Pictures of Fifty Girls Found in Search of Bowen's Trunk

Another in our series of new transcriptions of contemporary articles on the Leo Frank case.

Atlanta Journal

Tuesday, May 6th, 1913

BY KENNETH TODD.

Formerly reporter on The Atlanta Journal, now the special correspondent in Houston.

(Special Dispatch to The Journal.)

Paul P. Bowen, a round-faced youth of twenty years, was arrested in Houston by detectives Monday night in connection with the murder of Mary Phagan in Atlanta several days ago.

Information furnished the department by Mrs. A. Blanchett, of Texas City, led to the arrest. Bowen and Mrs. Blanchett occupied adjoining rooms at the St. Jean hotel Sunday night, according to the story she told detectives. She saw young Bowen reading an Atlanta paper and saw him collapse while reading an account of the murder.

Later in the night she heard the young man moaning aloud in his room. She could not sleep, and telephoned the chief of the detectives. Monday evening Bowen took his trunk and suitcase and moved to a boarding house, where he was arrested two hours later.

PICTURES OF FIFTY GIRLS.

An examination of the papers and letters in his trunks showed that he had numerous photographs taken in Atlanta. Also letters mailed to him in Tyler, Tex., from Atlanta. Two pictures show him in the uniform of a national guardsman. It is understood that Bowen’s last Atlanta address was 108 Ivy street. In Bowen’s trunk were pictures of no less than fifty different girls. He was taken with some of them in surf photo galleries at Savannah. Others show him in the garb of a guardsman and were taken in Savannah, probably during an encampment.

Shortly after the arrest of Bowen [rest of this article is unavailable – Ed.]

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Atlanta Journal, May 6th 1913, “Pictures of Fifty Girls Found in Search of Bowen’s Trunk,” Leo Frank case newspaper article series (Original PDF)