Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-07-24
NO CLUES DEVELOP OVER SUM-
DAY AS TO WHEREABOUTS
OF ROBERT J. WILLIAMS.
WILLIAMS BELIEVED
TO PEPPERED TRAIL
Quite Positively Established That He
Carried Package Of Pepper With Him
TO Scene of Murder - Thought to
Have Boarded Friday Morning Pas
senser Train at Union Station.


accused murderer of Mrs. Matilda G.
Steward at the Foote farm, south OF
Dillon, Thursday night. developed no
clue over Sunday. The wanted mans
whereabouts, or where he disappeared
to following the murder, is as much q
mystery now as they were Friday
morning. The second victim, Wendell
p. Foote, is recovering at the Dea.
coness hospital. Today it was thought
that he was practically out, Of danger.
Certain details of Williams move
ments before and after the murder
have been pretty well established.
Among these are that he came to this
city from Tama Thursday forenoon;
that he was in this city Thursday aft
ernoon and also Friday morning after
the murder. Another detail is that he
is believed to have taken the south
bound NJ. & st. L. passenger train out
of this city at 4:01 Friday morning.
Report That He Boarded Train.
There Is, however, an element Of
doubt and ground for dispute regarding
this latter fact A driver for McCombs
Bros has reported to the sheriff that
a man answering the description of
williams boarded the south bound NJ.
& st. L. train just as it was pulling out
Of the station.
According to this story. this man
came into the north door Of the union
station hurriedly, went to the ticket
window and bought ticket. He hur-
ried across the platform as the train
was moving and caught one of the rear
cars. He carried a suitcase, but ac-
cording to the report it was leather
case. Williams is thought to have car
ried a wicker case.
Officer Campbell, Of the police force,
was watching this train. Campbell
boarded the train while it was at the
station and remained on board until it
reached the east yard limits. He says
no one boarded the train. But the wit
ness who brought the story to the sher-
if says Officer Campbell was on the
train and in one of the forward cars
when the man supposed to be Williams
caught the rear end.
Inquiry at the union station has de-
veloped that tickets were sold for both
Grinnell and Oskaloosa for that train.
Suspect at EIdora.
Sheriff Max Gherke, Of Hardin coun-
ty telephoned from Eldora early thi-
forenoon that it had been reported to
him that a man answering the descrip-
ton of williams had been reported as
being in the woods near the Iowa river.
The Hardin county sheriff said he was
going to get him. but up to noon Sher-
if Edgar had received no report from
the officer.
Another report brought to the sher-
IFS office that Mrs Fiscus, near Lis
comb, Saturday afternoon, had fed a
man who answered the description.
That This man was Williams Is doubted,
because it is not deemed at all prob
able that he would come out in the
open so close to this city so soon after
the murder.
Peppered His Trail.
Another bit of evidence that Is quite
conclusive is that Williams sprinkled
pepper along his trail. What was
thought at first to be the back Of
package of cigaret papers now develops
that it is the top of, paste board
package Of pepper. Other evidence
confirms this.
This piece of paste board is yellowish
in color. 1t has printed on it "Des
Moines, Iowa, Esta blished 1873" Near
il was what is believed to be part Of
a top of sock. Eheriff Edgar believes
that williams poured the package Of
pepper into his sock and then carried
the sock in his hand while the pepper
shifted thru it upon the ground.
Williams Had Pepper.
This clue, followed up, shows that
Williams. while at the house at 105
South First avenue. where he rented a
room Thursday and from which his
suitcase and umbrella disappeared
some time late Thursday night, said he
had a package of pepper. He was
carrying small package in his hand
when he left the suitcase. He was
asked what it was, and is quoted as
saying that 'it was pepper that the
woman where he was working wanted
him to get"
1t is believed williams, coming from
the south, was familiar with the use
Of hounds to trail criminals, and laid
his plans accordingly.
Worked For Tama Man.
Williams whereabouts just prior to
the murder are now known. After
leaving the Ben Morrison farm. near
Conrad, three weeks ago, Williams
hired out to a William Higgn, far
mer near Tama. He worked there UNI
til Thursday morning, then quit Higgin
took him to Tama. From there Will
liams came directly to this city, and
that evening went to Dillon on the
train.