The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-02-27
TO Pen Is YEARS!
Harrison Dempsey, Bandit, Is
Given Maximum Sentence.
Pleads Guilty Before Judge Nc
Clure 20 Burglary-Larceny.
GIVE GIRL ANOTHER CHANCE
Home Found for Grace Lass
WeIl-Dramatic Court Scene.
RObber Says He and Dead Pal
Worked Alone.
GIVE GIRL ANOTHER CHANCE

harrison dempsey, Danull. must serve
! fifteen years in state prison for his
confessed crimes. He pleaded guilty
at o'clock Thursday afternoon before
| Judge James A. Mcclure in the dis
| trict court. The charge was burglary
and larceny. the specific crime being
breaking into the Berlyton State bank
| and taking quantity of pennies and
| nickels from the bank
| Judge Mcclure imposed a sentence
| OF ten years for burglary and five
years for larceny-the maXimum SEN
| tence on such a charge.
Court Room Scene Dramatic
! The scene in the court room was
well staged. For hours hundreds
| crowded the room to listen to the story
| of the alleged betrayal of Isabel kess-
| Ter. village blacksmith's daughter. by
her cousin, John Moss. wealthy St.
| Marys banker and real estate dealer.
Judge Mcclure had called a recess.
In a few minutes Bob Miller. under
sheriff. the man who caught Dempsey
and aided in chasing down and killing
his more desperate pal. w. IL. Grin
erich in Kansas City, entered the room
with Dempsey. followed by Tinkham
| Neale. assistant county attorney and
Judge Mcclure.
| Dempsey told the court he was
ready to plead guilty and also in
formed the judge he was under q
years of age Ordinarily, youths con-
IVicted of crimes at that age are sent
to the state reformatory.
| The place of confinement is DIS
cretionary with the court" said Judge
Mcclure after he had heard the evil
dence. II sentence you to fifteen
years in state prison at Lansing"
Give Girl Another Chance.
There wasn't a sound in the court
room while Dempsey stood before the
Judge. Everyone had read of the sem
sational features of the case and
everyone took advantage of the OPP
tportunity to look over Miller and
Dempsey, the only two actors in the
recent tragedy able to be on their
feet. Across the street in his home,
a bullet wound in his breast, was
Sheriff Hugh Larimer shot by Gring-
rich. In a grave in a Kansas City
cemetery was the body of Gringrich
riddled with six bullet holes. three
minor wounds inflicted in the duel
with Larimer and three, one of which
was fatal, fired at him by Miller and
two Kansas City detectives when he
attempted to escape from them at
Kansas City.
Grace Lasswell,a country girl attending
/. a Topeka business college who in four
short months in a city became the
sweetheart of a bank robber and who
for days refused to tell anything that
would aid officers in his capture.
Miss LassWell was released. Officers
stated that a home had been found
for her by her parents, respected peo-
pie living near Della, and every effort
would be made to help the girl get
another start in life.
says He and Pal Worked Alone.
Before sentence was imposed Demp-
sey signed 4 written confession to a
series of burglaries in Topeka and al
Berryton. He described each robbery
in detail, asserting Gringrich and him
self committed them alone. He also
described the duel at the Hickory
Jones farm. He jumped to one side
after the first shot was fired, he said.
and ran out the rear door as Larimer
and Miller rushed after Gringrich into
the front of the house.
Dempsey was dressed only in his
underclothes and shoes at the time
He arrived at the room of Grace Lass
well, 500 West Seventh street, about
o'clock in the morning and put on suit
of soldier clothes, his story continued
Then, he said, he went to a room or
Quincy street just south of Penwelrs
undertaking establishment. where he
knew a man who worked in a garage
He asked him for 50. The man re-
ferred him to a friend named Joe
who does night work in the same gar
age and the fleeing Bandit borrowed
81 from him.
Says Gringrich Stole Cars.
From the garage he went to the
Santa Fe station where he caught ar
early morning train for Kansas City
On Wednesday. he said, .Gringrich ap
hpeared in Kansas City with his fee
badly frozen and wounded. Gringricf
told a few particulars of his escape
which we're not included in the con
fession. The stolen cars, four in mum
4 Der, which have been recovered, weri
J stolen by Gringrich, he asserted.
Z THE Ford touring car which tn
sheriff of Topeka has. and which wa
recovered by Oscar Carlson, deput.
sheriff and c. w. HiXon, deputy sher
iff, at a farm house near Newman
Kan. where it had been left by. 'Hick
| ory' JONES' is a stolen car and is on
= which was stolen by Gringrich an
I turned over by him TO Jones" TIL
confession reads.