The Omaha morning bee., 1923-11-10
Official Dodges
Probe of Police
Northrup Says Evidence Not
Sufficient to Cause
Investigation.


Council Bluffs police transmitted tc
Giles Puryear, confessed bank robber
a tip which permitted him to escape
arrest in April, 1922, and that mem
bers of the department knew the iden
tity of the gang which robbed the
Pisgah, Ia, bank in December, 1921
months before they were picked uI
by state agents on the streets o1
Council Bluffs. was signed Thursday
by Puryear in the sheriff's office at
Logan. Ia.
When Frank Northrup, county at
torney, was shown the affidavit this
morning, ne said that in his opinion
1t was not sufficient evidence upon
Which to base an investigation.
Here is the affidavit:
State of Iowa, Harrison County, IS.
Not Sufficient Evidence
], Giles Puryear, being first duly
sworn, upon my oath depose and
say that shortly after the Pisgah
bank robbery was pulled off, with
in two weeks, l knew, and the rest
of the gang knew, that the Council
Bluffs police force knew who done
the job.
Before they picked up any one
of the gang AL Fiori came to me
and told me I better go, that they
were hep to us.
He said. II am going to stick, for
they will never stick me-
l said. where do you get your
dope?"
He said, From -, and it is
straight
He said, "Jolly, I stand in good
in Council Bluffs, but you don't.
They have got it in for you. Take
my advice, this is no bum steer
1T is straight from the station. If
/ was you, | would take a train out
of here tonight for the coast. You
can get a train at IL from the
Union station. If you haven't got
money enough. III see that you
get some money"
Afraid Of Booze.
" I said, "Al, why haven't 1 got just
as good chance TO stay here and
beat this as you have?"
He said, Jolly, l am afraid you'll
get drunk and they'll pick you up
and you'll tell everything. You and
your wife are divorced. You can
so. Don has no wife. He's going
has already gone"
l said, (which way did he go?"
He said He is in Kansas City
now. Beatty and l are going TO
stick. I know you are a good fell
low. The only reason we want you
to go is on account Of your
boozing."
Joe Goldberg came to me with a
tip Of the same description 20 min
utes after they pinched the other
boys. He said he got word from the
police station that l was to go. l
paid no attention, although l knew
he was right. / stayed and waited
until they came. 1 saw them pass
the house, the Council Bluffs law
and one Omaha officer. Then
beat them to 1t and got away, all
of which is true.
(Signed) GILES PURYEAR, JR.
Subscribed in my presence and
sworn to before me by said Giles
Puryear this 8th day of November,
"A. d. 1898.
(Signed) FRANK l.. MOTZ.
Notary Public in and for Said
County.
One Did Leave.
Don Goodwin, a member Of tn,
gang referred to in the affidavit a!
having already gone" did, in fact
leave Council Bluffs for Kansas Cit.
shortly after the robbery. Later h
went to Excelsior Springs, Mo. Sew
eral months later, when nothing hap
pened, he returned to Council Bluffs
On the day of his return, the arres
of three members OF the gang wa.
made. Puryear, because OF the tir
given him, was not arrested unit
early this month.
The affidavit is identical with the
story told shortly after the arrest OF
three members of the gang in April
W., by AL F1orl, In the sheriffs
office at Logan, Ia, in the presence
Of Sheriff Miiliman, III. V. Yacke!
and Oscar Rock, state agents, Pau
Rodifer. county attorney at that time
and Orin Case, a deputy sheriff.
County Attorney Frank Northru
declared Friday that he has n
intention of calling a special gran
jury TO investigate the alleged co
fusion between the bank robbers an
the Council Bluffs police. and no ia
as he knows, will not submit the ma
ter to the next regular grand jur
for investigation.
lie characterized the case as stale
and declared that the fact that moth
ing was done two years ago indicates
to him that there must have beer
nothing to it"