The daily sentinel., 1907-03-25
IMPORTANT CAPTURE MADE
Three Officers This Morning Take In
TO Custody Man Thought
To BE Bad.

I ca TO be one of the most dangerous
and desperate criminals in the west
today, was taken into custody This
morning about eight O'Clock by C. w.
shores, detective for the Rio Grande
Railway system, Sheriff Charles
Schrader and Under Sheriff Charles
Wallis.
The arrest was made at second hand
| store of ]. ]. Raber. on the corner of
Second street and Colorado avenue.
For some time Potter has had desk
/ room in the store and has to all out
/ ward appearances been following
the trade OF gun repairing and jewel
| ry repairing. This morning when the
| three officers suddenly entered the
store Potter was at work cleaning n
revolver. Before he realized the pres
ence of the officers two revolyers
were leveled at him and he was or
dered to throw up his hands. This
Potter did very reluctantly. he hest
tated considerably and had to be
ordered the second time to throw up
his hands into the air. A Winchester
| rifle was standing near him and there
were several other revolvers and guns
nearby but had no time to secure one
of these. He was heavily shackled
Immediately and removed to the
county Jail, and the Iailer informed
that Potter was a dangerous man and
to keep especial watch over him.
1t is charged by railroad detectives
that Potter is one of the men who
held up the Denver C Rio Grande
passenger train near Parachute
about three years ago, blowing one
car to pieces in a search for money. 1t.
will be remembered that a chase of
many days duration followed and
finally one of the robbers was run to
earth and killed while the other two,
one of them was Potter, escaped. I'll
is known beyond a doubt that Potter
has told several people that he was
one of the holdups and his deserip-
ton has always answered that of
one of the robbers. For a long per-
iod the detectives have been search
ing for Potter and few days ago he
was located in this city and the ar
rest followed
Potter is charged also with COM
plicity In a large number of other
crimes and there is but little doubt /
that he is professional highwayman /.
salfe-blower and train robber. It Is /
believed that he was responsible for
several robberies in this city. among
which was the blowing open of the
iron safe in the Walsh grocery store |
two years ago. o..
Shortly after his incarceration in
the county jail this morning Potter
was seen by representative of the
Daily Sentinel. He was reading a |
magazine. He declared that he had /
no idea as to what charge had been !
preferred against him. He said that /
he had been in Colorado for about
seventeen months and was born I'm
Canton, Ohio. He states that he has
followed the jewelry and gun re-
pairing business all this time. He
declares that he has visited Grand
Junction repeatedly for many years,
and this is known to be true. Potter
states that owing to the fact that he
is in wretched health, which state
ment his looks and physique do not
confirm. he has been forced to spend l.
much time in the hills. He has spent
the time in the hills all right but bey-
ond doubt for another reason. He
said that when in the hills he always
carried a sawed-off rifle for protec-
tion. 81 don't know what 1 am in
here for for / never did anything
wrong in my life" yehemently declar-
ed the prisoner.
Potter is a perfect specimen of
physical manhood. He seems to be
all muscles and nerves. His wrists
are very small and his hands delicate
and graceful. He has a desperate
and almost hunted look in his eyes,
There is no question but what he is
a bad man. He seems to be fairly
well educated.
Potter was a number of years ago
married to a Pueblo Indian squaw.
He has four children, two of these
children. one four years old, and the
other six years old, are at the Indian
school. the other two are living
with the mother in little house on
West Main street. Potter and his
family have been here now for sew
eral months and he has operated the
little repair shop on Colorado ave
nue.. An indication of his character
and nature is evidenced by some trou
BILE he got into while residing at
Hotch kiss some months ago. One day,
II is reported. he became infuriated
at one of his small children and grasp
ing IL by the feet raised 1t over his
head and struck il with terrific force {
against the ground. Remarkable to !
relate the child was not killed but
was dangerously injured, almost ru-
ined. Potter was arrested on war
rant issued by a state humane agent 8
As the child did not die he got on
rather lightly. The chllureh were
taken from him. /,
Following the train robbery at
Potter disappeared and 1t {
is known that he hid out in the hills {
for many months there after residing
in an old hut. far removed from the
baunts of man. Later he grew bolder
and has visited many towns in this {
section. few people knew of his rec !
ord or of his desperate character. II
is known that he has been on the
scene of various robberies and hold
ms in Western Colorado. prior to his
committal and then disappeared.
It is said that the serious charges {
that will be arrayed against him VIII
be manifold. oo-,, K
Potter will be taken to Garfield
county for trial on the train robbery
The capture is one of the most i'm ]
nortant made here in years.
n II p.rcroft Attorney Wilson, j