Gilpin observer., 1916-05-25
DICKENS FOUND GUILTY
BANKERS SON FACES PEN TERM
AS FATHERS SLAYER.
Attorneys Given IS Days to Make
Application for New Trial-case
May Go to Supreme Court.
western Newspaper Union News Service.

".
Dickens was found guilty of the Sec
ond degree murder of his father, Will
liam Fl. Dickens, wealthy Longmont
banker and pioneer builder. The ver-
dict carries with it sentence OF from
ten years to life imprisonment in the
penitentiary. The jury retired late
Monday night and began balloting on
Rienzis fate. Attorneys for Rienzi
Dickens were granted As days in
which to file a motion for a new trial,
and If this is denied are expected to
appeal to the Supreme Court in the
bitter fight to free Rienzi.
When the verdict was read, the de-
fendant's wife, who had been at his
side constantly during the trial,
shrieked and went into Mysteries
Within fifteen minutes after the ver-
dict. Mrs. Dickens collapsed com.
pletely and was carried to her hotel.
Foremost in the efforts to stop the
Dickens himself. He received the
verdict with utter calm-almost ap-
parent Indifference. Then, without
flinching, he arose and began to COM
fort his wife. Mrs. William III. Dick
ems, wife of the murdered man and
active in her sons defense, was not
in the room when the verdict was
read. Mrs. Walter c. Coulehan, sister
of the defendant. and Mrs. Jack Dick
ems, sister-in-law, broke down as did
his wife.
The defendant will retain his lib
erty on a new $4,000 bond until the
motion for new trial is decided.
The Story Of the Murder.
The murder of William H. Dickens
occurred the night of Nov. 80, last
He sat resting, alternately doing and
reading. in the library of his luxuri-
GUS home in Longmont 1t was about
o'clock. His wife, who came west
with him thirty years ago and fought
the fight with him from poverty to
wealth, had just entered the room and
taken seat across from him at the
reading table when a bullet came
crashing through the window 1t
plowed its way through the aged
bankers body, and buried itself in the
wall. A fragment strayed from the
copper jacket and cut open the cheek
| of Mrs. Dickens. Mr. Dickens fell to
| the floor unconscious and died in his
wife's arms four minutes later.
There were many theories advanced
and many clews followed in the sue
ceeding days Officers racing to
| Longmont in an automobile from
Colorado Springs with bloodhounds
eight hours after the murder passed
man driving an exhausted horse
toward Denver and he was traced by
the officers until they became con.
vinced that he could not have been
the assassin
Gang Theory Advanced.
A number of the men who, through
business association with the banker,
had become his enemies, were inves-
tigated. A theory was offered that
one OF gang known as the Bill Du-
Bois gang in the early days of Long
mont, practically wiped out by vigil.
ance committee commanded by Will
liam H. Dickens, had killed the
banker in keeping with an oath of
vengeance made at that time.
All northern Colorado was aroused.
Rewards were offered by the Dickens
family. William II. Dickens, scorn-
dress, was one of the most prominent
citizens of the section. and the busi-
ness and social ramifications of the
Dickens family extended to every part
o. Boulder county.
Learn of Rienzi's Purchase.
The day of Dec. 9, two days after
the murder, Patrolman McKinnon in
Denver learned by accident that Rien-
ri Dickens had purchased high
power rifle and box of shells from
the Tritch Hardware Company Nov.
3. He ordered Maxim silencer,
which the store did not have in stock
1t came to him in Longmont Nov 10.
The next day he was out at Empson's
hill, five miles from his home. shoot
ing at target.
The officers called Rienzi to the
home of b. o. Smith, deputy sheriff
the night of Dec. 2 and questioned
him. Denials of the purchase of the
rifle and of his automobile having
been taken from his garage the night
of the murder led to the investiga-
tion that uncovered the chain of cir
cumstances on which charge of mur-
der was based. He was arrested the
following morning and after being al
lowed to attend his fathers funeral
was taken to Jail at Boulder. He was
prisoner thirty days and then was
released on bonds of $37,500 furnish
I'd by his mother.
His arrest split Boulder county in
two factons,-those who arrayed
themselves with the Dickens family
in 1aclurip O Rianzi DckoDs In ca na hi I,