The Lakeland evening telegram., 1917-04-17
An Avoided
Judicial Murder
By RICHARD MARkLEY

entered paWnSnOp ana OHeTeu II ulsl-
4 mond ring as security for loan. The
broker. after examining the stone. look
/ ed on the inside of the ring and saw
the initials L. A. B. TO ]. 5.
what is your name?" asked the
broker
Julia Amory."
j. S. might mean Jane Severance, Il
widow for whose murder Andrew Bow
ers was to be hanged the next day.
The pawhbroker informed the police.
| and the woman was arrested.
Julia Amory upon examination broke
down and confessed that she had muir
dered Jane Severance. She said that
she had been IA seamstress in Mrs. Sew
erance's home. had seen the ring in Il
box of silver articles and jewels and
had coveted it. she had gone into Mrs
Severance's room TO possess herself of
the jewels and. being discovered. had
been obliged either TO kill the owner
or spend term of years in prison
The culprit's story was probable
enough. but there was one taw in it
Why did she offer the ring for pawn
In the very town where the murder
had been committed and on the day
before the supposed criminal was To
be executed for the murder? Being
questioned as to her motive, she con
fessed that her main object was 10
visit the scene of her crime.
Andrew Bowers was "A young man
! about twenty-five years of age. He
had become acquainted with the wild
ow, who was thirty years his senior.
and she made ward of him. One
day she showed him box in which
she told him there were articles that
concerned him. In case of her death
he was to possess himself of it. She
kept 1t on the top Of the stone founda.
ton to the house between two joists
supporting the floor above.
Bowers was seen with Mrs. Sever.
ance Just before bedtime ON the night
of the murder. He claimed to have
left her at II O'Clock. She was found
dead the next morning. One of the
prosecutions witnesses at Bowers trial
swore that Mrs. Severance had told
her that she intended to leave all her
property to Bowers. This was a strong
point against him. No will was found.
and Bowers, fearing one might turn up
In his favor in the box. kept his knowl
. edge of 1t a secret.
| As soon as the authorities were con
vinced that Julia Amory's confession
was true they released Andrew Bow
ers, but not before they had confront
ed him and her They took him to the
prison where she was confined and left
him with her for few minutes, the
detectives keeping within hearing
Nothing was said between the two
ut least nothing was overheard
after he had been permitted to look at
her for few minutes he withdrew
from her. On rejoining his keepers
he told them that he had never seen
her in Mrs Severance's home but that
| didn't prove that she had never been
employed there, for he had never lived
| at the house. and there were times
| when he had not been there for
| months.
| After his release Bowers went to the
house where Mrs. Severance had lived
and possessed himself of the box she
had told him contained articles that
concerned him. Hidden under some
old silver tableware he found will
leaving all her property to him There
| was second paper. which read as fol.
lows:
Ten years ago l was obliged to send
Susan Dugan. my cook, to the peni-
/ fnr Zta n, Ia
from me. She was very bitter against
me and said to me. When get out
I'll fix you have since lived in the
fear that she would keep her word.
IL anything happens to me she will
nave caused it
Shortly after finding this paper Bow
ers appeared in the district attorney s
fore telling where he got II he asked
the attorney to telephone the peniten
tiary for Information concerning Susan
Dugan. \ reply came that Susan Du
gan had been discharged from the
penitentiary on certain date that
was found to be eight days before the
murder was committed. Her arrest
| was ordered. and Julia Amory was re
| leased.
The morning after Julia Amory had
left the prison she appeared at the dis
trict attorneys Office in company with
Andrew Bowers. She told the follow
ing story:
Several years ago this man left tn,
place where he lived to seek his for
tune. We were betrothed. and prom
ised to wait for him. When heard o
his arrest for murder 1t was a grea
shock TO me. Being convinced of hi
innocence. laid a plan to cheat tn,
state out OF a victim. He had givei
me an engagement ring without an.
marking. had the initials put in II
the last two letters being those o
the murdered woman. Then | offere,
the ring In pawn that | might be as
cused of the murder The rest yo
know"
Then Bowers told his story:
- when l was taken to the jail wher
the woman who confessed was COZ