Evening Republican, Volume 20, Number 219, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 September 1916 — WOOD CONFESSES OTHER THEFTS [ARTICLE]

WOOD CONFESSES OTHER THEFTS

Admits He Was Implicated In Other Robberies —Hamilton & Kellner Checks Are Found.

Harry Wood, who is now in the county jail awaiting his sentence to the state prison, after admitting his guilt in connection with the Central Garage theft Saturday night, also cleared up several other robbery mysteries of the past few weeks. Immediately after his '/eing sent back to jail Monday afternoon after pleading guilty to the charges against him, Deputy Prosecutor Sands, accompanied by Night Officer Critser, visited Wood’s cell at the jail, and after about two hours obtained his complete confession. Wood admitted everything, and said that he was guilty in all the thefts in Rensselaer of late with the exception of the $66.98 which was taken at Wallace & Herath's produce market and the money which was taken from the hotel cash register. These two cases he steadfastly refused to admit that he had any connection with them whatever but it is the general belief .of the authorities that he was als> implicated in the Wallace-Hcrath robbery and owing to the larger amount of money taken at this place the lakt time does not care to answer to grand larceny, which this sum of money would require him to do, and which imposes a heavier sentence. Upon the arrival of Prosecutor Sands and Officer Critser to the jai>, Wood was sobbing pitifully and refused to answer any questions that were asked of him. Mr. Sands talked with the prisoner for quite a long time before he was able to get anything at all out of him. The prosecutor had in his possession a knife, which was but briefly mentioned in yesterday’s Repubilcan, which was thought to be the most powerful evidence that the state possessed, it was a small pocket knife, with two blades, one of which had the end broken off. This piece of the broken blade was found at the Hamilton & Kellner store the next morning following the robbery and coincided exactly with the blade which, was broken in Wood’s knife. For some time even after he had seen this Wood refused steadfastly to admit any connection with the Hamilton & Kellner case at all, but the circumstantial evidence against him was so powerful that he saw that it was useless to longer deny the confession. Wood told how he had broken off the end of the blade in attempting to open the small tin box, which was in the safe. The prisoner told how ha had entered by removing the screen in the rear office window and found the safe unlocked and stated that he took the money drawer in which ha found $9 in change, but stated that -he had not taken the checks or any other papers,'but it was proven conclusively later in the day that he had also taken these although he may hot have known it. Wood told the officers that if they would go to the rear of the Rensselaer high school building they would find the money drawer taken from the safe.

The prisoner also told of having rifled the till at the Rishling produce market a few weeks ago and taking $8.75 in quarters at the noon hour, by entering the side door while the proprietor was sitting out in front. He left the same way. JJe also admitted having taken $lO from the till at the Wallace-Herath market on Aug. 12th, durmg the daytime while the proprietors were busy. An August 24th Wood told of having taken $lO at the Rensselaer Garage, and also having taken $lO on another occasion at the same place. He stated that he had never takrn the $21.14 which was missed at this place, indicating that he did not care to answer to any very large amounts. At the time that the 11c, was rung up Wood stated th&t John Shultz was running the place alone and was called outside to get some gasoline for a tourist, and it was while he was thus engaged that he took the money, after which he sat down in the bench outside the door and heard Shultz ask why 11c had been rung up. Wood stated that he had no connection with the hotel theft, or that he had never entered the Prior produce market or had stolen any whiskey from one of the local drug stores. It was with considerable difficulty that Mr. Sands was able to get the story from the prisoner. Mr. Sands told him that other innocent people had been suspected and that if he did not admit these things some innocent person would be called upon to answer for his crimes and this is thought to have been the prime reason for W*ood confessing. Following the talk with the officers the prisoner was in a much happier frame of mjwi and was laughing when they

Left. Asked if he wanted to talk to anyone, he replied in the affirmative and asked that Rev. Paul C. Cumick be serit to him, which was done, and ho also told Mr. Curoick his story just as he had tdld the officers. ! Upon leaving the jail Mr. Sands and Mrs. Critser went to the school house where Wood had told them he had hidden the money drawer from the Hamilton & Kellner safe. The drawer was found among some boxes and barrels at the northwest comer of the school building. The drawer was in two compartments and was made of tin sheeting. A small box was inside. A small sliding drawer, which had been used to hold the silver money was empty, and beneath it were the checks which had been -taken, amounting to about S2OO. Besides the checks there were some mortgage papers and a $1 bill which had been overlooked. ’ The papers had evidently not been touched and the officers are of the opinion that these were also overlooked. Tt is not known whether a burglary charge will be filed against Wood for bis entrance to the Hamilton & Kellner store or not. If Wood is sentenced on a petit larceny charge, the sentence will be for from one to seven years, while a grand Larceny charge is for from two to fourteen years. Judge Hanley was too much occupied with other cases this afternoon, to take up Wood’s ease, but stated that he thought Wood’s sentence would be made tomorrow.