The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1912-03-11
REPENTS OF CRIME.
AFTER MANY YEARS
CALIFORNIA MAN, WHO CON-
FEssEs THAT he WAS IN
MooRHEAD JAIL, ADMITS CRIME
FOR WHICH ANOTHER MAN
WAS CONVICTED.

4 SN "uA ~ = ACpS
Copeland of South Pasadena, Cal, a
convert Of the Gypsy Smith meetings,
has confessed a crime for which an
other man was convicted in this city in
1893. The confession. received by
County Atty. Anton Thompson this
evening, follows:
From South Pasadena, Cal, March
5.-To the County Attorney. Fergus
Falls, Minn.-Dear Sir: l send you
the following confession, hoping that
you will give it your earnest consid-
Grafton, and also publish it in the To-
cal newspapers Of Fergus Falls:
I'm the summer OF 1898 / boarded
a n~orthbound Northern Pacific pas
senger train, assaulted the por-
ter Of one of the Pullman sleepers
and robbed the occupants Of the car.
II II remember correctly this occurred
between Perham and Frazee, Otter
Tail county, Mimi.
Suicide Stays Confession.
Another man, whose name was
George Lyons. was arrested and con-
Victed of this crime. After being SEN
fenced to prison he committed suicide
in Jail at Fergus Falls. At the same
time I heard Of his conviction l also
learned Of his death, and. as I then
thought that my opportunity was
taken away by his death. l remained
silent. At that time 1 was in jail at
Moerhead for bank robbery. For this
offence I was sent to saltwater prison.
1 was discharged from prison in 1899.
Since that time / have lived an honest
life, and eventually regained the con-
fidence and some degree of respect Of
many who were aware that / was an
ex-convict.
Recently l had begun to drift back
into the crooked ways, but before go
ing very far in the wrong direction /
was converted during the Gypsy
church revival in this city last month.
For nearly twenty years I have
practically forgotten George Lyons.
But / have been looking at his case
since my conversion from the stand
point of the golden rule. and /
believe that If l was in his place. even
should 1t be in hell, l would be glad IL
the infamy of a crime Of which I was
innocent should be removed from my
name and memory. Sc this confession
10 IuduS III LuIl Wow VI dll ZIG SOLIb0~
q%uences, for the sake of George Ly-
ons. and with I hope that other poor
and friendless men. unjustly accused
Of crime, may also be benefited
thereby.
THE liberty / now enjoy is very
dear to me. Having been in prison, I
know what freedom is. I am not at
all anxious to return to prison, but if
the law demands it / am ready to suf-
fer Justly for the crime of which
George Lyons was unjustly convicted.
Before many days 1 will deliver my
E~lf into the custody of the sheriff Of
Fergus Falls to satisfy the law and
to await you pleasure in the matter.
Respectfully, Sam Copeland"
Lyons Professional Burglar.
George Lyons was arrested in the
summer of 1893 on the charge of rob-
bling the passengers on a Northern Pa
cific passenger train between Perham
and Wadena. He was arrested in Wa
dena and brought to this city, being
held here until the November term Of
court. He was a professional burglar
and he had a fine set of burglars tools.
A Pinkerton detective, n of the best
men in the service. was sent here from
New York. He spent three weeks in
jail with Lyons endeavoring to win his
confidence. but Lyons, while telling
him that he might work with him on
some proposed "jobs," after he got out,
was absolutely silent as to past Of
lenses.
When the trial occurred Lyons was
1 1IArktPiAA -Azlktr,-I-x -
porter. The effect of his testimony
was somewhat spoiled by the fact that
previously he had identified another
man as the robber; but as Lyons was
partly identified by passengers who
had been robbed and others who had
seen him in Perham before the rob-
berry he was convicted.
Dying He Protests ~lnnocsnoe.
1t was expected that his sentence
would be fifteen years. but before it
was pronounced he borrowed a razor
from another prisoner in the jail, and,
going back to his cell. sat down be-
fore a looking glass and cut his throat.
The jailer rushed in and tried to stop
him, but he struggled desperately, a y
Ing, Let me die, I am an innocent
man." He died from loss Of blood In
half an hour.
He had spent the afternoon writing
letters, n of which was addressed to
a former jail companion, Harry Cor
rail- 1t read as follows: Dear Harry
Ho. I take this opportunity to let you
know how my trial came of. / have
been ably defended by my attorney,
Mr.. Brown. / was found guilty in the
eyes of the law Of crime that I am
innocent of. It has been an honest
contest on one side against ~conspirins
detectives, and the railroad on the
other side.
Have felt secure In my innocence
until the last minute. but have come
to realize that it was misplaced. Have
been sacrificed by those Williams for the
sake Of notoriety and the spoil directly
gained by it. My dear friend, I must
warn o to make yourself scarce in
the vicinity Of q train robbery il you
are moi prepared to prove an alihi
and be very sure you can do it. for II
those williams get hold OF you. you are
pretty sure to pay the penalty OF the
crime. Rather than be a victim fol
them to gltoa over I win complete
their victory with my own hands by
giving them my clay to gloat over. anc
so reduce my conscience to theirs al
par. My dear friend when this leaves
my cell here at the county jail, / will
be q $ above stated. Good-by, forever
George Lyons
The suicide occurred Nov. rs. 1898
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A. Fl. Costain, Grant Price and A. M
Hopeman returned from Preston