The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1913-11-22
YOUTH Tells STORY
OF MAIL .ROBBERY
Clayton Collard Released Today, Re-
penis For Crime And He Will En-
deavore to Lead a Straight Life
s5 = ~
HUGHES
LIKED j
Was He Who Caused Boy to Confess
Says Griggs Took His His
Knife-Work in Woods

Clayton Collard walked from the
Beltram county Jail in this city to-
day free man. He is the young
man who confessed to taking money
from registered mail in this city
while working as carrier. On Sep
TENDER third he confessed to POST
office Inspectors Griggs and Hughes
that he had committed the crime and
since that time he has been confined
in the jail here and in the prison at
Fergus Falls, where he was sent
enced to serve 10 days in the county
Jail.
When discussing the affair recent
1y Collard talked freely of his crime
and told the following story:
When / first took the money /
Thought no one would ever think
that J would be guilty and that as /
never would again attempt opening
the mail that the matter would
quickly blow over. The second time
the same thought occurred to me and
each succeeding time always had
the impression that the money was
never missed Even when Gould was
arrested / was not. frightened as I
though that they would be unable to
prove anything on him and that they
would let the matter drop. When l
saw that the inspectors were deter
mined to clear the matter up and
that thy evidently had evidence suf-
ficient to convict Ed. decided to
confess.
Did Not Like Griggs
Il "Griggs and Hughes asked me to
come to the hotel with them and
did So They questioned me closely
but did not suspect me. They seemed
to think that / knew more than /
had confessed about Ed. taking the
money. refused to tell them any
thing until Griggs told me that they
had the goods on Ed. now but that
they would like to find out all 1
knew. 1t was then that told them
thatsI did it but they4would not be-
lieve me until offered to make 8
written confession I did not care
much for Griggs as he appeared to
me to be self important like
Hughes and it was because of the
way that he treated me that l decid-
ed to confess. Griggs also borrowed
my knife and forgot to return 1t but
as soon as I get out I will either
write to him or see him personally
and get it.
Sick of It All
&. "Well it is all over and l am sick
and tired of it all and although it
is too late l now repent and will
try to start all over. have been
treated fine while confined here and
in Fergus Falls and feel now that
/ will never again attempt another
crime. expected to be sentenced to
at least one year in Leavenworth
prison but think that references
from Bemidji men helped to lessen
my sentence. 1 don't know where I
will work when get out but will
probably go to the woods for the
winter if l can not get employment
in town
Returned Every Cent
When asked If he returned the
money he had taken Collard said,
Yes every cent Of it and then
some, didn't take more than $3.50
but according to the inspectors near
ly $500 was missing which ! was
forced to return. spent all of the
money had taken from the mail
but had banked all Of my salary as
j had planned to go to the state
fair. AS you notice decided to post