OCR Text |
Show $ BLACKHANDERS SHOOT DOWN AN OFFICER I I SALT LAKE CITY, NOV. 10. GOVERNOR SPRY TODAY OFFERED A REWARD OF $500 FOR THE CAPTURE OF ONE OR MORE OF THE BLACK- I M MAILERS WHO YESTERDAY SHOT AND SERIOUSLY WOUNDED DAVID EDWARDS, A PRIVATE DETECTIVE, AT OGDEN. THE GOVERNOR IS OF THE v OPINION THAT THE GANG THAT FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS HAS TERRORIZED WEALTHY OGDEN PEOPLE AND DESTROYED PROPERTY IS THE MOST DES- ;, L' PERATE ANY WESTERN COMMUNITY HAS HAD TO DEAL WITH. 1 J ! : li I ?- DAVID EDWARDS WALKS INTO ... , TRAP SET BV DESPERATE GANG J N i - J.1 Exchange of Shots Follows and Detective Is Cut Down, Re-roving Re-roving Fourteen Wounds Telephone Call at 2:20j Sunday Morning Notifies LeRoy Eccles to Walk West on Seventeenth Street, Carrying $1500 in a Satchel Edwards Ed-wards Volunteers to Meet the Bandits and, Impersonating LeRoy Eccles, He Starts on His Dangerous Task Fired on From Ambush and Without Warning Wounded Man j Rushed to Hospital Injuries Are Not Fatal, No Vital Spot Having Been Reached by Shots Bali-Bearings Used Instead of Buckshot Auto Speeds to Scene With LeRoy Eccles and Associates Bandits Disappear in the Dark No Trace of Desperate Men Rewards Offered. The Story in Brief: Friday letters received ordering LeRoy Eccles to give blackmailers $1000 and Ralph E. Bristol to give $500. Both ordered to express willingness by placing want ads in the Standard. I Want ads placed in Standard Friday afternoon. Letters received Saturday afternoon ordering Eccles and Bristol to watch for telephone calls. Telephone calls at 2:20 o'clock Sunday morning give instructions for delivery of money. Two detectives, David Edwards and C W. Bair. set out I at 3 o'clock Sunday morning with money. They drive in buggy. Edwards leaves buggy and sets out alone to place of rendezvous. Blackmailers evidently pierce disguise worn by Edwards and open fire. He shoots back, although wounded in fourteen places. Blair arrives on scene at end of fight. Police and sheriff receive first notification of letters, f scheme to catch blackmailers and result after shooting is over. Believed telephone call was made by tapping wire so that bandits would escape detection from phone office. Recent letters different in some particulars from those received before imprisonment of Myron A. Smith. Edwards a friend of "Diamond field" Jack Davis. Latter visits him in Ogden. Bandits used ball-bearings in their cartridges instead of buckshot. They loaded their own shells Voice over the telephone Saturday night was not that of ti v the bandit who had called up some time ago. LeRoy Eccles was told to go out in his auto, but he informed in-formed the Blackhander over the phone that his machine was out of repair. Then he was instructed to obtain a "rig.'' iflfl Officers believe the gang numbers four men. ITlU None of the voices heard over the phone has a foreign i md! ; accent. The men are Americans and one of them uses good Jjji language :e Edwards was not shot from the rear. Both bandits were on the north side of the road at what was at one time a small a 8ate to tnc McChesney home, but which is now part of a ) wire fence. !t gji At 4.20 Sunday morning. David by wk Edward?, a dttectlve supposed to be thLi2 carrying ?lo0 In gold for delivery itrvcstfj to ili" Blac k hinders ho have har- hoUt 4 assed the K.t-s family, was shot tlB down b;. .!.' bandits In fronl of the 031 Met herney borie on Seventeenth - nM street rLgflN Only a week ao the blackhandert ldiJjp t after making deat throats. d.vuamit- ed and greatly dimaged tho Leroy Eccle residence. jV- Disguised as LercV R. Eccles. who 'jajp had been colled upot to deliver SI r0 to the blackmailers. Edwards went (5 to the lonel spot m ecord.tnc.- with Instructions received by letter and. S telephone, to "got" tin bandits rath-' T er tl,,n -ii-lr,. i up tie 5 1 rrom ati Eerie and $!"' from Flpb EG Hri- Mfjj tol, which he i arri.l m satchel. Ho 1 Gri was- fully armed, bir bfon- be had nlU35 it chance, tb- would he' murderers llH concealed behind fences Vnd bushes f lilJi opened fir with ehotguh riddling t)Pd him with Hi- f'-l ba-hearings e othji which their shotgun shells Contained i Wr' In spHe of the Injuries sustained the Edwards rrt.sed hinr-elt lorn the j ground an 1 emptied both aiuiomat- UPPJ Ic revolver and Khoe-uii in Irectlon 5 t of ilSsftl!lu1'" 1 'booti from J8 i ,hf' :,,J ' c r roa(J contlnu even 7'?S I afN r ,-d',vanls aa1 fallen V the gTound Residents of the aethbor to bPj I hood estimate that in all in h s- an ' A lnr,!l 1'oxirt -n bhoiR were tlrel cric1',; One shel was fired at C W. Valr . cttljSl aitotb. i 1-inkerion detective, whdhad aL fl;t.i ridden In a buggy with Bdwai I Lo lit j i Sr-eniienth -'I-, t nnar Washinlpn iMitet M avo-..u :md a waiting at th" f- :1)iWgrM m r win a h- In-ard the firs; shdj s As llie horse reached the point whdn , AaJ the W0UUtle,J detective was lylns gftff'M the road, ; revolver bulb; v.hi'.?.. , y oii&v c:oKL' 10 ulairr ncad fired RCV !jt'kl ' rili h 11 ll't l.l('l.ev-l ' nK1 '''li,1 'bat .