The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1907-07-31
TWO NOTABLE CASES OF
THE UNWRITTEN LAW

veyv recentlv two notable additions
have been made TO the list OF cases In
which the "unwritten law" was invoked
successfully TO condone a murder
In one case Carlos Waddington. son OF
the United States charge d'affaires at
Brussels, was acquitted. though ne kiiied
Senior Balmaceda. a young Chilean diplo-
mat who had refused TO marry YOUNG
Waddington's sister.
In the other case Mrs. Bowie and her
son Henry OF Maryland were acquitted.
though they killed Hubert Posey, VINO
refused to marry Miss Priscilla Bowie.
THE BALMACEDA CASE
Since his acuuittal Of the murder OF
Balmaceda, whose refusal to wed ms
sdster had disgraced her In the eyes OF
the world, Carlos Waddington has Sc
cluded himself from his friends. Pale and
worn, he gives ample evidence OF the
impression made upon him by the
tragedy and devotes his time TO Adelaide,
the unhappy heroine of the sorry story.
waddington's vindication. based upon
the unwritten law. was a surprise to all
FArrope in the face of the known reia-
tions between his beautiful and hlgn-
spirited sister and the secretary OF her
fathers legation.
waddington, Sr.. was the charge DAFT
faires at Brussels. and IL was In the ON
cial residence that the young woman re-
ceiyed Balmaceda. with whom she was
madly in love. in her own apartments py
stealth. The servants we're -bribed TO
keen their secret. until impending shame
made her confess TO her mother.
At the solicitation Of the Waddingtons
Palma ceda consented to marry MISS
Waddington, who was a few years older
than himself. but secretly he was striv-
ing for a. recall from his family In Cniii,
70 whom he wrote in cynical disgust OF
the woman OF whom he had tired, say
ing he would rather die than wed her. /.
ON the day set for their betrothai
dinner he visited Mrs. Waddington ana
refused to fulfill his contract on the
ground that another lover had preceoeu
him with Adelaide. 1t was then that
CARLOS finding his mother In tears and
discovering the reason. pursued Balma-
ceda TO his lodgings. and when he again
refused TO marry Miss waddington, shot
him dead.
THE BOWIE CASE.
Though both Mrs. Mary E. Bowie ana
ber con Henry had freely admitted under
oath that they had killed Hubert Posey
because he had refused TO right the
wrong he had done Miss Priscilla Bowie
by marrying her. 1t took the jury only
Ave minutes to reach verdict declaring
the mother and son not Buhty VI A'Ni
The verdict was based soieiy upon ei's'
"nnwritten law" That the jury would
acoutt the plain, matter-of-fact country
woman who had deemed II her duty as
n mother TO slay the man VINO o-haa
wronged her daughter looked foregone
conclusion to the spectators at the uial.
The verdict was greeted everywhere IN
the town with the utmost satisfaction.
Anv other verdict would have PROVOKED
the harshest criticism. Only one person
disagreed with the finding of the Jury
and he was Hugh Posey, father OF 'he
slain man. a,
priscilla Bowie, on whose account the
younp man was killed. was In court at
The closing of the trial. and for the hrst
time appeared without her baby in her
arms. For n time she sat silent among
the spectators. then lost control OF her-
self and sobbed convulsivey.