Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-10-09

gambler who for time was in Ot-i
tumwa, and who was later poisoned
at Rock Island, Illinois. Joplin Red"
came to Eldon and saw Stevens, it is
said. They had conversation while
sitting on big log near the G. r. /.
& P. roundhouse, which now probably
lies just west of the K. d. bride over
the creek short distance from the
railway crossing, at the present time.
The ground was thoroly gone over but
Joplin Red" refused to have any
thing to do with the jub, saying that
| 1t was too dangerous and that the
gang could not make their getaway"
It is said that Stevens thought that it
could be done and Immediately cast
about for other men. 1t might be
parenthetically state that Joplin Red''
left Ottumwa one winter night after
| asking a certain Ottumwa man for
loan for railroad fare and the next day
returned to Ottumwa with plenty OF
money.
Identified by Scar.
Stevens was put in correspondence
with Chicago men, it is said, thru Dick
Dodd, who sent kilograms from this
city to them, among them being d.
| Cameron and Robert Durkin. In De-
cember, 1896, the party came to OF
tumwa and Durkin hired rig at
Ransier's livery barn. Durkin had a
scar on his face and when he was cap
tured some time later was identified as
having visited the barn and bargained
for the horses and buggy. Upon
reaching Franklin Park the party dis
agreed and finally gave it up, return
| ing to Chicago Along the latter part
| of January, 1897, Dick Dodd sent
telegram to D. Cameron, Chicago, to
"Ship the goods at once"
This meant that the time was ripe
and for the men to come, which they
did, arriving here January 81. A rig
was again hired at the Ransier barn
and Durkin, Hamilton, Murray, and
Dick Dodd drove to Eldon, Indian
Joe" walking down on the railroad
track. 1t was a stormy, sleety night.
The face of the earth was covered
with sheet of ice and nobody was
outdoors who could possibly stay in.
The party arrived in Eldon about
dusk and met Mr.. Stevens on the out
skirts OF the town. He was engaged
in lighting the street lamps at the
I
him the road to Selma. They were
told the proper direction to go and
drove on. Later Stevens met them
and escorted them to the GALA
beose, it is said, where a roaring fire
was built. The party inquired about
conditions surrounding the commits
sion of the job and were told that
Lawyer Coombs, who was then en-
gagged in looking up evidence in the
famous Davis will case, slept in the
hotel directly over the bank. 1t is
said that Stevens suggested killing
him, but this was not countenanced
by the other men.
The. Burglary. .
i During the early morning hours the
party gained admittance to the build
ing thru window, Stevens staying
hole was drilled in the vault wall
large enough to admit the body of
man, the safe was drilled an explo-
sive inserted and the charge fired.
The concussion woke people in the
hotel, but they thought the noise was
caused by freight cars coming togeth-
er in the yards short distance away
where switching was being done.
In the meantime Dick Dodd had
driven the team back to Ottumwa
where it was returned to the livery
stable and Dick went to his home in
South Ottumwa. This left the bur.
glars without any means OF transpor-
tation They went to the barn of r.
Ritz, then engaged in the grocery
business in Eldon, and took his team
and spring wagon. They drove to
the Burlington bridge over Sugar
creek, a short distance below Ottum-
wa, where they tied the team and
walked into this city. They crossed
the Wabash bridge and repaired to
Dick Dodd's home, where they hid
in the cellar. 1t is said that
Dick sat up all night with big re-
volver in his hand watching for the
first sign of treachery The next day
a division of the haul was made,
nothing being left for Stevens. That
evening the men left Ottumwa on
Burlington No. 4. Stevens later came
to Ottumwa, saw Dick Dodd and ask
ed for his share of the funds and was
told that none had been left. He
made a trip to Chicago where he
went to a number that had been Civ
en- him, on Desplaines street, but
found that the building had been
locked up and the inhabitants had
moved away. He came back, the in
stigator of crime with nothing to
show for his part in it.
Pinkertons on the Case.
The Pinkerton people We're put on
the case, Stevens was arrested and
lconfessed. He was put on trial Sep
tember 16, 1897 Three days later he
was found guilty of attempting to
break and enter by jury in district
court, and on September 23 was SEN
fenced to three years Imprisonment
at Ft. Maulson. He has served his
time and is said to now be in Chi
Icago.
In the meantime Jesse K. Hamilton
had been connected with the case, a
telegram from Dodd having been de.
i liyered to him. He was arrested in
Chicago, brought to Ottumwa, and on
June S, 1897 was sentenced to eigh-
teen months in the penitentiary. June
II the verdict was set aside, a num-
ber of Ottumwa attorneys petitioning
the court to that effect, saying that
ha1i fla4 ~.