Omaha daily bee., 1921-08-20
Man in Pen for
Crimes Of Another

| (COnt1nue0 from rage ODe.D
the federal grand jury. During that
time number of people came to
see me in an effort to identify me
as Lewis but failed.
Indicted on Three Counts.
"W. l.. Lewis was indicted by a
grand jury on three counts, but
United States District Attorney
Moon of Iowa decided not to hold
me. l was released and was about
to return to my home in Aberdeen
when. was arrested in Omaha by
federal authorities, again under the
name of w. L. Lewis, and again
charged with using the mails to de-
fraud in Omaha.
Thomas Flynn, then United
States marshal, knew Cf certainty
it was impossible for me to have
been mixed up in the mail frauds,
and knew my name was Jackson,
not Lewis. He would have cleared
ME had it not been for his death.
In County Jail.
81. B. Nickerson, chief deputy,
knows of the private conversation l
had with Mr.. Flynn and knows that
he called me DR.. Jackson. How
sorry l have been since that Mr..
Nickerson was not taken into our
confidence!
II was taken to the Douglas
county jail and again held for the
action of federal grand jury. On
April IS, 1920, Lewis again was in
dicted on the charge of using the
mails to defraud in Nebraska.
"A few days later Judge Wood
rough heard my case. | pleaded not
guilty and was taken back to Jail
where I remained until January 80,
1920. About April 20 l was taken
seriously ill., Sherman G. Clayton,
jailer, removed me to the Jail hos
pital. | lost control of my physical
and mental faculties temporarily,
Fears Prosecutions.
1T was in this condition l verbally
agreed with Postoffice Inspector Co.
bic and later with Assistant United
States District Attorney Peterson
that if all cases in which Lewis was
implicated were dropped | would
plead guilty to the defraud case here
in Nebraska. / feared l would be
dragged about the country answering
for some more of Lewis crimes.
II understood | was to get a short
sentence, but Judge Woodrough gave
me the maximum, five, years, less
four months time l was in jail in
Omaha. This was on June 10, 1920.
| was sentenced in the name of w,
L. Lewis and for the crime alleged
to have been committed by him in
Omaha between October 9 to Is,
1919, although I was at MY home,
1909 South Lloyd street, Aberdeen,
S. D., from August IS, 1919, until
October IS, 1919, when / left for
Chicago, New York and Washing
ton."
Can Prove Alibi.
The prisoner says he can prove he
is DR.. Jackson If given the oppor-
tunity by substantial citizens OF
| ADCl ueSI, >. ~, anu O1 EllellQdle,
N. D. He asks the United States
attorney to bring the facts" of his
case to the personal notice OF the
president and the attorney general.
II am Is years old; my only son
served overseas two years during
the war, and l purchased $4,000
worth of first issue Liberty bonds
in 1917 the prisoner declares.
To Investigate Case.
| To the communication is attached
a letter purporting to be from S.
Westly Clark and Lloyd B. Sterling
Sioux Falls attorneys, who say they
are acquainted with DR.. Jackson
He is we'll educated, but in i'll
health, they say. They recommend
he be released. He has served
about year, they say.
J. c. Kinsler, United States attor.
ney, will turn the communication
over to Postoffice Inspector Coble
| for investigation