Omaha daily bee., 1921-11-30
PierceBack
Denies He
Killed Fogg
Returned Man, However, Pro-
fesses to Know Identity of
Omaha Druggists
.s Slayer.
Fears dope" Vengeance

Lincoln, Nov. 2o.-(Special Telc-
gram. .)-Frank Pierce, alleged to
have confessed to completely in the
murder OF Frank Fogg, Omaha
druggist, last July, arrived in Lin
coin tonight from Kansas City in
custody OF State Sheriff Gus Hyers.
Pierce. accompanied by Hyers,
will go to Omaha, Thursday, where
he will tell his story to the county
attorney and will return to Lincoln
that night with Hyers. II was only
with an agreement BY officers that
he should be in charge of Hyers
that Pierce consented to return to
Nebraska without requisiton.
The story given OFT by officers
is that he feared the vengeance OF
a dopc-smuggling ring i'll which he
declared he was a member. There
has never been any public intimation
that Pierce feared the vengeance or
the third degree from officers as a
result of his claim that on the night
OF the Fogg murder he was given
permission BY a jailcr to take a
stroll and while on his leave 6f alb
sence gained information, which, he
declares. will lead to the apprehen-
sion OF the man who killed Fogg.
Denies Confessing Murder.
Pierce denies reports published in
certain Omaha newspapers that he
confessed to committing the murder
and statements made and signed by
him in the hands of Hyers sub
stantiate his declaration tonight that
he never confessed to committing
the murder.
"All I'll say now is that | know
the guy who did it, if the officers
will believe me-" Pierce said.
As a result OF Pierce's statements
signed at Kansas City, the Omaha
police are holding Finger Sevens
drug addict, who, it is declared,
is implicated in the confession.
Since Pierce's confession Omaha
officers and deputies from the county
attorneys Office at Omaha have
gone to Kansas City to interview
him. Mrs. Frank Fogg, widow OF
the druggist, also has talked with
Pierce at Kansas City.
Believes Pierce Knows.
On Saturday Mrs. Fogg came to
Lincoln and interviewed Hyers. Il
don't, think there is any doubt bu,
that Pierce knows who did it." Mrs.
Fogg declared.
One reason held out for the
strange confession was that Pierce
made it in an attempt to escape from
the Missouri penitentiary at Jefer-
son c ty, believe that if he got in
to Nebrtska again he could twist the
letter of the law around, as it has
been twisted in the past, got off with
a light sentence here and escape
from more than dozen burglary
charges i'll Kansas City. But, accord
ing to Hyers, Pierce made all agree
mentn with Missouri officers, in the
event his story doesn't get resuls and
he escapes sentence in the Nebraska
penitentiary or the electric chair,
which can be imposed as a penalty
for completely in murder, he will re-
turn to face the Missouri charges
without eNtradition.
Names Stevens Slayer.
The statement made by Pierce at
Kansas City, as understood by Mrs.
Fogg, was that on the night of the
murder he, in company with Fin
ger" Stevens, went into the drug
store determined to get dope. Fogg
moved as though to get gun and
Stevens shot him twice.
He said they got $685." Mrs. Fogg
declared here Saturday, "and that's
the amount OF cash that was miss
ing after the murder and robbery"
Pierce refused to say whether this
version of his story was true OF not.
"The county attorney will get it
straight at 9 o'clock Thursday
morning" he said.