Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-01-12
Sensational Development in the
Sullivan Robbers Case at
Hamilton
FOR W. S. RICHARDS
He Was Formerly United States Dep
uty Marshal and One of the coun-
try's Noted Thief catehers-Friends
DO Not Believe He Has Turned
Thief Himself-His Career.
Special to Times Republican.

DeS MoineS, Jan. l2.--The charge
of completely in the robbery of P. and
Sarah Sullivan, of Hamilton, Ia, of
$500, on Jan. /, preferred against w.
IS. Richards, deputy United States
marshal until December 15 last, when
he resigned. caused a profound sensa-
ton in the capital city. 1t is claimed
Frank Baird, the robber who was
wounded and is now in Jail at Knox
vile has made a confession. A war
rant is out for the arrest of Richards.
His friends, in declaring their belief
in his innocence, point out that he has
been interested in number of big
cases where, where had he been dis
posed to be dishonest, he could, by
many times as much as a share of the
Sullivan robbery could have been.
On the other hand. it is pointed out
that Baird is relative of Richards.
Further, it is claimed that Richards
was in Knoxville the day before the
robbery; that he talked with Sullivan,
whom he knew, and advised Sullivart
against depositing the money in a GER
tain Knoxville bank. 1t is further
claimed that Richards called on doc
tor after the shooting and asked him
to attend Baird, promising to pay all
expenses. Richards whereabouts are
unknown. His home is in Creston.
Probably no peace officers in Iowa is
better known than w. A. Richards. For
many years he served as a deputy sher-
iff in counties in the south part of the
state, and eight years ago was appoint
ed deputy United States marshal by
Frank Bradley, who was then district
marshal. Richards was considered by
far the best man in the service in Iowa.
and had unprecedented success in fer
reting out criminals who mad violated
the United States statutes. His work
came to be recognized outside the dis
trict, and Chief Inspector Stuart, OF
Chicago, called upon him for special
service in connection with gang OF
green goods men working out of Chi
cago. Richards went to Arkansas and
succeeded In getting into correspond
ence with the gang. Finally he went
on to Chicago to play the role of the
sucker and was taken into rooms
on Quincy street. There he made the
deal for the green goods" and. then
single handed, went after the crooks
and succeeded in, holding them until
his assistants. who had been stationed
near by burst in the doors and came to
his aid. Locally. he has figured promi-
nently in a number OF eIl-known cases,
and was for some time in the service
OF the Bankers Mutual Casualty COM
pany, as its special agent for the de-
lection of bank robbers. His work
was successful in this direction, and he
aided materially in securing some inn
portant convictions, not only in Iowa,
but in near by states. He was men,
Der of the Iowa Sheriffs' association,
and but recently was employed by it
in an effort to capture the murderer of
Sheriff Strain, OF onawa, having been
retained by the association. He spent
several weeks on the Omaha and Win
nebago Indian reservations in Ne
braska, where the murderer was SUE
posed to be hiding.
Richards resigned as deputy United
States marshal in December and his
resignation went into effect December
is. No reason is assigned for this.
other than Marshal Christian desired
that he leave the service. He was a
democrat and was retained by Marshal
Christian for four years, because Of his
superior qualifications. He made his
headquarters for the first two years OF
his last term at Ottumwa, and for the
last two years at Creston. and still
calls Creston his home. For several
years previous to going to Ottumwa,
he lived in Des Moines and was well
known to nearly everyone in the city
who has resided here any time at all.
Only within the last year he was re.
tanned by the Burlington road to clean
up the Whitechapel district and sue
ceeded in accomplishing task that
others have endeavored to accomplish
for years, but have. not succeeded in.
Some of his more intimate friends
and a number of his official acquaint.
ances doubt IL a case can be made
against him should he be apprehended
tho they admit his absence from his
usual haunts as against him.