The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1912-05-02
'MEHAN IS EXONERATED
Detective Shot Howard Burton In
Self Defense.

William Mehan, the Minneapolis &
st. Louis Railway detective, who shot
and killed Howard Burton last Satur-
day evening, was exonerated from the
charges preferred by the state, de-
PENDANT discharged and case dismiss,
ed late Monday afternoon. The trial
which commenced Monday morning at
nine o'clock was completed about five
O'Clock Monday afternoon. From the
evidence produced it was shown that
Mehan shot in self defense Mehan
discovered Burton and an accompliee
In the act of stealing beer from car
in the M. & st. l.. yards here and
when Burton was put under arrest he
offered resistance.
A large number of witnesses were
examined, among them being K. E.
Helm of Minneapolis, chief of the M.
& st. l.. detectives, under whose or
ders Mehan was working, and d. o.
Altman, another M. & st. l.. detect
i've, who was assigned to the work
here with Mehan.
The clothes that Mehan wore Sat
urday night were introduced in the
trial and they were badly torn. The
state did not offer any argument to
the court. Mehan was discharged
and returned. to Minneapolis last ey-.
ening with Chief Helm and Agent
Altman. John o. Malcolm defended
Mehan, while County Prosecutor Pat
terson acted for the State. Crowds
of people thronged the mayors office
during the trial to hear the testimony.
Edgar Bricker, who is thought to
be an accomplice of Burton's, and
who left the city hurriedly Saturday
night, was arrested Sunday night by
officer Eph Allender and Deputy
Sheriff Charles Briney at the Union
mines. Bricker will be compelled to
explain his queer actions to the court
Thursday morning at nine o'clock.
William Mehan will be the prosecut-
| ing witness.
| Members of the local police depart
ment, Sheriff Ike Reed and Deputy
Charles Briney, County Attorney Jas.
Patterson, Mayor Reynolds and 9TH
ers were complimented by Chief He
lin of Minneapolis for the prompt
work done by the force in running the
participants down and surrounding
| the case. He said there was an &C
| ton about the Oskaloosa forces that
could not have been excelled by the
most practiced men in the business.
Happy" Hiatt, who left the city
for Ottumwa Sunday night and who
was said to know something of the
circumstances, proved valuable
witness. He stated that young Brick
er came running across his lot with
sack of something and wanted to
leave it at his home, but he refused
and made him get away from his
yard.
Police officers are of the opinion
that the affair will tend to put an
end to conditions that have prevailed
| in the neighborhood where the rob
berry occurred, for some time, the en-
! tent OF which have not even been
guessed. Police have patrolled the
| TdllTOdu ydIuS anu IH0 uioIiiS' win
out effect and few results. The OIL
Ger on the move is always at a dis
advantage and his movements arc
easily observed by the wrong-doer.
Made bold by continued successes,
the perpetrators have increased the
frequency of their raids. Nor have
they been operating in the M. q st.
L. yards alone. Other companies have
suffered severe losses and have had
agents on the ground. The work is
thought to be largely that of one
gang of associates and company OIL
GERS and local authorities are conf
dent that, for the present at least
there will be cessation OF the car
thieving.