Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-05-29
Samuel Ritchie, the Eldon Bank
Robber Won't Talk.
SEEN BY COURIER REPORTER TODAY
Has Not signified What Hls Intentions
Are-Is Quiet Prisoner and Gives
No Tronble-Looks Younger
Than He II.
From Mondays Daily.


At stated in the Courier Saturday ev-
ening Samuel j. Richie arrived in OF
4 tumwa in the custody OF the sheriff,
/ after having instituted habeas corpus
& proceedings in Baltimore, which he aft
forwards thought best to drop. He
denies all knowledge of the Eldon bank
) robbery to the officers and has not yet
admitted that his name is Richie. His
future actions in regard TO what attor-s
ney he will hire, whether or not he will
fight, or anything in regard to himself
be has, up to date, neglected to impart
to anybody.
Mr.. Richie, or Bryant, as he is
& pleased to call himself, was seen by a
Courier reporter at the Jail this morn
ing. As soon as the reporter entered
the room where the steel cage is locat-
ed in which he is confined, he sizeu
{ him him up with a sharp side glance and
leaning his face on his hand, looked
: the other way. The reporter studied
the back of his head for moment and
was in doubt whether to address him
rs Ritchie or Bryant. During the in
terval Richie took absolutely no no.
stice of the reporter Finally the ques-
ton came, is this Mr. Bryant?' With
out looking around be said, mo sir,''
and walked into his cell which, in COM
mon with the others, communicates
with the steel corridor in which he was
when first addressed. He cons
verses with the turnkey about the
weather. aud kindred subjects but new
! er lets a word escape him about him
self. Like DurlSin he won't talk until
the time comes.
As stated in the Courier, Richie
had been under surveillance in Bal
tmore for several weeks prior to his
! arrest, where he was conducting a
small hotel and saloon down near the
wharf. Sheriff SHUTS wired the Bal
tlmore authorities Friday to arrest
him and Saturday he received a tele-
gram to the effect that Richie was n
custody. The sheriff Immediately
went to Des Moines, secured requisi-
ton papers and left that night.
{ Richie instituted habeas corpus pro-
ceedings the same day, before the sher-l
lift had left Ottumwa. Upon arrival in
altimore Sheriff Suits stopped off,
having Intended to go on to Annapolis
IN order to get the governors warrant
for the return of Richie. He immedi-
ately telegraphed to the Pinkertons all
{ chicago to have a man in readiness in
4 case he should be needed as Richie
was lighting extradition. The sheriff
made no request that man be sent
out but desired to have all things
ready When it came to a question of
but it never came to that
4 point. Two continuances of the case
We're had. 1t was set for Monday,
continued until Wednesday and again
until Thursday. Ritchie desired q
copy of the indict mept and time was
given to get it but in the end even thar
\ was not necessary. He threw up his
hands and Friday the party started for
\ ottumWa over the Pennsylvania Cen
trail railroad. When about eighty miles
west OF Pittsburg, their train narrowly
escalpsd being wrecked. A freight train
Just ahead of them on the second of
4 two tracks had been derailed, throwing
some OF the freight ears onto the right
4 OF way over which Sheriff Suits
train would pass. A fagman was sent
3 back and reached point where the
oncoming train, which was over AMI
hour behind and running like the wind
to make up lost time, could be tagged
and stopped. AT this place they were
delayed several hours, and to
cap the climax, in Ohio thenr
engine broke down, necessitating
still another delay. They reached Chi
cago too late to catch a train for OF
tumwa that day and the sheriff took
bis prisoner around to Pinkerton
headquarters, where at roll call all
the detectives took look at him for
future Identification. Several of the
detectives say that he is Richie who