Pocahontas star herald., 1910-05-27

UreaC eXcltement prevailed III TO
cahontas last Saturday morning
when Sheriff Sam Brown received
telephone communication to the
effect that Isaac Wells, a well
known citizen of the county, re-
siding near Ravenden Springs had
been assaulted and robbed of about
$4,000.
He was discovered in an uncon,
scious condition by -neighbor and
physicians were summoned to rem
der medical aid and Sheriff Sam
Brown was notified of the crime.
1t was thought at first that his in
juries were fatal, but he is lmprov-
ing rapidly and is now on the road
to recovery.
John D. Johnson, who proved
to be one of those implicated in the
crime, came in company with Ar
thur Fry, the other man, to Poca-
hontas and wanting to change his
appearance went to Wall RrotherS
store where he purchased a new
suit of clothes, shoes and hat and
also a dress suit case. He paid the
bill of $50 without asking the price
of anything and the suspicion of
Mr.. Wall was aroused after he
learned that Mr.. Wells had been
robbed as the bills were stiff and
had a salty taste and 1t was known
that Mr.. Wells carried his money
on his person. The officers were
notified by Jake Wall and Marshal
Jesse Haynes overlook johnson
across the river and after a short
talk concluded that he was not the
man.
Hunter Perrin, deputy sheriff,
Marshal Haynes, Pearl Bispham
and Geo. Burke decided to 60 again
and search johnson if they could
overtake him. This they did about
s o'clock, near Manson, and while
Deputy Perrin searched Johnson's
person, Marshal Haynes and Geo.
Burke searched the grip, but
failed to find the money which
was hidden in the grip in his old
shoes. They turned him loose and
returned to Pocahontas. Deputy
Sheriff Perrin on his return got in
communication with Sheriff Brown,
who was at Ravenden Springs, and
after getting the description of the
men seen in the neighborhood, de-
cided that he would arrest johnson
again and bring him back to Poca.
hontas. He in company with Mar
shal Haynes, Ellis Merry and Z.
Lee Wilson, went to Hoxie Satur-
day night, arriving there at mid
night and arrested him at the Boa2
hotel and after thorough search
found SLIGO in greenbacks in his
old shoes. They brought him back
to Pocahontas Sunday morning and
he is now incarcerated in the coun'
ty Jail awaiting the action of the
grand jury, having plead guilty in
Squire Douglas court and waived
his examination to the grand jury.
Following is a statement made by
johnson to the Star Herald man:
"Having read several of the
statements in the papers concerning
the robbery of Isaac Wells, aud
finding them all incorrect, / will
endeavor to give a correct state
ment of the case.
| am 33 years old and / confess
have been a gambler and a pretty
reckless kind of a fellow, and | had
married and settled down to try to
make an honest living. ! was mar.
ried in Jonesboro, Ark, on Nav 5,
1910, to Miss Hettie Pierce of Hor.
nersville, Mo-, and we were living
at JOnesboro,
"On May Is, Arthur Fry, a second
cousin of mine, whom | had not
seen for about six years came to
Jonesboro and told me he knew
where we could get a roll of money
if would go with him. | told
him | was married and did not care
to take any chances on a thing of
that kind, but he stayed ana plead
ed with me until finally agreed to
60 with hlm. l told my wife l was
going to Memphis and would be
back in few days.
"Fry told me that there was an
old man who lived all alone near
Ravenden that had all kinds of
money and we could get it without
any chance of being caught. He
knew where the old man lived SO he
led the way and l followed suit.