The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1883-04-17
RELEASE OF DICK LIDDELL
Some Speculations as to The
Why's and Wherefores
OF 1t.
How the Trial Of Frank James
Will be AFFECTED Thereby.

On Yesterday mornings train from the
west there was a well known and thorough.
ly posted Kansas City detective, Ell route to
st. Louis on a secret service mission. a
BAzOo reporter, ever en- the look out for
an item, asked this detective what he knew
Of the release of Dick Liddell.
Nothing he answered, save and above
what have read in the newspapers Why,
in your own journal this morning there
is dispatch concerning it,"
"That's true, but this same dispatch does
not explain the true inwardness of the sill
uatiOD."
well, the true inwardness of the situa-
ton is just this: Dick Lidden had no more
to do with the robbery OF the United States
paymaster at Mussel Shoals, Alabama,
than you or |. He was not there nor near
there"
But the government arrested. tried and
convicted him of the offence"
THAT is all very true, but the govern
ment is law unto itself. 1t does just as il
phases. Guilt or innocence cuts no figure
whatever In a case where il is the desire OF
the government to either scquit or con-
denim. L:ddell was convicted on a charge
of conspiracy 10 rob and AS sort of ac-
cessory after the fact-as a sharer in
the spoils of the robbery"
why was he not sentenced, or, rather,
why was not the verdict of the jury APP
proved by the president p"
Because the president was made to see
that Liddell was innocent of the crime i'm
puted TO him. The president simply with.
held his signature, and this action on his
part, at the end of certain time virtually
released the prisoner"
will Liddell appear as a witness
against Frank James la his approaching
trial at Galiatin2'
''How do l know? How could ] know I?
If you want my opinion simply, that would
be that he will not. Why should he? Ii
he knows anything, which / very much
doubt, what has he to gain by telling il
There is no money in sight any more.
Frank James has never harmed Liddell in
any shape, form or fashion. Nobody but
. lot OF six-by-nine prosecuting attorneys
want James convicted, and these would
then turn on Liddell. If they had the:op-
portunity, and put him in prison for the
balance of his natural life. No, If Liddell
has the common sense that he is credited
with having, he will keep away from this
whole James business altogether"
SLOW do YOU think Frank James will
come out 1t Gallatin ?"
81 think he will be acquitted beyond a
doubt. He ought to be. He wasn't in Two
hundred miles of Winston when the train
was robbed there. He is what you might
call newspaper criminal When an honest
jury, however, gets hold of his case you
will see how quickly it will be Invested of
its blood and thunder, and its pure and RI
diculous sensation"
"Will Col. John F. Phillips continue in
the matter, now that he has been made one
of the supreme court commissioners ~
"My information is that he will. Col.
Philips, as you all well know in Sedalia,
is man of high personal honor, and a
very keen sense of personal and profession.
al duty. No matter what obligations he
may assume, after he had once entered up
on the defence of Frank James, be will per.
NIT none of them TO interfere with bis eff
forts to save the life or liberty of his
client"
"Did Col. Phillips tell you that he would
continue In the ca e?'
she never did. / do not know him ex.
cept by sight /; but i know his metal and
his nature. He will stick"