Muscatine County, Iowa COMMUNITY NEWS

Source: Clarence Sun Newspaper, Clarence, Iowa Feb. 6, 1902
Submitted by Sharon Elijah, July 23, 2017

Caught – “Kid Noble, the prize fighter, who, on the evening of Jan.21, emptied two barrels of a shot gun with fatal results into Tom Morgan in the latter’s saloon in Muscatine, was arrested by Sheriff Porter, of Enid, Oklahoma, on suspicion, and the sheriff telegraphed to Muscatine for information. The information was sent, together with the offer of $250 reward.

The Muscatine sheriff went to Enid by way of Des Moines, secured requisition papers and returned to Muscatine yesterday with the prisoner.

The United States isn’t so large as it used to be, seemingly, to criminals. Noble’s arrest came about in an unlooked for way. A letter was sent from Muscatine to Noble at Enid, by addressing the letter to H. W. Johnson, an assumed name. The letter, which was from Noble’s wife, was a very loving and endearing one, telling of her love for him, how she hoped for his escape, told of her uneasiness since his departure, promised to send him money and enclosed a $5 bill for expenses. This letter fell into the hands of a telegraph operator who has that name. He opened the letter, read it and returned it to the postmaster, writing on the back thereof: “Opened by mistake, H. W. Johnson.” But this man Johnson knew from the letter that something was up and informed the authorities and they waited for Noble at the post office and arrested him. Johnson will get the reward.