Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-02-10
Confession OF
WOMAN BANDIT
GRIMES OF GANG OF IOWA BANK
ROBBERS CLEARED
UP,

Des Moines, Feb. 9.-The mysteries
of the dynamiting of the banks at
Runnells, Alleman, Carlisle and Swan,
which occurred in rapid succession
during the months of September and
November, 1909, are mysteries no
longer. Carrie D. Hammond, queen of
the gang of bank robbers who worked
out of Des Moines at that time, has
been captured and has confessed the
crimes at Freeport, III.
The four bank robberies, which net
ted the dynamiters about $4,000,
brought Des Moines and the small
towns hereabout into a fever heat of
excitement at the time. So successfully
and so quickly were the robberies
made that every town within radius
of hundred miles of Des Moines
feared each night that its bank might
be looted next. Although hot upon the
trail of the gang, the local police and
detective departments were unable TO
capture it before the getaway was ac-
complished the day following the rob-
bling of the Carlisle bank.
duplicates Five Men.
The confession of Carrie Hammond
duplicates five men, John A. Borden,
Donald Mckenzie, Ike Wier Harry
Bowen and man named Jimmie"
all of whom lived in Des Moines al
1907 South Durham avenue a week
last September The woman lived
there as the wife of Borden until the
suspicious of the local detectives
were aroused by the actions of the
other mon of the gang who hung about
the place.
One of the gang, John Borden, was
killed by the police officers when he
and Olsen were caught in the act OF
attempting to blow safe al Norwood
Park on Jan. 4. Wier has been located
at 81 Water street, minneapolis,
Mimi
Eares Method.
Carrie Hammond s confession laws
bare the methods employed by the
yeggmen i'll and about Des Moines
She calle here with Borden first and
they rented the house on Durham
avenue as husband and wife. Borden
lG one of the two men who escaped
from the Fort Madison penitentiary
with Harry Moran, otherwise known
as Tom Hatch, who was retaken at
Minneapolis and is now doing ten
years at Saltwater penitentiGry for at
tempting to kill the officer who arrest
ed him. The Minnesota authorities re-
fused to give Hatch back to Iowa to
finish his term in Fort Madison which
is awaiting him when his time is up
there.
Local detectives were getting close
to the gang here because of the fact
that they used cabs freely. Superin-
tendent Hamery supposed the fire.
quency with which cabs went to that
part of the city with strangers was
a trick by the former red light deni-
zens and set trap to catch them just
at the time they fled the city between
two days.
Chief of Detectives Stephen B.
Wood of Chicago informed Chief John
ston yesterday that Carrie Hammond
is under arrest and has confessed.
Johnston has confirmed the story as 1t
relates to Des Moines and the
scheme as it was played is now plain
and the plot revealed. The gang made
their rendezvous at 1907 Durham ave-
nue. and worked out of Des Moines
from there, tapping country banks in
quick succession.
From Freeport comes the informa-
ton to Johnston that the men of the
gang did team work, sending one first
to spot the bank to be robbed and
get the clay" then two others did the
safe cracking, while the fourth stood
guard and assisted in covering the
getaway" standing ready in case of
pursuit to draw the chase away from
those carrying the swag. All the mon
ley was kept at the Durham avenue
house and all Of it is reported to have
been in those two grips thrown. into
the sleigh by two men who were
driven away at early dawn on the day
of the last robbery, when the whole
early Rock Island train, before the 10.
cal officers were informed that there
had been another robbery.
Detectives vigIant.
The next day Borden, Bowen and
Mckenzie, having divided the swag
equally with all the others, wen to
Otto Olsen's home, 1924 Diclins ave-
nue., Chicago, and from there worked
out over the city, changing the silver
money and pennies into paper bills
Olsen changed $3.50 in silver and $40
In pennies for currency at the North
western bank, Milwaukee and North
avenue; $3.50 in silver and currency al
Graham's Sons bank Madison and
Union streets.
The detectives have located Wier at
"