Free trader-journal and Ottawa fair dealer. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1920-1927, 1921-07-19
FLOYD MUSGROVE HELD
FOR BURGLARY JOBS
AT LA SALE
DENIES HIS GUILT.
SEARCH OF ROOM REVEALS
LACE OF CONCEALMENT
WHEN OFFICERS FIND PASS
KEY TO ROCK ISLAND DEPOT
LOCKER WHERE VALUABLES
WERE FOUND.

The possession Of a little innocent
looking key to a public locker in a
railroad station may be the means of
giving Floyd Musgrove, former Otta.
wan and exemploye in the local ex-
press office, a long term in the state
penitentary. The little innocent key
fitted in the lock OF metal parcel
holder in the Rock Island station in
La Sale. In the parcel locker was Il
suitcase, containing all of the loot
stolen from the Jensen Jewelry store
III La Sale, when it was robbed sun
day night.
Musgroye, who has former police
record was picked up as suspected
robber by Officers McQuade and Me
lnenery yesterday afternoon at o.
clock in La Sale He was taken to
the police station. Failing to find
anything of an discriminating nature
on his person the officers went to his
room While making a careful
search there they discovered a tiny
locker key in the pocket of a pair of
trousers
Acting on the clew, they went to the
railroad station and fitted the key in
the one locker it would unfasten In
side they found suitcase containing
all the loot taken in Sunday nights
robbery Watches and other jewelry
which had been left for repair at the
Jensen store valued at between $1,000
and $3.50 were found intact, as they
had been pulled off the hooks in the
store Only the SIS in cash, which
had been taken from the box Office of
the La Sale theatre at the time Of the
theft, was missing.
Denies Guilt-Found Key.
Musgrove claims he is innocent of
the robbery He claims that yester-
day morning while on the street in
La Sale, he picked up the key. He
alleges that he thought nothing of the
find, and just dropped it in his pocket,
not attempting to investigate and see
where it belonged He proffered as
tonishment when informed that the
suitcase and iewelry were in the lock.
er where the key fitted.
Musgrove has not been in La Sale
county for several years until few
weeks ago when he was out Of EN-
ployment and drifted back here Since
then he has been in the company Of
Homer WeitZel in La Sale much of
the time. Weitzel was picked up by
the authorities yesterday. but released
when nothing could be found to impli-
cate him in the case
Escaped From Deputy.
'MusgrOve first came into the public
eye early in 1918 when he was indict-
ed by local grand jury for forgery.
1t was alleged that he had forged
checks on several La Sale business
houses, in April of that year. Deputy
Sheriff Fred e. Stedman went down to
Houston, Texas, where Musgrove was
stationed in an army cantonment, as
a United States soldier and brought
him back to Ottawa to face the
charges.
The trip was made without difficulty
until the train reached water station
"a few miles this side of Joliet Mus
grove jumped from the rear of the cars
and made a wild dash for freedom. He
was apprehended a short time later in
Joliet
He was brought to Ottawa and plac-
ed in the county Jail where he was
held until the following November,
when he was released after his sister
had made good on his alleged forger-
les. He left the county as soon as
he was given his freedom, but was dis
charged from the army.
Locked in Theatre.
II is believed by the authorities that
Musgrove allowed himself to be locked
in the La Sale theatre when it closed
for the night Saturday. Some time
early Sunday morning he is alleged to
have robbed the box office of the the
atre of SIS and then to have broken
though window leading from the
theatre lobby into the jewelry store
next door. and to have made off with
all the jewelry on the repair rack of
the store.