The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1908-01-16
GETS SIX YEARS IN PEN.

Charles Munson, Alias Charles Ed
wards, Convicted of RObbing
Decatur City POstoffiCe.
Charles Munson, alias Charles Ed
wards, who was arrested at Linwood,
Mo-, on Dec. 10Th by United States
deputy marshal Geo. e. Bidwell, on
the charge of burglarizing the postofice
at Decatur City on the night of Dec.
eth. was convicted by jury in the
United States court at Creston last
Friday and sentenced by Judge Smith
Mcpherson to serve term of six years
in the government penitentiary at TT.
Leavenworth, Kas.
Roe Caster jr., of this city, was on
the jury which tried Munson and after
hearing the evidence the jury after be-
ing out two hours returned a verdict OF
guilty. In receiving their verdict
Judge Mcpherson took occasion to re-
mark: "Gentleman of the jury, you
have returned verdict Of guilty in.
this case after being out two hours.
1t should not have required five min
utes for you to arrive at this verdict"
When the jury was sent out they stood
ten to one for conviction on the first
ballot, and several ballots were taken
before the verdict was reached.
When the Decatur postoffice was
burglarized the burglar secured little
over $500 in cash and about the same
amount in postage stamps, and it was
through his disposing of stamps that
the first clew was obtained by deputy
Bidwell, who. o.then traced the burglar to
number of small towns and finally To-
Gated him at Linwood, Mo. Munson
was seen at Creston by several Leon
parties and identified as having been in
Leon on several occasions, posing as an
umbrella mender. He was in this city
tho same day that the robbery occurred
and took dinner at Hotel Leon, being
positively identified by Miss CleoClark,
one of the walters who served him
with dinner. He secured team that
evening from livery barn in this city
and drove to Decatur and committed
the burglary after which he returned
to Leon and took the early morning
train south, buying ticket for Mt.
Ayr but did not get off the train and
paid his fare in cash to Delphos. From
Delphos he drove to Blockton and then
went to Knowlton and here was where
the first clew was found, as he paid for
lodging at a hotel in postage stamps
and also exhibited some partly burned
silver, which was taken from the safe,
having passed through the fire which
destroyed the postoffice at Decatur
City on the morning Of July 5th.
He succeeded in changing considerable
silver for paper money at Blockton and
Knowlton and also disposed of some Of
the stamps for about half their value.
After leaving Knowlton he travelled to
Clarinda and Shenandoah, and by this
time the officers were on his trail but
he eluded them and went to Ottumwa
and few days later was arrested at
the home of woman in Linwood, Mo-,
with whom he was staying. In his
trunk in this house was found lot of
fine clothing and silk underwear which
had probably been stolen. Deputy
Bidwell made the statement while in
Leon recently that Munson had served
term in the penitentiary and had
been charged with bank robbery, but
escaped conviction.
After the burglary was reported at
Decatur City there were some ugly
rumors in circulation, as it was thought
that the burglary had been committed
by local talent, as several parties at
Decatur were in possession of the COM
bination of the postofice safe, but the
arrest and conviction of the real culprit
clears up the matter. While the gov
ernment holds postmaster individually
responsible for the loss of any funds in
his hands, where the fact that the loss
was through no fault of the postmaster
it has been the custom to refuud him
the amount of his loss and Postmaster
Bear will in time be allowed the full
amount Of the loss by the robbery.
Twentieth Wedding Anniversary.
Last Saturday was the twentieth
wedding anniversary Of Mr.. and Mrs.
9. M. Axes, of this city, and learning
of this fact by accident, number of
their friends planned surprise on them
and gathered at their commodious
home in south Leon in goodly numbers.
They brought with them refreshments
in abundance and most pleasant even
ing was spent. The visitors presented