The Glenwood post., 1909-04-24
o o o o o o o 90 o o o Q o o o Q

o @ o Q o o Q o Q o o o o o o.
Even as Grin Stoddard gave utter
ance to the last of the above state
ment, which was made on the streets
of Glenwood last Saturday evening,
the twelve men chosen to decide the
guilt of himself and Harry Conno-,
charged with stealing horses from I. B.
Griffith Of New Castle. on the TWEEN
tysecond of last August, were casting
the ballots which told the world that
they believed the two men guilty of
the charge.
Stoddarl has been hailed before the
county and justice of the peace courts
a dozen times during the past ten years
but ha, always succeeded in cvading
the law. Time and again has he faced
these courts on charges of stealing
horses and cattle, but his cunning new
err left him, and he always covered his
tracks until the stockmen We're unable
to connect him with the cases Mt the
bar. On one occasion, it is reported,
he drove a calf some twenty-five or
thirty miles. The owner of tho calf
finally located the animal and Stod
dard finally got next to the fac. that
a prosecution was coming up for him.
He Immediately secured branding
irons, and placed the brand of the own
cr of the calf on it. This he claimed
to have done that the owner of the calf
could find it when he came to look for
it. His story worked, and he was re
leased when the case was called.
| The case which was closed last Sat
urday evening, the one that brought
with it the conviction of Stoddard AMI
Connor, was believed en- one
of the last in whcl engaged.
Cunning to the Ii, .edrd of the
arrest of Hardy Fuller, the third mem
Der of the Stoddard- Connor Fuller gang
and wrote q letter to Frank Squier.
president of the stock association at
Rifle. In this letter Stoddard claimed
to have lost several head of horses and
| n Inult7S. Dut ILLS "Ao Sbo ANo"'
and ere the letter had reached its des-
tination, Stoddard is said to have
claimed that he had not lost any horses
and that Fuller had "missed" his
bunch 1t was this letter which had
great weight with the twelve men in
the jury room.
Our readers will remember the story
of the horse stealing which resulted in
the trial last week. 1t was on the
twenty-second of last August when
Stoddard, Fuller and Conner stole a
number of animals from /. B. Griffith,
and others, near New Castle. Stoddart
was not then known to be in the deal
but a confession by Fuller revealed the
whole gang. Fuller and Connor start
cd for Utah with the animals, but Of
ficers were apprised, and carly one
morning few days later, the Gnno
Junction officers found the Griffith
horse and colt near Palisade. Thcy
, took charge of the animal and started
J on in search of the rest of the bunch
} They met Connor, who "peached on
} Fuller. and his arrest was soon MADE
} Conuor took his cue and left the state
} returning to this city few weeks ago
where he surprised the Officers by
walking into the Jail and giving him
, self up.
) Fuller was placed in the county jail
l.
) and held for a hearing. He mate a
) confession to I. b. Griffith while con
) fined in the women's cell of the jail
D and in this confession he implicated
y the other members Of the gang. Tbs
\ stockmen took up the trail and soo'
\ had evidence which they believed suf
\ ficicnt to convict both Connor AM
! stoddard. Fuller was tried and sen
\ tenced to the state pemitentiary a
, Canon City. He was returned to thi
. city last Thursday and on Friday tolt
. tho court the whole story Of the las
|. trip Of the three men after horses
! Has story was graphic in the extreme
: