Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1876-12-06
TREASURY ROBBERS.
Their Sworn Statement.

| Globe nenoerst, Nov. %.
On the 18th inst. the Globe Demo-
erat contained An account of the cap
ture by detectives, at Hurst's Euro
! pean Hotel. of n man and woman
who had arrived there a day or two
before and registered under the names
OF j. NJ. Brown and wife, and were
thought to havo been engaged or in
terested in the Marion county, Iowa,
treasury, on the 10th of October. As
the case was one of unusual magni-
tude, and NJ the officers were assured
that all the robbers had not been cap
tured, they declined to furnish the
press with particulars, and such news
IA was given was somewhat meager,
and only CLEANED with considerable
labor. The matter having now as-
sumed shape, a full history Of the
transaction can be given. The treas
ury WAS robbed on the 10th Of Octo-
ber Of about sl2 900. The deed was
committed by tive men, who wore
black velvet masks, and who forced
the Treasurer into the vault, and
with drawn revolvers compelled him
TO open the safe.
On the evening OF the 18TH inst.
the Chief OF the 1T. Louis police force
received the first complete statement
OF the affair, from the Treasurer OF
Marion county, Il. M. fsris, who,
with companion named Hawk, who
had come here on the trail Of -. NJ.
Brown and wife, That night 18th
the suspected parties, whose proper
names are John NJ. Brannon and
| Eliza j. Flanders ~ sister-inlaw oi
Brannon), were arrested while occu-
pying II room together ut the hotel
named. They we've placed in separ.
ate cells, and being kept apart, each
manage d through fear of what the
other might tell, to place the police
in possession of facts which led TO the
arrest OF the ring leader in tho rob-
berry. On tho strength OF their
stories, detectives Huthsing and
Lawler were started for the West to
effect the arrest Of one John II. Bar
Gus alias j. II. Mcclure, and by TAX
ing the woman with them, who was
more intent on "saving her own
bacon" than in looking out for the
others, succeeded I'm catching their
man st Atchison, and in bringing
him here, n week ago last Sunday.
This latter fact was kept profound
secret. The man remained In the
dark cell OF the Four Courts exactly
one week on prison fare, denying
guilt and defying the law; but last
Sunday, on being given to UNDER
stand by Brannon and the woman
Flanders what they had told, he gave
way and made the following confess
sion, showing how prominent a part
he took In the affair of October IN:
ia ARGIS' STATEMENT.
SATURDAY, Nov. -, lS7G.--I, John
X. Barcus, resident Of Red Rock !,
Marion county, Iowa, do, OF my own
free will and accord, voluntarily
make the following statement rela-
tive to the robbing Of the Marion
county treasury At Knoxville, Iowa
to.wit: First OF all, about two years
ago one Charles Henry Williams and
man, an ex-conyict, whose name /
can not call, proposed to me to rol,
the Marion county treasury. / and
Williams have always been very in
innate friends, and Williams had
confidence i'm me. He knew that /
had plenty of nerve and am good
shot. ] finally consented to under
take the job, with the said Williams.
The other man previously mentioned
was not In it. think he il in tho
penitentiary at present. About dark
(not very dark on October 10, 1876,
] and Charles II. Williams entered
the Marion county treasury. We
"stood up" the Treasurer, Dick Faris,
opened the vault, secured the funds
and thrust Faris into the vault. !
think Faris hallooed murder
twice. We did not use the least vio-
lence toward Faris, nor cut him, nor
cut at him. Williams drew his knife
but did not use 1t. We did not In
tend to hurt Faris, If he had not sur.
rendered the money, but would have
done some bad work on outsiders y
they had intcrfered with us. an
very certain that the money countet
was $i0,052 in all. Four hundred
dollars Of the amount was In quarter
and fractional currency; the baIanc'
Of the money In bills, the priucipa
part OF which was la Knoxville banI
bills. The wallet reported 10 hav
been taken had Just t65 III 1t, instea'
or $50, las claimed by Farisl whicI
WIS kept by ", but the wallet sDs