Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1906-08-30
CAPTURE CAUSE OF
REIGN OF TERROR
McElhaney, Webster City BAN
dit, Captured a: Blue
Earth City, Mimi.
PREFERS DEATH TO PEN
Prisoner Is Desperate and Says He
Viii! Commit Suicide Before Being
Again lnearcerated in
States Prison.

Webster City. la, Aug .1.--J McEl-
hancy. the bandit who tcrrorized the
whole of Cass township, north of this
city, ana tecn escaped in IL running
fight from Il posse of twenty armed
farmers led by Sheriff Thompson and
Deputy Sheriff Brown, has at last been
run To earth. The man is in Jail at
Blue Earth. Mimi. and has been posi-
lively identified by Sheriff Thompson.
He MAS arrested there for breaking and
entering IL farm house. who re he stole
Sl4l in cash. AS he will be first tried
upon This charge the local authorities
do not cNrceA To put him on trial here
until he has served out his time in
Minnesota
McIfamey is Il desperate man. how
ever. and ii he Keeps his word with
Sheriff Thompson viii never again go
Y" ~" penitentiary When they take
Thompson entered To identify him,
They will take me to my grave. l
viii commit suicide before / will again
20 Ia tilc penitentitlN' The officers
Do not doubt but that he will keep
his word and close Match will Ike kept
upon him
by "a smooth ruse Sheriff Thompson
recovered most of the money Mclll-
haney had stolen. Mclllh;tney already
mas Il twelve years prison record and
is but 81 years of age About "a year
ago he WAS employed III Cass town
ship upon the l.d Poster farm. BY
careful advances he alicnated the af-
fcctions of Mrs Foster and the two
aoped Tn" man. however. was UNI
able to provide for his paramour and
about a month ago they returned to
the city, Mrs Foster going To the home
ot her parents in Cass township. Me-
l.lhancN lived i'm the woods and about
the cornfcltis of the township. 1t was
in this way that the reign of terror
began and through the strange in
fatuation of Mcf,lhaney for the Foster
woman the man was ultimately run
down. He had written her that he
would keep der advised as to his
Intercepted. When arrested for the
Blue Earth robbery the officers found
only SO on the man. McElhancy haG
promised his female parmour he
would send her some money. and wher
Sheriff Thompson entered his cell to
identify him he advised the man TIC
keep his word with the woman and
permit him TO take the rest of tho
stolen money back to Mrs. Foster. The
bandit fell i'm With the plan and from
the shoulder pads of his coat drew out
five $50 bills.
MNfIIftlleN utilltS nelHS l'SIohlsiDie
for all the crimes committed in cass
township. He says he held up no one
nor did he fire upon persons ordered
to halt and who instead whipped their
tcams into a run. but whether he did
or did not Cass township is now rest
ing easy and Will watch the course of
his trial i'm Blue Earth With u good
dea of interest in tho hope he may
be given n long prison sentence 1t is
alleged that all the crimes charged
against him here can be proven. and
after mis- liberation i'm Minnesota he
will be returned to Hamilton county
for trial upon the charge Of being
guilty OF The many holdups and
attempted shcntings that are laid ut his
door in cass township.