Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-01-22
MINDS ARE CHANGED
Fast Friends of w. A. Richards
Stop Denying His Guilt.
HIS KEYS RETURNED TO DES MONIES
Since the Property of the Government
Which Richards Had When Deputy
Marshal Has Been Received Be-
lief in Guilt Strengthens.

Since the return of his keys to Des
Moines, friends of William A. Rich
ards, the former deputy United States
marshal who is wanted in Knoxville
for alleged completely in the robbery
of Mr. and Mrs. P. Sullivan at Ham
ilton on January 2, have, it is. said, be-
gun to suspect that the ex-federal Of
ficer is guilty of the crime with which
he is charged. In Des Moines, it
seems, several people who have
known Bill" Richards for several
years, have steadfastly insisted that
he is innocent in spite of the fact that
he has not been seen since day or
two before the warrant for his arrest
was issued at Knoxville. The Des
Moines News published an interview.
which was widely copied in different
papers throughout the state, in which
e. R. Mason, of Des Moines, clerk OF
the federal court there, was reported
to have said that he knew where Rich
ards was and could tell Sheriff Bybee,
of Marion county, where to get him IL
| the sheriff were to assure him that he
had warrant
Since hearing of this alleged inter-
view, Sheriff Bybee has written to
Clerk Mason, telling him that there
is a warrant in his keeping for the ar
rest of Richards, and asking him to
tell him where the man could be found
Mason has come out with denial OF
the authenticity of the article publish
ed in the News and that paper says 1t
can prove it was right.
The keys and effects belonging to
the government which were in charge
of Richards before his resignation
from office have been returned to Uni
ted States Marshal Christian at Des
Monies, the officer who was Richards
immediate superior. This occurrence
has caused several of the people who
were taking Richards part to change
their minds as to his innocence. A
reason that is not the least for their
change of mind is that not line ac-
companied the keys, ETC., and this IS
taken as an indication that Richards
does not intend to let anyone know
: where he is, at least not at present.
The belongings came back to Des
= Moines from Creston.
! There is talk among the officers in
!. different parts of the state regarding
: the advisability of issuing a reward for
: Richards arrest AS yet no one, not
: even Sheriff Bybee, has made any ac-
: tive attempt to get the man, and this
5 is not any excuse for wonder. Bill
!; Richards, as a deputy United States
y marshal was one of the most formid
y able men in the governments service
/ and was so recognized by crooks all
over this part of the country. He had
J. a reputation for daredevil bravery
7 which is not surpassed by that OF any
e of the men he tracked and captured
y Many are the stories told of his deeds
II of bravery in capturing outlaws and
g criminals, and when the fact is con
d sidered that he would probably display
= more bravery and daring in lighting
1t for his own freedom than in working
r simply for money, there are not few
e men. good officers too, who would ma
turally be slow about hunting Rich
ards to arrest him, simply for the $40
nv there would be in it. u
= But it is argued that money make:
! ia big difference with everyone. and al
u officers of the law are no more thar
II human, several of them could M
doubt be induced to spend both tlm'
and money in an effort to capture
u Richards if good-sized reward wer'
j. to be offered.