Newspapers / Hickory Democrat (Hickory, N.C.) / Nov. 5, 1896, edition 1 / Page 1
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Stats Library if III PROTECTION ! INDUSTRY I ENTERPRISE! PROSPERITY I NOHBEB 45 olSU 28. HICKORY, NORTH CAROLINA, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 1896. I i v i n 1 1 II nFVTER'S QUEER CRIMINAL from a guard, J ' "I lived on I escaped. . fruit for a time, bat hungering for more substantial food I IN CONFeTSiNO TO betrrred for something to eat at a ranch near Petaluina. The woman of the house gave ine a good supper, and while I was eating tn her husband came in and instantly recognized me by the description sent out by the prison authorities. He sat down be tween me and the door with a gun in his hand and waited for me to finish my meal. When attempted to get Desvkb. Cct. 31. In a cell; at the up he leveled the gun at me ana xoia county jail,refuslng to talk to any one ,ue 10 rr , "iJ.,, touuij , shot me in the neck. I knocked him and asking only to die, Hense Downen , ith . x setting fire awaits the action of the civil author!- to the j house, and ran, the farmer ties in his case. According to his own emptying his revolver at me as I es- GDfession, Downen Is a murderer, a caped to the mountains. "I walked umii 1 reacueu a oum.i town, and was shot at by a watchman. mi FKELS RELIEF MURDER AND ROBBERY. tie-.i Downen' Story of Hi Career as Lone Hljrhwymn and occasional Mar derer Police in Doubt About His Confession The Three Things that He Regrets. started out to capture the lone high wayman. Driving along the dark streets on the outskirts of the town both officers held their revolvers ready for quick work. A man stepped out of the shadow. of some trees and com manded the. officers to throw up their hands. "Throw up yours," cried Capt Tut tle. The highwayman shot first, hit ting the horse In the shoulder, causing it to 8 werve and plunge, carrying, the officers past the robber. In this con dition the officers had no chance to shoot accurately while the robber was plugging away as fast as he could work his weapon. He had two guns, and he did not stop until he had nsed all his ammunition. The hostilities to town and identified his assailant and after .other damaging evidence had been secured, Downen lost courage and broke down, confessing alL He concluded his confession by saying that he had three regrets. First that he had shot the young woman In San Jose; seeond.that he had not murdered the woman whom he had intended to chloroform. "Iaiu certain that there is something behind all this t tory," remarked Chief of Police Russell afterward. Some thing has compelled Downen to make this confession of the murder of Ash- worth. He seems to have an umvc countable' dread of something and may be trying to atone tor some crime that is haunting his memory. He has McKinley Sweeps The Country, BY A TUEUENDOUS MAJORITY The Solid South Is Broken. NORTH CAROLINA CLOSE. highway robber; . and a petty thief. The civil authorities are not sure that . at m 9 A A he has comessea is ine train. . m m A On reaching Sacramento I learned that the police officers trial ne naa not oeen n&vin? mucn inccess auu w very ceased, the horse died, and the officers promised to make a final confession of had to take the car back to town. In a startling nature In case he Is convict recalling this encounter Downen told ed and sentenced to be hanged." ... inttifv tfiom in Keenincr mm in ciose i . - I KJ J - J - . Trie QUAIL SEASON OPENED. lo,... T I "WDen I sawme ouicera guu, sam ,onfineinent for the present. ; " A he. "I shot the horse and then had a For six months or mo re a lone high- " - - - -" -" v nd-uo with the'm. The bul ... 