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Mills County, Iowa Newspaper Stories
Phil Booth Murder
These were all submitted by Catherine at prestontm@hotmail.com]
Malvern Leader, Nov 29, 1894.
On Saturday evening about 10 o'clock a quarrel took place between Albert Bowen and Phil Booth in the office of
the livery barn, said to be over some grudge*. Someone present attempted to take Bowen, out but it seems he was
bent on shooting before he left, and just as he reached the door he turned around and shot, the shot taking effect
under Booth's left arm. This shot was the one that struck Charles Bickford in the leg. From evidence it seems
that after this shot Booth sprange after Bowen and when just outside the door the second shot was fired, taking
effect in the left side, just under the heart. Bowen then left for parts unknown. Booth went out at the east
door of the barn and around to the south side, falling under an old buggy standig there. He was taken up at a
few moments after and carried to Dr. Whitmall's office where he expired one hour later.
A great deal of sympathy is manifest among citizens of this place for the family of Philip Booth who was murdered
at Hastings Saturday. Many of our citizens were former schoolmates of the deceased.
[*Submitter's Note: My grandmother, Julia Opal Thomas Nelson, who
was Philip Booth's granddaughter, said that the argument was over an election. It should also be noted that Albert
Bowen and Philip Booth were neighbors.
Melvern Leader Nov 29, 1894
The murder at Hastings on Saturday night, a brief account of which was sent us by our Hastings correspondent, created
intense excitement here where all the parties are quite generally known. The murdered man had many friends who
are deeply moved by his tragic death and the sympathy of the entire community goes out to the stricken wife and
children in their terrible sorrow. From the best information we have been able to gather the murder was wholly
unprovoked. The consensus of opinion is that Mr. Booth had not been drinking, as was at first reported, but that
Bowen, who was under the influence of liquor, took advantage of the opportunity to pay off an old grudge in the
most terrible manner. That the murderer should have been permitted to escape after this bloody work seems strange
in view of the fact that a number of men were on the scene and some of them heavily armed. But he did escape and
is still at large so far as we know. The horse which he rode away was found at Mr. Ayr Monday, so we have been
informed. That he will yet be apprehended and brought to justice is very probable although he may for a time elude
the officers. Bowen is said to be of a contentions, quarrelsome disposition, especially when in liquor and feeling
against him ran so high that had he been captured within a few hours of the commission of his crime he would have
been very roughly handled.
Mills County Tribune - Thursday Nov. 29, 1894
Mike Miller, D.D.G.M. of Glenwood was in attendance at the funeral of P.D. Booth.
P.D. Booth, who was murdered by Al Bowen, was buried Monday. The funeral was coducted by the Odd Fellows.
Mills County Tribune Dec 1894
BOWEN IN HIDING
The murderer of Phil Booth Down in Missouri
Hiding Among His Relatives - He Will Resist Arrest - a Mt. Ayr Paper Gives Interesting News
Last week’s Mr. Ayr, Ringgold county, Ia. News, gives the following interesting matter in relation to Al Bowen,
the fugitive murder:
A murder in Mills county greatly interest Ringgold county people just now, as the perpetrator of the crime passed
through her on this road to refuge in Harrison county, Mo, which adjoins this count on the south.
In Tuesday’s issue we announced that this was believed to be the case, as a horse was discovered Monday which answered
the description sent out by the Mills county sheriff. The fact of the crime and the flight seem to be as follows.
(The followed a description of the murder, already know to our readers. - Ed.) Shortly after committing the murder
Bowen was mounted on a running-bred bay stallion belonging to his uncle, and was fleeing from justice. He must
have reached Gooseberry Creek, four miles east of Ayr, early Monday morning, for when Levi Terwilliger found the
horse under the bridge just west of his residence Monday noon, he gave evidence of several hours of cooling of
after a very hard ride. From here Bowen is supposed to have walked 17 miles southeast to a neighborhood a half
mile across the Missouri line, and two miles this side of the line between Ringgold and Decatur counties. Here
there live his eight cousins, also bearing the name of Bowen, and their two brothers-in-law, a total of ten men
who are skilled in the use of fire arms, and just such men as are liable to die with their boots on. The hills
down there are so steep that the cattle can’t graze while going down the country, and it is an ideal place of refuge
especially with so many friends close at hand. Two of Bowen’s cousins came up after the horse an’ offer the following
story: They said Bowen was out buying cattle, his horse gave out and he showed up at their place for dinner about
one o’clock Monday; that since then they had not seen him and knew of no trouble till the officer came. However,
they did not get the horse, which was in such bad shape after his long ride that he was brought to Mr. Ayr to be
treated by veterinary G. McClintock.
The officer who came in response to a telegram sent Monday is Deputy Sheriff J. H. Howe of Glenwood. He drove over
from Afton Tuesday forenoon, and that afternoon together with F. M. White and Abe Morgan went on the trail. The
started in the Bowen neighborhood that evening, returning the next morning, and Wednesday afternoon Mr. Howe left
for Glenwood, evidently thinking that a company of infantry would be about necessary force to subdue the Bowen
bailiwick.
Red Oak Sun, Friday, December 7, 1894
Escaped the Sheriff
Albert Bowen, Who Killed Philip Boot at Hastings, Not Arrested Yet
Albert Bowen, who in a drunken quarrel shot and killed Philip Booth in R.G. Priest’s liver barn at Hastings about
10 p.m. on Nov. 24, has so far succeeded in escaping arrest. In the confusion and excitement of the moment no attempt
was made to detain Bowen and he quickly left for his home, two miles southeast of the town. He stayed at home about
an hour and then taking several hundred dollars in money and a horse he left and has not been seen since. He traveled
on horseback to near Mt. Ayr, where the horse was found by the sheriff’s posse in pursuit, he having abandoned
the animal. When last heard of he was in Harrison County, Mo.
