Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-08-06
JUMPED OFF VINE STREET BRIDGE
INTO RIVER LAST NIGHT;
SAVED BY FISHERMEN
DOPED AND ROBBED
Rlna Valued at $3.50 and 5000 In Money
Taken From Him BY Stranger;
Worry Over Loss Of Mothers
Rlna Made Him Insane

hours before and saddened lnto
despondency by the loss OF a valuable
ring, the gift Of his dear mother when
he left his Russian home, George
Bowman, aged about Is years. tried
to commit suicide yesterday afternoon
At 5 o'clock by jumping off the Vine
street bridge into the river When
Charles Withrow, Frank Cooper and
william Hicks reached him in a boat
ana pulled him out he fought them,
screaming to let him go, he wanted
to die. He had been drugged and
robbed of 5000 and his mothers ring,
valued at $3.50. Night Captain Jack
Smith and Patrolman L. L. Lightner
placed him in Jail over night. This
morning he had recovered from the
effects OF the poison given him and
was very rational. He was given his
release about $3.50 q. m. and stated
that he would remain in Ottumwa for
. short time to see If the police could
locate his friend" He does not now
regret the persistence OF the men VINO
pulled him out of the river.
Was Dragged by Booze.
Bowman can hardly make n1mseli
understood, so meager is his command
OF the English language. This morn
ing he told Chief Of Police Fielder his
story brokenly. Bowman came from
Chicago, where he has been working
since his arrival in the United States
= few years ago. Having saved about
5000. he decided to come west. He ar
rived in Ottumwa yesterday morning.
About 10 o'clock, he met stranger
on the street who entered into con-
yersation with him. bowman told tho
chief the fellow wanted him to bum"
out OF Ottumwa. When Bowman said
he had money, his friend" asked him
to 70 down on the river bank for a
little while. Suspecting nothing, Bow
man accompanied the stranger to the
river at the foot of College street.
First they drank couple Of bottles
OF beer. When Bowman displayed his
roll to pay for it, the stranger 1mme-
diately volunteered to get some
whisky. It was about II o'clock. When
Bowman had taken two drinks Of the
drugged liquor, he lost consciousness.
It was then that his companion re-
lieved him of all but dollar and took
also the precious ring.
Woke Up at 8 O'Clock.
When Bowman came to his senses,
he found that he had lain there in
stupor for six hours, for 1t was S
o'clock when he arose. He missed his
money and most of all, his ring. Still
in daEed condition and not himself
because Of the drug which had been
administered to him, Bowman began
to worry over the loss of the ring. He
did not care about his money, but his
W. no eyfv no xfn i'll,
was set with two diamonds and two
rubies. It was worth $3.50. The more
he worried about his loss. the less he
cared about himself. No doubt he was
not in his right mind because Of the
doped booze. In few moments Bow
man came to the conclusion that he
did not want to live any longer. He
walked to the Vine street bridge and
when he came to about the middle,
where he thought the water was deep
enough to snuff out his life, he mount
ed the bannister and hurled himself
headlong into the water, a distance of
about thirty feet. The water was only
three feet deep. Bowman struck the
water on his face and the force OF his
impact on the rocks was checked. His
face was bruised and blackened by
striking the water
Man Fishing In Boat
Further evidence of the insane con-
dition Of Bowman is shown by the
fact that he did not give the slightest
attention to Charles Withrow. fishing
nearby in a boat The moment With
row detected him, he pulled over to
him Frank Cowger, William Hicks,
Ross Rodgers, A. NJ Overture and
George Anderson, who were in that
vicinity. hurried to his aid Bowman
fought hard to get away and jump
back into the river. He was held
firmly in the boat while the police
were called. Even when the officers
brought him to the station, he tried
to get away from them. He was placed
IN Jail and the story Of his robbery
was secured by Ottumwa Russians
who came to talk to him. Chief Fielder
ordered him to be held in Jail over
night. This morning, he seemed
possessed Of his right senses and was
given his liberty. The chief is at
loss to recognize the robber by the
description Bowman gave.
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