-it it : I,-- nr Edv.ard: w ouuded 8f5Vily ot the bandits iDll tf J Ihti r'ri,' llltUlUlUon ul lhe activities of the blackhander9 since the wreck Ing of the Leroy Eccles home b; a charge of dynamite early last Sunday morning was received last Friday in the form of letters to both Leroy Er (lee and Bristol The general (one of both letters Knd especially that received re-ceived by EccleB was less severe, containing none of the vile language which chaxai terized previous commu mentions and making no specific threatfl The writers said that they had noticed a change of attitude on the part of Eccles ami that he would now be ghen a final opportunity to deliver the $1000, together with the $".00 demanded of Bristol, for the lat ter was instrui ted to turn his sharo over to Eccles for delivery The details de-tails of the plnn for tho proposed delivery de-livery would be made known in a iter letter, they wrote, If Eccles and Bristol Indicated their decision In the matter by Inserting certain advertisements adver-tisements In the classified section of The Standard. These instruction fallowed by both men. The third and final letter In the latest plot came Saturday Leroy Ec clee was In Snlt Lake all day and did not receive the communication until 5 o'clock that evening It demanded that either Leroy Eccles R B Porter Por-ter G. W Culver or C B. Wallen husband of Hn M Laren Boyle, an early victim of the bandits, deliver the $1500 The letter was couched in certain terms that had the ring of murder In (betii and the writer explained distinctly dis-tinctly that something nuts' be done : riti i- Saturday and ih.l nrranire- mcnts must be made for tho delivery of the money. It was Btatd that there was $1,000 duo from Mr. Ecc!o3 and $000 lrom R. E Bristol and that It would be neceuarj to biin;; the money to a certain point in one par-Wl par-Wl and by a single person. The Uackhanders designated that Mr. 1 Vies, Mr. Bristol. R B. Porter, C B Wallen, or G W Culver should carry a satchel containing $1,600, to a place designated on Seventeenth street and that the one carrvlng the coin should be unaccompanied on penalty of of death "You are the only man to do the job" said the bandit, "and I shall look to you and no one elsp for the mone; I want the money within tho next hour and It must be delivered just as I directed in the letter." Relating the storv of the blackmailing black-mailing scene of Saturdav night L. R. E-ccIps said that, upon his return from Salt Lake that evening at about 5 o'clock he was made aware of the fact that tho blackhanders were again on the Job and that a letter awaited him at the postofflce The contenU of tho letter disclosed the fact that the blackmailers wanted a settlement on what they considered an oen account ac-count with the Eccles people and the Bristols In the letter they said that thev had concluded that Mr Eccles bad likely changed his mind about turning over money to them since he had experienced the 'blowup' at his home and that he. no doubt, was will lng to settle tho account They fur ther stated that there was no use trying to evade them any longed, as the money had to be paid some time, and the sooner the better Mr Eccles Ec-cles was warned that If a settlement was not had at this time, the Eccles estate would soon he damaged to the extent of at least $26,000 and perhaps more Referring to past events pertain ing to the blackmailing business, the writer spoke of the affair as a business busi-ness proposition and said that Smith who was bound over Friday night to await the action of the grand Jury as a party to the blackmailing scheme, was a boob and should get five jears for butting In on tho game Porter was also referred to as getting Into the business too frequently and that It would be well for him to keep quiet if he did not want to get Into trouble. The letter explained to Mr Eccles (hat he must be prepared for tele phone calls as he would be called up during the night and advised in detail de-tail Just how to proceed In making