Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-03-31
HELD FOR
SERIOUS CHARCE:
CONFESSED WRITER OF BLACK
HAND LETTER TO F. M. EP-
PERSON is INDICTED.

Charged with violation of the United
States postal laws by the federal
grand jury, which reported in Judge
Smith McPherson's court this morn
ing at $50 o'clock, J. Roy Besco must
answer to the charge of having writ
ten "black hand letter to F. M. Ep-
person Of Eddyville, February /. de-
manding $4,000. Young Besco is the
2o-yearold son of George Besco, re-
tired farmer of Eddyville and made a
confession to Marshal F. B. Clark and
Inspector j. W. Welburn acknowledge
ing he wrote the letter demanding the
money from Banker Epperson and
signed with pencil, THE black hand
society,"
Story of the Crime.
The instructions conveyed in the
letter demanded that Mr.. Epperson
leave the money at the southeast cor
ner of the Adventist church the night
of Wednesday,, February, 9. Threats
were made in the letter to blow up
the bank and the Epperson home If
the demand was not obeyed. 1t was
addressed to the Manning and Epper-
son State Bank" Following out the in
structions of the letter, Mr. Epperson
left decoy package at the appointed
place, and in company with Detective
B. D. Way Of the Pinkerton agency
the church was watched. Besco ap-
preached the church and, STOPPING
down, lit two matches, presumably
looking for the package. He lighted a
cigar and proceeded down the street.
followed by Detective Way and Mr..
Epperson. When recognizing young
Besco, Mr.. Epperson stated that he
knew the young man and that it was
not he who wrote the letter. Detective
Way then returned to Chicago e. J.
Weiss, assistant superintendent of the
Chicago Pinkerston agency was then
employed on the case, and through a
letter written to Besco, Detective
Weiss and F., M. Epperson' son Frank
who is associated with his father in
the bank, came to Ottumwa the fol-
lowing Saturday to fill an engagement
at the Ballingall hotel at 10 a. m. A
delay in the arrival of the Rock Island
train prevented this interview and
the two men. with United States Mar
shall F. B. Clark, went to Eddyville on
the Saturday afternoon train. Upon ar
rival at the Eddyville station, Besco
was met on his way to catch a freight
train to come to Ottumwa. He was
taken to the hotel. where he was
closely examined and his arrest fol-
lowed. Brought to Ottumwa and ar
raigned before Commissioner A. W.
Enoch, he was bound over to await
the action of the federal grand jury,
whose report this morning indicted
him.
Brown Indicted.
William Brown. against whom an
Indictment was also returned for boot
logging. will be recalled as having an
swered to the charge Of maintaining
nuisance. in the district court during
the January term, where he was
found guilty and fined $400 Brown
was found to have conducted a resort
on West Main street. where he dis.
pensed the amber fluid and red liquor
to the thirsty on Sunday. He will now
have to answer a similar charge be-
cause Of alleged violation of the reve
nue. laws in the sale of liquor. ..
Charges against Lee Eyre, who will
be remembered as the man who did
the glass-eating stunt in the county
jail while waiting his taking to Dav-
export by federal officers last fall,
and who threw number of fits while
in the jail at that city, were ignored
by the grand jury. Eyre is at present
being held on the charge of larceny OF
Dou1try al NIGHT in the district court