Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-02-14
OFFICIALS BELIEVE CLAUDE DE
BARR ALIAS RAY BROWN,JAMES
MAURErAS IND II. A. NICHOLS
PULLED OFF SEVERAL JOBS.
FIND REVOLV AND
MASK IN THE SEARCH
MAKING COMPLETE INVESTlGA-
TlON-DE BARR HELD UP STEIN
PAWNsHoP LAST NIGHT AND
SECURED. FIREARM.

!
SECURED F'REARM.
In the capture last night of Claude
De Barr, alias Ray Brown, by Night
Captain Matt Mier, and the previous
arrest of James Mauretas, Jamaican
negro and H. A. Nichols, the police be-
lieve they have trio of men who
know something Of the holdup jobs
which have been pulled Off in OF
tumwa during the past few weeks.
The finding of a British bull dog
revolver of forty-four caliber and a
mask under the floor of the shack
where the three men lived by Night
Captain Mier and Patrolman Harris
this morning, lead the police further to
believe that the man are implicated
in the work of the highwayman.
Held up Pawnshop.
De Barr's arrest last night followed
a sensational robbery on East Main
street. De Barr, alias Brown was in
generated in the city jail yesterday
morning for five days on the vagrancy
charge He made his escape from
Jailer Chris Myers yesterday afternoon
while Jailer Myers were taking the
prisoners to work on the rock pile.
About 8 o'clock in the evening, De
Barr appeared at the pawnshop of
Samuel stein on East Main street and
wanted to look at revolver, stating
that he intended to purchase one. Mrs.
stein was alone at the time and be-
coming suspicious of the mans actions
she got between him. and the door.
After carefully looking the revolver
over, De rarr grabbed the weapon by
the barrel and holding 1t threateningly
over Mrs. STEMS head told her to
open the door or he would kill her.
She backed out of his way and De
Barr escaped down the street. Mrs.
Stein ran out into the street and gave
the alarm.
The police station was notified and
Night Captain Mier and Patrolmen
Sauders, Black and Lightner joined in
the chase. The officers separated and
the entire east end of the city and the
Burlington yards were searched. Cap
tain Mier, going to the Milwaukee pas
senger depot about 1915 o'clock, found
De Barr there and placed him under
arrest. De Barr admitted to the officer
that he had held up the Stein pawn
shop and that he had thrown the gun
away when chased by officers.
Waived to Grand Jury.
De Barr was arraigned this morning
before Police Judge Morrissey on the
charge Of robbery. He waived examin-
alton to the grand jury. De Barr told
the court that he had stolen the money
to buy shoes. Yesterday morning he
gave his name to the magistrate. as
Ray Brown, but declared this morning
that 1t was fictitious name and that
his right cognomen was Claude De
Barr. He said his home was in Durand,
Mich. He declared that he was only 16
years Of age, but the police say that he
is older than that.
H. A. Nichols, a pal Of De Barr. who
was arrested with him, and James
the negro, were sweated by
the police last night following the rob-
berry. Nichols asserted that the story
De Barr had told in court that he was
held up and robbed at the corner Of
and Union streets a few
nights ago, was false. Nichols stated
that he and De Barr had been in the
city for several days and had met the
negro, Mauretas, at Manila, Ia, and
that he had induced them to come here.
De Barr was sweated this morn
Ing and his story did not connect
with that given by Nichols. De Barr as
serted that they never came to OttuTn-
wa until Monday or Tuesday and that
they never saw James Mauretas before
until they met him in Ottumwa.
Gun and Mask Found.
Believing that the men know some
thing Of the recent robberies, Night
Captain Mier and Patrolman Harris
went to the Mauretas shack where
they searched the building this morn
ing. The shack Is located in Smoky
Row, at the rear Of 615 East Mill
street. A board was found loose in
the floor by the officers and lifting it
up, the mask and gun were found. The
gun Is OF the old British bull dog
type and was loaded The mask was
made out Of a piece of cotton blanket
with two holes for the eyes. The
police are still searching the shack and
believe that they will be able to find
other articles which will connect the
men with the robberies.
Believes Men Are Crooks.
While he believes that the men have
been doing crooked work in Ottumwa,
Chief Peter Gallagher. is of the opin-
lon that the men never pulled off the
Dr.. Armstrong holdup. the grocery
store robberies and other jobs before
that time. He believes that the
bandit or bandits who did that work
left the city and the pawning of a
watch stolen from Fred Nelson by one
Of the bandits, in Chicago he cites as
proof. He believes, however, that
De Bar, Nichols and Mauretas are the
men who are responsible for the hold