Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-11-12
Frank Shercliffe Ready to Con-
TESS Minnesota Crime if
Protected
ASKS IMMUNITY FROM COLORADO
If Assured That He Will Not Be Sur
rendered to Western Officers Sher-
cIiffe Will Throw Himself on Mercy
Of court--Prisoner Manaced and
Closely Guarded.
Special to Times-Republican


Des Moines, Nov. 12.-After visit
with Frank Shercliffe in the Mime
apolis Jail yesterday afternoon, Wilbur
]. Garrison, a Des Moines attorney, re-
turned this morning with the state
ment that the famous convict may con-
fess his guilt of robbing a Northern
Pacific train in the Minneapolis rail-
road yards on April IL and test the
clemency Of the court. Mr.. Garrison
spent some time with Shercliffe in his
cell and watched the search which
ended with the discovery of a knife
and file secreted in the bunk of the
prisoner. Shercliffe was well dressed,
exceptionally prosperous looking and
failed to show much apparent concern
over the predicament in which he is
now placed.
Shercliffe is housed in the Hennepin
county Jail in the Minneapolis court
and city building 1t is located on the
fifth floor of the structure, and there
is no means Of egress or exit save
thru the elevator shaft. To escape
under such conditions is deemed we'll
nigh impossible.
Fears to Go to Colorado.
The great fear which Shercliffe is
expressing is said toi be that he will
be forced back into Colorado. He
knows that if he is released from Min
nesota without any understanding as to
extradition proceedings he will be
forced back into that state to serve
time for the murder for which he was
convicted some time ago, but escaped
by desperate dive thru the window
Of a coach on rapidly moving train.
To serve in the Minnesota prison is
more to the liking of the desperate
Iowa bandit than to serve in the prison
at Canon City. These facts are caus-
ing him much worry and he is more
than willing to come to an understand
ing as to what disposition will be
made Of him if he should plead guilty.
I'm conversation with the county at
torney I learned that considerable
clemency would be used in Shercliffe's
case" said Mr.. Garrison.
II was told that the same immunity
against outside interference would be
extended in Minnesota as has been ex-
tended in Iowa by the state, executive.
If this Is done and sufficient assurance
Is given that such program is car
ried out 1 am inclined to believe that
Shercliffe will throw himself upon the
mercy Of the court. I gathered from
the conversation that Shercliffe would
admit guilt just as soon as some i'm
munity from the Colorado prosecution
was promised him. Shercliffe so ex-
pressed himself during our CONVERSE
ton.
Manacled and Guarded.
'E was present when the jailers
searched the Des Moines man. The des-
perateness Of his mind was indicated
by the fact that while passing thru the
jailer's office on the way to his cell he
caught up a knife from the jailer's
his clothes, after he had been taken to
the CELL watched the jailer take from
him long. slim file with which Sher-
cliffe would have sawed his way to lib
erty.
Mr. Garrison says that the desperate
character of their prisoner has been
firmly established upon the minds of
the jailers who have his custody in
charge. His hands are manacled and a
double guard is on watch in front Of
his cell every hour of the day and
night, always alert and ready for quick
action, armed to the teeth, ready to kill
the prisoner before they permit his .es-
cape.
ignorant Of the fact that w. w. r.
win, noted criminal lawyer, died in
Florida six weeks ago, Frank Shercliffe
today asked that Irwin be called as
his attorney. When told Irwin was
dead, he said he would wait while be-
fore selecting an attorney to represent
him. Shercliffe was yesterday put thru
a cross-examination, :but County At
torney Al. j. Smith was unable to OBJ
tain any information of valte. The
county attorney says Shercliffe is the
most composed man under cross-fire he
ever saw. Shercliffe would answer but
one question directly. He said he had
never been arrested in Des Moines. If
Shercliffe was arrested there he said
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