Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-09-11
TWO OF GANG OF FOUR AC-
cUsED OF ENTERING PFLEl-
GER STORE IN CUSTODY.
LOCAL YOUTH SAID TO
HAVE MADE CONFESSION
Breaks Down Under QUESTIONING and
duplicates Com panions - Leonard
Benny Arrested Hero, j. e. John
son, of Waterloo, Alleged Leader,
Caught at Mason City.


of merchandise valued at between
$4,000 and $4,000 Thursday night
from the Adolph Pfleiger clothing
store. Two other members of the
gang, believed responsible for the
theft are still ut large. The stolen
property has been recovered al
Mason City, Benny, who is 20 years
old is the son Of Henry Benny. city,
was arrested Friday forenoon at his
rooming place and Johnson, alleged
leader of the gang. was arrested Fri
day night at Mason City.
The arrest OF the two members of
the gang and the recovery OF the
stolen goods followed fast and clever
work on the part OF Officer Haurice
Cummings. Deputy Sheriff w. A.
Starn and Night Sergeant Frank
Campbell.
The first clew leading to the iden-
tity Of the alleged robbers was OBJ
tanned by Cummings early Friday,
following closely on the first re-
sponse of Cummings and Starn to
the call for the officers. A few hours
later Benny was arrested and late In
the afternoon, after hours of ques-
tioning by Campbell. the accused
youth broke down and, according to
the police. confessed his part in the
robbery, and gave the information
which led to the arrest OF Johnson
and the recovery Of the goods.
Cummings On Right Track.
Cummings familiarity with the
young men Of the city who live
without labor proved valuable in OBJ
tanning the first clue. He and Starn
had formed some opinions regarding
the identity of the robbers after
making the first examination at the
store.
Cummings turned his attention to
locating certain unemployed young
men who have been suspected OF
having committed other crimes and
after a search found one most sought
for. Assuming the, young man
knew all ahoWt tho theft the officer
approached nm with open accusa-
Etions. After k0n6s verbal sparring, in
which the officer refused to drop his
guard. the young man told the Off
Ger he would give the name Of one OF
tho participants II his own name was
not divulged. He then told the Off
Ger he had seen Benny, In company
with three others, emerge from the
stairway leading to the second floor
Iiof the Pfeigers building at an early
hour Friday morning. The men car
ried grips and suit cases. he said.
Benny Taken Into Custody.
Railiff l. D, Hampton arrested
Benny OF his rooming house about II
o'clock Friday forenoon. An hour OF
questioning followed without Benny
making any admissions.
Sergeant Campbell was called II
at noon to conduct tho questioning
and for three hours thereafter he
shot queries in rapid succession al
Benny. Before the examination had
ended Benny is said to have told the
whole story. giving detailed ac-
count OF the robbery.
Chief OF Police w. I.age, who had
directed the work Of tho police, got
quick action following the alleged
confession Of Benny, sending Camp
bell to Mason City on an evening
train to seek the other three men
said to have been implicated.
Burglary cleverIy Executed.
According to the police, Benny
said the robbery had been planned
and carried out by Johnson and two
men from Mason City, with his as
sistance. The job had been planned
for several days and every detail had
been very carefully worked out. Only
the holiness Of the robbers in des-
cending the stairway to Main street
Where one Of them was recognized
probably alone prevented their ss-
cape. s@
Johnson visited the Pfleiger store
early in the weeks Benny is said tt
have told Campo 81 where Johnson
made some purchases and gained 9
knowledge Of the arrangement of the
store room. The men then met in the
paint shop Of Benny's. father. over
the Pneiger store, where the plans
were perfected and rope ladder was
constructed with which to descend
thru the skylight.
After the plans had been made,
Benny Is said to have continued, he
got "cold feet" and told his COM
panions he did not care to take part
in the robbery. He is said to have
stayed with the bunch" however,
acting as guard at the rear of the
building while the work was being
done inside.
Take TIhe For Robbery,
Other details alleged to have been
told Campbell by Benny were that
the robbery was committed after
midnight and the men took their time
in pulling the job" One OF the
party acted as guard at the front Of
the building, another remained on
the roof, near the skylight, to assist
the inside" man down and up the
ladder, and the smallest man of the
four, known to Benny as Shorty"
did the stealing.
Benny is quoted as saying that the
loot was hoisted up thru the skylight
and carried into the Benny paint
shop. Shorty" assembled the ladder
and emerged thru the skylight and
the guards were called in. The stolen
goods were packed away in the grips
and suit cases and preparations were
made to take them to Mason City
where they were to be disposed Of
to a fence"
The men were without money,
Benny is alleged to have confessed,
and decided to ride a morning
freight" to Mason City, leaving here
about o'clock. Benny again 'lost
his nerve" as final plans were made,
he said, and told his companions to
count him out of the job. He refused
to participate further and the others
decided to go to Mason City with the
goods, leaving Benny behind.
/ Notify Mason City Police.
The police, following Benny's al
legged confession, notified Mason City