Ottumwa tri-weekly courier., 1904-07-26
POLLOCK ROBBER Y.
STORY OF THE CRIME WHICH
COST FRANK sHERCLlFFE's
LIBERTY.

Davenport, July 25. - Owing to the
remoteness of time of the Pollock dia-
mond robbery one of the most sensa-
tional in the history of the country, the
details of the famous affair have be-
come lost to many Of the people who
read of it at the time. The recent dis
closures involving Tom Dennison of
Omaha. called the Gambler King" and
the King of Crooks" has created con-
siderable interest in the famous af-
fair and few details of the robbery
will be read with interest.
L. E. Fay of Clinton who has beeen
instrumental in breaking up the gang
of thieves and robbers who have cen
tered around Dennison and who oper-
ated here and in Clinton recently, was
in Davenport Saturday and tells few
interesting details which will be of
interest at this time.
| Occurred on Train.
| The robbery occurred November 8,
1892. On that day travelling dia-
mond merchant by the name OF Pollock
| boarded the Sioux City and Pacific
train with large amount Of dia-
monds and jewelry in his possession.
At California Junction, Ia, he was
approached by Frank, Shercliffe OF
Melburn, Ia, and struck on the head
with a bag of shot which broke, Sher-
cliffe then shot Pollock twice, once in
each arm, ripped down his undervest
and took therefrom $4,000 worth of
diamonds. He also took grip which
was supposed to contain more valu-
able jewelry. He got the wrong grip
however, and the other jewelry was
saved Threatening the other passen-
gers in the car with his revolver he
pulled the bell rope and when the train
slowed down jumped off and made his
escape.
Buried the Diamonds.
He took the diamonds to Missouri
valley and secreted them in a hole in
the ground. He then returned to
Omaha, Neb., and notified Tom Denni-
son. Dennison had originally planned
the whole affair, according to the stor-
les which are now told and had put
Shercliffe on to the job, he being one
of the bolder and more skillful of his
henchmen.
Dennison is said to have gone to
Missouri valley, dug up the diamonds
and disposed Of them. Shortly after
he came to Davenport with view to
opening gambling house here. He
registered at the Kimball house, No.
vember, IL, 1892 with another man
named Grant. The plan was to buy
out one Of the local gambling houses
and run it on more metropolitan lines.
He failed to make the deal at this time
and returned a month later, when the
whole deal fell through and he return.
! ed home.
schercllffe Sent to Pen.
Schercliffe was caught year later
and indicted, tried and sentenced at
Logan, Iowa, In the Harrison county
court for his part in the affair and
sentenced to seventeen years in the
state penitentiary. Figuring out his
good time allowance, Schercliffe's term
will expire September 16 of this year.
The story of the various attempts on
the part of Dennison and his influen-
tial following in Omaha to secure the
pardon or parole of Schercliffe is more
fresh in the memory Of Iowans. Den
nison brought all the pressure of po-
litical influence, he could muster up
to bear on Iowa authorities to secure
Schercliffe's pardon and the recent dis.
closures published some months ago
throw considerable light on the de
| tails.
SchercIiffe Confesses.
Last year, while l.. e. Fay of Clinton
was at the penitentiary at Ft. Madi
son, searching for evidence and trac
\ ~ L., IL, iol,
stolen in Clinton several years ago, he
ran across Schercliffe who volunteer
ed confession of the famous rob
berry. He implicated Dennison as stat
ed in this story and told all the details
It was on this account that the grand
jury at Logan indicted Dennison and a
Gq uop!pBIlx7 sIq IoI epem sgM Ue;
Governor Cummins. Dennison at first
said that he would go to Logan with
out the requisition papers but later
changed his mind and began to fight
the extradition, by all the legal ant
political methods available. After the
recent trial at Omaha before the
judges having jurisdiction in extradi
tion matters, he was ordered sent tt
Logan, for trial. An appeal has beer
taken to this finding, however, ant
j Dennison will continue to fight the
case in the supreme court, of Nebras
ka. Because of its Importance thu
case will be given an early hearing IL
that body and 1t will then be decided
whether or not Dennison will b,
brought to Iowa for trial.
kimbaII House Register.
In the recent hearing the signature
on the Kimball house register figured
prominently and it was because o
them that the court decided agains
Dennison. He attempted to prove al
alibi and denied the signatures, put
ting influential witnesses on the stant
who swore they remembered his bein,
in Omaha all the time He was sup
posed to have been in Davenport. Hi
: pull with the Omaha authorities ha
: said to have been so complete durin,
the past ten or twelve years as t.
render him immune from prosecution
HELD TO GRAND JURY.
4 Cliff Logan Has Preliminary Hearln!
Before Justice e NJ CanpbelI