The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1918-12-19
1885,
.,.DUTCn" Cross SHOT
RESISTING Arrest at DeS M0ines and
Died q Few Hours Later, After
.kjllinQ Chief G. G. Jackson.

to have been connected with the
Burglary Of the Farmers & Traders
State Bank at Leon, died at the
Methodist hospital in Des Molnes
Friday morning at 3 O'CLOCK, FOL
lowing being shot twice Thursday
Which Struck him being fired by
detective J. J. Hollinbaugh, and
chief Of police G. C. Jackson, and
chief Jackson was fatally wounded
by shot from Cross revolver, which
struck him in the abdomen. He was
taken to the Methodist hospital ana
but he suffered a relapse and died at
10 O'Clock Monday night. Chief
jackson was popular officer, abso--
lutely fearless and he never stood
back in tight place. ),
Dutch" Cross was under lndlct-
named Gressor near Des Moines
thirteen years ago. He evaded ar
rest until last March and when ar
rested gave bonds for his appear
ance. He was arrested in Leon on
March 80, when his car loaded with
booze crashed into turning post at
the corner of Main and Commercial
streets. With him at the time was
a woman who gave her name as
Mrs Hazel Cross, and she exhibited
a marriage certificate showing they
were married at Albany, Mo-, the
previous day. This does not cor
respond with his wifes statement
made at Des Moines after his death,
as she stated they were married in
1912. Later Mrs. Cross plead guilty
in the district court to bootlegging
and paid her fine, and only last
week, "Dutch through his attorney
and bondsman entered a plea OF
guilty to bootlegging in the district
court in this city and his bondsman
paid his fine of 5000 and costs.
Soon after his arrest in Leon
bank at valeria, Iowa, but made his
escape. A couple of months ago he
was arrested at St. Joe, Mo, with
a stolen Buick in his possession, and
was taken to the county Jail at
Newton, Iowa, to answer to the Val
eria bank robbery charge. He saw
ed his way out Of the Newton lall
Farmers & Traders State Bank was
blown on the morning of Nov. 5th.
Nothing had been heard of Cross
since his escape from the Newton
Jail. Cross never regained con-
seriousness after being shot, and
died without a relative or friend
near Only policemen, nurses and
he died.
The following account of the af-
fair is taken from the DeS MOines
Register of Saturday:
The career of William Dutch
Cross is ended.
Bank robber, thief and murdered,
and many times fugitive from JUS
tice, Cross died at 3 a. m. Friday at
Methodist hospital from two bullets
fired by Chief of Police G. G.. jack
son.
Jackson himself lies at the hos
pital in critical condition from a
bullet wound inflicted by Cross.
coss eoud be were cund at the home eno
his mother-in-law, Mrs: Marie John
son. at East Twenty-fifth street and
avenue, by c. A. Rey-
nolds, former policeman, who was
dropped from the force recently for
Dodge soldier, who had been calling
ter of Mrs. Cross.
"The boy told me that Cross
came in late last Wednesday night.
while he was there, and chased him
out and told him never to come,
back, = the boy said, according - to
II told the boy that if he was on
the square, / would tell the police,
said Reynolds, "and he said to, go
ahead, he had no use for Cross.
Mrs. Cross, who has gone by her
maiden name, Hazel Johnson, since
she and her husband separated
eighteen months ago, is being held
by police
Zell Green, cook with Company ],
at Camp Dodge, who was in the
house when the shooting took place,
was released Friday morning after
being quizzed by Chief of Detectives
Macdonald. u
I'm a way I'm glad he's gone
door OF the matrOn's ward at tne
station.
him for eighteen months, but l was
always nervous when I knew he was
in town, because I always looked for
something like this to happen.
IT just got home from work about
said two words to Dutch when the
when 1 came in, Dutch said,
Hello there Peg like he always
does. / couldn't make him stay
away from there he's as big as two
Mrs. Cross who is a mite of a
blonde haired girl, weighing only
.eighty-eight pounds, is employed, at
the Iowa Barber college. She has
been a barber for the past year.
She is % years old.
I'VE were married in 1912. in
Illinois, she sighed, with an air of
being very tired of the whole affair.
He seemed quiet enough then.
"Our little girl died. I'm glad
she did. She was a lot better on
than il she'd lived to see this day."
She stopped, choking. her eyes
filed with tears.
"She'd been years old if she'd
lived" she went on, lingering the
bars nervously.
Chief Jackson is the hero Of his
men today; He was the first to en-.
the first man inside the bedroom,
where Cross hid.
..Jackson was first, just inside
the door, gun In hand" relates De-
m Irshh I'D