The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1905-04-28
coy STOLE STEAMBOAT
And Started Down the Missouri
River to New
Orleans.

[sioux city ,lownl Cor New York world.l
Roy Zero, alias "Ponca Bill" has
been taken to the penitentiary a
Sioux Falls, to serve a term TO,
stealing a Missouri steamboat anC
absconding with it. Though the
crime was committed some min,
years ago, Zero is just now serving
his sentence for it.
1t was in the fall of 1896 that Pom
ca Bill, then a boy, found an inviting
stern-wheel boat moored at Nebaas-
ka City, Neb., where it had beer
doing service for the Argo Starch
works, of that town. Zero had just
started out to see the country. He
was making his way down the Mis-
souri, at that time. He conceived
the idea of stealing the boat and rid.
ing luxuriously to Newr CLEANS. He
knew little about steamers, but a
whole lot about the river and he
thought it would be child's plays to
travel in that fashion. 1t was well
on toward morning when he board
ed the steamer at Nebraska City.
He found the fires banked and the
two men in charge asleep near the
boilers
Rousing the men he terrified them
into doing his will, and then concili-
ated them by making big promises
for the trip. They fell in with his
scheme and in a half hour the stern
wheel was gliding swiftly down
stream on the rapid current.
1t was not until morning that the
theft of the boat was discovered.
The officials of the Argo Starch
Works were amazed. No such thing
had ever been heard of. A report
came from Hamburg that steamer
had passed that town, going South,
during the night.
Accordingly the town authorities
fired Up a small packet lying at the
doch and started in pursuit. Down
the winding river the packet dashed
at full spec !, steam whistling from
safety vale. Ten miles down stream
the runaway boat was sighted, her
wheel 10 rest, floating lazily with
the river. BL. "Polca Bill e5gial
the purs e., ard long before the
packet c)u.d con, up the paddles Of
the bigger steamer were churning
the water. GEd il . short time it had
around z bend.
Late that day Jne pirate. having
apparently distsne his pur5uers steer
cl into the hardor at Brownsville.
But the officers at Nebraska City had
taken the precantionaof telephoning.
and as a result Zero was arrested
the minute he stepped on shore.
Tn. la1 was sent to a reform
school, being under age, on formal
charge of Grand larceny, in particu-
lar, KIDNAPPING a Missouri River
steamboat. The boy was attacked
by sickness, real or feigned. and
gained access to the hospital room.
One summer afternoon in 1897, when
all were cut to get fresh air, "Ponca
Bill" slipped down to the room Of
the bookkeeper, John Brandt, now
Assistant County Treasure Of Doug
as county. He helped himself to
Mrs. Brandt's wardrobe, attired him
self in one of Mrs. Brandt's summer
gowns. took a white parasol and
vent out for walk.
At little bridge west of the
,chooI he sat reading for hour and
hen walded to West Kerney Station
where he took a Union Pacific train
'or North Platte. But his devotion
~ liquor soon uncovered the des-
,ription, with the result that he was
!, corted back on the Reform School
n great humiliation.
He subsequently made another
laring mi11iynt escape, and was
never caugat until last week. A
tore in Watertown was robbed, and
when the officers looked up the record
II the arrested burglar they found
Tim TO be "Ponca Bill" So he was
eat to the penitentiary, being of