The Washington herald., 1911-09-01
AFFLICTED CHILD
MAY END DIVORCE
Daughter of Bowen and Wife
Connecting Link.
WANTS RETURN OF PEACE
Mother Does Not Hide bitterness
and Feels Disgrace Separation
VIII Bring to Collaboration
hand Under $1,000 Bond Not
to Leave the District.

The voice Of a little child, plaintive
from years OF pain but radiating hap
piness, may yet bring harmony and for
giveness to 4 family torn and bitter from
the rancor OF divorce. Mrs. Cora NJ.
Bowen, wife and mother. has twice been
the victim OF attempted legal separations
from her husband, Michael A. Bowen,
of Washington and Cincinnati. Charged
with desertion Of her home and hus-
band, which is denied earnestly by the
wife, divorced without her knowledge,
her faith and trust in her husband shat
tered, Mrs. Bowen now stands ready to
institute proceedings on her own behalf
which may eventually force Michael A.
Bowen into desperate defense on
charges of perjury.
Only the little child, who loves them
both, and for whom husband and wife
still retain an unalloyed affection
through her affiction, is the connecting
link between husband and wife. Through
her youthful influence for peace and a
return to the old life the Bowens used
to live, Mrs. Bowen may be content
merely to defend herself against the
charges Of Michael A. Bowen. upon
which a divorce was issued in the Gin
cinnau courts last July.
Bitterness Not Hidden.
The mother does not hide her bitter
ness Two years ago. while the Bowens
lived in Washington, Michael A. Bowen
instituted a divorce suit against his wife
but for many reasons. chiefly the proba-
bility that his charges were refutable
dropped.
Il forgave him then and promised
not to mention II again." said Mrs
Bowen last night. 1T is a terrible dis
grace TO bring upon the children, and
as II is now, our daughter Mabel. who
is thirteen years old. but who has been
afflicted for a long time. was the means
OF bringing US together
Il hardly know how to act in this
case. will go 10 Cincinnati when the
proper time comes and testify in the
divorce case which has been set aside
within the past few days.
My husband told the court that he
knew nothing of my present residence,
but at that very time he was sending
me letters in Washington. He secured
the decree in July last, but no later
than the previous February he was home
TO see me and the children
Mrs Bowen, with her two girls, Hazel.
fifteen years old. and the little bed
ridden Mabel. thirteen years old, are
now living in Grant place.
My husband should have a big sum
of money laid by in bank" she con-
tinued. but one cannot tell what rlay
have been spent while he was away.
He has repeatedly attempted to force
me into admitting the statement that
he and I were not at Ridge, Md. together
with the children. after the divorce was
granted and before I knew OF the de-
cree. cannot admit such a thing.
Statements like these are what make
me bitter.
wife Alleges Perjury.
He purjured himself said Mrs.
Bowen. "in swearing that he did not know
where I was. He knew, but was afraid
to serve me with papers in the suit
Mrs. Bowen regarded the child Mabel,
pale and excited from the events of the
last week You know. dear. don't you"
she said. that we have always been
good pals, Mama. Mabel, and Hazel"
The Cincinnati courts, since Mrs. Bowen
filed suit in Washington against Michael
A Bowen for maintenance, have set aside
the decree granted there on the Sd of last
July. Mrs. Bowen will shortly be called
to the Ohio city to testify in her own be-
half Then Bowen, she says, will answer
to the perjury Charge-that is, unless the
influence of the child causes a change
Of heart on the mothers part, and the
well-nigh shattered domestic relations of