Rensselaer Union, Volume 2, Number 2, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 October 1869 — The Erie Railroad Fiend. [ARTICLE]

The Erie Railroad Fiend.

Tiik public press hits spread the facts fur and wide concerning ajt old man named John Bowen, a resident of this locality, and his lncMM&tton in jail at Milford, Pa., charged with the double crime of perjury and tearinit.im the track of the Erie Railway, with, the intent of throwing trains off 'fltt track. He was arrested in May list, and soon after his Incarceration he made a partial confession, owning up to Jmvfiig, on (Hxasions, torn up rails by which two freight trains were thrown off. Subsequently, on the 10th of August fop sent for Division Superintendent Redington, and, in the presence of Mr. R. and others, made a formal confession, tt) the effect that on the night or trie. Wth of April, 1808, he dislodged a jail al .Carr’s' Rock, by which the was thrown off the track, and oyer 100 passengers wcre.UM .djr'.iqJiW. ‘.He made this confession, lie stataok-wiluntarl-ly, to easo his mind, is hid conscience troubled him so that ho.coulffnot, Mcfip nights, thought that ho’ should am before long, and felt that he could not dlo without revealing those things. The September term of the Pike county! courts convened at Milford on Monday last, Hon, Ooorge R. JJSMBett;-.president judge, prosiding. Bowen’s easo whs brought before the grand Jury by JMiirß. Biddfs, Esq., district attorney.' Timgrfenil jury found a true bill of Indictment against! night of the 15th of thereby the cars were thtownfrom the track, and 1 the death of passengers resulted, Ac. i: The Indictment was» on Tuesday, and at the opening of the session of court on Wednesday morning (22d), the prisoner was brought into Court iind formally upon the charge. By tko, advice of his counsel he plead ‘'guilty,” prdltuWy qi the hope thereby of securing leniency of punishment for his crimes. Bowen, lit oonrt, and under the trying ordeal, of arralgrtmetit.; appeared cool and unconcerned, and mani-i fested less concern in the proceedings than any one among the crowded audience, who

were listening wltffi almost' breathless in-1 terest to the proceedings, Ills' : ptM uatfifcjf 'been entered by the clerk, he was remanded back to jail to >sWatt sentence, whioh Will be pronounced by the judge at the close of tho term. Our ye porter-had a brief interview with Bowen I 'after his return to jail. The miserable seemctl not to realize the ehormity of bis crimes, but spoke lightly of the matter, saving that he expected the judge would give hiiu.quly a sliprt term of imprisonment, and he would ebon be out Card'to bib 1 confessed Of guilt hi connection with tbja Carr’s Rock disaster, the story seems too improbable and horrible for, belief But- those who best know the circumstances of the case, and have the beet opportunity fbr forming l a correct judgment in'tfhe- premises, put entire ere* deuce in his statement —which, by theway, is strongly corroborated by outside evidence—and are ftilly satisfied of the abt hls horrible story, anil that he tfoe confession t 6 Obtain relief from the torment^or a guilty conscience.— l 'Port Jentk {lf. T.) Gazette, Sept. 25,