the delivery of the money. He was cautioned to not undertake to sleep 1 much during the night as the business busi-ness was of such Importance that I there must be no hitch in the pro- I ceedlngB, Mr Eccles savs that the handwriting handwrit-ing Is very similar to the handwriting handwrit-ing on the other blackband letters but In his opinion It was not penned I by the same hand t 2:80 o'clock In the morning Mr Eccles was called to the telephone at I home and addressed by one of the bandits In a clear sharp voice, calling Mr Eccles by the name of Roy and I making certain that he was talking ! to the right, man. He repeated the ', name by saying This Is LeRoy. Is It?" When he was assured of the Identity of Mr. Eccles he said that he had come to the conclusion that no one but LeRoy should come with the money. The call came from a three party line on Seventeenth street which Includes In-cludes the Kller residence and the Keller wholesale meat business and another party, but the parties Uid not 'use anv of the phones on that line which warrants the conclusion that (he bandits tapped the line near their place of concealment on Seventeenth 6treet. ii-i Dttiro i,v i rtci t cu a irte- phone call, which was scheduled for no certain time, with the exception of between 10 o'clock Saturday night and 2 o'clock Sunday morning, the person delegated to deliver the money was to drive with a horse and buggy to the corner of Washington avenue and Seventeenth street, tie the horse to a pole and walk west to the Oregon Short Line tracks and across the three tracks to a point half a mile west. This distance s about one mile and a half If the person was not stopped he was to retrace his stepi over the same route back to tho jiolnt where the horse and buggy had beer left. If the per80" wilh (he money was stopped at any point between Washington Wash-ington avenue and the railroad tracks, according to the letter, he would be held for a half hour. If it was discovered dis-covered that he had been followed by autod. the messenger, no matter whom he might be, would be killed, togeth er with any others who might come within range of the letter writers' guns Promising that they would either "get" him first or 'there would be some new faces In heaven," Edwards accepted the dangerous Job of becom lng the messenger It was decided that be impersonate Ieroy Eccles and to thiB end he wore a full outfit of clothes belonging to the Amalgamated Sugar company official. As Edwards' hair If ROXnewhal gray this was ' blackpned to aid in the disguise. Although Al-though the final letter had warned specificnllv again! there being more than one person In (he buggy. It waa decided to send Blair as Edwards's companion, concealing him In tho vehicle ve-hicle Alter talking to the fellow for a fcw minutes, Mr. Eccles began to make preparations to deliver the money. mon-ey. Detective David Edwards, who had been engaged in the case recently, recent-ly, volunteered to carry' the money. He was dressed in Mr, Eccles' clothes A short shotgun was strapped over his shoulder and he carried an auto matlc revolver In the left overcoat pocket Coins were placed in the Batchel which he was to carry In hii hand A horse and buggy were so cured and Mr. Edwards, accompanied by Detective C. W. Blair, drove to the overall factory on Washington avenue and Seventeenth streets, wherp the rig was tied in front of the first house west of the factory Without the least Rhow of fear Ed wards left Iub fellow detective Blair, tho Batchel firmly gripped In his right hand, and his left hand in his overcoat pocket in touch with his revolver and started on his way to a certain battle He walked through the darkness past the Fair Grounds and to a point near the main O S L. tracks when he heard, "Halt!" The call came from the north side of the road from behind a fence and small brush near the residence of Mrs R B. McChesney The bandits were virtually vir-tually in ambush in the front yard. No sooner had the word to halt been (Continued on Page Fuel BUCKHAiER I SHOT DOWN AN OFFICER tContinued from Page One) grhen than Edwards turned in the di rection of th 6ound when giving the men no chance to reply to the command com-mand or offer to deliver the satchel Edwards fell with ball bearings from the shotguns of the bandits, but as he sank to the ground badly wounded, he brought his shotgun into play and then his Colt's firing nine shots It Is thought that all of Edward's shor tnt wild, even though he Is a crack 6hot Four shots were fired by the black