Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1904-02-18
HELD FOR LYONS ROBBERY.
shorty Gray And Pals
Arrested at Kansas
City.
THE HEADQUARTERS HERE
When PorchcIimbing Was in Its
PaImy Days the Men Lived
Ard Worked in Sioux
City, Believed to Have
Blown Many Safes.

e"h~cs
shorty" Gray, ''the Brown block
burglar and his partner of crime, Sam
L. Bulls, of old Covington notoriety,
together with George Keller, another
burglar, are under arrest in Kansas
City, charged with the robbery of the
First National bank, of Lyons, Neb., on
the morning of November II, 1903
Story of the Gang.
heeler's connection with the deals of
Gray and Bulls began after the break
ing mp of the Bill Rhea gang at its rem
devious near Fremont. This was accom-
plished only after Rhea was hung for
the murder of Il saloonkeeper and sew
eral members of the gang were sent TO
the Nebraska penitenuary. Abner
Hicks, now in the Anamosa penitentiary
vas another OF the gang. Keeler. who
had been raised at Fremont, also was n
member. Accompanied by James J.
Lee, alias James Little, another mem
her OF the Rhca gang Kccler last sum-
mer started mp through NebraskG and
South Dakota in IA covered wagon.
They were joined by Gray and Bulls.
AT Que town in Nebraska the four left
their grips in a restaurant. The woman
who owned the place happened TO see
a piece of fuse sticking out of Il OF
the grips, and becoming suspicious she
called i'll the town marshal. The grips
We're opened and found to contain bur
glars paraphnalia aud revOlvers. When
Lee returned for the grips he was
covered by guns which had been taken
from one of the grips and placed under
arrest. He broke Jail in a few days and
rejoined Gray, Bulls and Keller.
The quartette planned TO blow a safe
in an elevator office at Webster, s. D.,
on the night of August > Keller and
Lee were inside when Frank Gruby,
the town marshal, rushed into the office
Lee started to shoot, but the marshal
was too quick Cor him and shot him
dead, Keller surrendered. He told the
Webster authorities that the name of
his dead pal was James Little, and not
for several months did the fact become,
known that the marshal of Webster had
killed Lee, one of the most dangerous
safe blowers operating in tbs middle
west.
Keeler got away by furnishing, "a cash
-.
bond, which was Supplied by the Chi
cago custodian of a fund which is held
for use i'll such cases. This is known III
the world of crime as fall money"
Came To-Sioux City.
Upon leaving Webster Keller lost no
time in rejoining Gray and Butler, and
the three came to Sioux City. They
remained here only q short time, and
then went to Omaha, where Theresa
Crowley was keeping house for Gray.
This woman had kept house for Gray
at l4l5 Leach street in Sioux City and
was arrested with them November s.,
1902, when their place wa found full of
burglars outfits. She kept honse for
him at Covington at the time of the
Brown block burgalry.
Gray, Bulls and Keeler lay low in
Omaha until the Lyons bank robbery
when they skipped ont, and ths Crowley
woman also disappeared. Word
reached Chief Of Police Davenport that
the gang was going to make Kansas
City its headquarters for a while, and
would use that city for the base of its
operations, SC when he was in Kansas
City after the Quincy bank robbers
Chief Davenport gave this information
to Chief Hayes and supplemented it by
sending photographs Of Gray, Bulls
and Theresa. Chief Davenport told the
Kansas City chief that the best way to
catch the men would be to have his
detectives keep sharp lookout until
they had located the woman. This was
done, with the result that the three
burglars were arrested Saturday night.
The above is taken from the Sioux
City Journal. The facts are q little
different from the statement Of the
Journal. The men were not in any
building but were down neal the mill
aud in attempting to arrest them a
fight ensued and it became necessary
for the marshal, Frank Grnby, in order
10 rave himself, to kill n of them.
Nearly every person who saw the gang
while they were in Webster believed
them I o be all bad and the above article
proves their suspicians to have been
correct.
Lease of Common School aad
Endowment Lands.