Summary Justice

From all sources I found, Ernest Sylvan Rowland was destined to be in law enforcement. He was born in 1880 in Columbia, Missouri, the son of Joshua Marion Rowland and (Nancy) Emily King Rowland. His father Joshua fought for the Confederate Army in the Civil War.

Joshua died in 1903 when Ernest was just 23; his mother died twelve years later in 1915.  Ernest was a farmhand in his early working years. In 1917, at the age of thirty seven Rowland enlisted in the US Army and was a Seargent in the 60th Infantry of the 5th Division in World War I.  In 1918, he was  awarded the Croix De Guerre by France after being wounded in battle.

After returning from the war, likely with the help of his brother Dexter “Deck” Rowland, he became a Columbia police officer. For a period of time, Rowland also was a deputy warden for the Missouri State Penitentiary.

He was a member of the local American Legion, and in April, 1920 he was made a captain of the club “The Odd Fellows,” which was also the same club that George Barkwell belonged to, but perhaps not at the same period of time.  However, Rowland was also a charter member of Columbia Lions Club and he appears in a group picture with Dr. S.F. Conley and Fred Bright (both of whom helped to bail out Barkwell) and well as Boone County Sheriff, Fred Brown.

In April, 1921 Ernest Rowland is elected as City Marshall.

In April of the following year, a story ran in the local newspaper that spoke about a local black man who had been arrested for forging a check.  The man had previously been serving a life sentence at the penitentiary, but with the urging of Ernest Rowland who was working there at the time, the man had his life sentence commuted and he was placed on parole.  (He was sent back to prison for the check forging scheme.)

Rowland was the brother-in-law of County Sheriff T. Fred Whitesides who served from 1917 to 1920,  immediately before Sheriff Fred Brown took over from 1921 until 1924.  He had four siblings including brothers Dexter, James and William and a sister, Nora. Notably, Rowland was the first cousin of  Hampton ‘Hamp Rowland, friend of George Barkwell and co-conspirator in the murder of James Scott.

Ernest Sylvan Rowland died in Whipple, Arizona in 1949 at the age of 68.

Character Sketch

Ernest Rowland was the pride of Columbia. He was a decorated war hero and a connected member of Columbia’s local community.  He served at the state penitentiary before the war and he was on the Columbia police force for a few years before becoming the Chief. He was the brother-in-law of the Boone County Sheriff, Fred Whitesides and his brother “Deck” was also in law enforcement having gotten him his first job at the penitentiary.  So as Chief, Ernest felt comfortable in his job. It certainly wasn’t as difficult as slogging through the Ardenne Forest in France.

Keeping up with the newest methods of investigation was not Rowland’s strong suit.  He knew how to “police” and that was good enough for him.  He also knew that his cousin Henry (aka “Hamp”) was a small time bully but he made sure that their names and reputations still remained intact.  At some times, that required a little “fiddling” with the duty officer.

The Almstedt girl’s rape was important and it needed to be solved asap.  “Got the dogs from Audrain County within the hour.”  I figured it wouldn't be hard to find the guy since he had that real particular kind of mustache, like Charlie Chaplin’s.”

Rowland was probably typical for his day. His techniques was “old school,” but not cutting edge. His demeanor was friendly, but not to everyone. His work was complete but his details were lacking. He did know how to cover his ass however, assuring the newspapers that the Almstedt investigation was complete and unquestionably accurate.

That Rowland never intervened in the assault on the Boone County Jail just a couple of blocks away from the police station shows that he was out of touch at the least, and culpable of malfeasance at the most. His oath to protect the citizens of Columbia evidently only extended to those he knew and liked.