Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-09-28
c. w. STEELE, HELD FOR BADGER
BANK ROBBERY, EXPIRES
IN JAIL.
CONFESSED TO CRIME
WHEN DEATH WAS CERTAIN
Steele Was Member of Respected Fam
iIy-Had Served Prison Term in Iowa
For Bank Robbery at cherskee-Re-
fused to Reveal Identity Of Com
panions in Crime.

Fort Dodge, Sept. 3D.. w. steele, |
alias Abner Hicks, arrested at Denver
Colo, in June on the charge of robbing |
the savings bank at Badger small
village north of this city, died in the
Calhoun county Jail at Rockwell City,
where he had been confined following
the preliminary hearing in this city.
The body has been shipped to his sis
ter, Mrs. J. NJ. Buchea, of 1S4S Lafay-
cite street, Denver, Colo, for burial.
The Badger bank robbery was per-
petrated on the night of April 20, and
the entire contents of the safe, some
$1,000, were taken by the robbers. The
village was awakened by the reports
Of the explosions but with less than
six revolvers or firearms of any de-
scriptions owned in the village to at
tempted to have capture four desperate
men who were known to be we'll armed
would have been foolhardy, and was
not attempted by the villagers. Firing
a few shots to terrorize those who had
been awakened the robbers ran from
the bank building to the tracks of the
Minneapolis e. st. Louis railroad,
where they had a hand car waiting
and on which it has since been proven
they made the trip from Badger to
Fort Dodge. From Fort Dodge the
clue led to Denver, where Steele was
later arrested.
Steele Made Dying Confession.
| At the time of his arrest in Denver
| it was noticed Steele was a victim of
| the white plague, as we'll as sufferer
from liver troubles, and altho he re-
ceived the best Of attention he failed
rapidly, passing away at the Jail Sum
| day morning. Realizing death was near
and that he must soon answerto court
from which there are no appeals, the
man made q lengthy confession Of his
connection with the Badger robbery,
stating there were three besides him.
self in the affair but refusing to give
their names. He gave complete infor-
nation regarding their visit to this city
| where they spent week in looking
over the situation, told of the breaking
into a section house and the appro-
priating of hand car on which they
rode to and from Badger on the night
of the robbery, and of their return to
this city following the robbery, their
escape on the Great Western passenger
and finally Of the breaking up of the
party following division of the spoils
n Steele gave as his reason for his con.
RI fession the fact he knew death wa
4 near and that he was filled with de,
sire to ease his mind. The confession
was made early in June, and had HI
lived it would probably have been uset
against him in his trial which was as
signed for the latter part of the pres
ent week.
Came From Good Family.
The story of the dead burglars lif
reads almost life fiction. He was thu
son of honest, respectable and in
dulgent parents, and secured splendi,
education following which he took vi
stenography, being at one time a can
didate for court reporter. Evil asso
ciates finally resulted In his undoini
and thru vine and women his descen
! was swift and certain. Finally he wa
convicted of being implicated in tn
i Quimby bank robbery in Cherokee
, county, and was sentenced to six year
in the state penitentiary. He was
model prisqher and while in that in
, stitution was editor of the prison pa
, per, winning over a years good tim
and being released from prison O
, Sept. 81, 1908. However, he soon fell i
with evil associates, and April 20 as
sisted in the robbery of the saving
: bank at Badger, for which he wa
awaiting trial at the time of his dealt
!. . He was man of good appearance an
;. evident polish and was about SO year
:. of age. Had he chose to have use
:, his talents in the right direction ther
is little question but he would hav
been able to have made a high mar
for himself in the world.