Made
When Verdict Became KNOWN
Girl With Her Child Made Pathetic
Picture as She Sat in the Court
Room.

La Plata, Md. July LIT look the
Jury in the Bowie murder trial TO-DAY
but five minutes to decide tnat III
southern Maryland, at least, the en-
written law is the law TO which the
seducer must hold himself answeraDie'
And while there was no marked dem-
onstration when the verdict became
known. there was sufficient evidence
that the verdict of the jury was the
verdict of the people of this secllon
of the country. Both the jury u peo-
nile acouit Mrs. Mary E.. Bowie AM
her son, Henry, Of all blame Ter their
acknowledged Staying last anuar OIL
Hubert Posey, the seducer OF tLe.F
daughter and sister Prlscliia BOWIE
who with her child, has made a patnet-
IT, picture in the court room. Ahat
there was no demonstration was doubt
less due to the fact that the verdict
of the jury was to the
Judges while they were at dinner
during a recess, just prior to which
the Jury had been sent out OF the
room to consider their decision.
States Attorney Winners request TO
the Jury that they bring in a verdict OF
manslaughter, made last evening, was
more noteworthy than the Eankness
with which Congressman Sidney T.
Mudd, of Counsel for the defense. ap-
pealed to the "Unwritten law IN De-
Mudd. of counsel for the defense aD-
dress, which evidently voiced the sen
timents of most of his hearers, Mis-.
Bowie and her son sat in stolid com
posure, while Priscilla Bowie wepf con
tinuously.
Gentlemen said Congressman
Mudd, 1--WE shall claim hat these de-
PENDANTS were justified by what the
have called the 'unWritteI
law" He then cited many cases il
which the avengers of wrOnged dauEh'
tiers, sisters and wives have been ac-
quilted, and continued: Never since
the formation of this government nas
there been tried before a jury of Amer
lean citizens a single case OF murder
following WantOn seduction in which
the verdict has been other than ms an
accuittal."
He argued the supremacy OF the Law
indelibly written Old the quick-beatins
heart over the cold type of the statuI'
book and said:
THE family in this land Of ours i
{h1 n,,11o,,r nro1 tho nITC0rU of ThI
commonwealth. The protection of thu
sanctity Of the family ties, the chastit.
Of women, the development and main
lenance of a sanitary and exalted les
sister and daughter, becomes a nat
ural and essential feature Of the !aS
in this land. In nearly every state Q
this country there will be found an ex
qualification and recognition of thi
fact and an adoption of this doctrine
ct is in this sense that l c%onfidentl
claim the protection of what l hav
called and claim the 'unwritten law
as an adequate defense for these de
PENDANTS"
States Attorney Wilmer argue
against the "unwritten law, but ur2
ed the jury to give the defendants tn
benefit of every possible doubt and re
peated that he did not ask for a vel
Diet of murder. but for one of mai
slaughter. The jury, however, evident
ly took Mr.. Mudd's view of the cas-
and when they filed into court it Wa
to declare that the killing of Hu5e,
POsey was justified.