Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-10-03
The MURPHY Trial
Burrier, In His Testimony,
Gives Details oil the Differ
emit Clinton Robberies
INTEREST IN CASE
The Large Number of Burslaries in
Which the Accused are Implicated
and the Desperate Character of the
Men Secured to Do The Work, Make
the Case an Extraordinary One.
INTEREST IN CASE

Special to Times Republican.
Clinton. Oct 3-The trial of the state
VS.. Daniel Murphy who abs been indict-
ed on % counts for burglary, robbery
and kindred crimes is now on at the
court house and the attendance is so
large that it is necessary for the sher-
if to lock the doors. Ii is alleged by
the state that Daniel Murphy has been
bringing criminals to this city for
years and locating fog them places to
rob. He is charged with general con-
spiracy and the principal witness
against him is George Is. Burrier, a mar
aged about 35 years who was raised
near Pennington. this state, where his
mother now resides. Burrer Is now
serving fifteen year sentence at the
TT. Madison penitentiary for robberies
committed here last winter. He was
brought back to Clinton to testify In
this case. He was the first witness
placed on the stand yesterday at the
beginning of the trial and was still
on the stand when court convened
this morning. According TO the test-
mony of Burrier, it is loubtful If there
is another man in the United States
who has robbed and burglarized as
many residences as hR. this being his
specially. According 10 his testimony
he has been in the penitentiary in Mis-
souri,, Indiana and twice in Iowa. In
fact he Is today a raroled prisoner
from both Missouri and Indiana. He
was sentenced in the former state TO
the penitentiary for five years, for
burglary, but after a year and half
was paroled. He was a few months
later sentenced to the penitentiary in
Indiana for fifteen years and was also
paroled from that institution. He Is
now serving fifteen year sentence
for robberes committed here. On the
witness stand he was perfectly frank in
his statements and apparently made
no effort to conceal his criminal rec
ord. He says he has btlrglarized scores
of residences in all parts of the coun-
try. He is man Of extraordinary
intelligence. uses the finest Of language
and Is so shrewd that the lawyers for
the defense have been unable to shake
his testimony in the least According
Conroy who was also indicted by the
grand jury on seventeen counts, have
been the means of bringing here him
self, a criminal by the name OF Rogers
who is now in Jail at Council Bluffs
on the charge of murder and another
criminal by the name of Dolan, who
was recently sent to the penitentiary
from Sioux City He said these three
~
here the past few years, including per-
haps twenty and attempted to COM
nit several others. H,: says 1t is the
habit for local criminals to locate the
places to be robbed, bring in outside
talent to do the business and divide
the spells, the local NEIL receiving from
10 to 20 per cent.
Burrier told in detail of the different
robberies committed here. He said
himself. Rogers and Dalan robbed the
inmates of the Seventh avenue club
and that he was the man who had
the tussle with Frog and that he shot
him three times In the meantime
the other two We're taking the waltz
ables from Frogg's companions. He
said this robbery was planned by the
three mentioned above and also by
Murphy and Conroy ami that Mrs. Up
ton, in whose house they were room
ing. also heard the plans. Regarding
the attempt to rob the residence of
Lafayette Lamb, one Of the wealthiest
men of the city, he said he came here
one evening with Rogers. He had
key to Murphy's room, but instead of
going there he went TO the Revere hotel,
While Rogers went tG the Windsor,
both first class hotels. He said they
had the appearance OF travelling men
and 1t was their aim to create the
impression they We're dlummers. They
intended to rob the Larnb residence go
to the Murphy room ard wash up, then
so to the hotels and stay all night
and leave in the morning. taking the
omnibus to the station the same as
other travelling men, i,uy ticket to
some distant town and thereby avoid
suspicion. He said. however, Rogers
was discovered while on the roof of
the house and they escaped and gave
up the job at that time He also told
of the plans to rob the residences
of both George M. and Charles Curtis,
the residence of l.. p. Allen DR.. j. S.
Langan, DR.. J. X. Milbllrne, and others
and stated in all of these Murphy and
Conroy were Implicated. They took
no active part in the robberies, but
located the places and helped to plan
the burglaries. Burriel- identified two
pistols. "A Colts. which were taken
from him when he Was arrested and
said he always carried them when he
was raiding houses and that he always
saw to 1T that they We're loaded.
In confederation to TIE testimony of
Burrier the stale introduced kilograms
and letters which passed between Muir
ply and Burrier, which, however, did
not directly connect him with the rob-
berries.
On account of the lMrge number of
burglaries in which the accused are i'm
plicated and on account of the desper-
ate character of the men brought here
to commit the crimes, unusual inter
est is taken in the case. There are six
attorneys taking part la the prosecu-
ton, while the state is represented by
three, one of them being w. A. Foster,
perhaps the most noted criminal law
yer in Chicago From legal stand
point, the battle is a royal one.
IS Gill TY OF Ar,tJI TERN