Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1876-11-30
The Robbers.
Arrival sn IN Ii..g. II s. Louis ''''''
!i1M
Barkus Confesses.
saANNoN PLEADS ALB
Barkus Confesses.
seANNoN PLEADS ALB.
Preliminary Examination To-Day.

.,nce the robbery OF our county treas
ury the people had generally aimos.
GIVEN M ali hope that the robbers
you'd ever he captured or the mystery
| cleared up. But measures were mean
while being taken TO ferret out the
thieves. Detectives have been on the
alert carefully and secretly Watching
suspected parties and waiting Tor TAN
chile evidences OF their guilt.
Tn aid of the efforts for capture the
narers of this city have withheld
knowledge Of the proceedings. This
| zee did last week, when the fact OF
grannon's capture had been known
here for several days, In order that.
other parties involved might be
trapped. r.
John Brannon was followed to st.
Ionis by Treasurer Farris and Elk.
sheriff Hawk Of Jasper county,
where he was caught at hotel, beded
with his wife's sister, Miss Flanders,
as related In an article on another
page, from st. Lonis paper.
BARKUs.
By documents and from Miss Flan-
ders' statements, John Barkus was
shown to be implicated, and by free
use Of the telegraph he was traced 70
Atchison, Kansas, where he was
caught by st. Louis detectives.
Brannon's house was searched by
Sheriff Hawk after his return from
| st. Louis, and on the person OF Mrs.
Brannan a part OF the stolen money,
about 81 500, was found. This, with
| So, 100 captured with brannan and Miss
Flanders, makesa totalofa at least -. 600
recovered.
A Miss Alley, who had made masks
for the robbers, was arrested and
placed in custody here to be held rs a
witness.
Wednesday evening OF this week
officers Lawler, Tucker, and Hutch
sing, from st. Louis, arrived with
Brannon, Barcus and Miss Flanders
in charge, having come up on the
Kcokuk Il Des Moines road to Otley,
and thence here by wagon.
Brannon and Barcus are chained
together and under guard sufficiently
strong to protect them from escape or
any attempt at violence against the
prisoners.
Their preliminary examination will
he held to-day, Thursday, before ESQ.
Hart. II Ii said that Brannon will
give any bail required. He claims to
have been In Sioux City on the day of
the robbery, and says he can bring
abundant proof Of this, and his arrival
at his home near Red Rock several
days thereafter.
Barcus says that Brannon had moth
ing to do with the theft; that the rob-
berry was committed by himself and
one other party, whose name we shall
for the present withhold, hoping he
may yet be cavght. Barcus and his
partner, as Barcus tells 1t, stole skili
the day Of the robbery, crossed the
Des Moines and hid the skiff on this
side in tree-top. They came to town
on foot, soon after sunset and
Immediately after dark walked into
the Tfeasurers office, not knowing
whom or how many persons they
might find there, but determined to
have the money II possible.
They did their work and went off
with their booty on foot, going direct
ly north on Second street past the
foundry, then across the fields half
mile, and thence in the road, crossing
White Breast on the Burch bridge,
and following the road. Some dis
lance beyond the bridge they were
passed by two horsemen, whom they
supposed to be from Knoxville In
search of the robbers. They went
past the residence of Capt. Blain, to
their skiff, and re.crossed the river.
After some weeks Barcus placed
his share OF the funds, or large por-
ton, in the hands Of Miss Flanders
to keep for him. She proved false,
and eloped with Brannon and the
money. This story Barcus related In
our presence In the Sheriff's Office
after his arrival here.
Barcus, Brannen aud the woman
have all made statements In full.
which are In the hands of tho officials
and will be shown in evidence to-day.
These parties all live In the vicinity
OF Red Rock, this county.
The Pella Blade Of this week l,as
this to say OF the thieves and the ar
rests.
The Btadc was the only paper In
the county which gave an account
last week of the discovery and cap
tnre OF some OF the parties engaged In
robbing our county treasury, and the
recovery of portion of the money.
Our people were surprised when they
read the good news and many of them
complimented the Blade for its energy
in getting the particulars In advance
of the Knoxville papers.
II now transpires that the man and
woman arrested In ST. Louis are the
notorious John Brannon, living above
Red Rock, aud his sister. in-law, Miss
eliza Flanders. As soon as Mr..
Hawk aud Mr.. Paris had secured
Brannon and Miss Flanders, they re-
turned home and Mr. Hawk v,aa -