Man Arrested For Brooklyn Murder

FINLEY, READ

Posted By: Marilyn Holmes (email)
Date: 9/16/2012 at 11:25:59

The Grinnell Herald; Dec. 22, 1908

MAN ARRESTED FOR
BROOKLYN MURDER
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Jesse Finley is Charged With the Mur-
der of Thomas Read Near Brook-
lyn Four Years Ago.
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COUNTY ATTORNEY BOYD
HAS WORKED UP THE CASE
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Information Filed By Mr. Boyd Against
Jesse Finley, Who Was Arrested
on Saturday.
----------------

On Saturday afternoon County Attorney H.E. Boyd filed a preliminary information against Jesse Finley of Brooklyn, charging him with the murder of Thomas W. Read, which was committed near Brooklyn on January 4, 1905. Finley was quietly arrested, waived preliminary examination and was committed to jail to await the action of the grand jury.

The case will be clearly recalled by most of the Herald readers. Mr. Read was an old man living by himself near some of his children. Going to his house on the morning of Janaury 4 his son found his father dead, having been shot during the night. There was every evidence of a struggle having ensued. The apparent motive for the crime was robbery.

Considrable excitement was occasioned at the time and many ugly rumors were afloat as to the probable perpetrators of the crime, but no definite information was obtainable, although circumstantial evidence pointed strongly to certain Brooklyn parties.

However, the authorities have not been idle and gradually they have pieced together what they believe to be a strong case againt Finley. They are not ready at the present time to give out any definite information as to the nature of the evidence, but it is rumored that it is in some way connected with the arrest and conviction of some parties for breaking into a box car at Brooklyn recently.

At all events evidence is so strong that County Attorney Boyd filed the information himself after a long and careful investigation. The Herald is glad that the county officers are so persisent as to stay on a case of this kind so long as there is any chance of getting the criminal, and trusts that Attorney Boyd has got his hands on the right man. Finley leads a wandering existence and has not been about Brooklyn much since the crime.