The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-09-17
He Is Said to be N Desperate Nam,
with Rewards for His Capture
Hanging Over Him.
WANTED IN NASHVILLE, TENN.
DOCKERY ALSO COMMITTED CRIMES
IN MINNESOTA.
He Knew Capt. Gerber I'm st. Paul and
Shed Tears in His Presence
Plea Made by Him.

Through the work of BertilIion Clerk Ed
McGuff the man arrested by Detectives
Dugan and Lancaster last week after a
hard fight in Blackwell's saloon is proven
to be William Dockery. one of the escaped
prisoners from the Nashville CTenn.)
penitentiary. Captain Gerber. Of the de-
tectives, made the Identification of the
prisoner more complete when he walked
over to the Jail and recognized the man
as one he knew when he was on the police
force at st. Paul, MINI.
When the arrest of Dockery occurred a
week ago he gave his name as Frank Ford.
He pretended to be a novice in crime and
said that his picture did not grace any of
the rogues' galleries. 1t was thought by
the police and detectives that Ford was
one of the men that escaped from the Day
ton. o., Jail. The police were of opinion
that Ford was a bad man or he would not
have started a fight with the detectives
when they wanted to talk with him. He
was photographed by McGuf and copies
of the picture were sent to all the large
cities in the country.
Beginning with yesterday morning tele-
grams and letters began to pour into the
detectives office with information concern
ing the man. The first was from st. Paul.
Mimi, where is is said the man giving his
name as Ford is William Dockery, living
at 624 John street in that city. The letter
said he was arrested several times and
has broker Jail three or four times. In
one instance 1t was said Dockrey jumped
from a train when he was in the custody
of federal officers. He is wanted in Sioux
Falls, s. D., and at st. Cloud, MINI. At
| the latter place he robbed a postoffice. At
Sioux Falls he was sentenced to the peni-
Tertiary for five years on the charge OF
larceny, and after serving a few weeks,
escaped from prison. The next heard of
him was in Tennessee. He robbed a post
office and was sentenced to serve six
months in the Nashville penitentiary. At
the time of his arrest in Nashville he went
under the name Of James Thompson. In
every town where Dockery has escaped
from officers of the law rewards have been
offered for his capture. In several of the
letters and kilograms received by Captain
Gerber 1t is said Dockery is one of the
worst criminals in the country. He is a
desperate man and will not stop at killing,
1t is said.
RECOGNIZED GERBER.
When Captain Gerber received a telegram
from the prison authorities at Nashville
yesterday telling him that the picture and
measurements sent were those of James
Thompson, one OF the escaped federal
prisoners. Gerber walked over to the Jail.
When Dockery came into the corridor he
walked up to Captain Gerber smiling and
asked If the latter did not recognize him.
Gerber locke at the man closely and said
although there were certain features that
were familiar. he could not place the man.
Dockery continued to smile and said: II
guess you, don't remember me now, for ]
am much thinner than when you made
things unpleasant for me in ST. Paul
Don't you remember little Willie Dockery,
who lived at GA John street When you
were baliff of the Police Court you had
occasion to handle me several times"
Gerber had by this time recalled the man
and asked him how h came to Indian
apolis. Dockery said he came here after
he escaped from the Tennessee penitenti.
airy. He was one of the ten men that as.
sisted in blowing up the prison wall with
dynamite, Dockery accuses Gus Hiatt OF
being the man that put the explosive under
the wall. He said Hiatt used a revolver
and shot his way out of the yard.
While Gerber was talking to Dockery
the latter cried and pleaded with the de
tective to shield him from the Tennessee
prison authorities. He said he would rather
be hanged than return to Nashville and re
ceive the whipping that will be given. H,
said they use a large rawhide that cuts
deep into the flesh. Dockery said he ha!
seen many men given such punishment
and after they have received 1t they ar,
subjects for a hospital. If they are sen
TO a hospital he said they are not treated
as they should be. but receive the treat
ment that dogs get.
Gerber has received a letter from tn,
National Bureau of Identification at Wash
ington, ID. c., fully identifying Dockery
The bureau offers a reward of SIS for hi
capture. The Nashville prison authorize,
offer SIS and the st. Paul police depart
ment offers 800 reward for his return.
Since his capture Dockery has maintaine,
silence concerning himself. He has OF
several occasions tried to make believe tina
he has been the victim of another's crime
Yesterday morning in jail he said tina hi
picture had never been taken in any place
that he had never been arrested before
} The detectives think this rather quee
from the fact that as soon as Dugan an,
Lancaster asked Dockery to accompan
them to the back room he tried to ge
away. As they. were taking him to a bacl
room he pulled a revolver from his poke
and attempted to shoot the detectives.