Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-06-21
SAYS OFFICER ACTED IN SELF
DEFENSE IN SHOOTING
HARRY SANDERS.
Ia BELLE SAYS HE IS
HAROLD r. FAY, MINNEAPOLIS
LaBslie, Confronted BY Officers From
Minneapolis, Says LaBsiIs Assumed
Name-Grief Stricken Mother Of
Young Sanders Claims Body-Tak-
en- to Home at Kellogg.

John +. Watt. special agent Of the
M. & st. L.. who shot and killed
Harry Sanders. the 1s-ysar-old ban
6spInles Nooro.o 3 10 'S1oIlsN 20 ZIP
morning on the platform Of the union
station, was exonerated Sunday
morning by q coroner's Jury. which
heard the evidence presented by
seven witnesses ~ an inquest called
by Coroner e. M. Singleton. Tho
jury, composed OF A. e. Nickel, B. A.
Morgan and J. w. Pursel. found that
Sanders came to his death by be-
ing shot by ]. +. Watt. special agent
for the NJ. & st. L. r.. r.. and that
said shooting was in self defense and
fully justified and this jury ex-
onerates him."
The two features Of the inquiry
deduced from the evidence were the
positive identification by witnesses
Of the dead man as one Of the two
men who held up City Marshall L.
N. Thompson, OF Toledo, ana locked
him In tho county Jail, and who
later stole the ]. M. Friedman car,
| and the positive statement OF, wit
his hand when shot and that he had
partly turned to fire at the officer.
The evidence, In fact. tended to show
that Sanders was ready to use not
one but two guns, one being found
Stripped In his right hand when he
fell and the other lying on tho
ground near his left hand.
| casey's Evidence Important.
The testimony Of J. #. Casey. en-
ployed in the yard OF the M. & st. L..
was of the greatest Importance. as
It established by an Impartial WITT
ness the fact that Sanders had
thseatened the life OF the officer and
that Watt shot in self defense.
Casey said he saw Sanders finger
ing revolver as he moved down the
platform of the union station. that
he saw Sanders turn his body and
raise his hand. At the same time
Watt fired when he was twelve or
fourteen feet back OF Sanders. The
witness went TO Sanders and he saw
Watt pick UP something which lay
by the mans side, presumably a re-
volver. The witness did not know
whether the dead man had more
than one revolver.
Watts Story q Tragedy.
Watts story before the coroner's
Jury was the same as that told by
the officer to the Times Republican
a few hours after the shooting, Sat-
urday morning. He described in
more detail. however. the final events
of the tragedy and was called upon
by the coroner and County Attorney
4 A. b. Hoover, who assisted In the
investigation, to enact the shooting,
he taking the role OF Sanders and a
member Of the Jury being called or,
to appear as the officer.
Sanders partly turned and pointed
an automatic at Watt, the officer
shooting and firing as Sanders
slipped the safety catch on his gun.
When the OFFICER reached Sanders
after he had been shot, Sanders held
the $3.50. automatic In his right hand,
which lay across Sanders stomach,
and q .32-caliber Savage automatic
lay on the ground by Sanders left
hand.
Identification Of Sanders.
City Marshal L. N. Thompson. Of
Toledo, positively identified Sanders
and LaBelle as the two men who
had held him up and locked him IN
the Tama county jail, and Identified
the revolver taken from LGBelle and
used by Watt in shooting Sanders
eas the one stolen from him by the
two men.
Harry A. Friedman, driver Of the
J. NJ Friedman Oldsmobile on Sat-
urday; night. June IL. when It was
stolen by two highwaymen, testi-
fed the dead man was very similar
to one Of the outlaws. He had not
seen LaBelle since his arrest. He
Identified three automobile keys
found in Sanders pocket as belong
Ing to him. The keys were identified
by the undertaken, ]. w. Pursel.
J. NJ. Friedman positively identi-
fed Sanders and LaBelle as the men
who took his car, and Sol Gettleson,
q member Of the Friedman party on
the night of the robbery. identified
the coat worn by Sanders at the
time Of his death as his CGettle-
son's), the coat having been left In
the car when taken by the highway
men.
Night Sergeant Frank Campbell
displayed the guns taken from San
ders ana LaBelle and then turned
them over to the coroner. All were
loaded, the Smith & Wesson used by
Watt having two empty cartridges
LaeelIe Gives Another Name.
e. e. HELM, chief special agent Of
the M. & st, L.. and l. G. Glarum'
superintendent Of the bureau of 1den-
LITIGATION of the Minneapolis police
department, arrived in the city Sat
urday night to attempt to establish
the identity Of LaBelle. The prisoner
was not known to the officers. He
said his correct name Is Harold Rich
ard Fay and that he lives at 5Go1
Indianola avenue, Minneapolis. He
has given the police the names of
Walter LaBelle, Spike" LaBelle and
Harold r. Fay. Sanders was known
to Fay. the latter claimed, as Town
send or Tomlinson.
Bertillion measurements of Fay.
and Sanders were made Saturday
night by superintendent Glarum.
Fay, It is alleged, has made sew
eral statements regarding the ex-
ploits Of himself and his companion,
all Of which cover the group Of rob-
berries charged. His statements have
been materially the same.
Lodged in Solitary.
IaRe11e when first n1aced in fail
was sent to the second floor where
he entertained other, prisoners with
recountal of his adventures. Starn,
having decided to place LaBelle in
the solitary. where he could not COM