Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-11-20
ADMITS HlSlDENTITY
Fletcher Franklin Leaves OF Pos
ing as ED Miller"
HE TELLS OF HIS EXPERIENCES
Sheriff Dale, Ex-sheriff Barton, and
Chief Gray Leave This Morning for
Macon, Mo-, With Their Charge
His First Time in Jail.

's's ''Ss INV oRiis
Fletcher Franklin, in charge of Sher.
iff R. ]. Dali and Ex-Sheriff Edward
Barton, of Linneus, Mo-, accompanied
by Chief Of Police John Gray of this
city, was taken today to Macon, Mo-,
where he will be incarcerated in the
Macon Jail until the time comes for
his trial at Linneus on the charge of
stealing horses from farmer residing
in Linn county. Owing to the fact that
the Jail at Linneus is not secure and
owing also to reports which were re-
ceived from Missouri last night is was
not deemed wise for the Missouri Off
GERS to take their prisoner to Linneus
at once and accordingly the plans were
changed, unknown to anyone save the
officers themselves, and Franklin will,
accordingly be imprisoned at Macon
instead of Linneus. The party left on
the Wabash passenger at S:25 o'clock
this morning.
Admits His Identity.
The prisoner, on the way to the train
this morning, admitted to Chief Gray,
with whom he was walking that he is
Fletcher Franklin, and grew rather
confidential with the officer, whom he
seems to respect very highly. Both
the prisoner and his brother, Alex.
Franklin, said repeatedly this morning
that Chief Gray is the only officer of
the law who has ever attempted to
make Fletcher prisoner without COW
ering him with gun. He even COM
plimented the Ottumwa officer on his
nerve and GOODNESS and went on to tell
of some of his experiences.
Tells of Last Fight.
In this connection Franklin told of
the fight in which he bested two Kan
sas City detectives, Brown and Sparks
near Pollock, Mo-, a few weeks ago.
This affair was mentioned in last ev-
ening's Courier and the story was ver-
flied by Franklin this morning. He
| said that he has no doubt but that the
| Kansas City men intended to put an
| end to his life, and that the only rea-
son they did not carry this out was
that they We're afraid of shooting
Franklin's sister-in-law, Mrs. Robinson,
whom he used as shield between him.
self and the officers.
| Claims He Has Been Good.
| Franklin denied to Chief Gray that
he is guilty of the theft of the horses
| which he is charged with stealing in
Missouri during the past few years,
and told the officer that he has not
done anything crooked" for fifteen
years. He has given up trying to
make the officers believe that he is
not the man they believe him to be
and has evidently resigned himself to
the fate that awaits him upon his ar
rival in Missouri.
Fear Trouble.
| The Missouri officers this morning
asked Chief Gray to accompany them
at least as far as the Missouri state
| line on their trip to Macon, as they
received several messages last night
which lead them to believe that they
may have trouble in getting their pris.
oner to their destination. Ex-Sheriff
Barton and Chief Gray were called re.
peatedly over the long distance tele,
phone by parties in Missouri who
stated that Judging from things they
saw yesterday they believed that 9
gang of friends Of Franklin was pre-
pairing to meet the train on which he
would be brought to Missouri and take
him from the officers On learning
this Sheriff Dale telephoned to the
county jail to ask if Fletch would BIZ
4 willing to leave the city on the. Mil
waukee at 1870 a. M, his intention
being to go to Chillicothe, Mo-, TWEEN
ty-five miles from Linneus. and put
the man in Jail there Franklin, how
ever, refused to go at that time, ant
the officers would not compel him tt
do so as the requisition papers in the
case have not yet been received.
Who is Malone?
A man giving his name as james
+ Malone and claiming to beka detective
at Lincoln, Neb.. telephoned to Chic
Gray last night from St. Joseph, Mo
asking when Franklin was to be takel
to MISSOURI, and stated that he woul'
pay reward of $50 il turned over t
him. He was informed that the maj
was to be taken away Friday morning
but this didn't cause him to wait an
! time, as he was in Ottumwa bright an
early this morning with request tina
Franklin be delivered to him. How
! ever, he didn't quite satisfy Chief Ora
: and the Missouri officers had prio
e claim upon the man, SO it was i
: charge of them and not of Malone tina
: Fetch left Ottumwa today. Strange
e say, however, and strange for the locs
a officers to understand, Malone left o
/ the same train, although he says he
II from Lincoln and on his way HON,
! 1t Is safe to say that Malone will b
/ watched as closely on the trip a
$ Franklin himself.
a Many See Prisoner.
i, On the way to the train this mornin