Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-12-16
BOUGHT OPIATES
WHILEAPRIS0NER
Silas Bender Visited Druggist
Regularly During His Jail
Term.
SAYS IN HIS CONFESSION
Declares Pressure Was Brought to
Bear Upon Him to Help Free
Sam Freyer.

That Sias Bender. while a trusty
al the county jail managed TO slip
away and purchase quantities of NOR
phine and opium is the declaration
made in the second confession by The
Rock Island burglar made public today
by William Whiteside. his attorney.
In the second confession Bender re-
lated the story of several crimes not
touched upon in the first one. Among
them were the burglarizing of the
Ramser jewelry store in Silvis and OF
the office of the circuit clerk in the
court house. States Attorney Thomp-
son. who came into the building while
Bender was at work, narrowly missed
seeing him.
Bender said he had never had any
difficulty in getting opiates and named
the Rock Island druggist with whom Inc
had dealt. He said he went to his
store two or three times a week last
winter while he was a trusty at the
county jail and employed about the
Jail kitchen The inference is that
he procured the drug for others, as
we'll as for himself.
Liberal With Rings.
From the jewelry store Bender said .
he go. about d dozen rings, four cheap /,
and one good gold watch. /,
For this watch. which he declared /
was worth 500 he was paid $3.50 by .
the Rock Island man who acted as .
fence and who took nearly all the .
plumber he secured in his various (
operations All told he said he had ,
stolen stuff during the last year 20 /
he value of 81 900 to $500 and sold .
= TO this man for about $50.
On the morning after he had burglar
zed the jewelry store he said he en-
.ered a Moline saloon wearing one of
he rings. The bartender admired it
and asked where he got it. For answer
Bender threw a handful of rings on
he bar and told the drink dispenser
% take his choice. He did so and said
ne would like TO have one for his wife.
He was given one and then said he
would like to have one FOR his child.
Ie got this also. Bender said ne had
never seen the bartender before and
vas sorry later he had been so liberal
Freyer Tried to Fig Matters. l.
Bender relates in considerab BILE de
all his alleged conversations with
sam Freyer. the Rock Island second
land dea.er who has been held 10 the
rand jury in $500 bond for receiv-
ne goods stolen from two Moline
hardware stores. while Freyer was in ,
all. According 20 Bender the second
and dealer told him some Of the other ,
prisoners he was not compelled 10 re- !
main in Jail. as he could give bond, !
III he wanted TO fix things up before
citing his liberty.
Bender also stated that Freyer's at
orney. whom he named, came TO the
all and tried through another pris-
ner who was called out into the Of
ice fer a conference. 10 arrange to ,
onvince Bender that Freyer was his .
best friend" and 10 get statement |
duplicating him in certain crimes 10 I
cd over his head and compel him TO I
epudiate his original confession. z
Bender said Freyer minated to I
theirs that ne would Pay $3.50 10 get I
he former 10 repudiate his story. In =
heir conversations in jail Bender said I
'reyer advanced ingenious schemes {
o get himself out OF trouble and Of I
cred 10 hire a lawyer for Bender. {
'reyer. the confession states. declar- !
d that Bender would have 10 20 10
he penitentiary anyhow and he could
wo with him.