The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1916-11-08
ANDY BOWLING
IS ACQUITTED
Federal Jury at Council Bluffs Re-
turns Verdict of Not Guilty of
Sending Threatening Letters
MANY FRIENDS ARE ELATEo
Case Had Been in the Federal CourE
Since 1918. At First Trial
Jury Disagreed.


Mr.. Andrew Bowling, who resides
southeast of DenisOn, and who has
been under indictment in the federal
court on the charge of sending threat
enifig letters through the mail to Mr..
George Naeve, was acquitted Satur-
day, when the jury found him not gull.
ty of the charge. When the verdict of
the Jury reached Denison Saturday af-
ternoon from the Bluffs everyone was
elated over the result for no one
could believe that Mr.. Bowling was
guilty of the charge made against him
BY the government officials who were
sent here to investigate the matter.
The case has been in court since 1913
and Of course has been a source of
much worry and concern not only to
Mr. Bowling and his family, but to
a. host of friends in the community who
are glad that he has been indicated.
The case was brought to trial at one
time but the jury disagreed and for
one cause and another has been con-
tinued until it was called for trial at
the present session of the federal
court.
In June of 1918 Mr.. George Naeve re-
eeived threatening letters through the
mail. demanding that he leave the sum
of 1886 at the foot of tree near the
iron bridge over the East Boyer river
on the Manila road. The writer of
the letters intimated that unless the
request was complied with Mr.. Naeve
would suffer injury. \ The first letter
was received by Mr.. Naeve on sWednes.
day, June 25th, Under the terms of
that letter Mr.. Naeye was to leave the
money that same afternoon at 2::3O
o'clock. He was instructed to drive
to the spot named in rig by himself
and was cautioned to say nothing OF
the matter under penalty OF great bod
lily injury Mr.. Naeve took the matter
up with Sheriff Cummings, who adj
yised him to follow the instructions of
the letter, substituting the real mon
ey with a phoney package, and in
structed him to drive to the location.
where the sheriff and his assistants
would be on hand to offer any assist
ance deemed necessary. Everything
was carried out as planned, but no
one called at the place named for the
package left by Mr.. Naeve. The letter
was Immediately forwarded to the
post office authorities at Washington
and before an answer could be OBJ
tanned another letter was received on
the following afternoon, too late, how
ever, to keep the appointment as desig
mated. The second letter received by
Mr.. Naeve was as follows:
well ! have been waiting for that
money and it hint come yet. Now this
is the second one. Now ! hint going
to write anymore. wont you to fitch
me 38500 dollars & want it: by 3
o'clock.
81 want it & cross the Bridge the
first Tree with Lamborns sine on. put
it there and don't stay long & if you
tell any one the Money can stay there
& will git even with you Now git
move on you and git that money out
--H-H-H-H"
A few days later Mr.. C. E. Caine a
government inspector, arrived In Dem
ison and together with Sheriff. Cnms
mings, began looking up suspects. AZ
ter an investigation covering several
days Deputy U. S. Marshal Groneweg
came up from Council Bluffs and ar
rested Mr.. Andrew Bowling, charging
him with having mailed the two let-
tiers TO- Mr.. Naeye. The government
officials evidence against Mr.. Bowling
was a similarity between the hand
writing of Mr.. Bowling in q statement
made to the government officials and
the two letters received by Mr.. Naeve.
The evidence was most circumstan-
tial and inasmuch as the jury was out
less than two hours before acquitting
him. it is evident that. the evidence
was very weak. Mr.. Bowling engaged
the best of legal talent and the case
has been bitterly fought from the be-
ginning.
No one in Denison has thought Mr..
Bowling was guilty OF the crime
charged against him and all are elat-
ed that he has been indicated. ~.