New-York tribune., 1910-02-03
INSANE IN OFFICE
BROKER'S WILD HOCR II
IN VAIL STREET.
Spreads Panic By Casting
Bottles Into Street and
Through Wndo5cs.

Suffering from what DR. Arnes. Of the
Hudson Street Hospital. said was insan-
ity. a man, described by the police as
Samuel c. Bowen, sixty years old. a
broker. became violent in his offices on
the second floor of the United Bank
Building. at No. Wall street, early
last evening. For an hour he rage
about his offices. smashing costly furn1-
ture and windows. and then, after
starting to climb out of a front window.
he began to lombard pedestrians In the
street with bottles of ale and medicine
phials. Finally he turned his attention
to the door Of a neighboring office and
smashed that.
Bowen, a tall man with a gray mus
tache and gray hair. has occupied the
suite of front Offices on the second floor
of the building. directly over those or
the First National Bank. for about three
years. The police of the John street sta
ton said they learned last night that he
had been acting strangely for several
days.
George Heal. the negro porter of the
building. hurried TO the second floor
w
was met with a fusiIIade of bottles
PORTER TAKES TO HEELS
He fed down the street and called in
Patrolman Johnson, of the John street
station When the officer reached the
second floor he found a score or more
of the tenants, occupants of adjacent
offices. watching the antics of the raging
broker. Johnson said that Bowen was
swearing like a trooper and smashing
and throwing around every article in the
Offices that he could lay his hands on.
The door leading into Bowen's suite
was locked. but the broker had shattered
the plate glass in the door. and through
this opening the officer had a clear view
of his actions. When the broker saw
the policeman he threatened to shoot,
and Johnson, realizing that he would
need help, ran downstairs to the en-
trance and blew his police whistle.
More policemen from the John street
station hurried 10 the building. Before
their arriv =. however. Bowen had added
70 the havoc he had already worked and
had smashed the plate glass in the office
door of Sanderson & Brown. directly
across the hall.
Several young women typewriters and
steroeraphers there were almost hyster1-
cal with fright. and feared to leave their
offices by the main door lest they be
made the targets for further missiles.
With the appearance Of the police in
force Bowen shouted several threats and
according to the policemen. declared he
would shoot He crouched as If to pick
I'D A frearn. and there was a great scat
tering of the brokers, lawyers and clerks
who had been watching the young riot
fr n the main hall
Patroln1an Moses saw that diplomacy
was necessary and called TO the excited
broker who had picked up broomstick,
instead Of the revolver all were expect
ing.
POLCEMAN'S CLEVER RUSE
IF YOU are so brave. why don't you
come out here?' asked Moses. The ruse
was effective. for the broker unlocked
the glass shattered door and surged into
the hail. where he was Immediately
seized by the officers. Then began a
the broker had been bound with a rope
half an inch around.
DR.. Ames. who had been called from
the Hudson Street Hospital. reached the
building just after the capture OF the
broker. The surgeon said Bowen was
suffering from an attack of insanity.
While lying tied in the station Bowen
talked in snatches, yelled. muttered and
at last called for ]. P. Morgan and
Colonel Roosevelt. The police said he
referred to an asylum and spoke of hav-
ing been in one. When searched no
money was found in his pockets. accord
ing to the police. and they said there
were no papers or letters in his posses
sion. He had a gold watch. however
After his removal TO Bellevue where
he was put in the psychopathic ward.
the police said that Bowen was married
and lived at No Forest Parkway.
woodhayen. Long Island.