Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1908-07-10
BETRAYS HER LOVER.
Mrs. Frank Shercliffe In Trouble at
Des Moines.

mVSs FRANK SUcfCtUIc III i|oNo'S a.
Des Moines.
Des Moines.-Owen Ball, alias Owen
Coleman, arrested at Marshalltown in
company with Mrs. Sherman Morris
or Mrs. Frank Shercliffe,' is held to
answer the charge of robbing the
Northern Pacific train in the limits
Of Minneapolis on the evening of April
16. Chief of Detectives Col E. E.
Johnston of Des Moines turned the
trick.
Arrested through love for Mrs.
Shercliffe, the wife of his old pal,
Ball is in the city Jail, betrayed by
her when in the sweatbox and facing
strong evidence that started three
weeks ago in the theft of new silk
umbrella.
Special Agent McFetredge of the
Northern Pacific arrived in Des
Moines and told Col. Johnston that
he is certain Ball and Shercliffe are
the train robbers the road wants.
Mrs. Shercliffe, after a night in the
matron's room. confessed to the de-
tectives that Ball told her that he
and her husband robbed the train.
She told a story in which all the de-
tails fitted into the train of facts that
the railroad company agents collected
at the time Of the robbery.
Complaint of the theft Of an umbrel.
la three weeks ago from Chas. Bayor
at the McCurnin Drug company, put
the detectives on the trail. Sims and
Brunnemer worked on the case with
Johnston. They traced the man from
the description of the drug clerks
onto a Highland Park car and to the
home of Mrs. Sherman Morris, wife
of Frank Shercliffe, famous through
his connection with the great Pollock
diamond robbery. and now In Jail in
Leadville, Col, for the murder OF Il
man in that city years ago.
The detectives learned then, more
about Ball, who went under the name
of Coleman. His frequent visits to
the Morris home we're followed by
letters. Some of these recovered,
show a strong affection between the
alleged train robber and his old pals
wife. Love letters passed. And fin
ally one in which the climax of affec-
ton was reached told Mrs. Shercliffe
to place her children in safety and
meet Ball at Marshalltown. The wife
took her children to her mother and
went to meet her lover.
Mrs. Sherclffe arrived in Marshall
town and went at once to the Sail
home. But her lover failed to appear
and she waited there for him two
days. Then he came. The two were
much together and were on the
streets several times in each others
company. Finally the Des Moines
police completed the gathering of the
circumstantial evidence and Col. John
ston gathered the web in his hand
and closed in on the couple.
Des Moines.-Owen Ball, arrested
at Marshalltown in company with
Mrs. Frank Shercliffe, wife of the
famous diamond robber has made a
full and complete confession of his
participation with Shercliffe in the
robbing of a Northern Pacific train
in the city limits Of Minneapolis on
the night of April 16.
Ball also confessed to the robbery
of a st. Paul drug store the night be-
fore. In this he was also assisted by
Shercliffe. Special Agent McFet-
ridge of the Northern Pacific left
Des Moines with his prisoner for st.
Paul and Minneapolis and Ball has
promised the officers he will conduct
them to the spot where he and Sher.
cliffe hid number of watches taken
from passengers on the night Of the
holdup.
Mrs. Shercliffe now denies that she
eloped with Ball and declares that
she was inveigled to Marshalltown
in the hopes of finding a home for
herself and her two babies.