Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1900-08-13
Evidence That Frank Peyton, Ar.
rested at st Louis, Murdered
Robson at Sioux City.
Partial Confession of the Prisoner
While Suffering From Over.
dose Of Cocaine.
Correspondence With a Sioux City
Sporting Woman Discovered
Peyton's Career.

+ Il
.dissipated the dark mystery of months
as to who murdered John w. Robson
on Dec. 90 last. The murder was
butchery, and the crime produced
profound sensa ton. Frank Peyton,
Sconfessedly robber and burglar, has
confessed in ST. Louis that be struck
with a sledge hammer a man who inter-
rupted him as he was burglarizing
safe near the police station in this city.
The Sioux City police at an early hour
yesterday morning discovered that
Frank Peyton, an ex-convict, who
served four Years in the Lincoln, Neb.,
penitentiary for the robbery of a gam
bling house in Omaha, was in Sioux
City for three weeks during December,
and he left here about the time of the
murder. Why suspicion never was at
tached to him seems now the mystery.
In appearance the Peyton held by the
st. Louis police and the one who was
here tally almost exactly. Both We're
about five feet eleven inches in height,
are of dark complexion and heavy
build. The clew by which the police
found that Peyton was here at the time
was thru knowledge of the presence of
/ "a certain woman in the city at that
| time. His infatuation for the woman 1t
was found brought him here. Previous
Ito Robsun's murder there had been a
hold-up in a brewery near the place
where the murder vas done, and an
ifepidemic of smaller nold-ups and rob
berries. corroborating Peyton's confess
| sion. There appears small reason to-
doubt that after months of fruitless
! hunting the murderer has been secured.
/ Ii was a dark, rainy night when Rob
son returned TO his office at IL o. clock,
1 and was struck down as he entered the
door by robber within WHO had
opened the safe and scattered its con-
1 tents on the floor. There was no light
land a single blow with a blunt instru
/ ment, previously supposed to be a
4 hatchet, crushed Robson's skull. He
was found accidentally next morning
\ by a Waterman passing, and was able
\ to walk To a vehicle. which carried him
4 home. He retained CONSTITUENCIES until
This skull was trephined and suffered no
| pain. He died on Jan. 81. His business
partner, Oscar a. Goodrich, was sus-
pected of the murder for motives of
greed and was finally arrested, tried
4 and eNonerated Later John McChrSs-
tai. a police court character and former
i pugilist. was arrested and also cleared
sl$of suspicion. For months there has
isbeen no new iclew, and the murder APP
/ peased to be. an utter mystery that
y might never be solved as five other
murders here within decade have not
! been. A reward of sl,225 was offered
c.f, -,
capture and conviction Of the criminal.
4 about any previous suspicion or men
Etions of Peyton.
Sioux City. Aug. 12- Chief of Police
Nelson has been Informed that Frank
lsPeyton is arrested in ST Louis on sus-
.lspicion of numbering John e. Robson, a
appointment contractor of this city, in his
Office on Dec. 20 last.
ST. Louis, Aug. 122..-It is believed by
4 the police of this city that Frank Pey-
i ton. a self-confessed burglar and safe
i cracker who is undsr arrest at Four
4 Courts. may be the murderer Of John
E. Robson, prominent railroad con-
4 tractor at Sioux City, who was killed
lin his Office there on Dec. % last. II
Twas Peyton'ss confession hat he robbe!
i compelled to use a sledge hamne r to
4 subdue the owner that led the police
to believe he might be the man wanted
4 for the murder of Robson Ii is said
4 Feyton was in sioux City on the day OF
q the Robson murder and left there for
East st. Louis afterwards. Peyton told
4 the police hers that he also robbed safes
i'm Des Moi1les Dubuque, Waterloo
rtt ynly
Il towns in Illinois He said he had been
Ihad operated as burglar and safe
VI Orleans, Atlanta. Montgomery, Bir-
81 mingham, Little Rock, Louisville, Ho,
Springs. New York and Boston.
Il st. Louis, Aug Frank PAyton told
s. Lieut.. johnson in Capt. Reynolds pri-
Nate Office that he cracked threessafe in
q Sioux City in the month OF December
1899. He admitted that he had had q
desperate struggle with man who at
y tempted TO protect one of the safes, and
: he declared he struck the man over tbs
K head several times With section Of
brass tubing,
Contractor Robson was Knocked in.
sensible With blow from some blum
4 instrument in fls office on the night oi
81 December IS. 1899. He was removed tc
the Samaritan hospital where he dice
TWO days later. The only description hs
gave of his assailant was that he was
81 a big man, nauscularly built and Yer.
u active. Peyton answers this descrip-
lstion.
. After the Interview Lieut.. johnson
said: ..Peyton admitted that he lived ii
j Sioux City With a woman whose frs
!, name WAS kitty. a letter from hel
addressed TO him at St. Paul was fount
]. in his pocket.
The letter is as follows:
q Dear Frank: Don't come back yet
ID Every body iseNcited over the case. Yot
p know he died soon afterwards. Stay
"a away for awhile and will let You know
/ something else KITTY. y
n The letter was postmarked Sioux City
and was received by Peyton in st. Paul
The police think that the woman refer.
!. red to the Robson case when she said
I. You know he died soon afterwards
( Peyton was in q reckless and boastfu
, mood at the time he made his incom.
|5plete first confession, having beef
Il Iplaced partially under the influence o.
4 drugs upon the advice of the city hos
pital physicians, who feared the effec
Of suddenly depriving him Of artificial
5 stimulants.
!. In recounting the daring burglarie!
{ which he had committed, Peyton told o
cracking safe in Sioux City, near tn,