Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1869-06-30

the robbery OF the County Nationa
Bank, 10 this place, on the 18th O.
May last, by three Western experts
in that profession, named Jamcs Mel
son, alias J. Wilson, or, a. he Is known
to policemen generally, "Californis
0 Jack !" J. II. Lamoine, Of st. Louis
alias Congdon and J. r. Newman,
with several aliases too. The three
|, were jointly indicted for the robbery
: and were put on trial on last Saturday
morning, when Lamoine's counsel dc.
msnded a separate trial for him, which,
after some hesitation on the part of
the Court, was conceded by the
District Attorney. Lamoine was at
once placed on trial and when the
case was about half through, District
Attorney Mccullough moved TO enter
a nolle prosequi in the case of Nelson,
for the purpose of placing him upon
the witness stand. This not only pro-
duced sensation in the court room,
but throughout the whole town. He
took the stand, and below will be found
his confession. The jury, about nine
O'Clock on Saturday night, returned
a verdict of guilty. Newman was
placed on his trial on Monday, and
was also convicted; whercupon the
Court sentenced both Lamoine and
Newman TO four years hard labor in
the penitentiary; being the full extent
Of the law.
CONFESSION OF JAMES NELSON.
There were three men engaged in
the burglary, Mr.. Lamoine, Mr.. New
man and myself We came to this
State from st. Louis, Mo. Newman
and myself came TO Harrisburg. We
waited till Lamoine came on, and met
him at Williamsport between eight
and ten days after. We remained at
Williamsport one day. Lamoine and
| then went TO Ohio, meeting Now
man at Tyrone. ] came up from
Altoona to Tyrone first, and met
Lamoine there; met him there on
Wednesday or Thursday. MIR. New
man came TO Tyrone on Saturday.
In the meantime ] came over 70 Clear
field, and stopped at the Mansion
House came here on Thursday, and
returned to Tyrone on Saturday. Mr..
Lamoine came here on Saturday.
Newman and / went TO Harrisburg.
Newman stopped at Huntingdon. / |
remained at Harrisburg till Monday,
when ] returned to Huntingdon. Net
Lamoine on Tuesday at Huntington,
as was agreed. We remained there
over Tuesday, and left on Wednesday
morning; took the 1880 a. m. train for
Tyrone. We came 10 Clenrfeld on
the 9 o'clock train, and arrived at
1850 p. m. We got of the train, and
went up the side of the mountain, and
remained there until dark-about a
mile back. After dark we came into
town, and went around to several
blacksmith shops, and got some tools
We waited until halfpast IL o'clock,
when we came down in front of the
bark, and remained awhile to see that
all was still. We pushed open the
door with an iron bar. / done it.
Lamoine and ! broke open the vault
door, and the safe. Newman remained
outside, on watch. We took the
money, and started out of town. We
went over the hill and buried some
nickels, and went on until daylight
on the road, and then took TO the
woods, towards Tyrone. Left the
road TO the right, and went down TO
and crossed the creek into a little
cabin, and remained there all day.
We divided the spoils about o'clock.
There was some $4,000 or $40, 1000
$4,000 in bonds, about $3.50 in postal
currency, and several $500 bills. We
laid all the bills in apple; then passed
around the 81 900 bills, then the $500,
500, &c. The bonds l got Mr.. Z
Lamoine paid his note off to me of
sl,l00. Lamoine tore up the note
outside Of the cabin. There were
some mutilatod bills left at the cabin
stuck alongside some logs. When
night came we got on the railroad
track, above the sawmill, and followed
il until morning. About day we came
up TO a station, and discovered a man I
standing at the station. We sheared
off 10 the right, keeping along the
creek all the day, making way for
Tyrone. We came on TO the railroad
near the Summit kept the track
about half mile; sheared off the
track until the passenger train passed,
and then came on the track again.
We met three inen on the way down
We continued down to the Intersec- .
ton, in sight of the station. Seen
some men standing there. The men
came on towards us rapidly, and two
came on running. We started and ,
ran across the creek remained in the /,
woods about an hour; struck the other
road, and kept it until We struck the
pike. We walked on together until
about two o'clock in the morning,
when we separated. Newman and
kept together. lamoine said he was
going for the Baltimore q Ohio rail
road. Newman and myself crossed
the Central railroad at Spruce Crock, {
and struck south. We Travelled some {
two or three days, and stopped (the :
only place | can describe was at Bed t,
ford y then up canal. We staid all
night at little town about five miles
from Broad Top railroad. Newman =,
and myself went on around Bedford, )
and tried severa! houses before they J
would keep us. We took the stage '
near Centreville, where we were arrest {
cd, and brought back. heard the
Sheriff at Centrevilc, or noticed some
thing up, so | moved off down the lot
| saw a black stump there, and put
the package it. l had 81 600, IS, ,0O0
OF $1,000 with me when | left. After 7
we started back had something over '
81, 900. ! had $500 of my own. | II