Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-10-29
Another Deyelopment In Case
of Jeanette, the Strange
swiss, ut Des Moines
FOUR CHARGES ARE PREFERRED
Sensational Series of Crime Alleged by
the Swiss Begins to Take on Color of
Truth, but Accused Parties Laugh at
the Charges and Claim jeanette
Wants Revenge.

Des Moines, Oct ga dramatic ar
rest yesterday afternoon furnished a
fitting new chapter to the sensational
charges that were brought Thursday
men, George II. Benkert and William
b. Haines. Constable John Daley
apprehended Benkert at the threshold
of his office. just as he was leaving 1t
with Mrs. Benkert, grip in hand, app
parently for the purpose of departing
from Des Moines.
The insurance man was wanted on
four charges in Justice Christy's court,
alleging that he was guilty Of conspir-
acy, malicious threats to eXtort, OBJ
tanning money on false pretenses and
kidnapping. The prosecuting witness is
Emil 0. Jeanette, Swiss farmer. who
under oath declares that the insurance
man was party to as sensational
series OF crimes as has graced the an
nails Of Polk county or even the state
of Iowa.
Threatened with losing his own life.
forced to sign note for $4,000 and
one for $4,000, taken out of Des
Moines street car at the point of gun
and forced to live In exile on a Dallas
county farm, only to be finally BAN
ished to the Saylorville coal mines near
Des Moines, and forced to work I'M
foreground or be exposed as forger
and felon, are but few Of the ex-
periences which have been forced on
story.
The informations, four in number,
name as defendant with Benkert.
William B. Homes, another insurance
man. who, according to Jeannette's
tales. Is an accomplice of Benkert and
aided in carrying out the plot which
has brought gray hairs to the head Of
the prosecuting witness.
Hanes was not arrested last night
when Benkert was placed in custody.
He was in the office, SO Constable
Daley said, five minutes before the
arrest of Benkert, was accomplished.
The search Of the offices failed to re-
veal Tanes and he is reported by the
attorney for the men to be out of the
city. He was not in Des Moines last
night, according to his wife.
Benkert was taken before Justice
Christy at S o'clock last evening and
arraigned. The four charges were read
by Justice Christy and the prisoner
greeted each with sneer. He pleaded
not guilty and turned to his attorney
e. d. Samson for advice. The bonds
$4,000 in all, which Benkert declared he
thought he could furnish. He was Civ
en- until night to furnish good secur-
ity or else go to Jail, perhaps occupy
the same cell which Emil o. Jeanette,
the complaining witness had just left.
having been able to furnish bonds for
his appearance to the charge of forg-
cry, made known by Hanes and Benk-
ert to the police.
When Jeanette was released from
Jail yesterday afternoon he was intent
upon bringing to justice the men who
he claims are the cause Of his down.
fall. His first move after the prison
bars closed behind him was to secure
an attorney and appear before Justice
Christy, asking for the warrants on
the four different charges.
Securing an attorney he went to the
office and there told the most unique
story, which, il true, is the most SEN
sational relation of crime in Des
Moines. Not only did he tell the story
as related before Justice Duncan on
Thursday afternoon, but he further
declared that the worst has yet to be
told.
Benkert greeted Jeannette's story
with q laugh. He even failed to be in
dignant over the embarrassing situa-
ton in which he had been placed.
1T is just an attempt to get even for
us having told his whereabouts after
he had forged my name to q check.
The story Of Jeannette's is preposter-
Gus and we, have nothing to say but
just to deny it from start to finish. We
have been in Des Moines five years.
coming here from Cedar Rapids l am
known thruout Iowa, / bear Il good
reputation, and the very nature of the
story told by the Swiss shows that
he is actuateA by motives of revenge.
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