Fourteen Houston Policemen Fired on Bowen's Account

HOUSTON, Tex., Wednesday, May 7th, 1913 — Although young Paul P. Bowen, arrested in Houston on Monday as a suspect in the Mary Phagan case, has been released by the chief of police, the release was ordered against the wishes of the chief of detectives, who has since been summarily discharged for opposing his superior despite a telegram received from Chief Beavers of Atlanta directed to Chief Davison of the local department.

Bowen was released twenty four hours after the message was received. Chief of Detectives Peyton stubbornly refused to let the young man go free, at which point Chief Davison personally procured the keys and acted as turnkey himself. He subsequently discharged Peyton, setting off a dispute that has thrown the police department into considerable turmoil. Fourteen members of the department were discharged in connection with the affair.

Local Pinkerton agents as well as private detectives, claiming that Bowen's discharge was motivated largely by spite and carried out before a thorough investigation had been completed, are now conducting work on their own accord.

The conflict between the chief of police and the chief of detectives originated when the latter released the story to an afternoon newspaper without consulting the head of the department and without seeking his approval before mentioning his name.