Bowen had been drinking heavily the night of the murder, and when in liquor was always ugly tempered. A short time
before he shot Booth they were drinking together in a stall in the livery barn, when the cook in the hotel came
up and Bowen pulled out his revolver and made the cook dance. The he went into the office of the livery barn, where
six or eight other men were and began talking loud and threatening Booth with whom he had a difficulty some weeks
before. Booth came in while Bowen was threatening and quickly the quarrel was on. Booth told Bowen he didn’t dare
draw his revolver on him (Booth) again as he had done when they had their previous difficulty. Bowen replied with
an oath that the would draw his revolver on whomever he pleased . At this Booth pulled out his pocket-knife and
told Bowen that if the revolver was drawn Bowen would suffer. One of the other men in the office then took hold
of Bowen, turned him partly around and guided him out of the office. As he went out of the door he turned and fired
at Booth, the ball striking Booth’s shoulder blade and glancing off struck Chas. Bickford in the leg. Booth started
after Bowen and just as the latter got outside the office door Bowen fired again, shooting Booth through the body
just below the heart. Booth walked about 40 feet and fell. He was taken to a doctor’s office and in an hour he
was dead. He was never fully conscious, although he spoke several times.
Bickford, who was shot in the leg was not seriously wounded, the bullet being pulled out with a piece of his pantaloons
that it had taken in with it. Bickford had just returned a rig to the barn and was on his way out when shot.
Booth leaves a wife and three children. The murderer has a wife and eight children.
Glenwood, Iowa, July 11, 1911 - Mills County Tribune
BOOTH MURDER RECALLED BY FRUITLESS TRIP OF THE OFFICERS TO SOUTH DAKOTA
Last Friday’s Tribune told of the absence of Sheriff Bushnell and Deputy Edwards, and that the rumor was generally
circulated that they had captured a man up in Tripp county, South Dakota, wanted for the murder committed 17 years
ago in Mills County. As we could secure no confirmation of the rumor, the Tribune refrained from mentioning names
or giving the particulars until the return of the officers.
Messrs. Bushnell and Edwards returned Thursday night, but "their man" was not with them. They had been
given a wrong tip.
Japsey Way of Malvern is responsible for the officials’ fruitless trip of late, and coming down the first of the
month reported that Al Bowen, wanted for the murder of Phil Booth at Hastings on Nov. 24, 1894 was working near
there. This was followed by a telegram from an officer that Booth was under arrest at Colome. Deputy Edwards at
once started for Colome to take charge of Booth, and Sheriff Bushnell went to Des Moines for requisition papers
from Gov. Carroll, and after securing them hunted up the governor of South Dakota to have the same honored.
In the mean time Mr. Edwards arrived at Colome, and soon found out that the man under arrest was not the one wanted,
although his name was Bowen, and resembled somewhat the murderer of Booth.
It is said that the man arrested is a cousin of Al Bowen. His name is John Bowen, familiarly known as "Coffee
John" from the fact he has been a cook in grading camps there for several years past. "Coffee John"
was arrested for bootlegging, and did not know that he was wanted on a more serious charge. He is now in the federal
prison at Sioux City.
The incident has created much interest, especially in the east end of Mills County, where both men were well known.
Bad blood had existed for several months between Booth and Bowen. The latter charged Booth and a couple of other
men with stealing keg of beer from him. It was on a Saturday night when the two men met in the office at the old
livery barn at Hastings. Both had been drinking and were in ugly moods. Bowen, who had the reputation of being
a "bad man" and always carrying a gun or knife, was armed with a big 44 revolver on this occasion. It
is charged in defense of Bowen that Booth displayed a knife on this occasion, but it is declared that he was never
known to carry a gun. He had the reputation of being a fist fighter, and was quarrelsome when under the influence
of drink.
Witnesses declare that after Booth dared Bowen to lay down his gun and go into the street, he rushed at him. Booth
was shot twice. One bullet passed through his shoulder and struck a bystander, Charles Bickford.
This was at 10 o’clock at night, and an hour later Booth was dead.
Bowen, unmolested, started on foot for his home three miles southeast of Hastings. There he mounted a stallion
and road 100 miles that night to Mt. Ayr, near which place he had relatives.
The horse was found tied under a railroad bridge, and the animal died three days later from the hard ride he had
been given.
Bowen was later traced down into Missouri, where other relatives lived.
Willard Campbell, now living near Missouri Valley, was sheriff at the time, and J. H. Howe of Glenwood was his
deputy. The officers spent much time in attempting to capture Bowen but without success.
Mr. Howe staes that at one time he traced Bowen to the home of an aunt down in Missouri, and but for the refusal
of a couple of local officers to stand guard at the back door, while he entered the front door, he would have captured
him. The Missouri officials declined on the ground that they did not want to get killed. Mr. Howe was compelled
to go into the house alone, but saw nothing of Bowen. However, while he was talking with Bowen’s aunt a man came
in the back way and throwing a big revolver on the bed remarked that he had been out shooting squirrels.
He is statisfied that there would have been a desperate battle had he chanced to meet Bowen and attempted his arrest.
It was afterwards tipped off, through relatives, that Bowen went out the back door when the deputy sheriff entered
the front way.
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