mailers, the firing having begun, as nearly as it can be Judged just as Edwards was passing the bandits or when ho was slightly to the west of theci. The saicbei was filled with shots The wounds in Mr Edward a body are mostly on the left side, Indicating In-dicating that when the first 6hot was fired, which riddled the satchel, Edwards Ed-wards had turned and received th charges from the shotguns in his left side. The bandlis fled northerly. Mrs McChesney saying that she heard two men run past her house. F.'alr. who had remained behind with the horse and bufgy near the first house west of Washington avenue ave-nue on Seventeenth 6treet, as soon as he heard the first shot, whinoed up the horse and dashing down the narrow 6treet. arriving at the scen of the shooting about two minutes after af-ter th opening of the battle. As he arrived at the spot, a final shot from -the bandiis flashed in front of his face, missing him by a narrow margin mar-gin This proves that the men v. ho had done the shooting were still near the place. The men in the automobiles also took their clue from the first shot and speeded toward thf scene where they arrived shortly after Blair They found Edwards covered with his own blood lying In the road, suffering Intense In-tense pain. He was lifted into the machine of R B. Porter and rushed as quickly as possible to the Dee hospital where he was examined by Doctor C F Osgood. A close examination by the physician diFclosnd fourteen wounds which ranged from the right shoulder to the left knee. The more serious ones were one In the rltrh; 6houlder, one just over the heart, ons In the groin, one in the left knee and one in the right wri6t The bullet 1 which entered Edward's right sid, ! just over the heart, the physicians j state, was deflected from its course ! by a rib and the breast bone. The wounds are not considers! dangerous, ' except posslb'.y the one iu the groin. I although the injured man was much ! weakened Horn the loss of blood I After daylight the tracks ot the men were seen and ohells from their shotguns shot-guns were picked up at a point not more than thirty feec rrom where Edwards Ed-wards fell The tracks were followed northerly for only a short distance, when they were lo6t in a ploughed up field. The officers covered the country coun-try thoroughly for a considerable distance, dis-tance, and kept up the hunt until about noon yesterday, but no clues were discovered. Deputy Sheriff J. L. Hobson savs that the guns used by the banditw were evidently the sam as were use on the Canyon road when the bandits had a fight with two special agents who delivered 51000 They were sawed off shotguns The men al6o carried I automatic revolvers A number of theories are advanced as to the possible Intention of the bandits. Whether they Intended to kill Mr Eccles and did not care for the money at this time or whether they discovered that It was not Mi Eccles with the satchel and concluded that they were being Jobbed are prob lem6 hard of solution At least, the fellows did uot attempt to get th money and they gave Edwards no chance to deliver It Some of the of fleers are strongly of the opinion that the bandits had determined to kill Bomeone as an object lesson, thinking think-ing the next letter they sent for money mon-ey would bring results. It Is expected that the Eccles people peo-ple will receive other letters asking for money under threats of death and the destruction of property. It Is rumored that other prominent men of Ogden have received letters asking for money and that they have paid rather than to Jeopardize their lives and property interests. Edwards 6ays that had the despera does given him anv show, he would have got at least one of the men and possibly botft of them as he figures that he can hit the bullseye nearly every time with a revolver if he is free to use hie hand. The first shot frrm the bTtn-litx' pnnt ' ' '71 nnd he became 60 dai.ed that he shot it random. An examination of the bullets which were found revealed that they were not the regular buckshot, but were made ball bearings of different sizes This would indicate that the would bo assassins had feared to buy am munition, but had taken the steel ball bearings from some bicycle repair shop. Edwards, who hails from Kemmerer, Wyo . is regarded by the chief of th-j Plnkcrton agency at Sslt Lake City . William J. Wlltsle us one of the most nervy and dependable men In his em-play. em-play. He had. prior to his engagement engage-ment in the local blackmailing case, been employed