The Monett times., 1922-11-24
l.E. A. TOLLIvER
CONFESSES CRIME
Admits that he Stole Bonds and
Money from w. H. Fleming,
Kings Prairie Farmer.

admitted that he stole the 5000 worth
of Liberty bonds and S125 in money
from w. H. Fleming, Tuesday night,
November Z. He made full confession
to Miss Bertha Fleming, daughter Of
the man from whom the bonds We're
| stolen.
The facts in the case are as follows:
On Tuesday afternoon Tolliver tele-
phoned to the Fleming home ard
asked them when they were coming to
town. They replied that they would
leave home between 6 and 7 O'Clock
| to come here to hear the election re-
turns.
Tolliver then telephoned to r. E.,
| Hoover asking him to take him out
home to get some clothing. Mr..
Hoover consented and took him to the
country. He did not know where the
Tollivers lived and when the young
man told him to turn his car in a
certain lane and wait for him there,
he did so. The lane was the one lead
ing to the Fleming home.
Tolliver was gone some time and
when he returned without bundle,
Mr.. Hoover asked him where his
clothes were. He replied that mis-
father had taken them to town. Mr..
Hoover did not suspect him of any
wrong doing at that time.
Toliver was back to town at the
Star Rooms at 7:35 o'clock Tuesday
night.
Mr.. Fleming did not miss the bonds
until Saturday following election. AS
soon as ne missed them he notified the
Monet city officers who at once sus-
pected Tolliver. Warren Hoover, a
deputy learned through his brother,
r. f. Hoover, of his driving the young
man to Kings Prairie on Tuesday
night.
Every effort was made to get a con-
fession from Tolliver. He told City
Marshal J. A. johnson, that he would
fix it up and Mr.. johnson took him in
an automobile and at his direction
they drove about fifteen miles,
visiting at the home Of a Miss
Mildred Watson at Peirce City.
however, and he did not secure the
bonds. The officers gave him time,
although they knew that Miss Watson
was in possession of the package.
The next day Constable Joe jackson
went to the girl and, posing as
friend of Tolliver, secured the pack
age that contained the bonds. Miss
Watson did not know what the pack
age contained or that theft had been
committed. Mr.. Jackson brought the
bonds to town and deposited them in
the First National Bank.
Miss Fleming visited Tolliver in the
Jail on Friday evening and the young
man broke down and confessed his
crime and showed deep remorse for
what he had done.
On Saturday morning Tolliver
waived preliminary hearing and eX-
pressed his intention of pleading
guilty to the charge of robbery and
asking the mercy of the court.
Tolliver made the following written
statement regarding the recovering
of the bonds by Constable Joe A.
Jackson:
"To Whom this may Concern: In
regard to the recovery of the stolen
bonds of Mr.. w. H. Fleming by Con-
stable Joe A. Jackson, it is quite true
that Mr.. Jackson recovered those
bonds, but | wish to state to the public
that these bonds were left with Miss
Watson in Peirce City in sealed
package. She knew nothing of what
the package contained and ! wrote to
her to send the package to Mr.. Cor
nell or Mr.. Johnson, but before she
had received the letter, Mr.. Jackson
went to Peirce City and told the girl
that he had come after the bonds
telling her he was my friend and that
I had told him where the bonds were.
She told him that she had a package
that l had left there but she did not
know what it contained and told him
she would give the package to me 6E.
A. Tolliver) or to my attorney.
"But after Mr.. Jackson told her
that had told him where the bonds
were and "unless you give them up
there was to be another arrest" she,
Miss Watson, told him that she would
give him the package that she had,
but if it contained keepsakes he was
to return it to her. =
"I make this statement with my
own free will without dictation.
"E. A. Tolliver."
Tolliver appears to be suffering
deep remorse for his violation Of the
confidence of the Fleming family, at
whose home he had often visited and
al e. naFsf