1 l'tAn n a 1 1 iiii i.wii 1 1 irii au a. m. uvyrvu i , . . ViaA hoon rnhhinr rtAonlAiiaAr 1 "JU wvv 0 r-r - ---- , . . . , . f Attractions Ofltred by North the Sports tna. The quail season begins Nor. Carolina te ibe city.ana me ponce iuo - hnV- t Col- deemed scared, ana i was noi ainua failed to apprehend the criminal. A ? raw n $2,000 ub",1'r they, wonld hit ine. If I had known wc-ckaso two city detectives stepped w and t ,o l'a2 Inair yon fellow, were out of crtride. ,uU, an op town bicycle store and ar- I toltewea Wm ont oR and toed 7 . i woul(J Rsll Elected Ooverser. New York, Nov. 3. McKinley and Unbart made a clean sweep of the Em pire State, The Democratic plurality of 43,000 In was reversed and the unprecedented plurality of 231,000 has been rolled up. for the Republicans and sound money. Tammany's enor mous majority in the city has been overcome and this stronghold of De mocracy has given a plurality of 21,000 for McKinley. In Brooklyn McKiu ley's plurality Is 49,000. In the state. ... i i m maim ri l tti 1111 fin a. uiuuuiaiu v.u. . i k . n . a n mmrf m nova i iiviv, " - w - - ICBlt . .1 it, i ,nw n ltfT onrl urns KllIAd. his wheel repaired In this prosaic nBJum Mt.tf.rk-nrilP.riminalflnallv not get a ceui. H1W iviuw".""" "-" rf . . i j r Truckee ana was mere arrewi iur I returned to manner fell into the clutches of the law. He leuied all knowledge of the crime for which he was arrested, but when at the city jail he saw his last victim be fore him he admired that crime. - Later the- detectives returned with piunaer mey uttu iuuhu iu um wsu( Downen became confused, and then unbosomed himself of his life's history aud the narration of his crimes so as touuded the officers that they were slow to believe his sory. It seemed a relief to Downen to confess, and , the . t.,nnKinVilA rn v nf ni.4 Rtorv was ::jK:M,nin hnrnr, of wit- young man and two girls .in a buggy rr-lon a t-oll nxffi nnlV Tor I OB Viie ivuucu.u j -rw."r UCJC1. I - 3 C3 Plara Tiiair ot- . . . i-v i.1 rNon . (MR auu oaura uuuoi a. uo j condemned criminals, .uowueu . . . , - hhnMelf noon the iron bed and burst teuipteci io escape. ? m .uc .s- murdering the policeman at Sacramen to. Afraid of being lynched if I was taken to that city, I confessed to be ing an escaped convict and was sent back to San Quentin. After nerving ten vears 1 was pardoned. "1 then went to San Jose and bepan working for a seedman. While there I commit teed several robberies, and one night killed a man in St. James Park whom I attempted to rob. I was not suspected, and within a week from that time I tried to hold up a tiii,A Wfnr he recovered nis nerve. Since that day he has seldom spoken, and refuses to let any visitor' come near him. ' Ilense Dowueu was born in Polk county, Missouri, of I poor parents, forty -five years ago. In 1863 he came to Colorado with his brother,- mother, and sister. His mother, now resides with her daughter at Boteman, Mon., and the brother lives at Salt Lake Citv. When a boy he was quiet and well behaved, but bad company and a headstrong will led him into crime. He stole a mule from a ranchman nameil Twombly in 1873, was arrested and released under bond, which was Mituvd bv his brother. He forfeited the bond and disappeared, to turn up in Tulare county, California, where he obtained work in a sawmill. He be- vame acquainted with an agent of the Wells, Fargo & Com pAny Ex press, and one day learned that $G,000 was to be shipped by stage on the following night, he determined to hold up the htage. The driver changetl his route .that liiuht, and Downen waited in a 'quiet -'place iu the road only to. find lattr that he had lefn balked. I was disappointed in not souring the $5,000, he stateil in his confession and I concluded, to try again the next ulght. This time I .eured $.'5 from the treasury box and the passengers. 