Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-04-28
Prominent Politicians Wanted
Him Paroled on Various Pre-
texts Besides Innocence
WAS WORTH VOTES TO MERCER
Tremendou. Pressure Brought to Bear
on Governor Shaw, Who issued the
Parole in Spite Of the Protests of
the Pinkerton., and Nearly Every
One Connected With Prosecution.
Special to Times-Republican.

Special to Times Republican.
Des Moines, April 2S.--The official
record in relation TO the parole of
Frank Shercliff, as it is found in the
records Of the pardon department OF
the state. which is free and open to all,
shows that the pressure which was
brought to bear on Governor Shaw to
release the young man guilty OF the
Pollock d4an nond robbery was sonle-
luminous in the extreme. There are
great many. letters protesting against
the parole and others favoring it. But
the records fall to show that any part
of the stolen goods were ever returned
or recovere I. Indeed, William A Pink
erton asseres that at the time of the ar
rest OF Shercliff 1t was in the power OF
the convict to return the diamonds but
he refused fatty to do so.
There are many letters favoring the
parole. There is a letter from IL. n.
Roadifer. county attorney, who has
doubt as to the guilt of sherclif. letter
from Andrew Coulthard, sheriff of Har-
rison county, who believes him not
guilty: letter from c. E. Ferguson. edi-
tor of the Nucleus. who says Shercliif
was not proven guilty; letter from r.
II. Harrison of the Times, who thinks
al innocent man was convicted; letter
from C. G. Saunders, county attorney
OF Pottawattanlie, now senator, VINO
learns that Harrison county people
have grave doubts as to the guilt; ieoter
from S. H Cochran, who defended
Shercliffe end who believes he was IN
,locent.
I There ara letters from a number OF
Omaha men as to the character OF Son
neberg. in whose store the diamonds
were displayed just before the robbery,
and of Tom Dennison and Sol Frank.
These come. from men like Judge Ben ,.
Baker; e. S. Dundy, Jr., clerk OF the
limited States courts; ard w. wallace
ca shier OF the First National bank.
Letters from chiefs of police and
Others In Tacoma, Salt Lake. Ogden.
Denver and elsewhere indicate that
.kid,, Mccoy was not w anted there.
Then there are the protests Judge
Van Wagenen wrote numerous letters
of protest to the various governors ana
declared the man was guilty. Ihomas
Arthur. county attorney, also protested.
Then there are protests from eA-eon-
pressman Sam Clark, Of Keokuk, ana
from the head Of the jewelers. assocla-
tion and many leading jewelers. or the
state.
There are strong letters OF protest
from Horace G.. Burt, who was sup
erintendent OF the Sioux City and "a
c;fc when the robbery occurred. ana
these were forwarded by N. NJ. HuD-
hard who indorsed them and added
word nersonal in opposition to the par
o,e N. M. Hubbard, Jr.. also wrote
several letters of protest.
William A. Pinkerston did great
deal Of writing to the governors 70
prevent any clemency to the man. III
1895. he wrote Gov. Shaw:
.Sherclifs has the backing OF the
stroneest gambling influence In the city
ne omaha and it has been rumored TOR
yaars that a purse of $4,000 was RAISED
~ hiring about this parole, and cnis mas
undoubtedly influenced numerous poh-
ticians in Iowa to try to secure MS nd
Grafton" .s, Cow
ernor Shaw's confident! man IN tne
nardon department. he wrote IN 1888
a ftar referring to Richards letter
which is not on file;
"I am dumbfounded at the contents
of q wish YOU would kindly inform
tho governor that never In my lie IN
otbar human being die l state that
Frank Shercliff. now prisoner AT fort
Madison. was innocent On the con-
trarv I know positively that SnerciliI
Is guilty. Mr. White knows ne is gun
~ AS l previously ADVISED
Won there Is a very strong effort pelns
,nade for the liberation Of this man. All
sorts Of inducements have been helo
ont TO me to withdraw my opposltlon.
And then he names the gamblers who
are backing the movement ana gives
the name of the man he alleges paid
s6 600 for the stolen stones.
In a letter from Pinkerton to Willlam
Fleming, the governors private sec
rata,y. he states that Shercllff was
no ia Sc 600 for the diamonds, $500 at
once and $4,000 to Shercliff's lawyers
.nd others. II have known for long
time" he states, that two state sena-
tors. one from Davenport and one from
another part of the state, are working
strenuouslv to earn reward put up ny
mack of thieves by securing this mans
pardon.
But the matter was not yet disposed
of and again William A. Pinkerton
wrote to Governor Shaw on April 20.
1900:
mot one dollar of the $4,000 was
ever recovered. He was captured only
after great expense to the jewelers. As
sociation. He had committed no less
than half dozen other hold-up rob-
berries. He operates in Denver, Colo
rado Springs, San Bernardino, Sacra-
mento. Tacoma and Lincoln AT the
time of his capture it was in his pow
er to restore the stolen property which