Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-01-13
Ex-FEDERAL OFFICER
WANTED FOR ROBBERY.
Continued From Page One.)

| CONTINUED From Page One.)
supposed accomplices on the way. for
he came walking into the Sullivan
home and staid a minute or two, leav-
ing almost Immediately, The members
of the family noticed that he was wear
ing cap at this time, the fact being
especially noticeable, as he was con-
tinually in the habit of wearing hat.
Some one in the house asked, Where
did you get that cap" but Richards is
said to have turned off the question
lightly and treated it as a joke. The
man who was seen by Mr.. Sullivan's
sister in the yard during the robbery
is said to have worn cap.
Coast Was Clear.
Judging from the events which fol-
lowed, this visit was for the purpose
of seeing if the coast was clear for the
crime, for it was only a few minutes
after Richards departed the second
time when the door, which had been
unlocked for the past few days because
the key was missing, was thrust open
to admit the two ruffians who COM
mitted the robbery.
Thinks She Saw Him.
| The Sullivans, when commanded to
| throw up their hands by the two I'M
( welcome visitors, all they could see at
that time, thought some one was play
ing a joke upon them at first, but
when the command was repeated a
second time, they began to realize
that they were up against real hold
up and they were only too quick about
elevating their hands and turning their
| faces to the wall. However in the few
seconds grace they were given an OPP
portunity to get good look at their
captors and Mr.. Sullivan's sister, who
is rather old and somewhat feeble,
was unable to stand the strain
throughout the searching of her rel
atives, so that she, in turning her head
few inches as if to rest, was able to
look out of the door through which the
robbers had entered and which during
the raid was left standing open. She
claims that she saw third man
standing short distance outside the
door and she feels reasonably certain
that it was Richards. AS soon as she
had recovered from the shock incident
to the robbery, she told her brother of
her suspicion and he agreed with her
Initiated Davis.
A phase of the affair which shows
that local talent engineered it is the
fact that Baird, the robber who was
shot, walked as if one of his legs was
stiff at the knee, initiating very ably a
man who resides at Hamilton and
bears the name of 'Bill' Davis. Da-.
Wis, although he has never been con
/ vii rn p,,i,, to 7.
in Hamilton, it is said, and Mr.. Sulli-
van, after the robbery, told friend
that If he had not shot Baird, he
would always have thought him to be
''BilI' Davis.
Was He Ignorant?
Richards is said to have played the
ignorant after the robbery. He ap-.
peared at the Sullivan home a few
minutes after the bandits felt. and
! asked the cause of the commotion,
| The members of the family, almost
frantic with grief over their loss, told
him they had been ruined and that
their money. had been taken away
from them.
why, Sarah, (Mrs. Sulliyan) did
| you have money here in the house ?''
richards is alleged to have asked
Why, Bill Richards, you know we
did" the woman cried. '.You knew we
didn't put it in the bank
The excitement was SO great at this
time that the matter was given but
little thought just then. However,
upon sober thought, the Sullivans re-
membered that Richards was proba.
bly, the only one besides themselves
who knew about the money. The rob,
bers displayed good knowledge OF
how much money their victims pos.
sessed and where it was being kept.
4 AS Baird was from Creston and his
companion is thought to have been
from that city also, some third party
who knew the facts regarding the
money at Sulliyan's house must have
engineered the deal.
i Baird was shot in the left side of the
face with the first load and Sullivan's
i second barrel caught the fleeing rob
Der in the leg. Later he crawled to a
pig pen and lay there until the fami-
4 ly's excitement had somewhat abated.
From there he made his painful way
to a physicians office, and delivered
to the practitioner his billy club and
revolver, asking that his wounds be
given ATTENTION.
Spent Night Together.
Baird was taken to a billiard hall
in the town and remained there all
night, and until the train left the next
morning for Knoxville, when he was
taken to the county seat and confined
in the jail. During the greater part OF
4 the night, it is said, Richards was
with the wounded man and held sew.
eral whispered conversations with
4 him. 1t is said that the ex-governor
ment detective told some of his init
mates at Hamilton that he had recog
nized Baird and wanted to do all he
could to alleviate his sufferings, but
people wonder why, il this were true
i Richards did not tell the officers who
Baird was, thus supplying the link in
the evidence which was eagerly
searched for during several days and
until Baird admitted his identity
Suspicious Action.
| Immediately after the robbery, it is
said. Sullivan told Richards to tele
graph abroad the news of the robbery
and IN send to KnOyvilla for fbe