1, . . u. i at a r5t. nil nrnnnd me: but the. officers I c i i PamHnaa Thai a uninaman uau i i outrviauu v. can be no quail killed in Virginia for 1 outside of the cities, he has a plurality two years, and there are so Jew quail of 234,000. In every county and every in Maryland and the laud Is so gener- I town there have been Republican ally and rigidly posted, that It would I galus equal to Republican campaign virtually be a waste of time for a man managers1 claims. Frank S. ULack, to take a gun and dog into it unless he the Republican candidate for Gov has been especially invited by some eruor, Is ulected by about 240,000. property owner ho can assure him Timothy L.. Woodruir, Republican, where a covey or two can be fouud. I for Lieutenant Governor, and Irving North Carolina promises to be over- G. Vane, for judge of the Court of run with guuners,not only from Wash- Appeal, are elected by nearly as large iugtou. but fiom Virginia as well. And pluralities. The Republicans have Northern States. Reports from North elected 29 liepu oilcan Opugressmen to Carolina are to the effect that the birds I the Democrats 6. Suiter Is. the only were brooded very early, and are well I on the Democrats have saved from matured. the wrecK. ' It will be good news to all to hear Chicago. III., Nov. 3. The indica- that birds are plentiful in North Caro I tlons from all but one hundred pre- lina, especially in the eastern section, where the country Is as level as a bil- Hard table and hunting all the easier. The stubble is well icrown with rag weed, so there Is excellent cover. Re ports have been received from a num ber of towns, all to the effect that there are plenty of birds. This is particularly true of Tar borough, where turkeys are also said to be numerous. haye killed you both. I followed you clear down town that night, riding on the car behind you. Afterward I saw Marshal McNeil and hl crowd search ing for ine on several occasions, and once they passed within ten feet of me iust after I had robbed a ranchman on the boulevard. I kept well informed of the movements of the police, and they never had a chance to take me by surprise. When I was out for work I always went well armed." One night he stopped Joel Ash worth in a thickly settled residence district. Ash worth was stepping lightly along, whistling and swinging a cane. He declined to be held up, and tried to strike down the revolver-pointing at him, but the weapon was discharged and Ashworth fell and was dead before lie could tell how he had been ninr IIILUSCll .... A 1 11.. f I lie COUIU IKll UUW UC UttU UTOU ,11 !ti.. I tnpnt I shot and badly wounded one of I " . into tears, soouing vioiuuuj iuir a iuutt i " ' dpred. Th s murder at the time was a . , u hiy r,rirA thecirls. some time aiierwaru l , ue- - AU u Hfn ,r,ttr, deep UiyHU?rj wme yuiux vUUr.tiW. gannviuK .m - - . : Affoi-lvlnnnietat the ranch for T nnn fftl t KA1 ThlC I I J " a tried and sentenced I several unj tm.c ww wuiuBi,hh laroorougu is qmwwwu,uuu uhw s s . . aw. i a mm. m m m . m 1.1 ,. - m res u men nis career, iiuiuiug up iunu i ntflr ,v noinu can ne reacneu oy raw. 1 was somewhat nervous, but made a good "bluff and called uion imaginary 04,iifc!erates to cover the driver and passengers with guns. I made the pt-ople get down and line up alongside -wl T rohlwn! tht'Ul Olle lV one. Vwt Townvnd, th driver in rrt of the robbery de- ...-.... j, ... v - .... , el:irevl that ther- were atheist a doien robben iu the gang. I never at any time in mv life worketl with arfuccom- plic. A few davs later I rode en a train in company with the Sheriff of ;Tular countvaud talked with him about the robbery. After ths.t I visited San Francisco, St. lxuis and Denver and returned to California six months later when I again held up the r same stage hue. Iu umki ug my escape that time 1 t.i!.. a inirxr out of a farmer's barn a C . V V. U W and was arrested for that theft; I thought I was wanted for stage rob bery and I gave myself away. I was tried, convicted, and sentenced to twenty-two years in the San Quentin penitentiary. After being seven years : . . - S , .s 1 t,nATt,i a trntr In flip Iaax.dry, and stealing some clothes i was arrested. once more to San Quentlne for seven years. Within one week after reach ing the prison I joined with others In n ftttpmnted escape. I fell from a wall and broke my right leg, which slightly crippled me for life. I was recaptured and had to serve out my full term. ; I then went to, Spokane, where I got two years for burglary. I did a job in Park county, Mon.. securing $1,500 In