Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-06-01
ERDMAN PLANS BANK ROBBERY
Admits He and Man Named Thomas
Arranged for Big Haul.

Admits He and Man Named Thomas
Arranged for Big Haul.
Talking cooly through the bars of his
cell Erdman told reporters Tuesday morn
ing that he had arranged with an accom-
plce to hold up and rob a bank, when his
pal deserted him, three years ago. The
prisoner said his accomplice in the in
tended bank robbery plot was a man
named Thomas. who had served in the
Canon City penitentiary, and whom Erd-
man had sent numerous cases of provisions
and clothing after the latter had made his
escape from the prison.
Thomas. upon being liberated, according
to Erdman, joined him here in Omaha and
occupied a room with him. Erdman de-
frayed all the expenses of his friend,
bought him clothing of an expensive kind
and gave him all manner of attention, he
said. Thomas was SICK said Erdman,
"and 1 wanted him to rest up and get well
before we pulled off the big job"
The plans of the two went by the boards
suddenly with the disappearance Of Thomas
and about $500 of Erdman's money, and the
up proceeding.
Erdman denied, as he had done before,
ever having been out of the city at the
of his work on the dynamite plot. He de-
MED ever having been in Louisville, Neb
where the high explosive dynamite is kept.
Deputy County Attorney Magney Tuesday
morning announced he was seriously con-
sidering the plan of swearing out five
separate complaints against the prisoner
a complaint from each member of Mr. Den
nison's household. I'VE have got pretty
strong case with the single complaint of
Dennison, however," said Mr.. Magney, and
the maximum penalty Of fifteen year for
conviction on that complaint would prob
ably amount to life for the prisoner"
The attorney explained that Erdman is
past 60 years old now and that to swear
his freedom away for seventy-five years
or more as would be the case with con-
viction on five complaints. would be an
unnecessary precaution. However" con-
cIuded the states prosecuto., I'VE may de-
eide to use the method OF complaining with
five principal witnesses" 1t was further
pointed out that IL this decision should be
made, the present complaint would be set
aside after the preliminary hearing Friday
and the new ones sworn out,
1t was learned from John o. Yeiser, at
| torney for the prisoner, that Mrs, C. G..
| Geutsch, 423 North Eighteenth street. at
whose house Erdman lived to the time of
his arrest, will testify that the man was
| in his room all afternoon of the day on
which he is alleged to have been out plac-
ing dynamite bombs.
| Captain Savage Tuesday morning ad-
mitted that the police have learned of a
woman in Florence with whom Erdman
was ON close terms OF friendship and that
q is thought he may have eontrived the
| bomb at her house.
! In the course of his interview with re-
rorters, Erdman stated that the good citl-
Gems of Omaha" were acting In his defense
and would defray the expenses of his trial.
Besides the omission Of the name Ton
Dennison in the opening part of the origna
complaint against Erdman, the county at
torneys discovered another defect. Tho
complaint described the gun in the dyna
mite bomb as being loaded with gunpowdel
and lead bullets in cartridges, whereas the
gun in reality was loaded with dynamite
and blank cartridges,
Both defects were corrected and the com
plaint made ready for use, The hearing
will take place Friday morning.
Attorney Yeiser has announced that HI
will let his client stand trial through tn,
preliminary hearing and force the state t,
uso a considerable part of its evidenc,
| against him.