Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1901-04-23
"HONEST"LEONARD
WILLIAMSON
So Honest That He Has Broken
into the Pen for a Matter
of Four Years.
STOLE FOR BIS DEAREST ETHEL"
because He Loved Her Soils Cam
paiSn for Some Wedding Mon
ey Described.

| kenosha, Wis, April 23.-When
about TO he taken TO prison TO begin
| four years sentence because he had
| robbed to secure money to buy Il we'd
/ ding outfit. Leonard Williamson, Of
/ Chicago, sat i'll his cell in KenOsha
| Sunday and wrote two letters. The
first was stained by tears when ii was
/ taken possession of by the sheriff.
| Dearest Ethel" the miSsive began.
| Then the convict explained that the
| wedding. which lie says was to have
| taken place today. must be postponed.
My health has failed" wrote the
weeping robber. and l must take Il
| long voyage. You may not see me
| again in years. When | return l will
he strong again. The letter was adj
| dressed to Miss Ethel Sharkey. 211
Indiana street. Chicago. In his hour
| of misery the robber was endeavoring
| to hide from the girl the disgrace
which his love for her had caused.
Sorry IIe Cannot Pay His Debts.
The other letter was to Mrs. Cath
| crime Pierce, 263 Indiana street. Its
contents showed that convict may
| be possessed of an extraordinary mix
ture i'll the shape of morals. The let
ter expressed Williamson's regret that
he was unable to pay Il small amount
which he owed Mrs. Pierce for room
rent. and asked her not TO Judge him
harshly. Williamson is about % years
old. SO far as his friends know he
had no relatives in Chicago. much less
The wealthy father he claims to have.
ihe man is an electro platter by trade
Develops Some Different Morals.
Williamson reached Genoa Junction.
Wis. Il town in the western part of
kenoSha county. on Thursday evening.
and shortly after dark went to the
hardware store of J. g. Reynolds. He
told Reynolds that he was Il travelling
man for Chicago house. and asked
TO be shown some revolverS. William
son picked out Il weapon and pur-
chased it. He then asked for some
cartridges and loaded the revolver.
Then he thrust the revolver into the
face of the hardware dealer and de-
manded that The man give up his Valu-
ableS. He went through the store and
secured $50 in cash. Reynolds organ
lied Il posse and started in pursuit,
but the man escaped.
Soon Breaks Into the Pen.
On Friday night Williamson reached
New Munster. and few minutes later
he nelu up II man ndnleu LOIS. lie
farmers from all over the township
were called together. and they cap
tured Williamson early on Saturday
morning near Mayfair. When lie was
taken to the county Jail he asked that
he he allowed to plead guilty. Ten
hours after he was captured he had
been sentenced to the state prison at
Waupun.
He Was So Very Honest.
Chicago, April 23-AIiss Ethel
Sharley, when seen. seemed deeply af-
fccted as she was told of WilliamSon's
plight. but denied that she was to have
married the man. The girl admitted.
However. that they had been engaged.
I'VE were engaged years ago, when l
was young and foolish she said. he
tween sObs. but of late | have simply
been Il friend to him. He did not rob
for me. He did not rob at all-he was
too honest for that"
He Was Also Religious.
Mrs. Pierce. with whom Williamson
boarded. declares that the mau was
scrupulOusly honest and that he was of
Il religious disposition. He came to
me without any baggage or any recon-
mendations." said Mrs. Pierce. but
he seemed so honest and told such
plausible story of having lost his valiSe
Oh the train that | took him in. He al
ways paid on time. or specified when
he would pay. He never drank. and
always appeared anxious to pray or
read religious works"