Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-08-29
HAMPTON ADMITS
HE IS SWINDLER
But Prisoner Denies lie Participated
in the Murder of ]. l.. Crowder,
the. Silvis Banker.
81 WAS NOT;HERE.- Is HIS PLEA
States Attorney and Deputy Sheriff
Back From Michigan, Where They
Secured Alleged Slayer.

County autnOTltES To-Day on MS aTTlNa
here TO answer a charge OF murder
that he is c;srd slicker, a confidence
. man and a diamond switcher. But as
for being a murderer or as for having
taken part in the staying of ]. l.,
Crowder, SiTviS banker-"Oh, no,
says Hampton.
why. l wasn't even in Rock Island
county in December. 1912" protested
Hampton Il haven't been around
these parts for the last five years. I'm
not a murder or a highwayman. I'm
card slicker. l swindle. l switch
diamon You fellows got the wrong
man
STATES Attorney Floyd Thompson
and Deputy Sheriff Jess Hanna arrived
early today from Traverse City, Mich.
with Hampton. Hampton was held as
witness in an arson case involving
a former mayor of the place and his
brother. Hampton is also wanted in
Chicago for safe-blowing job in a
bank The Burns agency turned him
up and through it's work local authori-
ties got IN touch with Hampton.
The prisoner admits he is Harry
Hampton He admits that he possess
es 40 aliases in which he is known all
over the middle west in police circles,
but he emphatfCally denies he partici-
pated in the CEowder murder. He
even states that he 4does not know
Clyde Stratton.
Has Bravad0a Attitude.
Hampton's attitude with relation to
his swindling activities is that of bra
vado He kept States Attorney Thomp-
son and Deputy Hanna interested dur
ing the entire return trip relating to
them his career as a confidence man.
IL ri from his
versation citing them episodes con-
corning his swindling activities in the
tri-cities: how he put over crooked
poker on this person and that in Rock
Island, or how he sold a diamond to
some individual. showing him the real
stone at the start and then switching
piece of glass in his palm Just be-
fore he made the sale.
States Attorney Thompson is not
going to be misled as a result of
Hampton's wholesale confession of his
confidence games ~He believes the
stories, but he places no weight what
ever in the statement Hampton made
that he was not in Rock Island cOun-
~ or the tri-Cities when the murder
of CrowdeT occurred.
You and your wife were stopping
/ at the ST. James hotel in Davenport
the states attorney accused. Hamp-
ton denied it.
That there is little chance that
Hampton will change his mind. make
any confession or consent to offer a
plea of guilty, is the opinion of the
prosecuting attorney Hampton has
had much experience in criminal
courts and criminal procedure. He is
known as a fighter who will take his
denial before a Judge even after
jury has passed on the case.
Little Chance of Confession.
There is little chance of getting a |
confession or a plea of guilty from !
him as far as l can see now" the |
states attorney said. I'VE will have |!
to build up our evidence accordingly |
We have something like 40 witnesses |
who we will use against him. Each !
one adds link to the chain of evil !
dence which we think will be strong !
enough to send him TO the pen. We
will use Thomas jefferson who is in |
the penitentiary for a burglary job |
he committed in Chicago shortly after /
leaving here. and also Frank Callahan |
who is in the federal prison at Fort |
LeayenwOrth for pOstoff1ce job.
"Of course, the witnesses might find |
their minds a little rusty on some of |
the points, but l think in most cases /
they will remember enough of the |
principal details so that the states |
case will not be seriously hampered /
by the lapse of memory four years !
may bring"
Hampton showed more inclination |
10 talk about the murder of Crowder |
than did the officials on the trip. He |
kept a cool head all the while, how
ever, and said nothing which would |
give the authorities an opening for /
pressing him further in the hopes of |
getting a confession.
Hampton's wife died about a year
ago. Officials say she was with him
when he was stopping at the st. James
in Davenport four years ago, at the
time the Crowder murder was commit
ted.
To Be Arraigned Soon.
States Attorney Thompson has CIV
en- some consideration to the plans for
handling the case, but he is not as
vet prepared to make a definite an
nouncement concerning them AS he
is a director Of the Rock Island Coun-
" Fair association he will be busy at
Jeslin in assisting in the direction OF
the fair this week.
IL is thought, however. that Hamp-
ton will be taken into court as soon as
Judge w. T. Church returns to the
bench next month, and given an op- !
portunity TO enter plea. 1t is quite
likely that the court will have TO ap-
point an attorney for him, although in
the meantime there is a possibility
that he may secure the services OF
counsel
The states attorney will begin work
Immediately on securing the witnesses ,
ana preparing the prosecution so that / :
the trial may be looked for at an early ]
date !