Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1897-07-15
New Developments In The Dell Rapids Rob-
bern CASE.

Gus kroening was summoned to
Dell Rapids this. " inesdav. after
noon by telegram to appear at the
preliminary hearing Of new parties
who have been arrested and CHARGED
with the robbery and shooting Of the
Erieksons. Mr. Joe Huntimer hands
US The Dell Rapids South Dakota)
Tribune from which we copy the fol-
lowing
Joe Kirby and Deputy Sheriff Mey-
er. Of Sioux Falls, were in town
Thursday looking up some new evil
dence in regard to the Erickson rob
berry in Blinsmon township. and their
efforts resulted in some sensational
developments. II will be remembered
that Joe and James Smith. Gust
kroening and Clyde Kephart were
arrested for the Erickson robbery and
the shooting of young Erickson.
which was committed about year
and half ago, and that Clyde KEEP
hart confessed that he and the other
parties arrested committed the rob
berry and did the shooting. On his
testimony and corroborative circum-
stanial evidence. James Smith was
convicted and sentenced to the peni-
Tertiary for fifteen years, and died in
prison last spring. Joe Smith was
also tried and convicted, but the YER
diet was set aside and new trial
granted on account of the Conduct of
the jury. The other two have not
been tried and all three have been out
on bail since their arrest Kirby is
attorney for Smith and Kroening and
has been conducting quiet but thor
ough investigation in the interest of
his clients, and now thinks he has dis
covered enough evidence to not only
clear his clients. but Is Prove that
they had nothing whatever TO do with
the robbery. The object OF his visit
here was to secure aflidayits from Mr..
and Mrs. Andrew Stangland. in which
he was successful, and it is said that
the anidavits throw an entirely new
light on the Erickson robbery as well
as other robberies in this section and
implicate four young men with whom
the parties arrested for the crime had
no connection One of the accused
parties lives in Brookings County,
another in Burk township. this coun-
", and the other two also reside in
this vicinity. According 10 the story
Of Mr.. and Mrs. Stangland. the four
men named in their aflidayits met at
their house. planned the robbery and
made their masks and other DISCUSSES,
and returned TO their house and ex-
hibited the spoils after they commits
ted the robbery 1t is also claimed
that the same gang committed the
robbery at the Bjorgan place south of
town and also broke into Mass q John
sons tailor shop in Dell Rapids; that
they had planned a raid on j. b. God
dard d Sons store at Taopi. but were
obliged to give it up, and stole Iver
Eitrem's horses and rode them to
Brookings County, whore they turned
the animals loose. Ii this story is
true those arrested for the Erickson
robbery are innocent and terrible
blunder has been committed, result
ing in the death OF an innocent boy
and the prosecution Of other innocent
parties, who have been irreparably
injured. Why Clyde Kephart con
fessed if he and the others arrested
mad nothing to do with the robbery;
and why the Stanglands did not come
forward and save young Smith if they
knew who the guilty parties were,
are matters that must be left to con-
lecture. Mr. Kirby went to Flandreau
on a bicycle in the afternoon to swear
out warrants for the arrest Of the
accused parties Further develop
ments will be awaited with general
interest III this section