The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1911-09-28
FRIEND RUINED
Rim; TAKES LIFE

RIG MO- Nd, VA.-Special.-
Joseph Bowles left the follow
ing note TO his wife:
Dear Dora,-Thosc trusted
have ruined my life. 1 am friend
less except for you and the chill
dren. Forgive me this wrong
dear. am making your life
miserable rs mine Is. Kiss thR
get me. Don't blame yourselfrSSf
Tor you have been good wife
and mother. May God bless you.
Don't grieve for me. i am not
worthy of your love. JOE.
Mr.. Bowles also left note to the
cashier, asking him to send whas-
ever was due him to his wife, IN
South Richmond.
Having failed to end his life by
leaping from the Free Bridge some
months ago, Joseph Bowles, OF 500
West Eleventh Street, SouthSide, kills
ed himself last night in the basement
of the Schwarzschild-Su build
ing at Seventeenth and Grace Streets,
where he was employed as watchman-
He left a note saying he had been
ruined by people he trusted.
Frank Davis, one of the foremen
employed on the building, found the
body. A wound over the right ear
showed where the Waterman had sent
a bullet from his own pistol crashing
through his brain. The revolver was
lOunu on the ground DeSlQe the DOOys
Bowles was forty-two years old, was
married and had five children. He il
said to have been an unusually capable
man, quiet, sober and reliable He
had not been I'm poor health, as far
as his fellow employees knew, nor had
any of them heard him give any in
timation of his rash intention.
He had been employed on the build
ing, which is in course OF construc-
ton, about two years his duties being
night and keep a general watch over
the building.
Just when he killed himself no one
knows. Huddled in the corner of a
little basement compartment the body
was found this morning shortly after
Z o'clock. The police were immediate
lly notified and Officer 3. 7. Talley
was sent from the First Station. He
himself, and that no official investi-
cation would be necessary. The body
was accordingly sent to the Southside
and turned over to the family.
Possible Motive Suggested.
Sometime ago Bowles was employ
ed by several Second Market stall
Keepers as buyer. He would pur-
chase products from Cary Street
wholesale merchants and deliver them
to the stall keepers. He is said to
have been an unusually good buyer
and made his money in commissions
Many of his purchases he would de-
liver early in the morning, being en-
trusted with the keys OF the market
stalls.
One of the stall keepers charged
that Bowles was charging the market
men more than he was paying the
! Cary Street merchants. The charge
was Indignantly denied, but Bowles
was deeply hurt, and it is supposed
that the accusation so weighed on his
mind that he shot himself to be rid
of IL.
The man was apparently in good
circumstances. -Four of his children
are boys, three of them being at work.
Bowles received about $50 a month.
His sons received $92. making a total
monthly income of $142. The house
In which they lived is owned by Mrs.
BoWles, >who was Miss Dora Z. Baker.
Bowles' life was insured for S1,400.
The funeral will take place from
| the home tomorrow afternoon at
O'Clock. The burial will be in charge
| or the knights OF the Maccabees.