The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-14
IOWA JEKYLL AND HYDE
EXPOSURE OF THE DUAL LIFE OF
HENRY ABLY, A MERCHANT.
An Exemplary Citizen During the
Day. but Ruthless Robber mt Night
Finally Trapped and shot.

man, worth $4,000. who for years has sue
cessfully played the role of DR.. Jekyll and
Mr.. Hyde, now lies in the Franklin county
Jail wounded unto death. He received his
injuries while perpetrating a robbery, and
his sensational career is soon to end. He
has for years piundered the country round,
has acted as a fence for other robbers, and
possessed one of the finest kits of burglars
tools ever turned out. His daring record
has seldom been equaled in the annals OF
romance.
A ruthless robber by night, he became in
the daytime apparently an exemplary cti-
zen. He took a leading part in the develops
ment of local affairs in Sheffield. and his
contributions TO public enterprises and
churches enabled him for years to conceal
his true identity and to carry on his ne
farious business almost with impunity. AS
the force of habit grew upon him he became
holder, and finally was shot in one of his
burglarious exploits. The grand jury has re-
turned eleven Indictments against Ably and
fixed bail at $15,SO0. The people Of Sheffield
are exceedingly anxious that he viii not be
able to give it, although personally worth
several times the amount. because since his
true character is revealed Ably swears if
he RECEIVERS he win kill the men who
years that many people suspected he was
running a fence, but Ably's local promi-
hence forbade them voicing their suspicious.
Despite these impressions Ably conducted
the fence and sold goods, generally shoes
and rubber goods, TO the citizens at figures
which the other merchants claimed We're
under the wholesale prices.
. Among Ably'S possessions were a spank
ing team of ponies and road wagon. These
he seldom used for any evident purpose or
nj nj a
night. This, in q measure, explains how
three bicycles, stolen from c. s. Hobble, at
Hampton. were found in Ablys quarters in
Sheffield. Merchants of Liscomb, Chaplin,
Rockwell and other towns are said to have
identified property found in Abys place.
AN EXPERT BURGLAR.
Ably is an expert Iocksmith and gum
smith. His shop was equipped with every
description of tools for either purpose
There were also kits of tools such as burg
lars use. Upwards of twenty-five cigar
boxes were filled with keys and key blanks!
In the hundreds of robberies Ably has COM
mitted in the last ten years he has never
broken open door. He had key to every
store in Sheffield and all the surrounding
towns, and each key was marked with a
system of dots made with fine steel punch,
enabling him to rob store without break
ing into it, He had a key to unlock every
door, and then abstracted goods in such
quantities would not be missed. He never
robbed a store except on very dark, windy
nights; went dressed in a garb of black
from head to foot, and never used any kind
of a light under any circumstances.
Ably'S robberieS were confined principally
to shoes, and in an upper room OF his big
store was carload of new paper boxes.
into which the goods would be placed and
the marks on the old ones removed by
liquid eraser, bottle of which was found in
the place. His only trouble in this line
was that he would run short of sizes. In
the back yard stands small shanty one
whole side of which is on hinges. Inside the
building is square hole almost as large as
the entire floor 1t looks to be shallow, but
the lifting of top covering reveals depth
of ten feet below. This lower place was
filled with the finest brands of whistles and
wines. How he managed to elude the rev.
enue officers so many years is a mystery
There is a feature in the construction OF the
house which so far no one has explained.
The authorities could rot find cellaFway,
and for some time it was supposed that
there was no basement at all. But one of
the floors was noticed to have a hollow
sound, and hole was sawed through 1t,
disclosing chamber twelve feet square and
ten feet deep.
Up to this time it has not been discovered
to what use the place was put but II IS
believed to have secret entrance
the officers hope to bring to light
The business houses into which, for the
purpose of trapping him, Ably was allowed
man Clock, were those of w. G. Hockins
general merchandise; Aborn Bros, drug
giStS, and Shaffer q Reynolds, general mer-
chandise. The first raid was on HockinS s
place, the second Aborn Bros and the
third was Shaffer & Reynolds's.
SHOT BY CITIZENS.
On each occasion the act was watched by
citizens, and when Ably hauled out
sack from the latter place and was about to
relock the door they rushed upon him and
commanded him to submit to arrest. AT
glance Ably knew that his long career of
crime was exposed, and he fought like
mailman to escape from his captors. In
the struggle he was shot and dangerously
wounded, eventually overpowered and land
ed in Jail, where he now lies, likely to Gle
at any time.
Nothing is known of the mans record be-
fore he came to Sheffield a dozen years ego.
He is supposed to have been a bachelor,
though he carried on most extensive cor
reSpOndence with women. He made a prac-
tice of answering advertisements In matrl-
monial papers. At one time he had been a
man of good appearance. He had many
photographs of himself taken, on which Oc-
casions he dressed in his best. In his private
room, where there was FOUND 50 many so n..
watches, diamonds, rings, jewels and other
valuables, was found an old chest partially
filled with letters written by women IN
Waterloo and Marshalltown, Ia, and IN
DekaIb Lasalle and Waukegan, Ill. One of
these correspondents, rather fne7looklng
woman of perhaps twenty-five, gave ner
both Waterloo and Dekalb. In large draw
in a desk was found a package or mighty
perfumed letters from a young woman
named Novelia Wright living IN Marion D.
c. revealing the fact that Ably was en-
gagged to her and was to have married her
the letters from Marion indicate that Miss
Wright is a lady of talent ana social
standing The authorities have commune
Gated with her but up to the present time
have been unable to elicit any response.
Ably did his own cooking IN summer
kitchen in the back yard. His only COM
panion was a dog, which Immediately alter
his arrest hunted up the marShalS place,
and thus far has refused 20 separate himself
from the captor of his master. After Ably
was arrested he asked TO be taken 70 ms
house, where, from pile of rags on the
floor he picked up quantity OF currency
and coin which had been hidden there.
This case surpasses anything Of criminal
nature in the history of Iowa, and the Ieve-
lations being made are almost beyond be-
his attorneys. 1t is not believed that he had
any confedeTates, because 1t would have
been impossible to have carried on his 0per-
atiCns through SO many years without being
detected long ago. He had no business or
social confidants Mingling in the best So
literally of his ill-gotten means and While
there were some who entertained suspicious
of his true character. the mans superb au-
dacity awed them into silence They did not
care to encounter The frowns OF the COM
munity by diVulging their suspicious and so
kent silent What will be the result of this
most remarkable case of deception, intrigue,
stealth cunning and crime, a real Dr.
JekyI and Mr.. Hyde life, is eagerly awaited
by the people of this part of Iowa
-a-0-~--
River Steamer Burned.