Description
“SHOT THE WRONG MAN – Oscar Bowen of Platte County Assassinates Joseph Albright by Mistake – The Murder Was Done in the Dark – Bowen, a Negro, Had Had a Quarrel with a Man Named Hull Saturday and Laid for Him With a Pistol – A Fugitive.” - - A telegram was received at police headquarters about 1 o’clock Sunday morning from Sheriff Dillingham of Platte County, Mo., warning the officers to be on the lookout for a negro hotel waiter named Oscar Bowen who by mistake shot and fatally wounded a young white man named Joseph Albright in Platte City about midnight. Officers came over from Platte City yesterday and searched the haunts of the Platte County colored men but did not find the murderer. Albright was shot once through the stomach and once through the right leg. He died about 6 o’clock yesterday morning. Bowen had attended an outdoor festival during the day and while there had had some trouble with a young white man named Hull. The latter had placed his horse in a livery stable until he should want to go home. Several other young men also had horses temporarily in the stable, young Albright being one of them. About midnight, as Albright was about to take his horse out, Bowen, who was in waiting, opened fire. The first shot went through Albright’s body. After the shooting Bowen escaped to Beverly and later got on a Maple Leaf freight train for Leavenworth. It is believed that the negro mistook Albright for Hull and killed a man he had no trouble with.Date(s) of Creation
7/18/1898
