THE SIEGE OF TROY -- WHITEY TIMMONS (Part 3)

TIMMONS, ROBBINS, STORIE, CUMMINS, JOHNSON

Posted By: David (email)
Date: 12/13/2004 at 15:34:17

The Chariton Leader, Chariton, Iowa
Thursday, March 21, 1907

'The Absconding Cashier of the Lucas County Jail is Located.'

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On Monday the Sheriff here received a telegram from the Sheriff at Troy,
Ohio, which was brief and to the point; "We are holding your man, H.F.
Timmons, here, come and get him." Last week Deputy Sheriff George Robbins
reached Chicago too late, "Whitey" had left in company with Tom Waterhouse
and their trail had to be discovered. The Sheriff here studied the probable
routes they would take and flooded Indiana, Ohio and two or three other
states with descriptions -- placing them as far as Jamestown, Virginia and
New Orleans. It was also found that Waterhouse had relatives at Troy, Ohio,
and at another point or two. Descriptions and orders to arrest arrived in
advance and bore fruit. This is written Tuesday. There may be a
possibility that the wrong man has been apprehended or that he will be
released before requisition can be made for him, through habeas-corpus, as
they no doubt have sufficient money of the swagger left to employ counsel.
Deputy Robbins left for there Monday evening and will reach Troy this
evening, perhaps in time to hold his prisoner until the Governor's
requisition arrives -- or Whitey may decide to return home without further
proceedings, Waterhouse not caring to mix farther for fear of becoming an
accessory.

E.H. Storie, of this city, was sent to Des Moines, Monday, with the evidence
in the case to present to Gov. Cummins, so that he could make a demand on
the Governor of Ohio, for the prisoner to be returned to Iowa. The old man
who lost his money, AUGUST JOHNSON, was closely questioned, Monday, and
stated that Whitey told him in the jail, where they were both confined, that
he was an official of the institution and corroborated what he had formerly
said. If this can be established Timmons is guilty of a penal offense, but
if JOHNSON simply gave him the money, either on demand or otherwise, for
safe keeping, the case would be different.

There are many conflicting reports going concerning the matter, one
especially, which several well meaning people seem to believe and that is
that Whitey was given the keys to the lock-ups and was made custodian over
other prisoners. This is clearly a mistake. He was merely a "trusty"
during the latter part of his sentence, and did some work about the premises
a policy followed for the last twenty-five years in dealing with prisoners
held for petty offenses, and approved of generally heretofore by county
boards. This may be wrong but had not the peculiar circumstance arisen,
Timmons would not have broken his parole or the sensation of his fame
permeated home and spread abroad. A similar case is not likely to occur in
a thousand years but be that as it may the method of dealing with prisoners
in the Lucas County jail will likely depart from the extremely humane plan
of parole unless specifically ordered.

To Be Continued . . .Innocense Abroad.
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Copied by Nancee(McMurtrey)Seifert
December 10, 2004
iggy29@rnetinc.net