Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-02-23
away without leaving any suspicion
upon the home guard"
Durkin In the Game.


Dodd, according to the story as
gathered from his own and Stevens
confessions, corresponded with Robert
Durkin, cracksman known in several
cities. Durkin came to Ottumwa, and
with Dodd went to Eldon, looked over
the ground and decided that the Crib"
was good one. Returning to Chicago
he proceeded to make plans. Mes
sages for him were sent from time to
time to Jesse Hamilton, bartender in
saloon on Desplaines street in Chi
cago, where Durkin and others Of his
ilk made their headquarters.
Two Intellectual Attempts.
On two occasions before February
1, 1897, Durkin and his accomplices
came to Ottumwa for the purpose Of
robbing the Eldon bank, but both times
something .interfered with the carry.
ing out Of the plot. Finally, late in
January, the time for the robbery was
set for the night Of February i. Durkin,
according to his own story which in
that part is believed. did not come
to Ottumwa that time, but sent
Richie, Menard and Murray. They
were met by Dodd and in the even
ing the four secured carriage at
Ransier's libery barn on East Second
street, drove to Eldon, met Stevens
and were given key to the bank
building by him. Stevens than dis
appeared from the scene of the robbery
and was not seen again that night by
Dodd and his companions.
The Robbery and Escape.
About midnight the Chicago cracks
men entered the bank building, blew
the safe open and secured about $6,-
900 in cold cash. With their spoils
the four, including Dodd, drove back
| to Ottumwa and went Immediately to
the home of Dodd, located on Finley
avenue, between Ward and Willard
streets. In the cellar they were safe
from detection, Dodd's wife being out
Of town and no one in the neighbor-
hood being aware of their existence
until months afterward when the con.
| fession Of Stevens and Dodd was made
public. There they divided the money
and there they remained hidden until
the night of February 2, when the
three Chicagoans departed for their
| HON es.
Stevens Confesses.
4 Pinkertons were put on the case and
they suspected the marshal He waas
arrested and brought to Ottumwa, but
refused to admit that he knew any
thing of the robbery. Finally, after
several weeks Imprisonment, he was
induced to make confession to e. P
! Adler, now publisher of the Davenport
Times an dthen reporter on the
Courier. This confession sem
| Stevens to the penitentiary. and in
i directly resulted in the arrest Of the
1 other men accused of completely ir
the crime he planned.
! Dodd Turns States Evidence.
1 Dodd was arrested soon afterward
and agreed to turn states evidence and
/ make clean breast of the whole af
fair if he would be allowed to go free
1 The indictments were returned by the
Wapello county grand jury May 10
4 1897, against Dodd, Ritchie, Durkin
Stevens, Hamilton, Murray and maj
named D. Cameron. 1t was afterwards
shown that Cameron was dropped by
the gang before the robbery took place
i and although he is said to have beer
i ICOunSCIOu WILL LIE pan dC III oC he w Wds
not concerned in the actual robbery.
i Murray Is Caught.
Buck" Murray was the first of the
Chicagoans to fall into the net spread
all over the country by the Pinkertons
He was arrested at Burlington, VT.
and was brought to Ottumwa b.
Thomas Stodghill, then sheriff of Wa
pello county. He pleaded not guilt,
Ibut Dodd's evidence convicted him. Ht
was sentenced on September II, 1897
to nine years Imprisonment at For
Madison. Stevens was sentenced tn,
4 following day to three years imprison
ment, served his time and is now a
4 liberty.
Fight for Two Men.
i Robert Durkin was arrested in sa
i ~ in New York city in 1898 and was