The evening times., 1896-11-02
DENVER's LONE BANDIT
Captured and Finds Relief in
Making a Full Confession.
HENsE DOWNEN's CAREER
Tells the Story of His Life and Let's
in Light on Many RObberies and
Murders That Have Hitherto Puz-
zIed the POlice-O Officials Inclined
to Doubt His Revelations.

Denver Col. Nov 2-Inacell at thecounty
jail, refusing TO talk TO any one, and asking
only 10 die Hense Downen awaits the action
of the civil authorities in his case. Accord
ing to his own confession, Downen / 5 u inur-
derer, u highway rubber and petty thief
The civil authorities are not sure that all
hehas confessed Is the truth. Enough. how
ever has been confirmed 10 Justify them IN
keeping him in close confinement for the
present.
Forsix months sor more alonehighwayman
had beenrobbingp peopienear the city and The
policeauthoTitieshad failed To apprciend the
criminal. A week ago two city detectives
stepped into an uptown bicycle store AMI
arrested man who was walssng TO have
his wheel repaired. In this prusaic manner
the remarkable criminal finally fvii into
the clutches OF the law. He denied aH
knowledgcof the criInc for which he was ur-
rested but when at the city jail ne saw his
last victim before him, he adfnmittcd tnat
crime.
Later. when the detectives returned with
plumber they bad found IN his room. Downrn
became confused. and then unbosUncd him
self Of his LIES history, and the narration
of his crimes so astounded the officers that
they were slow TO believe his story.
BAD COMPANY HIS Rim.
When a Toy he was quiet and well
behaved. but bad company and heal
strong Will led him into crime. He stole
a mule from a ranchman named wombly
In 1873. was arrested, and released under
nv brother
He forfeited the bond and disappeared.
to turn up in Tulare county, Cal, where
he obtained work in ii sawmill. He be-
came acquainted with an agent Of the
Wells, Fargo 81 Co. Express, and one day,
learning that Sc, 900 was to tie shipped
by stage on the folio wing night, he de-
termined 10 hold up that stage. The driver
changed his route that night, and Downen
waited in quiet place IN the road only
to find later that he had been baked.
II was disappointed in not securing the
SG.nuU.' he sia-cd III bl> confession, 'ahd
/ concluded to try again the next night.
This time l secured S5s5 from the treas
ury box and the passengers. | was some
what nervous, but made good bluff
and called upon lima ginary cOnfederateS
to cover the driver and passengers with
guns. / made the people get down and
line up alongside the road. and robbed
them one by one. Vest Townsend, the
driver, in making a report OF the rob
berry, declared that there were at least
dozen rObters in the gang j never at
any time III my life worked with an
accomplce-
SENT TO THE PESITENTIARY.
A few days later rode on a train in COM
pany with the sheriff of Tulare county, and
talked with him about the robbery. After
that visited San Francisco, st. Louis anil
Denver and returned to California six
months later, when again held up the same
stage line. In making my escape that time
/ stole horse out OF farmers barn anI
was arrested for that theft. l thought l
was wanted for stage robbery and gave
myself away. l was tried. convicted IND
sentenced to twenty-five year, in the San
Quentin penitentiary After being seven
years in prison became a trusty in the
guard, I escaped.
II lived on fruit for time, but hunEe ring
for more substantial food legged for
something 10 eat at a ranch near IetalUrna-
The woman Of the house gave me good
suDDtl. anu Hilt 1 was tdAiht IL 4'l nus
band came in andinstanily yrccognizcdmc ~
the description sent out 10y the prison au-
thorities. lie sat down between me andthe
door with n gun in his hand and waited for
me to finish my meal. when atteu pied
10 get up n he leveled the gun at me and told
me TO surrender. | refused ana he shot ine
in the neck. ] knocked Him down with i
heavy lamp. setting fire 10 the house. ami
| ran. the farmer cmpiying his revolver at
me as | escaped to the mountains.
CAUSED a CHINAMAN's DEATH.
~ walked until reached small town,
and was shot at by watchman. on nreach
ing Sacramento learned that n policeman
| had been murdered, and Immediately left
town. to avoid being arrested as a suspicious
| character. | managed to trade a blanket
| for a gun and then held up two men al
| Truckee. Next | heard that a Cinnamon
| had drawn $1,000 out of the bank at Col
| fax and was about to leave 70: China
/ followed him out of Colfax and tried to
| hold him up on mountain trail.
.He Jumped over cliff and was killed
| So l did not get a cent. l returned &c
| Truckee and was there arrested for mar
| derngthe policeman at Sacramento. Afra:G
| of being lynched if | was taken TO that
| city, confessed to being an escaped con
vict and was sent back to san Quentin
After serving ten years l was pardoncd.
II then went to San Jose and begaI
| working for a seedman. while there
| Committed several small robberies, and on,
| night killed a man in st. James Park whom
l attempted To rob. I was not suspected
| and within week from THAT time tsits
to hold up young man and Two girl
in a buggy on the Alameda, the driven
| between san jose and Santa Clara. The.
attempted To- escape, and in the eXcitemen
| i shot and badly wounded one of the girls
"Some time afterward l began livin;
with Mexican woman, whom ] robbc
one night. For this | was arrested, tric
| and sentenced once more to San Quentin
| for seven years Within one week afte
| reaching the prison | coined with other
in an attempted escape. fell from u val
and broke my right leg, which siiglirl
crippled me for life. l was recapture
and had to serve out my full term.
AN ENEMY OF SOCIETY.
IF / had received light sentence fo
that first stage robbery" sa,d the crimina
Il would have reformed. but after putin
in years of slavery in prison, AMI being she
Dya iarUIer wnen had escaprds-.; henlGi.
ge:thc reward of $50, / became reckless az
grew To be an encm OF society
OF his exploits about Denver. hcginnin;
over a year ago. Downen confessed fuil
soon after his arrest
one night lie stopped joel Ashworth in
thickiy settled residence district. Ash
worth was stepping lightly along, whistlin