The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1912-03-14
COPELAND HAS
GIVEN SELF Up
UNUSUAL CASE or "coNsclENcE"
AT FERGUS FALLS ON PART OF
MAN WHO ROBBED A MOOR.
HEAD BANK IN BROAD DAY
LIGHT YEARS AGO.

According to last nights Fergus
Falls paper, Samuel i. Copeland, the
man who recently mailed a confession,
saying that he held up and robbed the
occupants of a sleeping car on the
Northern Pacific between Perham and
Wadena in 1893, and that he was
coming here to- answer for the crime,
arrived from the west yesterday morn
ing on the Great Northern local from
Fargo. He was accompanied by two
clergymen whom he CHANGED to meet
on the train and with them went i'm
mediately to the office of County At
torney Thompson, where he arrived at
II o'clock. Copeland boldly announced
that he was ready to give himself UP
to the authorities and suffer what
ever penalty there might be in store
for him.
Copeland answers the description
that was published at the time he
robbed the Moorhead bank to the
letter, except that he is now a middle
aged man. He was only % when he
held UP the train and robbed the
bank, and he committed both crimes
single handed.
He is smooth shaven, a gentlemanly
appearing sort Of man, and would
be taken for a criminal He
says that he read the Jesse James
novels when a boy and decided to
engage in the same kind of a career.
His home was in Johnstown, o., and
he started west, the holdup Of the
MnrfEH-n DnnfEi1 - Ls-- -
his first exploits. He robbed the
Moorhead National bank in broad
daylight. a few weeks later, and for
this crime was sentenced to five years
Imprisonment at saltwater. He plead
guilty, and Judge Baxter pronounced
the sentence. c. A. Nye, now Judge
Baxter's successor on the bench was
at that time prosecuting attorney for
Clay county.
While being taken to Saltwater, he
jumped from the train while 1t was
running at full speed, and alighted in
a snowdrift. He broke his shoulder
n the fall, and was quickly recap
tureG.
He did not learn until some time
afterwards hat George Lyons had
DSSh SOIINIClGu VI IODDluB lie ITdlAl,
and had committed suicide in jail
here.
He told the county attorney that he
was not anxious to make either a hero
or a martyr of himself, and he re-
grets that anything more than his
confession has been published.
When it was suggested that it re-
quired considerable nerve to hold UP
a bank in broad daylight, he replied
that it was not nearly as hard a thing
to do as it was to stand UP in the
Gypsy Smith meeting and acknowl-
edge the crime.
County Attorney Thompson is IN
certain what to do with him, as there
is a question whether he can be held,
owing to the statute Of limitations.
Copeland says he has no wish to go
to states prison, and that he will take
advantage of the statute If possible, as
he feels he has done his duty in con
Tossing and does not feel that any
good would be done by serving another
term in states prison.
Copeland has been allowed to &C
on his own recognlzance until the
question whether he can be prose-
cuted in view of the statute of linn
itations is thoroughly looked up. He
has agreed to remain for a few days
and says that he has no plans for the
future. He is unmarried. t41s