The copper era and Morenci leader. [volume] (Clifton, Ariz.) 1911-1929, 1915-06-18
NOT GUILTY VERDICT
GIVEN IN BANK
ROBBERY CASE
Ira Greer Who Has Been Held in
Jail Upon the Testimony of Bank
Robbers Who Plead Guilty Gains
His Freedom at Conclusion of Trial
Last Monday.

The first acquittal at the hands of
jury at the present term of the Su-
perior Court occurred on Monday
evening last when Ira Greer, charged
with being an accorhplice in the rob-
berry of the Duncans bank, was ac-
Quilted.
Greer was arrested at Sheldon in
this county following confession
made by Hale and Mack, the two
principals. In their confession the
two men who held UP the bank Inn
plicated Greer as the man who insti-
gated the plan, furnished the money,
and secured the horses at the Ele-
phant Butte Dam when Hale and
Mack started upon their trip to Dun
can to hold up the bank.
On the witness stand on Monday
Hale and Mack, who had been brought
back from the Florence penetentiary
to testify in the case against Greer,
told the same story contained in
their confession They detailed the
trip of Greer to Ell Paso, where he
purchased the guns and pistols, and
upon his return to Elephant Butte
swore that Greer made the arrange
ments for the horses at the livery
stable. According to the story told
Greer was to accompany the party
on the hold-up expedition, but at the
last minute backed out, saying that
he was too well. known in this part of
the country, but agreed to meet Hale
and Mack in FL Paso later and was
to receive one-third of the results of
the robbery.
After Hale and Mack had unfolded
the plot to the jury the defense of
fered no evidence and the only testi-
mony before the jury was the testi-
mony of the two robbers, which not
being corroborated, the jury disre-
quittal.
At the conclusion of the trial Mr.
Greer gave to the press the following
interview:
''The first time I saw Mack was at
Santa Rita and he left there and the
next time 1 met him was in Ell Paso,
and he and 1 came from there and
went to work. 1 stayed there until
the tenth of August. Eight of us
went from there to Ell Paso and
when we came back Joe Hale was on
the train I came back on. The next
that happened was carnival that
came to Elephant Butte a few days
later. At this carnival met a young
her on the way home if she liked
horseback riding and she said she
did. Leo. Poe, a friend of mine,
wrote her a letter and signed my
name asking her if she would take a
horse back ride on Sunday afternoon
with me. About the middle of the
week I engaged two horses at the
barn for Sunday. The answer
reached me Saturday night and stat
ed that she didn't horseback ride
with young men. I went on shift at
1890 and come off at 8 o'clock a. m.
and went straight to bed. At noon
was getting up and dressing and
Leo Poe rode up on a horse. He
asked me where I was going. 1 told
him I was going over and tell the
livery man didn't want those horses.
He said he would go over and tell
him for me. The next 1 heard about
it was on the following Tuesday
when the liveryman asked Poe who
got those horses. He said he didn't
know; thet he told him that 1 didn't
want the horses. That was the last
I heard of it. stayed at Elephant
Butte until the tenth of November
and then went to. Las Cruces to work
on the canal. 1 failed to get a job
and I returned to my home on the
ella near Sheldon in this county
This was in November and I worked
there until the 9th of January when
three officers told me that I had
business in Clifton.
st never saw that check that was
introduced by the prC5ecution and
never heard of it before. Nor did 1
ever see the guns that were shown
until the trial. The above statements
are all absolutely true and can be
proved and are sufficient to prove
my innocence if the jury had not al
ready found me so"