with Blair as a guard 'u Bingham canyon. "In his line o.' work.' said Chief Wlitsie last night, he was one of the best in the department, but the curs did not -'ive him a chance. He wes shot without warning, but gamely continued the fight even after he had fallen " The home of L E Llbbey. who was one of the suspects taken into custody soon after the imprisonment of M: ron A. Smith, was visitvd soon after the shooting by Inspector MctJee. Leroy Eccles and BeveraJ of his assistants, as-sistants, for the purpose of ascertain ing whether the man was connected with the affair. The man was found In bed and was greatly surprised at the visit and, although a minute search and examination of the man's clothes and the premises were made no; a shred of Incriminating evidence was found. Mr. Eccies saT6 he is satisfied Libby is an Innocent man Last night a conference was held between the city and county officers with Inspector McGee. LeRoy Eccles and others who have been closely connected con-nected with the affair and. after ai discussion which lasted several hours. the decision was reached to placp the -matter in the hands of Chief W. I.I Notion and Sheriff T. A DeVine Those at the meeting were City Com missioner T. Samuel Browning. Chief of Police W I. Norton. Sheriff T. A. DcYlno Postoffice Inspector L. A. McGee. Mc-Gee. LeKoy Eccles, Ralph E Bristol, R. B Porter. "Dlamondf leld" Jack Davis. Da-vis. A. L. Corey, and Detectives Geo Wardlaw, Robert Burk. Robert Cham bers and Charles Plncock. Since th meeting. Mr Ecrles hns turned all inquiries about the matter over to the chief of police and the sheriff. He was willing, however, when Interviewed yeBterday. to state his opinion of the man Ed wards, vho had taken such a long chance for the capture of the blackmailers. black-mailers. The proffer of Edwards, he said, to make the attempt and to car-iv car-iv the money to the meeiinc place. h;'d been accepted because the man had proNen himself to be possessed of unlimited nerve and resourcefulness I and had he been given the smallest chance in the world. Mr. Eccles be llevea he would have made good his word. As It was he fought his assail ant6 as long as he couid fire his weap on. There is much agitation among citizens of the city especially among the business men, in favor of drastic measures of some kind. No one yet knows what kind of men to look for. except that one Is short and the other oth-er tall It Is suggested that a rew.-.rd of at least $5000 a head for the men be posted immediately The city board of commissioners are in session this afternoon can-vasslng can-vasslng the returns of the recen election and Mayor Fell says that. In all likelihood the meeting will be prolonged to consider the question of offering a reward for the baudlts The mayor is of the opinion that it Is a time for Immediate action !n some direction for the safety of the people and that the reign of terror inaugurated by these ruffians should I be brcught to a c'ose. He believes I ihere should be united action on the part of all the officers of the city and county, together with private detectives de-tectives whereby the best possible efforts may be put forth The mayor believes a reward should be offered and he pledges the city board to do everything possible to capture the bandits The first letters of la?k we?k. addressed ad-dressed to R. E. Bristol and L R. Eccles, were written on Sunday, those who have seen them say but that they wera not posted until Wednesday Wed-nesday the day after election and the day upon which the preliminary hearing of Myron A. Smith began. It is said that the letters are clevr productlon3 of Irony, referring to some of the actions of the government govern-ment officers and others connected with the casa with ridicule. It is made to appear in some ot the writings writ-ings that Smith Is tbe author and an excuse Is offered for poor penmanship penman-ship as the writer is In the county jail and Is not furnished very good writing facilities. Inspector McGe refused last ulht to give out copies of the letters last received, as he said, the families concerned In the recent affair fear that the writers may take summary action should such a thing bo done. I continued, that the handwriting in these letters and In those received before, and which resulted In the arrest ar-rest of Smith as the possible author, are by the same person " The inspector also said that he could not give the Ogden case much attention for the next two weeks, as he Will be kept busy In connection with the federal