Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-08-20
Convict duplicates
Omaha Man in Train
Holdup Last Winter
Denver Prisoner Confesses Robbing
Overland Limited, Aided by Col
Inns and Roberts.

DENVER Aug i9.-CSpecial Telegram -
Frank NJ watson, prisoner IN the city
Jail confesses that he was implicated in
the helduB or the Southern Pacific limited
at Rees Utah January 1, 1911. when VIII
liam Davis. a negro porter was killed and
two Pullmans we're ransacked. Joseph
Collins OF Omaha and X. al Roberts Of
Mullen. Neb both under arrest. are ac-
cused by Watson as accomplish he says
that Collins shot Davis with a sawed-off
shotgun lie came to Denver en- route to
Omaha. after the holdup. The loot was
sold to the owner Of rooming house here.
Watson admits connection with the rob-
berry Of the oregon Short Line passenger
train three miles west Of ogden on June
q. 1910. r. VI. Roberts and brother Ray
were with him, he says. Ray Roberts was
killed ct Alliance, Neb.. In fight with q
deputy sheriff.
Watson's confession includes accusations
against men guilty OF robbing postoffices
in Colorado. Government officers investi-
gated They have dropped the clews fur
nished by Watson as OF no value to them.
Watson volunteered the confession TO Chief
Armstrong with the fun knowledge that
he might be hanged for telling it. He
asked that the $1,000 reward be given to
his wife and children in case his confess
sion resulted in hanging. file feared that
he would go insane unless he got the
story off his stomach"
Watson swofe to the story after it had
been read to him by a photographer.
The police ere inclined to regard the
story as a fabrication.
Watson was arrested In Denver on May
l. ON a charge Of safe blowing at Alliance,
Neb A few days after he told Chief Arm
strong Of his alleged part in the southern
PGrifio robbery, saying he wanted his wife
to get the $4,000 reward offered for the
robbers. Chief Armstrong kept the con-
fsssion secret until today in order that
It might be Investigated.
Watson also claimed to have been one
Of the men who robbed the Greeley, Colo,
postoffice about year ago. lie was taken
| by government officials to North Dakota,
where he said the stamps were hidden but
today the party returned. declaring that
that part OF the confession was untrue.
The robbery was planned, according to
Watsons confession, In Omaha, his wife,
Roberts and Collins being present.
Watson's description Of the holdup talies
with the reports sent out at the time of
the robbery. He says Collins shot the
negro porter at his command, the porter
not responding to their orders with suffl-
Client aIacrity .'.t e' ,.,
Watson said the three robbers separated
after the hoIdup and did not meet again
until they reached Omaha few days later.
| There they arranged to dispose of the
booty, Watson says through man named
Harry Crawford at Lincoln Neb Watson
says the trio got only about 500 out OF
| the holduP.
LINCOLN, Neb.. Aug. 1S,--Harry Craw-
ford, named in the Denver train robbery
confession. IL the owner of pool hall dr
I4ncoln. Crawford denies acquaintance with
Watson or any Of the other men mentioned
and said that the confession. 30 far as Il
implicated him.. was false.
| sAl- .% r