Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-05-23

I town by dozens and filled the hotels to
Overlooking. Tom Dennison sat in
court with his eye on Shercliffe day aft
ter day. He walked from the court
house to the Jail with his eye upon
him, and met him as the Jail doors
| opened for him in the morning Gam
blers from the west came to swear for
Shercliffe. The desperate efforts to
establish an alibi failed. The evidence
of the prosecution was conclusive and
! the man was convicted and sentenced
| to twelve years in the penitentiary.
Shercliffe was game to the core He
/ shut his lips tight and went away to
serve his sentence with the secret of
| the hiding place of the diamonds, and
the name of his accomplice locked in
his cell with him.
| Denmson went back to Omaha to get
rich on the proceeds of policy" Nor
was he idle in Shercliffe's behalf Two
Iowa governors We're beseiged in vain
for pardon or parole for the convict
who had robbed Pollock The case
was too fresh and it's f1agrancy too
acute. The executives pondered and
refused.
Shaw Paroles shercliffe.
| Then came Governor Shaw and Den
nisons opportunity. The public had
| forgotten much of the Shercliffe mat
ter and so was not greatly shocked
when Governor Shaw granted Sher-
| cliffe's parole. The free convict came
from the penitentiary and went
straight to Tom Dennison at Omaha
His parole was held by Tom Dennison
gambler, policy king, pool room keep
er and head of Omaha thugdom. The
careless public paid no attention Few
knew to whom the parole papers had
been entrusted. Shercliffe, as he later
alleged was induced to break his pa
role by Dennison who afterwards. ac-
cording to Shercliffe urged him to
waylay and do up rival gambler
He came away from Omaha, staid in
Marshall county for time under an
| appeal to Governor Shaw, finally wan
dered away to Kansas City broke a
jewelers. window, was shot in escap-
ing and was identified in the hospital
He had been gone from the state for
months. His capture at Kansas City
was the first news the governors Of
flee to which his report was due
monthly had of him. He was sent
back to the penitentiary at Fit. Madi-
son.
ShercIiffe Sours On Dennison.
But Shercliffe had soured on Den
i nison. The proceeds of the diamond
robbery had not crystalized into cash
in hand so far as he was concerned.
When Editor Fay of Clinton, who was
endeavoring to trace $1,000 worth of
diamonds stolen from his brother, went
to Shercliffe in the penitentiary at FIT
Madison he was directed to Tom
Dennison as the receiver general Of
the diamond thefts of the northwest.
Fay had trouble in Omaha with the
police who threatened him when he
put in an appearance in search Of dia-
monds He staid with them and talked
openly.
SherciIffe's Affidavit.
The Civic Federation of Omaha felt
of Shercliffe. He made affidavit that
Dennison had been the promoter of
the Pollock robbery. That after the
robbery had been committed and the
proceeds buried by Shercilffe he work.
ed his way cautiously down to Omaha
| met Dennison and told him where the
diamonds were planted. That Dem
nison went to the place indicated and
dug up the diamonds. That he, Sher-
cliffe was given $3.50 at that time $500
at another and small sums at other
i times With this confession the Fed
GRAFTON put Dennison out of the gam
bling business in Omaha and grand
jury in Harrison county indicted him
for completely in Shercilffe's crime of
1892
The Politicians Come In.
With Shercliffe's confession and the
indictment of Dennison, Iowa interest
in the case awoke. The newspapers
went to work on the case. Dennison
had written Homer Morris, brother to
Shercliffe, statement of expenses in
Cured I'M getting a parole for Frank.
This is the statement in Dennison's
hand writing:
DENNIsON'S EXPENSE ACCOUNT.
Fall 1892, cash .............. 3,075.0O
Fall 1893, trial ......... 2,S74.50
To Prints 4.25
To Hooker ..... 2.75
Attorney Hamilton to go to
Marshalltown ............... 5000
Watch with diamond in to
Homer 25.OO
Silk dress and shoes and 9TH
er goods to Homer's wife -. $500
Homer and mother to come
to exposition at Omaha -. $500
Expense going to NETT Hip
we'll at Des Moines five
times, railroad fare and ho-
tel bills .................... 1900
Two trips with John Baldwin
and Bob Clancy, railroad
fare and hotel ...-......... $500
Two trips with Martin White
and Bob Clancy ........... $500
One trip to meet Tom Nc
CURE 3I.0O
Two trips to Sioux City to
get case record of trial 80. 5000
Getting letter from county
attorney at Logan and trips
up there 1900
Attorney S. n. Cochran $500. 10000
Expense to go and see Gov.
Jackson .................. $500
In seven years made ten trips
to Fort Madison ..... 263 100
Paid C. G. Hipwell .......... $500
Six years interest on $4,000 I
borrower in Denver ....... 100000
Interest to John Dennison for
years on $1,000 ........ 10000
Cash to some woman in Fort
Madison Zo.OO
Paid to Omaha Savings bank,
interest for four years on
money borrowed in 1902 ;. $4,000
Warden Jones, brother, trip