Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1904-03-11
union BANK ROBBER TO HANG
REVIEW OF THE FAMOUS CASE
Governor Dockery Will Not Interfere and Collins
the Daring Murderer Will Pay
the Death Penalty

Especial Telegram to Evening Teller }
ST. LOUIS, Mo-, March 11-Governor
Dockery has announced that ne will not
interfere with the sentence of George
Collins, one of the Union bank robbers
and murderers, and unless he expert
ences an eleventh hour change of mind
the youthful desperate will be hanged
today in the county Jail at Union. The
specific crime for which Collins is to
pay the death penalty was the murder
of c.. ]. Schumacher, a Pinkerton de-
tective, who was a member of the posse
that sought to capture Collins and his
pal, William Rudolph, after the daring
robbery Of the Union bank. Rudolph
is yet to be tried for his part in the
crime.
To find anything like a parallel to
the career of these two youthful des-
perados 1t is necessary to turn back
the criminal records of Missouri to the
days when the James boys and the
Younger brothers terrorized the state.
Though neither Collins nor Rudolph
is much over twenty lone a long series
Of crimes, including highway robberies
and bank robberies, has been traced to
them. Their most daring exploit, how
ever, and the one that led to their
downfall was the robbery OF the Bank
of Union at Union, Mo-, December p,
1902. On that date the two youths rode
into town, blew open the safe of the
bank and obtained about $4,000. The
act was committed in the open, the
outlaws keeping the citizens at bay by
using their revolvers
Charles J. Schumacher. Pinkerton
detective assigned to the case, learned
OF an unknown stranger who had been
seen in the town on several occasions
prior to the burglary, and persistent
inquiry developed the fact that at the
time Of his last visit he had been OBJ
served to walk toward Stanton, Mo.
Following this clue. Schumacher was
led to the home of William Rudolph,
near Stanton. Several years before
Rudolph had disappeared, after tortur-
Ing and robbing an aged couple. and
had recently returned, bringing with
him companion introduced as Fred
erick Lewis, who. Schumacher found,
answered the description Of the strang-
er seen frequently at Union. Both were
reported to be unusually well supplied
with money.
Rudolphs home was deserted min.
ers' boarding house situated on a hill,
commanding good view Of the sur
rounding country. So confident was
Schumacher that he had located the
two burglars that he communicated
with the Franklin county authorities
obtained the necessary warrants, and
on January 20. 1903. accompanied by a
posse. planned to arrest the suspects
and search the Rudolph premises for
the stolen booty.
AS the posse neared the house one
of the doors was suddenly thrown open
by two men, who afterwards proved to
be Rudolph and Collins, alias Lewis,
and who opened fire on Schumacher.
Two shots entered the detectives head,
killing him. Before the posse could be
reinforced the two desperadoes escaped
from the house. forced a neighboring
farmer to supply horses. saddles and
brides, and rode away.
In the search of the Rudolph house
sheet of paper was found on which
was written several times, Fred Lewis,
George Collins Hartford. Conn" This
led to investigation in that city, where
after ten days search, the Pinkerton
men learned that one George Collins
had resided there some five years pre-
vious, but had gone west and not been
since heard from. 1t being surmised
that he probably would return east to
spend his share of the money, his step
brothers. who We're still residing in
Hartford, were kept under surveillance
by the Pinkertons, who, cooperating
with the Hartford police, kept up
search In that city and it's resorts,
which resulted. on February %, 1903,
In the discovery by the detectives of q
man on the streets who answered Ru-
dolph's description.
With the hope of also finding Col
Inns and recovering the stolen money,
the suspect was Swallowed until the