Omaha daily bee., 1903-02-26
RICHARDS IS TO COME HOME
En- United States Mar hal is Said 10 Be
Willing to Face His Aocusers
LET CONTRACT FOR THE IOWA BUILDING
Severe Penalty Under Iowa Law for
differentiation of Property by
Assessors or Boards of
Review.
LET CONTRACT FOR THE IOWA BUILDING
From a star Correspondent

From a staf Correspondent
DIES MONIES, Feb. 25.-(SpecialD-An-
nouncement Is made here today that w. A.
Richards, the ex-United States marshal, is
to return to Des Moines in a few days and
give himself up, give bonds and stand trial
for the robbery of Sullivan at Hamilton.
Richards is understood to have returned
from Mexico as far as Omaha a few days
ago, at the suggestion OF his friends in
Iowa, and from there to have carried on
negotiations for a return to the state. His
son-in-law, Ed Davis, of this city, was with
him in Omaha last Sunday. He has wealthy
and Influential friends here and in Creston,
his home, who have arranged to see that
he is given his freedom at once and is given
a fair trial. He is also very much wanted
In the trial of the case of the state against
Frank Beard at Knoxville. Beard is the
man who was shot by Sullivan at the time
OF the robbery. Richards, who had known
Beard well, having taken him to the peni-
Tertiary twice, was the first person to
have a consultation with Beard in Jail and
his actions were looked upon with suspi-
cion. Finally 1t became openly charged
that Richards was one of the men who was
With Bearo and participated in the rob-
berry. This grew into more than suspicion
when it became known that Richards had
gone to Mexico. Later It was alleged Rich
ards friends had made overtures to Sulli-
van to return the money stolen II the
prosecution against Richards should be
dropped. Since then but little has been
heard Of the case, but It is expected Rich
ards will turn up here or in Knoxville this
week and give an account Of himself. His
friends here, who have received letters from
him, say that he protests his innocence
and declares he can tell where he was on
the night OF the robbery. Richards had
been deputy marshal a long time and his
friends have all along declared their be-
lief in his innocence.
Bids ON Iowa Building.
The building committee Of the Louisiana
Purchase commission held a meeting this
afternoon and opened bids on the construc-
tion of the Iowa building at st. Louis. The
bids were from the Capital City Brick and
Pipe company of this city; n. w. Schlueter,
Chicago; E. w. Nichols, Des Moines; ]. e.
Dufield, East st. Louis; James Rowson &
Son, lowe city, and others. The contract
will go to E.. w. Nichols G. Co. of Des
Moines, whose bid of less than $4,000 was
the lowest. The building committee also
made an agreement today with Nichols
that the contractors would use lows mate.
rial in the building as far as possible and
union labor from Iowa.
James walker on Trial.
The case of the state against James
Walker, colored, for the Finkelstein MUIR
der in Des qMoines last summer, was COM
menced, a jury empaneled and witnesses
placed on the stand. The witnesses thus
far are the same as those who appeared In
the trial OF Levich for the lame crime and
nothing new has been disclosed. Only two
new witnesses have been secured by the
state, two women who claim to have been
eye witnesses. to the tragedy, but these
have not been on the stand.
The Hossack murder case in Winterset
was not quite ready for submission to the
jury this evening, as the attorneys have
talked all day and have not concluded
their arguments.
Gniu in Iowa Unions.
Reports to the officials Of the Iowa Fed
Grafton of Labor, as compiled by President
Holder, show that since last Nay when
the last state meeting OF the federation was
held, there have been organized a total of
145 local unions, which are now affiliated
with the state federation. This makes a
total of III, and others are under way and
will be added before the meeting at Dav-
export. The total membership will be re-
ported at not far from As 5000 at that time.
Hard ON the Assessors.
Secretary Davidson OF the state execu-
tive council this morning called attention
to the fact that there is an unusually Sc
we're law in the matter of assessments OF
property in Iowa. There is a special pen
atty provided for failure to assess prop
erty in strict accordance with the law. The
assessors take oath to determine the ac-
tual value of the property assessed, and
list 1t at one-fourth this value for taxa
ton, and the statute provides a special fine
OF not less than $500 for any failure so to
do. This fine would attach not only to an
assessor, but to a Board OF Review IL II
failed to have the assessment right. But
few OF the assessors and local taxing off,
GERS In the state were aware of this spe-
cial statute applying to such cases, and as
the assessment and review work is now
going on the stirring up Of the matter may
have its effect on the general assessment.
Railroad Case to He
The attorneys in the case Of Jolley against
the Chicago, Milwaukee and st. Paul Rail-
way company, from Calhoun county. have
filed a motion for a hearing OF the case be-
fore the supreme court. The case was re-
versed. and the attorneys for Jolley ask
the court to go over the case again. 1t
has been widely published that in this case
the court declared the law providing a
penalty of 800 for the failure Of a railroad
company to redeem its tickets when not
used. to be valid and constitutional, but
the question was not raised nor passed on.
But there was some doubt in the minds OF
attorneys on both sides as to the full i'm
port of the decision as II related to whether
one or more penalties could be claimed
where a purchaser Of more than one ticket
had brought suit. The court rather init
mated that only one penalty could be
claimed in any event. On this and some
other questions a rehearing is asked, and
the attorneys will go over the case again
before the highest court.
No Place for Soldiers.
Adjutant General Byers returned today
from st. Louis, where he went to look
after the arrangements for the quarte:ing
OF the Iowa regiment that is to be taken