Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-11-20
Had no Time to Use His Gun
However.
KNOWN IN MISSOURI As A BAD MAN
Gives Name as Ed Miller, but Is
Thought TO Be Fetch Franklin,
Wanted for Murder and Stealing
Horses-Mayor Picker Aids in Cap
ture.


hearts of the Missouri officers which
rivals that felt for the James boys
years ago, Fetch Franklin, man ac-
cused of stealing horses through north
ern Missouri for years and of killing
a Kansas sheriff who attempted to ar
rest him, was quietly taken into custo-
dy in this city late yesterday after
noon by Chief OF Police John w. Gray
and landed in the county jail. The
man has not yet been positively iden-
titled as Franklin, but there can be
little doubt about it as Chief GRAY
has been working upon the case for a
month and has information which
points conclusiyely to his having the
right man. R. j. Dali, sheriff at Lin
neus. Mo-, is enroute to Ottunwa now.
and as soon as he arrives he will be
able to identify the man if he is the
one wanted, and there is little doubt
that he is. A reward of 5000 has
been offered for the man at Linneus,
and it is said that another reward.
amounting to $500. is offered by the
authorities where Franklin killed the
sheriff. He has eluded all the officers
who have captured him before, and
only three or four months ago forced
deputy sheriff to swim river near
Lancaster Mo-, when the officer came
too close for mutual good.
| This is capture of which Chief
Gray and his friends may well feel
/ proud. A circumstance that makes it
the more interesting too, is that May
| or L. Fl. Picker was with the chief
throughout the occurrence and both
officials acted as escort to the man
| from the Star livery stable, where he
was arrested, to the city hall When
| taken he was on the point of using
his revolver, As calibre Colt and
even attempted to regain it from Chief
] Gray when the later had confiscated it
and had he been successful in this
there is little doubt that one or the
other OF his captors would have been
q dead man today. for according to
the description given Chief Gray by
the sheriff at Linneus. he will shoot
at the wink of the eye"
Story of Capture.
Three of four weeks ago Chief Gray
received a letter from Sheriff R. j.
| Dali, at Linneus, stating that Fletch
Franklin, horse-thief and general all
around outlaw was stealing horses in
northern Missouri and southern Iowa
and was making his he Quarters in
Ultumwa He asked for his arrest,
stating that a reward Of 5000 had been
offered to the one who would deliver
him at Linneus Chief Gray has been
i on a still-hunt for the man since that
time On election day Captain Gal
| lagher arrested q man whom he
thought to be Franklin, but who later
turned out TO be some one else.
Upon receipt of the letter Chief
Gray Immediately began hunting for
his man and it was not long until he
had located him. He was staying at
the home of Alex Franklin, on Ellis
avenue, in South Ottumwa. Alex
Franklin is Waterman at the Dain
plant and is a brother of Fletch. Sher-
if Dail's opinion is that Fletch is a
member of a regularly organized band
of horse thieves who are operating in
northern Missouri and southern Iowa,
and that he makes regular trips from
Ottumwa into Missouri.
AS it was rather hard to figure on
getting his man at the Franklin home,
where it was probable that provisions
were always made against capture,the
OtlCer COntrlNeu 10 SSt hin aWuilS NC
was in the more thickly populated por-
ton of the city and, if possible, alone,
: This arrangement took more time, but
yesterday afternoon, as Chief Gray
) and Mayor Piclder were walking along
Main street, near College, going vest
> ward, the chief saw man going south
on College street and Immediately
spotted him for Franklin.
The two officials lost no time in fol
lowing the man, and trailed him east
! along the railroad tracks from Collage
street to Union street, where he TURF
ed into the Star livery stable. TMs
! place had been visited several times
: by Franklin, or Ed Miller, as he calls
; himself, and he has secured teams
there during the past four weeks.
Upon entering the barn the plans
of the authorities came near being
. frustrated, for as they crossed the
threshold one of the employees disclos
ed their identity by asking:
a What are you officers doing here
= this time of day."
s Chief Gray turned the question of
n without exciting suspicion on the par,