Omaha daily bee., 1891-01-14
The NEWS In THE BLUFFS.
Strange Developments Said to Have Been
Made in the Oolthard Case,
SCHEMlNG ON SOME SWAMP LANDS.
~. L.. Shugarts Residence Burglar
lied Opening the District Court
Suing for Railway Sub
scriptions-NotGs

Interest IN theCclthard case still continues
unabatcd. The friends OF the accused man
are vehement in their denunciations of his
accusers, aud threaten to make 1t extremely
warm for somebody when it comes to the fin
ish. On the other hand, the officers who are
working the case claim that they are daily
securing more damaging evidence against the
Harrison county farmer. The latest was an
nounced yesterday. The facts have been in
the possession of the officers for several days,
but no intimation has reached the public be-
fore.
1t Is to be remembered that Colthard
claimed in justification Of his course in con-
nection with the Mary Dennis deed, which
mas proven forgery that it was procured
by Wits and made over to Colthards wife,
without any knowledge on the part of
Colthard himself as to its origin and that if
it was fraudulent he was entirely innocent of
the fact. This assertion is apparently dis
proven by the statement of near relative of
one Of the police officers who is engaged in
working up the case. This man boarded at
the Metropolitan hotel where Wills had been
stopping while developing the conspiracy.
He has known Wills since his infancy, and
went to school with him when the two
Wtic uuyS, L JulS nun w llIS ueUalleu Jne
story OF the cloud that was supposed to rest
upon the title tothe Dennis lands and then
gradually and cautiously acquainted him
with the scheme that originated the great
conspiracy He frequently quoted romarks
Colthard had made and iutimated that Col
thard knew there were none of the Dennis
heirs living who could be induced to
make deed, quit claim or otherwise,
to the property. Wills endeavorcd con-
stantly to interest this man in the scheme,
intoxicated the man paid little or no attention
to him. He often urged him to go to Mis-
souri, Valley for the purpose of meeting
Colthard, and offered TO pay all of his ex-
penses If he would go. One afternoon he
suddenly brought matters to crisis by tell
ing this man that he wanted to use him for
purpose and that he could make n cool 800 in
few minutes When the relative of the
officer asked for an explanation Willis told
him he wanted him to act as a lawyer. He
refused and told him he knew nothing about
the law and advised him to employ Judge
Rhodabeck, who was boarding at the hotel
and was in the room at the time
"No, want you; want you to be Lawyer
Hardy of Monmouth, Ill, and if you will do
1t Colthard will pay you 800 for 1t"
Wills earnestly urged him to 60 to Mis-
souri, Valley and meet Colthard and he
finally consented to do so. Wills paid all eX-
penses and arranged the meeting. The Off
GERS relative says he supposed it to be
having anything in particular to do con-
sented to go with him At Missouri Valley
they met Colthard, and Wills introduced
his Council Bluffs friend as Judge
Hardy. The man still thought it
until Calthard, after alluding to the matters
discussed so much by wills, finally offered
him the 800 promised by Wills, He then re-
allied that there was serious business con-
templated and informed Coluhard that hewas
not Lawyer Hardy and that he would have
nothing more to do with them.
Cothard's frlcuds claim that the old man
honestly believed the Council Bluffs man was
Judge Hardy, one of the most prominent at
torneys of Illinois, and that this was only
another instance wherein Wills deceived him.
The plans detailed by Willis to this man
seem to have been not desire to cloud the
title to Haas lands, but to make him trouble
in another way. After the Dennis deed was
put on record an in junction was to be OBJ
tanned in the federal courts in Illinois, aeg-
ing the prOprletorShip of the lands and re-
stranng HaSs from the use of the premises
or In any way interfering with Colthard and
crowd. They reasoned that Haas would
have to go to Illinois to answer and fight the
injunction, and during his absence they
would put a gang of woodchoppers at work
and cut and haul away all the wood on the
tlmbercd portions OF the Haas property
This is the scheme detailed by Willis, the
subsequent transactions apparently having
been resolved upon after the Council Bluffs
man refused to imperS senate the great Illinois
lawyer.
The most complete line of blankets and
comfortes, hosiery and underwear in the
city Is at the Boston Store, where good goods,
low prices, cash and one price to all Is their
rule. Boston Store, Council Bluffs.
The best French cook in western Iowa is at
Hpt al lntfc