Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-02-15
BOND IS GIVEN
FOR HIS LIBERTY
SON OF GEORGE REsco, A RE
TIRED FARMER. is ACCUSED or
USING MAILS TO DlsToR7
MONEY FROM BANKER.

Roy BeSco, 20 year old son of Geores
| Besco, retired farmer Of Eddyville,
made confession to United States
Marshal Frank B. Clark and Postofice
Inspector j. W. Welburn. wherein he
acknowledged writing a Black Hand
letter to r. M. Epperson, the Eddy
vile banker demanding the sum of
$1,000. Besco was arrested, Saturday
afternoon by Marshal Clark and when
arraigned before Commissioner A. w.
Enoch, was bound over to the federal
grand jury. Sunday night when furth-
er examined by Marshal Clark and In
spector Welburn, he made the confess
sion. His father George Besco and a
brother, j. G. Besco, who resides near
Abba, furnished the $500 bond, and
the accused youth was released. He
returned to his home in Eddyville this
noon.
The crime for which Besco Is accus.
ed is writing Black Hand letter on
the night OF February l in which II.
M. Epperson was instructed to leave
$1,000 at the southeast corner of the
! adventist church In Eddyyille on the
Following night, Wednesday, February
.. Threats were made In the letter
to blow up the bank and Epperson'a
home with dynamite unless the money
was left at the place indicated. The
letter was addressed to Manning and
Epperson, State bank and was open.
ed by F. M. Epperson on Wednesday
morning. 1t was written in lead pen
Gil and signed "The Black Hand as
ISOLATION" On the opposite side OF
the written portion was drawing OF
a Black Hand, but no other character
was visible.
Package Left at Church.
Following out the instructions Of the
letter, Mr.. Epperson left decoy pack
age at the appointed place, and in com.
pany with Detective B. D. Way Of the
Chicago Pinkerton agency, the church
was watched. Besco approached the
church and STOPPING down near the
southeast corner lit two matches, pre-
sumably looking for the package He
lighted 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 II
was not he who wrote the letter. This
somewhat discouraged the officer EN-.
ployed, who later returned to Chicago,
e. ]. Weiss, assistant superintendent
Of the Chicago Pinkerton agency was
then employed on the case, and
through a letter written to Besco,
Weiss and r. M, Epperson's son Frank
Epperson, who Is associated with his
father in the bank came to Ottumwa
Saturday to fill an engagement
with Besco at the Ballingall hotel at
10 a. m. A delay In the arrival of the
morning Rock Island train prevented
this expected interview, and the two
men with United States Marshal
Clark went to Eddyville on the Satura
day noon train. Upon arriving at the
depot there, Besco was met on his way
to catch freight train to this city.
He was taken to hotel and close.
1y examined by the officers, with the
result that he convinced them he
knew something Of the Black Hand
letter. His arrest followed and he
was brought to Ottumwa on the even
ing train. When arraigned before
Commissioner Enoch, he was bound
over to await further investigation by
the federal grand jury which meets in
March.
Would Not Talk.
Besco, aside from acknowledging
having made statement to Marshal
Clark and Inspector Welburn, refused
to talk of the case this morning when
seen in the county jail. With him was
his brother, ]. G. Besco, who in com
pany with his father, arrived in the
city this morning from Eddyville
They stated their mission here was
to secure bond for the boy and to en-
deavor to keep him from going to the
penitentiary.
Has Good Reputation.
The action Of r. M. Epperson In
first refusing to believe that Besco
had any connection with writing the
"black hand" letter, is an indication OF
the good repute in which Besco Is held
in Eddyville. His parents are highly re,
spected in Eddyville, and the son, too,
bears an excellent reputation.
B. D. Way, who first worked on the
case, is the Pinkerton man who was
employed here last year on the John.
son case and later on tho JunlSin mur