Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-01-13

on the night OF the robbery, telling
him to do everything possible for
Baird and to keep his head shut"
This would indicate that the two men
were connected
Where is Richards?
Richards has disappeared since last
Friday as completely as if he had been
swallowed up by the earth Wednes-
day of last week he was seen in Knox
vile. and it claimed by two men that
know him that they were sitting in the
hotel at Knoxville Friday night when
Richards came in and bolted up stairs
without speaking to them or even reg
istering at the desk. Since then he
has not been seen at Knoxville and no
trace of him can be picked up by Sher-
if Bybee. He is said to have been in
Ottumwa on Friday night also, and to
have been spending considerable mon
ey in some of the places in the Smoky
Row district, but as yet no one has
been found who is sure of this fact.
Since the warrant was issued Satur-
day evening, however, officers in vari-
Gus places in the state have been
searching for, him without success and
it is pretty well accepted theory that
he has left the state entirely.
The Third Man.
Who the third man is is question
that is now. bothering Sheriff Bybee
considerably. but incidents point to
the conclusion that he is a pal of
Baird and Creston man. No de-
pendence is put in the story to which
the injured man has clung to SO ten
aciously since his arrest, to the effect
that his two companions are unknown
to him and were roughly dressed like
tramps. The fact. that certain Cres-
ton man, known there as a crook, left
that city soon after the robbery and
didn't leave any directions about for
warding his mail leads the officers to
believe that he was the third party to
the robbery.
Divided in creston.
1t is thought that the proceeds of
the robbery were divided in Creston,
and that Baird's wife was present
when the .divvy" was made. This
supposition is borne out by the fact
that the injured mans ring, which he
said at first had been stolen from him
at the time of the robbery by his pals,
has reappeared upon his finger since
his wife came to the Knoxville Jail.
Baird also claimed that his watch had
been stolen. but he told Sheriff Bybee
a few days ago that he now remembers
that while lying on a hard bed in the
billiard hall the night of the robbery
he gave bystander his watch for
bringing him mattress.
Baird's Story Denied.
The story told by Baird is being
contradicted in several points. He
claimed that he came from Des Moines
on the night of the robbery, but Sher-
iff Bybee believes that when the time
for the trial comes he can show that
Baird and his Creston friend came to
Hamilton over the Burlington from
CreSton.
Burglar Tools Found.
When Bairdwas searched by the Off
GERS pair of nippers and mysteri-
Gus little box were found in his pos
session. Sheriff Bybee3 believes the
| nippers to be of the kind carried by
burglars and called outside nippers,"
such instruments are used by bur-
| glar on the outside of house to turn
a key which is left in the lock on the
inside of the door, The little pack
age, the nature of which. cannot be de-
termined by the Marion county Off
GERS is thought to be pocket dark
| lantern. The funding of these tools in
Baird's possession would not indicate
that he is altogether innocent, as he
claimed when first arrested.
Wagon Story Disputed.
The story told by Baird to the effect
that the robbers intended getting away
in buggy is disputed by the officers,
who have found that the buggy which
it was thought carried the robbers
away from Hamilton was one owned
by w. A. Wells of Buxton. 1t had been
driven to the Wabash depot at Hamil-
ton to meet Mr. Wells and take him
homo, but the driver failed to see him
and started to Buxton without him,
| just after the robbery. A few minutes
| later, Mr.. Wells, who discovered the
condition of affairsand had gone down
| the railroad track to intercept the
man stopped him short distance
| from the Sullivan house and got in
to the buggy. This was the stop that
| it was thought the third man made SO
| that the robbers could get into the
buggy and drive away.
| Baird still refuses to tell any othel
story of his, connection with the rob
berry than the one he told on the first
day after being taken to the Jail at
Knoxville. His wife. who is looked
upon by the officers, as being more OF
a general than her husband, has plead
ed with him several times in the pres
ence of Sheriff Bybee to tell all he
knows about the affair, but whether
this is ruse. for the purpose of work
ing on the officers feelings is a ques
ton.
Mrs. Baird is still in the Knoxville
jail, and will probably remain there
until her husband RECEIVERS sufficient
+ ~ to take care of himself. She is not
allowed to go outside of the building
nor to communicate with any one OF
the outside except when her letters
are read by the officers.
Wicked Weapons.
The billy club and revolver which
Baird delivered to DR.. Tandy on the
night of the robbery and the beard
| .pb;ah Il ,x,A,,, the time ,F tho non,