Albuquerque evening citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1905-1907, 1905-07-31
SUSPECTED OF BELEN
MAIL POUCH ROBBERY
Officer Ben Williams Makes
Important Arrest in
Kansas City.
CRIME WAS VERY WELL PLANNED

Officer Ben Williams, chief of the
secret service of the western grand
division of the Santa Fe. and who only
recently arrested Claude Doane, muir
derer and notorious horse thief. has
added another equally important cap
ture to his already long list.
On Saturday last at Kansas City,
Mo-, Williams ran down William S.
Lewis, whom he had been trailing for
several weeks, on suspicion that he
Is guilty of the robbery of a United
States mail pounch at Belen a month
ago, when a package containing $4,000
was stolen.
Immediately after the officer arrest
ed the man, he boarded a train for AL
buquerque and arrived here last night
on No. 1, with his prisoner. After ar
irving here Williams took Lewis to
the county Jail where he is now con-
fined.
The date OF his preliminary hearing
has not been set, but it will take place
within a few days.
Robbery was Planned Beforehand.
The capture of Lewis will probably
result in developments of a sensation.
al character. The robbery of the mail
pouch at Belen, is believed to have
been only the beginning of a series OF
hOld-ups and bank robberies. which
had been planned by a well organ.
lied gang of which Lewis is supposed
to be a member and perhaps the ring
leader.
The officers are now lending every
aid to Williams, who is determined TO
put the gang behind the bars before
he quits and his past record In the
line Of running to earth outlaws,
leaves little doubt but that he will be
successful. With the capture of Lewis
in Kansas City Saturday, he is sup
posed to have secured the key to the
whole business.
Lewis Is a Bad Man.
The past record of Lewis In the
present case. is anything but favorable
to him. His home is said to be in
Toledo, Ohio. where early In life he
went wrong. He has been arrested
In many eastern cities on the charge
of being a hold up and safe cracker.
Just previous to the Belen robbery. he
was around Belen for several weeks
and his disappearance Immediately af.
forwards led to his suspicion.
Since then and up to a week ago
his whereabouts were unknown, al
though officer Williams had been
searching for him. He finally located
him in Kansas City and his arrest
followed. The trick was turned so
nicely, that even the Kansas City pa
pers failed to get hold of the arrest.
The Robbery Well Remembered.
The robbery is still fresh in the
minds of Albuquerqueans. A little
over a month ago a mail pouch sent
from this city to Belen, in which was
a package containing $4,000 in u
rency consigned to the Belen bank
from the First National bank In this
city, was cut upen while lying on the
station platform at Belen and the val
liable package extracted. So neat was
the job done, that at first the officers
were entirely at sea. Finally the rob.
berry was almost forgotten, but the ar
rest OF a suspect has again started
people to talking about 1t and all are
In hopes that Williams has succeeded
in getting the right man.
II other captures made by Williams
have anything to do with this case, It
is a pretty well known fact that the
Santa Fe detective has the right man.