The Grenada sentinel., 1907-07-20
MRS. BOWIE AND SON FREED
JURY ACQUITS THEM OF CHARGE
OF MURDER IN FIVE
MINUTES.
DECLARED KILLING JUSTIFIED
Slew Man Who Had Failed to Keep
His Promise of Marriage to
the Girl of the
Family.


Jury in the Bowie murder trial but
five minutes 20 decide that, in south
ern Maryland at least, the "unwrit-
ten law" is the law to which the Sc
ducer must hold himself answerable.
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 section
of the country. Both jury and peo-
pie acouit Mrs. Mary e. Bowie and
her son Henry of all blame for their
acknowledged Staying last January OF
Herbert Posey, the seducer of their
daughter and sister, Priscilla Bowie,
who with her fatherless child, has
made a most pathetic picture in the
courtroom during the progress OF the
trial that there was no demonstration
was doubtless due to the fact that the
verdict of the jury was announced to
the Judges while they were at dinner
during a recess, just prior to the TAX
ing of which the jury had been sent
out of the courtroom to consider their
decision.
Jury Instructed for Manslauehter.
States Attorney Winners request to
the jury that they bring in a verdict
of manslaughter, not OF murder. made
Thursday evening, was not more note
worthy than the frankness with which
Congressman Sidney E. Mudd, of coun-
sci Of the defense, applied to the "un-
written law in behalf OF his clients.
Throughout this address, which evil
IDENTIFY voiced the sentiments OF most
of his hearers, Mrs. Bowie and her
son sat in stolid composure. while
Priscilla Bowie, seated outside the
rail among the spectators, wept con-
tinuously.
"Gentlemen," said Congressman
Mudd, in opening, I'VE shall claim
that these defenda nts were JUSTIFIED
by what the newspapers have called
the .unwritten law" He then cited
many cases in which avengers OF
wronged daughters, sisters and wives
have been acquitted, and continued:
Never since the formation OF this
government has there been tried be-
fore a jury of merican citizens
single case of murder following wan
ton seduction in which the verdict
has been other than instant acquittaL
He argued for the supremacy OF the
law indelibly on the quick-beating nu-
man heart over the cold type OF the
statute book" He cited the bibllcai
story OF Jacobs daughter Dinah,
wronged by. Sheckem, whom Dinah's
brothers killed, and said:
"The family in this land OF ours is
the nucleus and the nursery OF the
commonwealth. The protection OF
the sanctity of the family ties, the
cha stity of women, the development
and maintenance of salutary ana ex-
alted respect-for the honor OF the
mother. the sister and the daughter
become a natural and essential feat
ure of the law in this land. In nearly
every state of this country there will
be found an exemplification and rec
ognition of this fact and an adoption
of this doctrine.
At the conclusion of Congressman
Mudd's argument States Attorney
Wilmer again addressed himself to
the jury, arguing against "unwritten
law" and referring his hearers ito the
commandment "Thou shalt not kill,
.ut he urged the jury to give the de
PENDANTS the benefit of every possible
doubt and repeated that he did not
ask for verdict of murder, but for
one of manslaughter. The jury. how
ever, evidently took Mr.. Mudd's view
Of the case. and when they filed into
court 1t was to declare that the kill
ing Of Hubert Posey was justified.