The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1907-06-20
CHARGED With Murder. Rowland Case Redivious

cent nearing III TIC NdSe hsofASe
DR.. Rowland on the Charge Of
Poisoning His Child and the Cir
cumstances That Led Up to Same.
EDITOR GOLD LEAF:-Since there is still
so much talk about the Rowland affair,
pro and con; and since | am considered
the chief prosecutor at the so-called
"Henderson end''-a fact which do not
deny,-I humbly request that you allow
me space in your paper to record a PLAIN
statement OF the cold facts in the matter
and at the same time refute some OF the
base charges that are being made against
me by the friends OF Dr. Rowland. | de-
sire to do this not SO much for the edlti-
cation of the honest and intelligent
masses of the community. but for the IN
formation Of the unsophisticated and the
stranger that may happen to be within
our gates. For the fabricatOrs and dis
tributors OF most of these charges enjoy
such little of the confidence OF the people
that their accusations count for naught.
know there are times when 'silence
is golden" but fear that longer silence on
my part will amount to an admission
that our feeble prosecution was really
prejudicial and foolhardy.
In the first place | most heartily de-
plure the facts which made the prosecu-
ton necessary. This and other misfor
tunes which have befallen me within the
last few months suffice to convince Inc
that this is surely the time designated by
the Holy Prophets DIS "a time OF trouble.
And like job OF old in his moments Of
desperation this prayer has been often
upon my lips, "Oh. that Thou wouldst
hide me until Thy wrath be past; then
shalt Thou call me and will answer"
But the voice of duty calls me, the stern
realities of the human life loom up before
me and my own humanity responds.
My God, What an awful charge. \
man accused Of the deliberate murder of
a child Who is the man? An old-time
friend OF mine and lat "a brot II erl, in-the
law. And who is the child? The only
living issue Of my own dear, dead sister.
No wonder the great steel-hearted law
yer sobbed while uttering the prayer
that none ofus may ever be accused OF
the murder of our own child. But friends,
for a wonder, did not allow even such
stupendOus gravity to discOncert me.
For once | made up my mind to weigh
this matter carefully and do no more
than duty seemed to demand of me, GER
family no less had not then. nor have
yet, the slightest feelings of prejudice or
malice on account of happenings, prior
to this, be they good or bad ! prayer
fully, tearfully and humbly resolved
within my own soul to do al that L
could to vindicate the motives of all who
might be concerned. left that sad little
grave over yonder in old Plank Chapel
cemetery without the slightest suspicion
OF foul play on the part of any one, and
like the cjmmOneSt OF mOurners went
quietly back to my home and business
determined to bear my own share OF the
grief as meekly aspossible.
Exactly one week from that Sunday
afternoon h opened to be in the com
pany OF my aged father (whose heart Is
now bowed down i'll great sorrow on
account OF these atilictiOns) when he
called my attention to a rumOr bearing
on these charges. Neither one OF us said
much about it, he dismissing the subject
by expressing the hope that they would
prove groundless and suggesting that
we should exercise great charity toward
this man, for that toward the merciful
mercy would abound. | returned home
OF the same mind and with the same de-
termination that accompanied me from
the grave, nor heard another breath OF
the matter until the following Saturday
when received a direct and urgent mes
sage from friends in Henderson inquiring
why | did not concern myself enough
about these rumors to put forth some
effort to clear the matter up, for the
good OF DR.. Rowland, as we'll as for the
satisfaction OF ourselves and the cOmmu
nifty. Up to this time no motive had pre-
scented itself for the commission OF so
CHASTITY a deed. But upon arriving in
Henderson | find Dr. Rowland arranging
for the collection OF insurance on the life
of his boy. Surely there is nothing so
remarkable about this except that it was
so ill-timed that some little show of a
motive was made Soon | learned that
in TACT he had solo property in kittrell
that could not be sold SO long as the boy
had lived, and that on the very next day
after his burial This seemed to be
another bit of evidence
You say, these sums would amount to
something like two thousand dollars;
would a man murder his own son for so
paltry a sum as that? Generally speak
ing, no. And right upon this ground
rests the only theory that the defense
seems able to produce. They contend
that it is impossible for one of Dr.. Row
lands temperament and caliber and
prominence to descend to such depths.
But we would not forget that greater
spirits than his have fallen Was not the
father of all clime once IA bright angel of
Heaven? Did father Adam fall? and
have we not all inherited that tendency,
some more. some less,
hazel, fn tho rnl In tinu of
how we proceeded, beg leave to reiter-
ate that was not yet so much excited.
My first purpose was to communicate
with DR. Rowland himself but before |
could overtake him | ran up with his
cousin and friend and as had cause to
believe, his counsellor. | requested him
to accompany me to the hotel that we
together might devise some method to
vindicate this unfortunate man. Nv
proposition was ignored and hOOted at
but this same man told me that he had
been authorized by DR.. Rowland to lay
down this proposition to any man, that
If some responsible person would prefer
charges then the desired investigation
would be made, thus, in case of failure
to convict, n way to suit for damages
would be opened up. Another ill-timed
proposition to make money fast.
AS was anxious to do something
took no time for the common talk on
the street corners but went directly to
whom considered the wisest and most
conservative man of the town for ad-
vice. talked as little as possible to all
Others consulting only one man in the
country and that my father. | employed
a safe lawyer and good man that |
might make no mistake in what under
took to do. Upon this lawyers advice
| deliberated long and even waited until
the arrival of the States solicitor: W here