Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-02-07
A Peculiar Coincidence Resulted
in the Capture OF kid"
Noble.
Supposed Fictitious Name Hap
pened to Be Real Name Of
Enid Citizen.
Letter Fell Into Latter's Hands
and He Notified the
Officers.
Special to Times.Republican.

Muscatine, Feb IA peculiar COIN
cidence led to the apprehension of
Kid Noble who killed Tom Morgan,
the saloon keeper here. letter mailed
| to his sweetheart wife at this place was
the cause of his undoing. The News
Tribune says:
"In his flight to the southwest Kid
stopped long enough to mail letter
to his sweetheart wife. The stigma of
murder did not shake her loyalty to
him and to aid him in his desperate
of kind words. Pursuant, probably to
his instructions. she addressed her let
ter to H. w. Johnson. Enid Okla, this
being the name Kid had assumed.
But 1t so happened that this ficti-
tiouS name w0s the real name Of the
telegraph operator for the Rock Island
road at Enid. The letter got to it's
destination before Kid Noble did, and
in the meantime the postmaster had
given it to Harry w. Johnson. The OPP
orator found a IS bill in the letter
which was from Mobiles wife. The lines
stated that she was uneasy and III;
said she had not slept we'll since the
trouble; said she was glad he had
changed his name, as IL was a good
idea; promising to do all in her power
in any way to assist him, and con-
Guided by saying that when he found
g. good safe place to let her know and
she would join him.
"rrho latfer aro,1sa6 No c,1cpicioN
the part of the operator until he pulled
out of it some newspaper clippings
from the News Tribune, which first
narrated at length the tragic happen
ing on the fateful night when Kid Mo-
bile killed Tom Morgan. Associating the
word trouble" in the letter with the
murder mentioned in the News-Trib-
une clippings. Johnson jumped to the
right conclusion. He returned the let
ter to the postmaster and Immediately
notified Sheriff Porter, who watched at
the postoffice. When Kid Noble put in
an appearance and asked for w. II.
Johnson's mail, the sheriff and deputy
knew that had spotted the right man.
They tracked him from the postoffice to
the White House saloon, and there. at
an opportune moment. each man
caught one of his arms and pinioned ii
across his back. Quickly searching his
pockets, and finding no weapons con-
cealed on his person, they escorted him
to jail. The sly fugitive was at bay.
The brawny bully was in the tolls and
not blow struck. 1t was all over with
Kid, and he seemed to realize It, and
aside from a story weakly told that
they must be mistaken in their man he
had nothing to say.
THE prisoner had on the steel
boots" but he was not handcuffed I'M
where his brother, Clarence Noble, got
on the train at the station to see him.
Clarence, overwhelmed by his emotions,
broke down and wept.
stop crying. cut it out. If I'd known
you would act the baby l wouldn't want
to see you. Get me pint of whisky"
So spoke the prisoner. A few minutes
later the train pulled out, and Clarence
as he left he assured kid" he would |
stand by him and come to the trial at
ION the train Sheriff Stuart ventured
to ask the prisoner. who was moody
and silent, why he had done the deed.
Noble said not a word. but wave of
the arm. sort of deprecating gesture.
was the only answer which the sheriff
to mean, Don't ask me, I've
nothing to asy.'
Mrs. Noble was among the first to
see the prisoner yesterday morning,
and she called on him again last even
ing. While Kid was conversing in sub
dued tones to his attorney she looked
On in a bewildered way until they fin
shed. Then, as the murderer turned
% her. she began to weep. and caress-
ng her. the big pugilist urged his little
girl to keep up her spirits. admonishing
her to be brave and things would come
,ut all right While she sobbed Noble
.urned to the little party just without
he corridor and with forced laugh
said: For Gods sake, let some one
nugh around here. l have troubles of
ny own. Don't all cry about it,"