Year: 1878




SOMETHING ABOUT THE WOMAN WHO DIDN'T


REMEMBER SHOOTING DRUGGIST.


The following account Of Mrs. E. A. Pol
lard, who was witness last week in the Van.
derbilt will case, is from q recent number of
the Chicago Times:


She first appeared in Richmond, in 1862,
as the wife of MIR. Dowell, who at the time
was IN charge of The entire telegraph system
of the South Mrs. Dowell was very beauti.
full and dressed in elegant taste. She was the
most fashionable lady in the whole city, and
led life of continual pleasure. At that time
Richmond was somewhat cut off from the
outside world, and the inhabitants of the city
we're in a state of continual excitement and
anxiety. All was novelty, confusion and up
roar. The Confederate Congress was there
Senators and Representatives from all over
the South and West; and they added to the
short.lived spendor. In this raging, seething
society, Mrs. Dowel vas kind of queen,
gone mad with the excitement of the hour.
As before said, she was beautiful-passingly
beautiful-and her admirers were counted by
the dozen. They we're Generals, Cabinet Of
6cers, Senators and Representatives. They
had all acknowledged her supremacy and all
sought her smiles. .,


As time wore on she grew tired of Dowell
and left him. She fell little below the
grade of respectability. About this time an
event occurred which forever allied her name
with very prominent politician in Missouri
He was Representative in the Confederate
Congress from Missouri. Fly chance, the wit
ty Missourian and the enchanting daughter of
the South met, but it was the coming togeth-
er of two steels, and there was no conquest
on either side, but mutual dislike. She
made satirical remark to some one about
his size he rstorted With an appropriate re-
partee. A quarrel sprang up. and wherever
they went they we're continually saying wick
ed things about each other. One day, as the
little Missourian and a number of his COL
leagues were standing on the steps of the
capitol building, Mrs. Dowell came tripping
along. She was dressed in perfect splendor,
and looked ravishingly beautiful.


The witty and caustic little Mssourian
dropped remark, common in the days of
slavery, which means that what woman ap.
pears to be she not always is.


Some friendly ear was close by, and some
trouble. making tongue went and told her of
the sighting comment. She flew into rage
and declared she would disgrace the little
man who had cast his inuendoes at her. On
the following morning, after the opening of
the days session, she wended her way to the
capitol, clad in cloak and hood, with raw.
hide clasped in her hand. She swept into the
hall of Representatives, singled out her vic
tim and flew at him like tigress. Down
came the merciless .cowhide once, twice,
thrice and time and time again. There was
no escape from, her fury. She was as strong as
giant, and held her prey like lion strang-
ling calf The House was in an uproar,
and cries of order from the Speaker were un-
avaling. When she had wreaked her re.
venge she quietly turned around to the thun.
der.struck assembly, and suid she: "Gentle.
men, this man publicly said was not what |
appeared to be; have now shown him and
you that l am good deal more than what l
appear to be-"


This reckless and audacious act made Mrs.
Dowell more notorious, and in the eyes of
some she became more enchanting; but she
grew more and more reckless, and one fine
morning she went of to New York city. How
she got through the lines was mystery. In
a week or two after her departure her former
husband, Mr.. Dowel, received copy of the
New York Herald, in which was notice an
nouncing the death of Mrs. Dowell. The
memory of old days came back, and he said
be would go and get the body for the sake of
the sweet baby they had buried at Petersburg
before their love had been debauched. He
went, and on his arrival at the Astor House
met an old friend, to whom he told the sor-
rowful tale.


ut is hoax" said the friend.


"It cannot be-" said Dowell.


"Trace the obituary notice up and see"
said the friend.


And that he did. He went into the Her.
aid office and asked for the copy of the ad-
vertisement taken on a certain day. The
copy was found, and in whose handwriting
should it be but his wayward wife's2 1t was
hoax, and the telegraph superintendent
went back to his home sadder and wiser
man.


After a time she, too, returned to Rich
mond, but the dark days Of the dissolution
had come, and the brilliant galaxy that once
surrounded her were beginning to fade out
and seek a safe retreat. She had obtained
divorce in New York, and came back free
woman. Among those who had long wor-
shipped at her shrine was E. A. Pollard, the
celebrated author of the Lost Cause" he


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