Omaha daily bee., 1899-09-16
DISPATCHER JONES MISSING
Guilty Of Criminal Negligence in Causing
the Iowa City Wreck.
ANAMoSHS PRISON EDITOR IS SET FREE
Sergeant Woodruff of Knoxville, Ia,
is Made "a Second Lieutenant
Carter Harrison to Speak ut
Des Moines.

DIES MONIES, Sept. 15-(specid Tele-
gram)-John Jones, the Rock Island train
dispatcher who was responsible for the
wreck on that road Monday night near Iowa
City, has disappeared. He and his wife
closed their home and have not been seen
for two days. A dispatch from Iowa City
says the coroner's jury today returned a
verdict holding Jones guilty OF criminal
negligence and the dispatch adds the John
son county grand jury, which VIII shortly
convene, will undoubtedly indict Jones.
Jones has been one Of the most faithful and
best operators on the Rock Island and had
served fifteen years without mark against
him. He Is we'll known and liked here.
special from Anarnosa says that Editor
R. B. Curtis, the man who made himself
famous as the editor of the Anamosa Prison
Press, a little journal published within the
walls OF the penitentiary by convict labor,
was today released from prison. Curtis was
sentenced to the penitentiary for five years
for bigamy December 16, 1895. He came TO
Jones county and established paper at
Center Junction, which he afterward re-
moved to Anamosa. He married Miss Letta
Arnold of Wyoming, Jones county. After
living with her a time he sent her to her
parents at Wyoming and, hiring team, left
the country. An examination of the effects
he left behind showed that he had run other
papers at various places in Illinois and In
diana under different names and an investi-
cation revealed the fact he had at least two
other wives. He was located in Minnesota,
where he was arrested On his trial for
bigamy 1t was shown he had deserted his
Illinois wife n few hours before the birth
of her child.
Some months ago Curtis published
secretly, In the prison shop, where the paper
Is published, book, pretending to relate
his career, blaming his misconduct to "dope." !"
The prison authorities had the book de-
stroyed. as they supposed, but several copies
escaped and are still extant. Curtis denies
he was married to the two women in Illinois
and treated them very severely in his book
BY virtue of good time, he is now released
from prison. AS editor of the Prison Press,
Curtis has been succeeded by Wesley Elkins,
the boy murderer of Clayton county, who
killed his parents. Notwithstanding his
Republication by his last wife, Miss Letta
Arnold, Curtis dedicated his book to ITO
Letta, Who is To be My Loving and Beau
tiful Wife"
Governor Shaw this morning received a
message from Colonel Loper advising him
that First Sergeant Woodruff, Knoxville
boy, who distinguished himself at the battle
of San Fernando, had been promoted to sec
ond lieutenant and asking that commission
be issued at once.
1t was announced by the democratic state
central committee today that Carter Harri-
son, mayor Of Chicago, will speak in Des
Moines October 1. General Weaver, the old
populist wheelhorse.. today issued chal-
lenge through Chairman Huffman OF the dem
ocratic state central committee to meet any
republican speaker in the state in joint de-
hate.