gTand Jury meeting In Salt Lake and with business in Cheyenne Ogdenltes are at a high pitch of excitement over the affair and are discussing It at every opportunity It was rumored last night that another letter had been received by LeRoy Ecclos. from the blackhauders, per tainlng to their failure of esterday morning and also making another request re-quest for the delivery' of th money at a designated place. The rumors were denied by Mr Eccles and all the other authorities connected with th case. Inspector McGee stated that he had been to the postofflce and that no mall had come to the office, up to the time he left for Salt Lake for Mr. Eccles The homes of those threatened by the b'acKmailers were guarded last night by plain clothes men, well armed arm-ed and read for action David Edwards, the detective who took his life In his hands to carry the money to the bandito, is described by "DiamoDdfield" Jack Davis, who has known him for about twenty-one years, as a "nervy" man. Davis asserts as-serts that Edwards' purpose In soin einglehauded was to shoot one or two of the bandits. If possible, even if he too was shot "Edwards is about 4$ years old and has been married, having a daughter now 11a ing at Kemmerer. Wyo ." said Mr Dals "Word has b?en sent to her. and she will probablv come here immediately. 1 have known Edwards for a long time He is a native of Pennsylvania, but has lived in the west since be was a young bov He was a deputy sheriff at Rock Springs. Wyo., for many years, and is well and favorably known all c-rer that state. "About a ear ago he went to worn for the Utah Copper company at Bingham as an engineer He has teen In the mining business practically all his life He has been shot eight or ten times. MoBt of these wounds were received when as a mine super lntend--nt. an attack was made upon his mine several years ago. "Edwards' bravery can be estimated estima-ted when it is considered that he vol unteered to take this last chance to capture the blackmailers. He knew and respected Mr. Eccles because of his nerve and so asked for the perilous peril-ous Job."' Mr. Davis saw his friend last nighr. at 8 o'clock. Davis motioned for him nor to try and talk. ' How are you. Jack." said Edwards "I'm fine." replied Davis, "and I want you to be the same Keep your nerve and everything will come out all right " "I'll sure keep my nerve." said Ed wards The receipt of three blackhand letters, let-ters, two by Leroy Eccles and one by Ralph E Bristol, during the past few days, has produced a puzzling situation sit-uation with regard to Myron A Smith, the man who has been in the local county j.iil since last Sunday charged In two federal complaints with having .ritten and sent blackhand letters to Mrs. Ralph K Bristol and David C Bcelea Writing of Smith, the black handers refer to him in their recent I letters as a "boob" and an imposter. expressing the hope that he is given I five years for meddling. While they admit some similarity in the hand- writing of the last three letters writ- H ten since Smith has been In Jail, and those written previously, they contend 1 that there is a difference and espe- I daily In the general tone of the com- j munlcations. When told of the occurrence of yes- I terday morning. Smith smiled and said that the rederal authorities ought 1 to regard it as a sufficient evidence 1 of his innocence Attorney Joseph Chez, who represented Smith in the recent preliminary nearlng before United States Commissioner S. T. shbb Corn, is certain that hl client wMl ! W now be released from jnll and eventu v alh exonerated by the federal authorl- i ties. f EDWARDS WELL KNOWN IN " BINGHAM, WHERE HE SERVED AS DETECTIVE Bingham. Nov 9 David Edwards, fl shot by blackmailers at Ogden, is ' considered one of the nerviest detectives detec-tives and peace officers that Bingham ever knew He has made his home at the Utah Copper hotel In Upper fl BlnKham since Immediately after the outbreak of the big strike on workings work-ings of the Utah Copper company I and other mines one year ago He always played the role of a se- j cret service man working for the mm Pinkertons, and though he tried to keep this a secret, his movements were closely watched by leaders of 1 the Western Federation of Miners who were directing the strike. He I made hosts of friends in Bingham, but only a very' few knew he was a Plnkerton. He came to Bingham j frrni western Wyoming. Edwards Is about 48 years of ags and has a daughter Mrs Gladys j Biggs at Rock Springs. Wyo. his j former home. J |