jewelry, which I buried in the dark V near Livingston, ana was never able to locate the stuff afterward. After that event I visited Ogden, Salt Lake, and Cheyenne and came to Den ver to work upon the McCool ranch, near Brighton. n April 1 secured a couple of guns and began holding up people." Despatches' from San Jose, Oal.t con firm the two stories of the park mur der and the holding up of the young man and two coinjau)ons on the Alameda. If I had receive! a light sentence for that first stage roboery," said the criminal, "1 wouli have reformed, but after putting in years of slavery in prison, and being shot by a farmer when I had escaped, o he might get the reward of 1 became reckless and grew to Ixs an enemy of society." Of his exploits alout Denver, begm- boys for their watches,robbing women I great deal of the land is posted, but ranchmen, and pedestrains witn usual permission can be easily ootained to boldness. Then he became intimate bhootoverit. Excellent reports have with a woman to whom he confessed Deeu received from stations on the eotnA of his recent crimes, one sus pected him of the crime of killing Ash- worth, and he determined to put her out of the way. A week before his final arrest he took her to the theatre and accompanied her home. I intended killing the woman that night, he admitted, "and nad pur bottle of chloroform for that Scotland Neck Railroad and the Wei don and Wilmington line. At Ayden, in Pitt County, quail are plentilul within ten minutes walk of the town and the same reports are received from G reeuville aud Grangers, below Ayden. Good reports are coming from Rocky Mount, and from' Fremont, Mount Olive. Plymouth, Magnolia, and ciucts of Chicago and from scattering ret jams from outside the city, are that McKinley and Tanner have carried tlw Stau byt10d,000u , Nkw Havex, Conn. Returni irom half of the 163 towns in the State show a Republican gain of 13,000 over the voteofvs.;. ;-: :-:':; XK' Ban Fr4cisoo, Cal. The, official count In the fourth and , fifth districts how that McKinley!! ; plurality In these districts will exceed 2,500. x WiLMiyoTOS, Del., McKinley is supposed to have : carried the State, but the Democrats claim the Legisla ture and the Congressmen. IXDiAAioLis, Ind. Jov. 3. The estimates of poll book holders In this city give IndianupolU to the Republi can by 13,000. Big Republican gains are shown in the gas belt. Louis vixlk, Ky., Nov. 8 The re turns of the Courier Journal and Evening Times and the Republican purpose. When I thought ehe was throughout Duplin County generally gtate Coaumttee indicate that McKIn- aIeep I saturated my handkerchief spring Hope, Whitakera, and Garys with the l;qu id and was aoout to press uuru - , , At most of the places there are good accomodations, and men may be em ployed who are familiar with the best shooting grounds In the vicinity, and who can secure iermission for strang ers to shoot over posted lands. 8ports j uieu who go to the expense or sncu a trin. however.cau secure better results ning over a year ago, Downen con A I f eased fullv soon after his arrest. Working on the McCool ranch, he would visit Denver occasionally, al ways 'committing some ded of violence His favorite plan -was to hold up peo ple on the highways out of town, eveu halting three men at a tun ami ma ing them stand and deliver. 11 boasted of having, on rerat. enva sions,ipasj'ea Sheriff Kelley of .Golden, who was out looking for the highway robler, and once the impulse wa al most irresistible to "stick htm jus? for the fun of the thing. One party ol hunters in a buggy who refused to stand, and who lashed the;r iur?. in to a mad run, were not to be permiltod to escape without injury, for Downen fired his revolver into the rear of the buggy, wounding one of the hunters and crippling him in the leg for hfi. It was on the very next night Utr this escape of the sportsmen that Cujt Tnttle and detective DaftM of Den ver secured the Chief nnggy and it over her nostrels when she awakened aud insisted upon keeping, the light burning.