The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1905-01-27
HOW ltTCHER WAS ARRESTED
The story of His Arrest and BEING
spirited Away From Calitol-
MIA iold by detective.

A copy of the West Unity, Ohio.
Reporter reveals some information of
the latest situation in the case of
George Letcher, who was indicted for
committing the crime OF arson some
% years ago. 1t will be remembered
that Letcher was fighting eNtradi-
tion in California when the Ohio
officers wanted TO take him back
there for trial, and it looked like he
was going to win out. Letcher and
the detective arrived at Bryan. Ohio
Dec. IS, and the following day he
Was arraigned or the indictment
made by the grand jury. He entered
the plea of not guilty and was placed
under bonds OF sl5, 900, but being I'M
able to give it be was remanded to
Jail. Letcher will have his trial
Feb. 81.
The following from the Columbus,
Ohio, Dispatch tells the interesting
story of how the detective Kidnapped
Letcher out in California:
Garrett Fox. the detective for che
state fire marshal, arrived in Col
umbus, Friday morning, after nearly
seven weeks hard fighting with Cali
fornla laws, courts and lawyers, for
custody of Geo. Letcher, wanted in
Williams county for arson. having
the satisfaction of knowing that
the man he was sent after was Sc
cure in the Jail at Bryan with bail
fixed at the goou and sufficient
amount of S15, 900.
Fox LETT Columbus for San Fran
sicso on Nov. is, accompanied by G.
"a Goodell. deputy fire marshal.
There are twenty courts in Cali
fornia,n said MIR. Fox, Friday, "but
fortunately [ did not have to 90
through all OF them. The superior
court was the M that gave us the
greatest trouble. We were brought
into that court three times and
they had a fourth writ out against
us when we gave then tile Slip.
After the supreme court held In our
favor they tried to get into the fed
eral court but were rejected. Then
they went back to the superior.
courts on new questions.
fletcher had tive lawyers and they
were to get 81. sou if they prevented
me from taking him out of the
State, and only 300 if they failed.
That is why they were so logged i'm
their work. They had the police
and detective agencies all working
in their interests
ION Friday before Christmas
had Letchet in ny custody at Meth
erlandS hotel. The manager assisted
me IN my scheme to get the prison
er registered so is to prevent the
service OF any more writs in case
the pending question was settled in
nay favor He showed me d way by
which | could yet out on the roof
by a lire escape. then TO the roof of
another building and down thr0ueh
it to the ground. By following that
foute | got Letcher uut OF the hotel
and Went 10 a little boarding house
on Water front. On Saturday | hired
a gasoline launch 10 take us down TO
san joaquin river to Stockton. and
at 0 having heard That the de-
clslon was i'm u favor we started.
mas morning
through at noon and so | remained
Nv q PiuNNH ~ ~ SiipuibS 'Illtll dl-
most tram time. tearing that the To-
cal detective agency which had des |
cliptlons of us would find us. We
lodged them all night and some time |
early Monday morning arrived at
Needles, and crossed he state line,
SO that we bad no more reason to
fear California superior court wrlts,
but | did not send any wires of our
movements until reached Flagstaff, |
Ari2.
fletcher did not make any persun-
resiStance: ven when | took him
SECRETLY from the hotel he went will
for two reasons: first he is IA
and second he wanted my
good Will. expecting to get free
through the California courts ulti-
He is not as we'll Off as re-
He has probably 500, 0O0. all
~ his wife'S name"
Goodell, his assistant, was left be.