Margaret Matilda Wright-Rowen: A Cult Leader Goes To Prison

Margaret Matilda Wright was born 29 Oct 1879 in Pennsylvania, to Allison Alfred Wright (1846-1897) & Matilda Flounders (1847-1930).

Inmate: #43969 San Quentin Prison

Rec: 11 Aug 1927

Crime: Assist to produce bodily harm

Term: 0-10 yrs

She claimed to know when the world would end and it was published world wide in the newspapers in 1925, here are a few articles.

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/49806637/margaret-w-rowen/

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/49806670/margaret-w-rowen/

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/49806296/margaret-w-rowen/..

1926 article:

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/49806802/margaret-w-rowen/

Now for some history on Margaret:

She was married several times:

Spouses:

J. J. Hartman (1880-?) marriage date unknown
Dr. Burt Emerson Fullmer (1870-1928)

And George Washington Rowen (1875-1935) married 1899 had the following children


Maude Irene Rowen
1901–
George Alfred Rowen
1904–
John Plummer Rowen

1908–

Now the crime:

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/49800371/dr-jacob-f-balzer/

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/49800314/dr-jacob-f-balzer/


https://www.newspapers.com/clip/49727626/mary-a-wade/

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/49727489/mary-a-wade/

Mrs. Rowan and her two followers were charged with slugging Dr. Fullmer with a gas pipe after having , lured him to an automobile park by telephone. It was also charged that Dr. Fullmer had been subjected to a "poison needle" attack. The three defendants were originally charged with conspiracy to commit murder but later  were permitted to plead guilty to the charge of assault by means and force likely to produce great bodily injury.

 Dr. Jacob Balzer Held For Attempted Murder as Critic Escapes USE HYPODERMIC NEEDLE Police Hunt Second Woman as Pasadenas Tell of Retraction Plot Dr. Jacob Balzer of Pasadena, who with Mrs. Margaret A. Rowan, prophesied that the world would end February 5 of last year, and who planned to dispose of all of his earthly belongings In preparation for the event, may be permitted to hold his postponed sale in event he is found guilty of a charge of assault to commit murder and Is sent to the penitentiary.

The others involved:

Dr. Jacob Franklin Balzer born 8 Dec 1876 in McPherson County, PA to Peter Balzer (1942-1891)& Susanna Schmidt (1844-1877).

He married Arvilla May Paul(1876-1936) married 1899. Divorced 1922 because he was having an affair with his head nurse. Here's those newspaper articles.

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/49799952/dr-jacob-f-balzer/

Inmate: #43952 San Quentin Prison

Rec: 6 Aug 1927

Crime: Assault to produce bodily harm

Term: 0-10

His lover was the 2rd one involved.

Mary Augusta Wade was born 18 Dec 1883 in Texas. to William T Wade & Cora I Booth.
She was a nurse.

Inmate: #43968 San Quentin Prison

Rec: 10 Aug 1927

Crime: Assist to do bodily harm

Term: 0-10Yrs

Margaret Rowen would die 5 Aug 1939 in Los Angeles.

Dr. Balzer would die 2 May 1955 in Los Angeles.

Mary Wade would die about 1949.

I found this record that Roger W Coon wrote.

Seems they all stayed together after they were released from prison in 1929.

What a weird story, the end of the world, hypodermic needles, and bizarre practices, affairs and prison. Might make a pretty darn good movie or book or both.