- I then 'tempted to kill her with a gun, but was afraid of mak ing too much' noise. She became sus piciou of me. and dil not sleep auy more that. niut." This bottle ot chloroform was -found by th. police in Downen.- last- apart ments. His last deed was committed upon an old friend, distantly related to bur. by marriage. Mark Morris i! hardware store at HeuJeison, down alon' the Platted River, in a ranching district." Downen loitereil about the store considerably. Early one evening Morris heard Dow nen from without call to him to cuie if they ill seek some farm house in the midst of ihc hootiug country a mou a they reach it, and secure ac cuuiuio! itiouo there. Then they can step Yiaiut outdoors aud Ugin shootinc ithoiii it.edelav of a tuii out lo the stubbles. j in the vicinity of all the place. j euuii-erkted there are farmers who ride from a and help him take a trunk away from ucAIV4- oint in favor of a programme thernilrord station plrttfortn., When j , t J otl tiiat tne !og are letter a a a 1 on t ;.) Downen covered Morn with n , ttt bcauM tbev ar 'tio?v 4jun ami maur unu mi " v- - ar 1 ciihmit to being srche! for money aud valuables. Just as this d-"l wH,rvhig committed two tramps in hf and Downen had to stop tt o-' ler them to move on down the roil I'l.wnen tied Morris and Mrurk out for Denver. The two train were a-r.stcd at Brighton later iu the even ,nz and they toll what they had seen Artd.with ixool description of the hlghwanan Brighton .cfScer? ffave eluvxtf on horseback. Dowtien wa i.,r,.intt n ron A bicvcl ami made sii.-h ft time into the ci f y that they I were' uuable to overtake him. The foiiowiug day the country oPWrai recogcirei Downen at a wneel store promptly notified... the c::y iiumediately under control of their masters than tliey Cim be at a hotel or boiiniiug hoae in town. The raH rnid iu. North 'Carolina usually -irry oue dog to ttch guun-r free, and the Atlantic Coast Line has issued a circa-1 Kinley of 1.700. ley lias carried Kentucky by at leat 7,5(K) plurality. Republican landslides are reported from many counties which have been Democratic strongholds. At ten o'clock McK!nleyi plurality is increasing at every minute. - Haltimork, Md., Nov. 3. Scatter in? precincts out of 302 In Baltimore giver McKinley 5,005, Bryan 3,510. The Republican congrevsional and municipal tickets will not be far be hind McKinley" vot. Dktroit, Mich.. Nov, 3.. Republi cans claim tb State by .V)t000 to 100, 000. The Democrats claim that the Republican have no figures on which to ba. their claims and ray that re turns show Democratic gain. St. Paul, Minn., Nov. 3. Thi tat has gone overwhelmingly for jJcKhdey. Jaxcgi.S, Neb. - Bryant home pie- t inet gave McKiiit ti7; Bryan 101; scattering 17. The count of the ward fo incomplete but :'-at about the lame ratio. Careful estimate of the city of Lincoln indicate a plurality for Me- Us directing baggagemeier to uomi until March 1. ri. l-i - in North Carolina allows a the killing of quail between Nov. 1 and March 1-., ave In Currituck County, wher the co? aon run frDiu April I to Dec. 1. It aUo provide J diad or li pvUoe'-tu-I th- hVhwaymn wann1ly ffirL Aftr his lodirirrs had - - . " Veen search! after Morrif had come ft ft . A a? . t . . t".?t i' t.T !i n nan expon iroui tat tpiall or partndire, cither ttt. out xnu xirx oi a more honored In the breach than In the observance, for every nnd?pa in his baggage ?!ihe returning whlcbn acrou mc-date n gX"lly number of the btrda ithat have fallen to his gun. Manchester. N. H. Nov., 3. Eleven town and ward in New Hampshire give McKinley 3,633; Bryan 872. Nkwark, N. J. .Th Democratic Stat commltt ned th Btat to McKInWy by 10.000 plamlitr. Thm IUrpubhiaiii chlm a rictory by 40tOOJ larger incrrjs une reiort4 in many counties. t Governor Stone, of Missouri, mem ber of th Dnyrrati; rational com- niitte?, rourrV?- th: T cct ion of Mc
Hickory Democrat (Hickory, N.C.)
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Nov. 5, 1896, edition 1
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