TIMMONS' GOLD MINE -- (Part 2)

GITTINGER, JOHNSON, CASTNER, RUSSELL

Posted By: David (email)
Date: 12/9/2004 at 13:03:09

The Chariton Leader, Chariton, Iowa
Thursday, March 14, 1907

Albia, Iowa, March 9, 1907.
G.J. Gittinger, Sheriff.

Dear Sir: Yours of the 8th inst. at hand and noted. The party mentioned,
AUGUST JOHNSON, had on deposit with us $900.00 and drew it in cash, Dec. 28,
1906. He is a man about 60 years of age I should think, wears a full beard
and is rather unkempt in appearance. I remember when he made the deposit
with us the bills showed that he had carried them for a long time. He is
likely telling you the straight of the matter and it is too bad that he had
(*can't read) the sense than to carry the "wad" with him. Hope you may be
able to locate the party that relieved him of his roll.

-- Yours Resp.,

B.P. Castner, Cashier.

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The fact that the old fellow had the money is now conclusive and that Whitey
relieved him of it through misrepresentation is clearly established, but up
to Tuesday Whitey's whereabouts are unknown.

As additional evidence that he got the money, he met Al Russell and asked
him if he could change $20. Albert said he could change all the twenty
dollars Whitey had, but to his surprise Whitey drew a twenty dollar gold
piece from his vest pocket and then fished about until he had produced
several others, together with quite a roll of bills. He then told Mr.
Russell that a business man in town had stolen the robe, for the stealing of
which he was put in jail, the business man giving him $500 to shoulder the
crime. This seemed anything but plausible but Mr. Russell could not figure
out any other way by, which he could have come into possession of so much
money, not being noted as a financial magnate.

The old gentleman has been taken to the poor farm to await developments and
a search is being made for Whitey. Parties in Chariton received a letter
from relatives in an Illinois town, stating that "Old Whitey" was there and
that they feared trouble. It seems that he had previously become infatuated
with a girl, who formerly resided here, and he had followed the family to
Illinois, she keeping in hiding. The letter stated that Whitey had made his
threats that he would get "Mame dead or alive" and offered to pay a slugger
there to assist him, displaying considerable money. This record is written
on Tuesday. If Whitey is still in that part of Illinois he will be
apprehended and brought back to answer to the serious offense committed here
But if he has gone to Chicago there is not much hope of his capture. The
old Swedish man has no home or friends but worked on the railroad at times
and tramped between jobs.

To Be Continued . . . The Siege of Troy.
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Copied by Nancee(McMurtrey)Seifert
December 8, 2004
iggy29@rnetinc.net