The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1913-09-01
FRIENDS CONGIRjI,A|ITi''Ui
LA1llNG Ed. GOULD.
Visited Clayton collard at County
Jail Sunday Morning Hard
Feelings Shown.
GOULD MAY BE RE-1NsrATrD
Takes Partial Blame for Trusting
Collard Too Much-Prisoner
Tells Of Thefts.
GOULD MAY BE RE-1NsrATrD

| IeAls OF Thefts.
i don't know what tempted me to
open the, letters and take the money
but it Is too late now to think about
that. I am ready to take nv medf-
cine and have this over with. and
start life anew" was a. statement
made by Clayton. Collard, the H.
year-old son of Mrs. Emma Collard Of
this city who made a written con-
fession to United States Postoftlce In
spector Hughes Saturday afternoon.
Collard also stated that he could not
stand by any longer anu see Gould in
trouble over crime he had not COM
mitted and that he had let the mat
ter proceed to far already.
Collard told the entire story of his
thefts Sunday morning to Pioneer
representative and to Edmund Gould
who visited him in his cell at the
county Jail. He confessed of having
taken money over a dozen times dur
Ing the past year and the money stol-
en- amounted to, about $3.50. Tho
night the letter past through the Be
midi postoffice that the officers had
marked and sent and which contain
ed eight dollars Collard had taken
from the sorting table while Mr..
Gould was busy with other duties.
The letters were sorted and were
about to be placed in the sack for
the west mail when Collard while
holding a conversation with Gould
walked past the table, picked up the
letter and extracted the money in a
few moments time. The letter was
replaced and did not appear to have
been hampered with.
How did you ascertain which Lett
ters contained the money" the pris-
oner was asked. -. '.ss: q. = =
II just took chances and always
got money, I never took anything
else - was the reply. 49,.
Collard apologized to Gould for let
ting him take the blame as long as
he had, but stated that it took a lot
of nerve to confess and would un-
doubtedly have delayed longer had
not Inspector Hughes cornered him
and questioned him closely as he be-
lieved that Collard knew more of the
thefts than he had stated in the
trial. Hughes wrote out the confess
ion and the prisoner signed it &C.
cording to the latter.
When speaking of the work of the
detectives Collard said, II didn't like
Griggs and wouldn't tell him any
thing, but Hughes appeared to be the
right sort of a chap and 1 thought
that he would be the best man could
find to whom to confess. don't care
so much about myself as can take
all they can give because know I
deserve it, but I feel sorry for my
mother whom I have been helping to
support since my father died"
Collard and Gould held heart to
heart conversation through the bars
at the County Jail during which
Gould took the blame for trusting
Collard to much. "You would have
been the last man I would have sus-
picioned," Gould said, when l talk
ed with you the morning after had
been arrested you did not show the
slightest trace of being the guilty
party and the only way I could see
through the whole deal was that It
was either a frameup or that they
had gotten the wrong man. I didn't
imagine I had as many friends until
I got into trouble and as far az I
could see or learn none Of my friends
appeared Indifferent towards me and
since my vindication have been kept
busy shaking hands with my friends
who have congratulated me-
Collard expects to have his hear
ing Tuesday afternoon. Just what
the outcome will be is yet to be
learned as the young man Is fed.
eral prisoner and will probably b
sent to a federal prison for q term Of
years.
Gould expects to be re-instated IL
the Bemidji postoffice in the near fu
ture as he received his official dis
missal papers from Washington sat
urday morning and on the same da!
he was notified Of his vindication.
cit was certainly good news t
me-" said Gould. II was thinkinl
4 about my trouble when Mr.. Russell
conveyed the good news to me and
was absolutely unable to attend +
my duties around the store. !"
Gillette Opens Alleys.
M. s. Gillette opened up his bowl
ing alleys this morning and will con
tinue to operate them during the win
ter months. New balls and pins hav