Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-09-19

nent place of abode He admitted
having been in Chicago recently, but
disclaimed any acquaintance there.
Several times he made conflicting
| statements and when questioned
sharply by the sheriff refused to talk
further
At noon a message was received
from Chicago by Sheriff Doty, and
that it contained information regard
ing the identity of Johnston" is ad-
mitted by a member of the sheriff S
household. This information is said
to have come from a detective, who.
in reading the newspaper descriptions
of the bandits. recognized John Pow
| ell as a product of the Nineteenth
ward. Chicago. After repeated de
malls that his name was Powell, he
is said to have broken down under
severe examination and admitted his
| identity.
| Denies Other Grimes.
II guess you've got me right" Pow
| ell is alleged to have told the sheriff.
| The tip-off probably came from
| Ryan's card, which | had. But | didn't
do that job up in Chicago when Ryan
was rolled in his brothers saloon
| 1t was one of the gang that hung
around there about election time, but
l had nothing TO do with it
Standing with his hands grasping
| the door of his cell. Meyers declared
that he did not know what he was
doing when he shot Mayor Bennett.
!,
I was in such condition from liquor
| that | was seeing things. | saw big
man jump toward me in a threatening
manner and we clinched in a scufTle
] reached for my gun and fired, not
| knowing what | was doing. 1t was
a bad break and I'm sorry for it.
wish the bullet that made only a flesh
wound in my side had done its work"
The citizens of Thomson say the
story told by Meyers of the mayor
rushing toward him is a myth. They
| declare that Mr.. Bennett took hold of
Meyers by the arm and was leading
| him to the lookup when the prisoner
snatched his revolver from his pocket
and shot the mayor through the heart.
After the mayor had fallen the bandit
y.
Fcnr Attempts at Rescue.
Acting on secret information receiv-
ed from Chicago, Sheriff Doty is guard
| ing the Jail i'll which the prisoners are
confined with more than ordinary pre-
caution. Johnston and Meyers, the
sheriff has learned, are two of a gang
of robbers that left Chicago about ten
days ago. Their pals. who are be-
lieved to be in some neighboring town,
if they have not returned to Chicago.
are as desperate as the ones confined
in the Carroll county Jail.
That they will attempt to liberate
| their companions if given the OppOr-
tunity is said by advices from Chicago
not only TO be a possibility, but al
most a certainty. An extra guard was
put on duty at the Jail and on the
outside last night. The men are arm
ed with rifles and no one is allowed
to come within a certain distance of
the county prison.
Marshal is Not Blamed.
Marshal c. NJ. Beck. who arrested
Meyers and turned him over to- Mayor
Bennett while he went in search of the
bandits companion. is in no way blam-
ed by the people of Thomson for his
action. 1t was his zeal to catch both
men that cost the life of the mayor.
Marshal Beck is recognized as brave,
careful officer. and he regrets the
tragedy. which might have been avert
ed had he let Johnston escape.
Howard Shoemaker, the 17-year-old
lad who captured Meyers by telling
him with a club. is the hero of the viii
lage He talks mOdestly of the part
he took in the capture.
u saw the crowd chasing man." he
said. and having heard the shots |
knew something serious had happened.
Meyers ran across a lawn and lodged
around a house. When he came in
sight again | blocked the way. He
snapped his revolver at me. but ii YVES
Empty. | rushed upon him with a
stick which had picked up and
brought it down on the back of his
mead. He went down in a heap"
elimination of Series of RobberIes.
The murder. which has stirred the
county as has nothing else in many
years. was the elimination of a series
of robberies in the small towns.
Several stores in Milledgeville were
robbed, and Friday night saloon in
Chadwick was entered and SOS taken
l.