Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1903-01-16
ron W. 4 RlcHAROs

WARRANT ron w. a RICHARDS
Former Y. .. Deputy MarshaI Charged
With sullivan Robbery.
Des Moines, Jan, IA warrant Il
out for the arrest OF w. A. Richards
until December last deputy United
Stetes marshal, charging him with the
| crime OF robbery. It is in the hands
OF Sheriff Bybee OF Marion county
and was Issued on an information
charging Richards with completely II
the sensational robbery of Patrick and
4 Sarah Sullivan In the little town OF
\ Hamilton on the night Of January i.
The news Of the issuance of a war
rant for the arrest Of Richards or
| this charge was surprise and shock
to the few people who were acquaint'
ed with the facts. It came first to the
peace officers, who for years have
| been associated with Richards ana
who have long regarded him as one
OF the most competent peace officers
In the state and man thoroughly
hated by the criminal classes. They
were disposed to doubt that the charge
that he was implicated in the robbery
of the Sullivans can be we'll found,
ed but later when luler details were
given they were disposed to think that
the issuance of the warrant Is JUS.
tifable and that there are circum.
stances that Richards must explain.
The robbery In which 1t is charged
Richards had hand is one Of the most
sensational that has occurred in south.
ern Iowa in years. Sarah Sullivan
owned a farm near Hamilton. Recent
payment of $3.50 to apply on the
closed at Bussey and the money de-
81 Sullivan withdrew the money from
the Busscy banks intending to de-
post 1t in bank either at Lovilla or
Knoxville. He took the money home
with him and 1t was concealed In an
envelop in closet The night of jan
uary1 two masked men burst into the
house and covering Mr.. and Mrs. Sui
Ivan with revolvers demanded that
they give up lie money. They denied
that they had money, but were told
by the robbers that they knew better.
The robbers then threatened to tor
ture Mrs. Sullivan and to kill her hus-
band unless NE hiding place of the
money was revealed Mrs. Sullivan
told where the money was. The rob-
bers took 1t and backed out of tn.
house. Sullivan grabbed up shot
gun and running to the door engaged
in gun duel with the robbers, sue
ceeding in winging one of them, who
has since been identified as Frank
Baird OF Creston man who has done
time for robbery. The other robber
ran some distance and jumped into
a buggy driven by third man who
was in waiting. The two managed
to escape with the money.
It Is stated that the Information
against Richards was not sworn to
until a confession had been obtained
from Baird duplicating him and nam
ing him as the man who drove the
rig the night of the burglary. 1t is
alleged that this confession was made
by Baird. who thought that he was
about to die because Of blood poison
ing resulting from his wounds.
Richards has been acquainted with
the Sullivan for q number of years,
and in conversation with Sullivan
the day Of the robbery learned that
he had drawn the money out Of the
Bussey bank. 1t is claimed that he
advised him against depositing 1t in
q certain bank knoxville, saying 1t
was not In sound condition. Further
than this it is claimed that after Baird
went there and manifested great in
terest In the criminal, then unidenti-
fed, called on the physician attending
him and urged that he make every ef-
Fort OFT Is save tiis an's lie. u
Probably no peace officer In Iowa Is
better known than w. A. Richards.
For many years he served as deputy
sheriff la coun les in the south part Of
the state, and eight years ago was
appointed deputy United States
by Frank Bradley, who was
then district marshal. Richards was
considered by far the best man in the
service in 10y a. and had unprecedent-
ed success in ferreting out criminals
who had violated the United States
statutes. %