The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1914-08-07
OFFERED TO MARRY
WOMAN'S DAUGHTER
Would Have Made Restitu-'
ton as Far as Possible,
But Mrs. M'Gowan is Re-
ported to Have Said Pro-
position Added Insult to-
Injury and Fired the FATAL
Shots.

For you to offer to marry my
daughter is adding insult to injury"
This is the statement reputed TO Mrs.
Florence Moore MCGOWAN as she drew
| revolver from hard bag and OPEN
cd fire upon j. Lerorl Brown in the Of
flee OF the school SUPERINTENDENT at
| noon yesterday, firing three .shotsy
into the body OF the young man from
which he died a few hours later.
The shooting occurred about the noon
hour and followed Brown being ar
raigned for trial before County Judge
Bellinger upon q serious charge in con-
nection with the fifteen year-old
daughter of Mrs. MCGOWAN. who has
visited Pensacola during the latter
portion of last week, coming to the
city from Bluff Springs, where she re-
sided. The girl spent one day and
night in Pensacola and the arrest of
Brown was sought by officers when
She returned to her home in Bluff
Springs.
During the shooting the girl was
seated in the office of the county Judge
and the mother, who stopped firing
only when her wrist was grasped.
walked into the office and when asked
If she objected to her daughter seeing
Brown before he is alleged to have died.
said: 81 would rather see her dead
than ever to lay eyes upon him again
1t Is said that the consultation in the
office Of Supt. Edwards, participated
in by Attorney r. Pope Reese and
Mrs. MCGOWAN was in an effort to set .
tie the matter and stop further court
proceedings. Brown, It is understood.
was willing to make wha1 amends he
could by marrying the girl, and to this.
II Is understood, Mrs MCGOWAN had
consented practically, but" she said,
Il want to hear it from his own lips
that he will not desert my daughter
as soon as he narries her" IT was
then that Brown was sent for and
came from the county Judges office
and took seat near Mrs. MCGOWAN
and the latter arose and fuTnhling ner-
vously with her hand bag, said: FOR.
You to offer to marry my daughter iS
adding insult to injury" and began
firing.
Outside OF the two persons directly
concerned In the affair, about the only
one witness was r. Pope Reese. at
torney for Brown, and two others who
had just arranged that the case go
over until the regular term OF court
and that his Client would have the
benefit Of bail. Brown, upon the ad-
vice of his counsel, had waived exam
ination. and the next step was 20 have
bond fixed for his appearance at the
next term Of the court of record Bond
had been fixed at $3.50, which was to
have been furnished. Papers were be-
ing signed up at the time when Mrs.
MCGOWAN wanted an explanation as
to the proceedings. Judge BellinRer
explained to her. then she asked the
Judge If she might speak to Mr.. Reese,
the attorney for Brown. The publicity
Of en- explanation of the proceedings
caused Mr.. Reese to seek the office
of the superintendent OF public in
strIction- 1t was there the shooting
took place.
Mrs MCGOWAN was Immediately
taken In charge by a deputy sheriff
and sent to the county jail. Ten min
utes after young Brown had died last
evening, she was told Of the results OF
her work with the pistol God help
him." she exclaimed, 'fnr I can't"
When a Journal representative was
admitted to her cell to give her a
chance to make a statement of the af-
fair. she was reticent. "Who am talk
ing to? Make a statement, for what2
No. not a word. And II you want to
find out anything, go and see Scott
Loftin. He'll do the talking. I've got
not a word to say" she said sharply.
Just previous to that, however, she
had been talking willingly and free
Iy to a party who had been admitted
10 the cell to the exclusion of a news-
paper representative.
SHOOTING SENSATIONAL.
The occurrence caused quito lot