Charles Bowles
Encyclopedia
Charles E. Bowles was a politician
from Michigan
, and served as Mayor of Detroit in 1930.
, the son of Alfred and Mary Lutz Bowles. He graduated from Ferris Institute (now Ferris State University
) in 1904, received a law degree from the University of Michigan
in 1908, and was admitted to the bar in 1909. He married Ruth Davis in 1915; the couple had one daughter, Helen Ruth Bowles.
Bowles entered politics from obscurity and to run for mayor's office vacated by Frank Ellsworth Doremus
's resignation in 1925. He was openly supported by the Ku Klux Klan
. He ran third in the primary election behind John W. Smith
and Joseph A. Martin
, eliminating him from the ballot in the general election. However, Bowles continued his campaign as a write-in candidate, and nearly won, losing only after 15,000 ballots were disqualified. Bowles ran unsuccessfully for may or once more the next year. After his mayoral run, he obtained a position as judge on the recorder's court. He was re-elected to his judgeship, but resigned to make one more run at the mayor's office in 1929.
Bowles defeated John C. Lodge in the primary and John W. Smith
in the general election to win office. Bowles had campaigned as an anti-crime reformer, but when he fired Police Commissioner Harold Emmons after the latter had ordered a series of raids, he was accused of "tolerating lawlessness" and a recall election was instituted barely six months after he had entered office. Multiple people campaigned for Bowles's recall, including radio commentator Gerald E. "Jerry" Buckley. The recall was successful, but on the morning after, Buckley was shot in a hotel lobby. Although evidenced later surfaced indicating the murder had more to do with underworld blackmail than politics, the murder of Buckley cast suspicion on Bowles. Bowles ran in the mayoral election a month later, but lost to Frank Murphy
.
Later in his career he unsuccessfully ran for both the Michigan State House and U.S. House, as well as Detroit mayor.
Charles Bowles died on July 30, 1957, and is buried in Evergreen Cemetery.
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
from Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
, and served as Mayor of Detroit in 1930.
Biography
Charles Bowles was born on March 24, 1884 in Yale, MichiganYale, Michigan
Yale is a city in St. Clair County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,063 at the 2000 census. Yale is considered unofficially as the Bologna Capital of the world, in part due to its . Yale bologna is sold in grocery stores throughout the area. Yale is also home to the Yale...
, the son of Alfred and Mary Lutz Bowles. He graduated from Ferris Institute (now Ferris State University
Ferris State University
Ferris State University is a public university with its main campus in Big Rapids, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1884 as the Big Rapids Industrial School by Woodbridge Nathan Ferris, an educator from New England who later served as governor of the State of Michigan and finally in the US Senate where...
) in 1904, received a law degree from the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
in 1908, and was admitted to the bar in 1909. He married Ruth Davis in 1915; the couple had one daughter, Helen Ruth Bowles.
Bowles entered politics from obscurity and to run for mayor's office vacated by Frank Ellsworth Doremus
Frank Ellsworth Doremus
Frank Ellsworth Doremus was a politician from the U.S. state of Michigan.-Early life:Doremus was born in Venango County, Pennsylvania on August 31, 1865, the son of Sylvester and Sarah Peake Doremus. The Doremus family moved to Ovid, Michigan in 1866, and then to Portland, Michigan in 1872...
's resignation in 1925. He was openly supported by the Ku Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan, often abbreviated KKK and informally known as the Klan, is the name of three distinct past and present far-right organizations in the United States, which have advocated extremist reactionary currents such as white supremacy, white nationalism, and anti-immigration, historically...
. He ran third in the primary election behind John W. Smith
John W. Smith (Detroit mayor)
John W. Smith was a long-time member of the Detroit City Council and was twice mayor of Detroit, Michigan.-Early life:...
and Joseph A. Martin
Joseph A. Martin
Joseph A. Martin was the mayor of Detroit, Michigan in 1924.-Biography:Joseph A. Martin was born in 1888. He was Commissioner of Public Works for Detroit from 1920 to 1923. He served as acting mayor in 1924 after Frank Ellsworth Doremus resigned for health reasons...
, eliminating him from the ballot in the general election. However, Bowles continued his campaign as a write-in candidate, and nearly won, losing only after 15,000 ballots were disqualified. Bowles ran unsuccessfully for may or once more the next year. After his mayoral run, he obtained a position as judge on the recorder's court. He was re-elected to his judgeship, but resigned to make one more run at the mayor's office in 1929.
Bowles defeated John C. Lodge in the primary and John W. Smith
John W. Smith (Detroit mayor)
John W. Smith was a long-time member of the Detroit City Council and was twice mayor of Detroit, Michigan.-Early life:...
in the general election to win office. Bowles had campaigned as an anti-crime reformer, but when he fired Police Commissioner Harold Emmons after the latter had ordered a series of raids, he was accused of "tolerating lawlessness" and a recall election was instituted barely six months after he had entered office. Multiple people campaigned for Bowles's recall, including radio commentator Gerald E. "Jerry" Buckley. The recall was successful, but on the morning after, Buckley was shot in a hotel lobby. Although evidenced later surfaced indicating the murder had more to do with underworld blackmail than politics, the murder of Buckley cast suspicion on Bowles. Bowles ran in the mayoral election a month later, but lost to Frank Murphy
Frank Murphy
William Francis Murphy was a politician and jurist from Michigan. He served as First Assistant U.S. District Attorney, Eastern Michigan District , Recorder's Court Judge, Detroit . Mayor of Detroit , the last Governor-General of the Philippines , U.S...
.
Later in his career he unsuccessfully ran for both the Michigan State House and U.S. House, as well as Detroit mayor.
Charles Bowles died on July 30, 1957, and is buried in Evergreen Cemetery.
External links
- "Turmoil in Detroit." Time, June 2, 1930.
- "Death in Detroit." Time, August 4, 1930.
- Find-a-Grave Listing