Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-12-12

the Off1CerS haQ, several ClmeS, beSH W
the LaClede for that kid named Bur
ton, and that had better go over 20
the south side park near the bathing
beach and wait until after dark to get
out of town and not to come back to
the LaClede any more, for If l did
would be arrested, as the officers knew
that Ruth and | were staying there
and were not married. l did as he told
me, and Ruth stayed at the hotel.
met them at the Wabash station that
night about 9 o'clock and he bought
our tickets for Moulton and told ls
to go there and wait until we heard
from him: that he thought that he
would have us 60 to Oskaloosa but
! would let us know definitely later. We
told him that if we had to wait any
where we would both rather wait at
Oskaloosa as we knew Ruth could get
a Job there and thought that I could.
On Friday evening got a letter from
him telling us to come to Oskaloosa
and meet him at the Royal Cafe there
on the afternoon of Monday, October
5, and to bring Jessie Springer with us.
Walked to BeIknap
1--WE, left Moulton Sunday night for
Ottumwa and stopped off in Bloomfield
as we both had friends there. | went
to the hotel and registered for the
night It was while out with some
friends that l heard that Jessie Spring
ers former husband was looking for
me with a gun, as he thought that |
had been the cause of her leaving him.
I did not want to get into any. trouble.
which / was afraid l would ii met
him, so told Ruth to come to Ottum-
wa on the morning Wabash train and
walked to Belknap where stayed all
night, boarding the train at that place.
! I'VE changed trains here and went
| to Oskaloosa on the noon ROCK
Island, upon our arrival going directly
to the Royal cafe where Pauline Price
Bugh friend of Ruth's, worked.
J hung around the cafe for an hour or
| two that afternoon, as expected every
minute. that Mellott would come as he
had said he would. After time When
| he did not come I tried to call Rlm
! over the long distance telephone from
the Downing hotel, but was told that
the line was busy. We all ate supper
with the Bughs and afterwards went
/ to two picture shows. Later that even
| ing | called for Mr.. Mellott again and
a ladys voice at the other end OF the
line told me that he had had some
trouble with his car and she did not
think he would be home that night.
wanted to see why he didn't come as
he had said that he would. We stayed
all night with the Bughs and again the
next morning, Tuesday, about 10
o'clock l tried to call Mr.. Mellott but
upon getting the toll operator was told
the line was busy. 1t was then that
decided that had better go to one
and see him. I inquired at the Lacey
hotel as to what depot | would get
train for that place, and Ruth ana
went there on the noon train.
Go For Auto Ride.
eve arrived at Ollie shortly after
noon and after registering at the hotel
as Earl Burton and wife of Davenport,
ate dinner and called up Mr.. Mellott:
He came to the hotel and we talked
about the skating rink and other
things until about 4:30 when he sug-
gested that we go to Packwood to meet
Jessie Springer. Before we left Moul-
ton in his letter to me he had told me
to bring the woman along with us,
but Ruth and I had talked the matter
over and had decided that it would not
be right to take her up there Wnere
his family was, so said nothing to her
about coming.
However, when we got to Ollie and
he asked me why she didn'et come,
lied to him and told him that she was
at Oskaloosa and would probably De
down to Ollie on the afternoon train.
I was working for him and knew ne
wanted me to do just as he said al.
WAYS, and I was afraid that he would
cause trouble in settling up If ne
found out that we had not told her
ANYTHING about coming. On the way
>oyer to Packwood he said that he
would 20 two or three miles out OF the
way so that he would not have to pass
his own home. We got to PackWood
about Sis and he told us to go 10 the
train to see if Jessie came, as he was
too we'll known around there. we ulu
and she did not come. He tnen sus,
gested that we go to OsKaloosa.
did not want to go because hao tolu
him that this Springer woman was
there and was afraid he would ca'ch
me in the yarn. Ruth wanted 10 go
back to Ollie and get her coat ana
clothes that were there, settle up Win
Mellott for money he owed us as eA-
pense money and then go to Oskaloosa
to wait until he could get the rink
business started for us.
Would start Joint Here:
"He said oh, come on and go, we
will be back on the late train to Ol1le'
we will only go for the ride we ar
rived in Oskal6osa and after staying
there about an hour started back. we
talked on the return trip about the
rink and the settlement and Mr.. Mel
lott said that he was very snort on
money but thought he could soon
swing the rink deal. AS we drove
along he said, I'll tell you folks, i nave
some friends in Ottumwa and think
ri start a combination bookkeeping
Joint, gambling house and sporting
house there. I'm in good with the
mayor and police there and can get
nv with it and | want you folks 10
90 down there and run it for me-
Thought Him Bad Man.
cat that Ruth leaned over to me ana
whispered, He is bad man and l
think we had better get settlement
w