The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1908-11-12
John Bradley, Long Wanted on a
Charge of Murder Here, is
Taken in Denver, Col.
BETRAYED BY A WORKMAN
Sheriff Pfennig Left on Tuesday Morn
ing for Denver and Will Take
Possession of Famous Pri-
soner This Evening
(From Wednesday s Daily

\frOm Wednesday S Daily
John Bradley, wanted in Kenosha
for more than two years for the brutal
murder of Clifford Smith, Liberty
vile, H., contractor, has been taken
at last and he is now in jail at Denver,
! Colorado, awaiting the coming Of Sher-
iff Charles Pfennig, who left for Den
yer Tuesday. Bradley was turned over
to the officials and his own statements
proved the means by which he was
identified as murderer It is claimed
that Bradley was popular with the
gang Of men with whom he had been
working and the man who betrayed
! him, fearing that other members of
the gang might do him personal vio-
lence, declined to allow his name to be
made public and all the correspondence
IN regard to the case has been under
/ an assumed name. He will meet
Sheriff Pfennig at Denver at five
CLOCK his afternoon and give all the
details Of the stories told by Bradley
so that the Kenosha county officials
will have something to act on. The man
declares thatqBradley has repeatedly
boosted Of his crime il connection with
the murder Of Smith and that there is
no doubt as to the identity.
For the past three. months Sheriff
Pfennig had been at work on the
Colorado clue and yesterday morning
he decided to go to Denver to look
into the matter in person, believing that
such trip would undoubtedly result
in the arrest Of Bradley. He had gone
but short distance on the long trip
when a telegram was received at the
| Jail announcing that Bradley had been
arrested and was awaiting the coming
of the Kenosha sheriff. There is no
doubt but that Bradley will make a
hard fight against being brought back
to Wisconsin for trial. It is claimed
that he has already interested great
attorneys of Denver in his case and
that the sheriff of this county will have
to fight for his prisoner.
| The sheriff has not as yet been per-
sonally advised of the arrest of Bradley
and he has a surprise awaiting him
when he reaches the Denver jail late
this afternoon. It is probable that the
man who betrayed Bradley will claim
the reward of 5000 which was. offered
by Sheriff Vietch at the time of the
murder and while no appropriation has
/ been made for this reward it is thought
certain that if Bradley is captured the
i County Board will not hesitate to ap-
propriate the amount. Sheriff Pfennig
has taken such a deep interest in the
! capture of the man that he will I'M
doubtedly be willing to advance the
money III order to secure him for trial
The crime for which Bradley is want
! ed was one Of the most cold-blooded
! ever committed in Kenosha county or
in this section Of the state. Leroy
Smith was well known Kenosha con
tractor living at Libertyville, ILL.,, and
he had been employed to superintend
/ a part of the work on the building of
the Frost line between Racine and Ke
nosh9~ lie and Bradley had not been
: Il IO41NAIJ CbAlit OL GI4C Ill uU u blLC Iuui-
der, June 26, 1906, both of the luen
had come to Kenosha Bradley had
been drinking heavily and just after
eleven o clock he returned to the place
where the men employed on the work
were boarding. He waited on a bridge
near the boarding house with a. number
/ of other men and when Smith approach
! ed he began cursing him and charged
him with making false statements in
regard to him. Smith simply stated
=! that he had not made the statements
and with this Bradley drew a revolver
|! and began firing Several bullets took
effect and Smith died an hour after
the shooting. Bradley fingered about
scene Of the crime as if fascinated Just
before daybreak he was informed that
Smith had died from his wounds and
then he started for the west. Every
/ possible effort was made to locate him
at the time and later in the year he
was heard from in several parts of the
south, but he always managed to get
away from the officials and not until
three months ago did the sheriff and
his men get any definite clue. The cap
ture Of Bradley is a great feather in the
cap of the sheriff for he has pursued
the man without mercy, following up
the slightest clue until the man so bad
ly wanted has finally been jailed
It is thought possible that Bradley
will reach Kenosha early next week,
but the case will probably not come
up for trial until the March term Of
the Circuit Court.
/ Leona Van Kirk, taken into custody
on Monday evening, was discharged on