Theodore Ebsen (ca. 1905-1934)

EBSEN

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 5/17/2021 at 16:53:13

From Nevada Evening Journal August 3, 1934 (page 4)

Iowa Man Died In Prison Hospital

ARRESTED BY AMES POLICE AND CONVICTED IN NEBRASKA

The arrest of three men as bank robber suspect by the Ames police and the subsequent conviction of two of them for the robbery of the Red Cloud, Neb. bank in July, 1931, is recalled to Story county people by the news of the recent death of Theodore Ebsen, Webster City boy, at the state hospital for insane convicts at Norfolk, Neb.

Theodore Ebsen, was one of the three sons of Mr. and Mrs. Leo Ebsen who lived for years in the edge of Webster City.

Speaking of the family a Webster City press dispatch says:

"After living here a short time, upon returning from school one evening, these three young boys found their mother had died very suddenly that day. Mrs. Ebsen was a very attractive woman and an exceptionally kind and devoted mother. Her death was a terrific blow to these three little boys and though Mr. Ebsen tried to keep the home together, it was only a short time until Theodore and Harry left home. Alfred remained with his father practically all the time up to the time of the father's death.

"Theodore and Harry, in some way, got into bad company and both had reform school and penitentiary records in Iowa and Nebraska.

"On July 2nd, 1931, there was a bank robbery at RedClou, Nebraska, and later Theodore, Harry and a companion of theirs (Otto Schrek, then engaged in the restaurant business in Nevada) while looking over road map at Ames, were picked up by the police and in their possession was found machine guns, sawed off shot guns, gloves and various paraphernalia which would seem to indicate they were bank robbers. They were taken into custody, and the Ebsen boys identified as the two having participated in the Red Cloud robbery, and were tried at Red Cloud and convicted after a very sensational trial. They were given twenty years each at the penitentiary at Lincoln, Neb. About a year ago, Theodore was transferred to the insane hospital for convicts, at Norfolk, where he died a short time ago.

"Some four or five years ago the father was killed at his filling station near Duncombe, and although Theodore was arrested as a possible suspect, nothing was ever proven against him.

"Theodore was buried at Norfolk."

Otto Schrek, the Nevada man arrested with the Ebsen boys by Chief Cure at Ames, was acquitted of connection with the Red Cloud bank robbery.