Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-12-11

to the belief that Jack Riley was the one who
did the shooting; the letter came to me I'm.
solicited, and was the means of opening s cor
respondence which gave me clue; my atten.
ton had been turned to the Riley family, as
they were known to be bitterly hostile to me-
detective agency in Chicago, and their agents
will be placed upon the stand.
A. r. COX TESTIFIED.
Was at the residence of Judge Page very
soon after the gshooting on the evening OF
Aug. oath last; arrived about $50; the night
was dark and drizzling rain was In progress
1 found dozen persons there; Judge Page lay
upon the bed with the doctors at work upon
his head; saw the window and effects of the
shot, as Judge Page has testified; the coat
were bloody; the vest much SO:
! examined the effects of the shot upon the
room; found several shot in the books upon the
table and gun wads upon the floor; the grass
wad lay upon the oilcloth and the paper wad
upon the floor; the paper wad was of peculiar
paper; have visited Judge Page frequently
since the shooting; looked around the prem
ises for footprints or other evidence: found
tracks in the corn field; my opinion is that the
gun must have been rested upon the beveled
piece described by Judge Page, and the wire
was burnt by the powder.
JUDGE PAGA RECALLED.
wish to state that had at the time of the
shooting an old dog crippled by age; when !
came home he went into the carriage house
and was shut in there; had also another dog
just brought home, who was chained between
the barn and house; this dog was young at
that time ana stranger, and gave no alarm.
THE FOUR LETTERS.
The following letters, the first of which is
above referred to by Judge Page, were then
read and placed in evidence:
WAUPUN, Wis, 1880, 8, 80.
Hon. Sherman Page, Austin, Minn.-Dear
Sir: Please inform me- If it is possible for Won
to do 80, if Tom and Frank Riley have had a
brother visit them recently from this State.
Do it without creating any suspicion, if posi-
trip to this State about four or five weeks
ago. You can probably ascertain that through
the station agent at Austin. If he has had a
brother visit him recently think can furnish
you with few points in regard to the attempt.
ed assassination that may be of benefit to you
in tracing the guilty party. Respectfully
yours, W. 81. CLAY, P. o. box, 4O7.
WAUpoN, Wis, 1880, 9, 4.
Hon. Sherman Page, Austin, Minn.-Dear
Sir. Yoursfof the 31st inst at hand. Will an
swer imm ediately. In the first place I am an
officer in the Wisconsin States prison located at
this place, and have been for the last fifteen
years. On the night of the 9th of August 1
was passing cell and a prisoner by the name
of John Riley stopped me and asked me if 7
had seen his brother. I told him 1 had not.
He then told me that his time was out in the
morning and that his brother was here for him
to take him home with him; he said his broth
er was in business there and had offered him a
position. 1 asked him what business
bis brother followed and in what part of the
State he resided. He said he was a saloon
keeper and lived in Austin; and he said, also.
that be had another brother that held a promi-
nent position as an officer, and I am quite
certain when referring to his brother, the sa-
loon keeper, that he called him Frank. saw
them together the next morning on their way
to the depot, but not near enough to identify
him, and then when saw that article in the
Chicago Tribune referring to the attempted
assassination, it struck me in second that if
there was any antmosity existing between you
and these Rileys, that if they looked the
United States over they could not light On q
better subject to carry out their designs than
this same John Riley. He could be hired for
small sum to do anything. He has served
five terms in this institution since
have been connected with it. Now think
you can see why I happened to write you
on the subject. If this John Riley is not there
now don't think there will be any trouble in
tracing him. If he should prove to be the per-
son wanted l think he could be found within
one week if the matter is kept dark. Now, in
regard to my character and standing would
respectfully refer you to w. D. Smith, present
governor of this State; also Geo. Dewey of
Madison, Wis. Hon. Gee. J. Wheeler, Waupun,
Wis, Jonathan Bureman. attorney. Kilbourn
City, Wis.,, B. 3. Barbour, Delavan, Wis, Sum-
uer Breasted, Fond du Lac, Wis, Nelson Wheel
er, Chippewa. Wis, John Genkins, Chippewa,
Wis, or John T. Mcdonald, of the detective
agency, Milwaukee, Wis. If you should an
swer this Immediately address me at Kilbourn
this month, but if you should wait for few
days write me at Waupun, Wis. Respectfully
yours, w. q. CLAY.
WAUpUN. Wis, sept. 15.-To Hon. 8. Page
Austin: On my arrival home this evening I
find your letter written September z, and will
answer it forthwith. John A. Riley, alias
''Buckskin jack convicted Aug. 80, 1879.
before the county court of Marathon county,
Of the crime of larceny, and sentenced to i'm.
prisonment in the State prison for term of
one year; discharged on reduction time, Aug.
6, 1880; age % years; height five feet seven
inches; dark complexion, black hair, brown
eyes, cross-eyed, weight 40 pounds. They
both left the depot in this city together on Au-
gust 9th, but cannot learn that they pur-
chased any firearms here. There were only
the two, John and Frank. that left here to-
gether. Now if have named the right man,
and am confident in my own mind that have
don't see why should not be entitled to
the reward, but you can rest assured if there is
anything can do to help you bring the guilty
parties to justice it will be done whether get
anything or not. There was a detective here
him here? told him right where he could
find Riley, and he left here for that place. Gall
on me in any way that you see fit TO help you
in this matter and will work to the best of
my ability and do it cheerfully, Yours truly.
W. 81. CLAY
WAUpAN, Wis, 1880, 8, 20.
Hon. Sherman Page-Dear Sir sEnclosed you
will find note written by one of the prison
officers here, that saw and talked with Frank
Riley the evening before he returned to Austin,
and You can see by this note that it was the in
tention Of Frank Riley to take his brother
home with him, and there can't anybody make
me believe that they did not 60 there together,
and think he has been paid well for going.
will try and find out if he had any conversation
with anybody else while here in regard to his
business. Mr.. McEven did not know that
had been holding correspondence with you
about this matter until two or three days ago.
Respectfully yours.
VIII. CLAY.
A recess was here had to l :30p.M.
b. B. HANMoRE TESTIFIED.
Am reporter for the Pioneer Press, St.
Paul; had an interview with the prisoner at
Austin; prisoner stated he had not been in
Austin for fifteen months previous to the 9Th
or 9Th of November, and that he was not there
at the time of the shooting.
SHERIFF sHEEHAN TESTIFIED.
Am sheriff of Freeborn county; have had GUS
tody of the prisoner since November 20; was
present at interview between Hanmore and tbs
prisoner; Hanmore stated to prisoner that he
was a reporter; Hanmore asked Riley whether
he was at Austin at the time of the shooting or
where he was at that time; Riley stated that he
had not been in Austin for fifteen months pre-
vious to November 6 last; that he was not there
at the time of the shooting.
JOHN NUGENT TESTIFIED.
Live at Austin; attend school; my father is a
saloon keeper; know defendant by sight; knew
him when he kept hotel at Austin; saw him
after Frank Riley moved from Mill to Bridge
street standing in Franks saloon. did not coo