Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-04-06
R[|NB[CK ROBBERS
SENTENCED TODAY
Federal Court at Cedar Rapids
Gives Men Who Robbed Post
office Five Years and Fine
MOORE. TELLS LIFE STORY
III. Real Name is Graham and He Has
Been a Respected Merchant and
Citizen at Various Times and Places
Victim ,nsdeed Committed
in Early M>-->ood.

in Early M>-,ood.
Special to Times Republican.
Cedar Rapids, April Elm the feder-
n court here today Judge Reed SEN
fenced James H. Moore and John
Roach. two of the Reinbeck postofflce
robbers to the penitentiary. They We're
each given a sentence of five years and
flne Of $500. The robbery for which
they we're sentenced occurred on the
nth OF last December and was one
OF the most sensational that ever took
place in central Iowa. The men were
captured after a running fight with
citizens of Reinbeck who pluckily fol-
lowed The thieves thru the freshly fall
len snow and boldly fought the rob
bers who were heavily armed, half a
hundred shots being exchanged.
In his cell last night, Moore, who
says his real name Is Graham, made a
confession, in which he went into the
particulars of his past career. If his
story is true and it has every appear
ance of veracity, Moore was at various
times and places a prosperous and
honored citizen, but the record of a
misdeed committed in his early man
hood and which landed him in the pen
itentiary for a short time followed him
like an avenging nemesis until he gave
up in despair and became what his
one crime had unjustly branded him,
Q criminal and fugitive from justice.
Graham's Story.
Contealing all mention of his home
and his relatives, Graham said:
WHEN was a young man worked
for railroads, several Of them, and /
was never arrested but once, that was
in Chicago, for carrying a revolver;
the records of the Chicago police will
80 show. Then came the great Debs
strike, and lost my job with the
railroad. / didn't find anything to
do and I drifted into bad company,
I was in the bank robbery at West
Liberty and owing to some circum-
stances which you must not print, I
received ten year sentence. ] served
more than six years and was then dis
charged, with all my good time allow
ance. The records of the penitentiary
will show, If you care to investigate
them, that there was never a single
mark against my conduct. During ali
the time was in the penitentiary l
never received single reprimand from
the officials. While / was there a short
term man, drummer of the type
known as prune psddler,' was sent
up for two years for bigamy. His
name was Bailey; he will figure in
this story later.
while was in the penitentiary I
learned the trade of painter After
was discharged drifted to Peoria,
where began at that trade. One wet
day was standing on the corner when
two confidence men came by. They
knew me and invited me to have
drink said no, wasn't drinking,
but they persuaded me and went
with them to have a cigar. The po-
lice caught me there and our pictures
were taken. That is how the Pinker-
tons secured the photograph of me
which. was sent to Deputy Marshal
Healy' and which he showed me when
you were with him in the county jail
at Marion. The police told me would
have to leave town, and I did so. They
knew was an ex-convict. couldn't
stay there any longer; tho I had
been working hard and honestly at my
trade of painting.
Went to Minnesota.
81 went to Winona. Mimi, and Sc
cured work on the railway as paint
ser. My work was satisfactory and fin
ally was made foreman over several
men. We went from station to sta
ton and painted the station buildings
and the water tanks. I was getting
aalong we'll; but one day a man came
up who knew me. was called in to
Winona and given my time. asked
for al explanation; they told me there
was no explanation. OF course, knew
the reason. They had been told that
was an ex-convict.
West to st. Louis.
II went to st. Louis, with my wife.
They were preparing for the great
fair and the real estate business was
active, also the boarding house bust
ness. I went to the real estate firm
Of r. N. Wardlow & Co., and asked Mr.
Wartllow for work After some con-
versation he agreed to pay me $12
week and q commission on all my
sales. My wife took in roomers in
house we rented on Chestnut street.
We began to prosper. Mr.. Wardaow
was one of the kindest and pleasantest
men that / ever met. His CHEEKY good
morning used to make my heart glad
at the beginning of every working
day. But the Pinkerton Office was
just across the street block down.
"But one day he came in without
speaking to me, and he and lawyer
who was in the office went into the
private room and had long consulta-
ton. noticed that the remainder OF
the day he seemed greatly troubled
and looked at me queerly. I knew
what was the trouble. Some one had
todd him that I was an ex-convict. And
he had been trusting me with his coll
lections. had carried in sometimes
as much as $1,000 day.
'In the afternoon he called me into
his private office and told me he
should have to dispense with my SER
vices. I asked him why and he said
he could not tell me. 1 asked him If
my work had been satisfactory and he
said that he had never had an employee
who pleased him SO well. asked
him If had been honest and he said
that had been strictly honest and
rnrjp9,t He had anfr1sted mo with