Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-02-12
GRIMES ARE REH[AR{D
Hearing Before Legislative Par
tlons Committee on Rains
barger Petitions
MRS. NETTlE HALEVs STORY
MRS. NETrlE HALEYs STORY
Testimony of Former Wife of Frank
Rainsbarser Against the Brothers
Proved the Sensation of the Hear
Ins-Record Of Crime Against Leon
ard w. Haley and Hugh Robbard.
Special 20 Times-Republican

Special 10 Times-Republican
Des Moines. Feb. 12.-The hearing
before the legislative pardons commits
tee OH the application for pardon of
Frank and Nathan Rainsbarger, serv-
ing life sentences for the murder of
EMoch johnson, developed into most
Interesting case. There appeared be-
old man, who conductd the coroner's
examination on the murdered man and
who first discovered murder had been
committed His testimony tended to
dfscredit the theory of the murder of
johnson by the Rainsbargers. He told
OF a Mr.. johns, who was afterwards
murdered, who made dying deciaaa-
ton to him to the effect that he knew
who killed him and II WAS the same
person who killed Johnson, not the
Rainsbargers. He also told what Jack
Reed, one of the Rainsbarger gang of
notorious thieves and counterfeiters,
said to him a few years ago on his
dying bed, in which he related his
theory of the murder that it was COM
mftted by OTHERS but tina; the Rains
bargers perha ps knew who did 1t. The
1naprder was to prevent Johnson tesi-
fSing against the Steamboat Rock
counterfetters. The sensation of the
hearing came when Mrs. Nettie Haley
told in simple language the story OF
what she knew OF the murder. She
was the wife of Frank Rainsbarger at
The time, and 1t was her father who
was murdered. Nathan Rainsbarger
3ved with them. She told how Frank
took down pair of heavy knuckies
from q cupboard the evening before the
usurder. and she asked him what he
was going to do, how the brothers talk
- awhile at the gate and went away
md returned at O'clock at night. how
she found blood on their clothes the
next day and asked them about 1t,
their excitement when they returned
and ti1eir. guilty conducts afterwards,
how they threatened to XIII her IL she
told anything, and how she left her
home two months ago for fear OF her
Ne. 1t was dramatic recital of
events in which the young woman had
. conspicuous pant. She admitted
frankly that all three of the men had
been engaged regularly in thievery.
Her father had been arrested for hav-
Ing counterfeit money in his possess
ION. Her father and Nathan had,
tarned three days before to go
and steal a COW. But Of the fact that
the two brothers killed her father she
had no doubt at an The hearing was
not fully concluded. as some matters
IRE yet to be presented in the case.
During the hearing OF the joint COM
snittee on pardons on the case Of Icons
Ard W. Haley and Hugh Robbard, two
dons, the fact was brought out. which
ooes not appear in the records, that
xhese men have had quite record OF
crime outside OF their brief experience
NJ Dubuque which ended i'll the murder
0f two men. Attorney Kirkpatrick Of
Dubuque. speaking against the pardon
proposal, related their history. He
stated that Haley's true name is Leon
Hardin, that me was born in Rock ISL
and and for ten years previous to the
murder had followed a career OF crime.
He served term of three and one-half
years in the Nebraska penitentiary,
chen Wen. TO Sioux City, then to Du-
6uque. While in Dubuque he was
Found with a bolt OF cloth which had
been stolen in a robbery in Sioux City
In 1892. He was arrested and taken
10 Sioux City but got clear by an alibi.
In. which 1t was proved that ne broke
into q store at Dubuque and got the
cloth. It was after this that he COM
united the murder. Hugh Richards
name ID Hugh Robbard Collins. and he
had stated that he was thief for four.
Teen years. Just previous to his going |
TO Dubuque he had finished term OF |
four years In the state penitentiary in |
Minnesota. The Dubuque people made |
. strong showing against paroles for
these two men. The only person ap- I
peartng for them was L. s. Coffin. OF |
Fort Dodge. He did not attempt to
dispute the strong record against the
men but questioned whether or not
They had committed the exact crime |
for which they were convicted and Civ
en- Life sentences, and pleaded repent
nnce and reformation. Mr.. Coffin had
become acquainted with the case thru
his voluntary visitation to the peni-
al. A1,ov ,N<n~.l &