Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-09-13
j. e. JOHNSON WAVES EXAMINE
ALTON AND is HELD TO
THE GRAND JURY.
BENNY ASKS TIME TO HIRE
ATTORNEY BEFORE PLEADING
Merchandise Stolen From Pfteiger
Store Is Recovered-Johnson Said
to Have Made Confession to Police
Thieves Went to Des Moines, Be-
fore Going on to Mason City.

Leonard Benny, of this city and ]
2. Johnson of Waterloo arrested here
and at Mason City, Friday. for the
robbery of the Adolph Pfleiger cloth
ing store early Friday morning, were
today arraigned in municipal court
{ Benny asked time to employ an at
torney before entering plea and was
remanded to jail. Johnson waived
preliminary examination and was
held to the grand jury under bond
of $4,000. Unable to furnish bond,
Johnson also went to Jail.
| Burke and Carothers, the other al
legged members of the gang, who es-
capped from the police at Mason City.
Friday night when Johnson was ar
rested. are still at large, but police in
many Iowa towns are searching for
them.
Johnson. who was brought back to
this city Saturday from Mason City
| by Night Sergeant Frank Campbell. is
said to have confessed his part in
the crime.
The merchandise stolen from the
Pfleiger store has been recovered. An
inventory shows Ill silk shirts. six
suits, of clothes, eleven neck ties,
two leather grips and four suit cases.
The retail value Of the property is in
excess OF $4,000.
Pfleiser Assists in Hunt.
| they broke and ran in different di-
assisted in the hunt at Mason City
Friday night, accompanying Camp
bill to that city. The Mason City
police gave assistance and during the
| hunt six men were detailed to assist.
1t is believed the three wanted men
were tipped" that the officers were
after them. The men were first seen
in the street about 100 feet from the
officers. The instant they were seen
they broke and ran in different d.
rections. One of them is believed to
have entered pool hall and dashed
out the back door. Johnson was over
taken and arrested. The two others
are believed to have reached the rail-
road yards, a short distance away
and further search failed to show
any trace OF them. Pfleiger was with
| the police in the final hunt.
Johnson's Alleged Confession.
Johnson is said to have told his
story to Campbell and the Mason
City police. It is not materially diff
ferent from that told by Benny con-
corning the actual robbery but there
is disagreement ast to the action of the
men after leaving the Pfleiger store.
| johnson, is said to be the man who
did the inside work. He also is al
legged to have been the leader OF the
gang. The robbery. it Is said, was
committed at o'clock Friday morn
ling and that the men left the Benny
shop a half hou- later. Johnson,
Burke and Carotters took the south
bound passenger train on the Chi
cago Great western at 1855. going to
Des Moines. They left Des Moines
at an early hour over the c. r. I. s.
p. for Mason City where they arrived
shortly after II.
Stolen Goods Planted.
The grips containing the stolen
goods were planted" on arrival at
Mason City, Johnson securing room
in a lodging house. Following his
1 arrest he took the officers to the
rooms and the goods were recovered.
The LOB" had been planned severa.
days prior to its commitment. Tha
others knew 1t was to be pulled" H.
evidenced from the fact that other
young men in t9is city. who have
been under suspicion Of having had a
part in former Jobs have since told
friends they knew the robbery had
been arranged but did not know when
1t was to be staged. Another young
man is said to have remarked that
he had been invited to participate but
had declined because there were too
many in on IT,