The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1909-08-03
NEGROES ARE
[ Ak EN [ @
LARAMIE
WERE PART OF THE ARMY OF
CIRCUS EMPLOYEES.
Robbed and Attempted to Murder Two
White Men While the Circus
Train Was Speeding Along.

Officer Park OF the Union Pacific
secret service department returned
from Salt Lake this morning with
four negro circus employees, who are
charged with enticing two young men
named Hardigan and Pelton on board
one of Ringing Bros. circus trains at
Laramie, on the pretcXt of giving the
youths a cheap ride to Ogden, and
then attempting TO murder and dump
the yerdant Wyomingites from the
train after 1t was in motion. Hardi-
gan and Pelton were taken to Salt
Lake by Officer Park, recognized those
who robbed them and the quartette
of crooks were placed under arrest
and taken back to Laramie where they
will be charged with robbery and at
tempted murder.
The leader of the gang is a big.
husky negro and as soon as he was
placed unedr arrest. he confessed his
guilt and implicated three OF his COM
panions. all Of whom were In the en-
ploy OF the circus people.
The arrests were not made in Salt
Lake until after IA policeman had
been attacked by mob Of circus men
anu lOlNGu W NlNp MS way bhl VI Il
tent.
The arrest of the negroes was
brought about largely through the ef-
forts OF George Lewis and T. B. Hart,
detectives employed by the Union Pa
cl1c Railroad company, who followed
the circus to Salt Lake,
Pelton and HardiGan met the circus
al Laramie They were approached
hy General Allen and asked where
they were going, When told they
were coming to Salt Lake, the negro
said: We'll see here, come round
tonight 10 car So. wagon T. and we
win carry you through to Salt Lake.
and YOU won't have to buy tickets"
The two men went TO the car at
the appointed time, gave the negro 50
and were hidden In a wagon under
some canvas. When Rock River was
reached and while tho train was going
about thirty miles an hour. the four
negroes went to the car, pointed re-
yolvers at the men and after securing
their valuableS, kicked them from the
moving train and emptied several re-
yolvers In their direction. Pelton was
robbed Of S22 and Hardigan of So,
watch. razor, hat and Il revolver.
The men went TO Laramie and COM
planned to the Union Pacific railroad
detectives The detectives went to
the circus cars and found two other
men who were thought to be slated
for the same dose. They ordered the
men out OF the car. whereupon about
100 negroes started after them, and
the detectives were compelled TO
shoot their way out of the mob.
The detectives. accompanied by
Hardigan and Pelton. then followed
the show TO Ogden, where the first
trace OF the negroes was discovered,
and Allen, the leader. was arrested,
General Allen" accompanied Po-
-liceman H f. SleateT TO a tent in Salt
Lake to show him the other negroes.
The negroes attacked the policeman,
but he succeeded III clubbing his way
out and returned with the two detec-
tlves and secured the four suspects.
At the police station the four nc
Groes were positively ldenu1ed by
Pelton and Hardigan,
General Allen stated at the police
station Monday night that two years
ago he. In company with two other
negroes. In the same car and the same
wagon. turned a similar trick in Kan
sas One OF the men assaulted died
later Allen was released for turning
stnte's evidence against the other two
negroes. one Of whom was sentenced
TO twenty-five years and the other 10
thirty years in the Kansas peniten-
tiary.
Detective Park says that Ringing
Bros. when advised Of the charge
against the men. rendered the officers
every assistance possible in capturing
the criminal