Rensselaer Republican, Volume 17, Number 38, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 May 1885 — The Monon Robbery. [ARTICLE]

The Monon Robbery.

The following facts regarding Chambers, the probable perpetrator of the remarkable and atrocious robbery L-, N. A. & C. road are compiled maiujy from the Infiianapolis Journal and the Lafayette Journal: r * The bulk of credit for the capture of the Monon express robber, Chesley Chambers, belongs to Col. G. W. Friedly, the solicitor of the road, whose clever and indefatigable work unearthed the first clue. The story, coming from the Colonel’s own lips, is of peculiar interest. To a Lafayette Journal reporter, Col. i'riedly briefly narrated the circumstances, giving a number not hitherto published. Said he: “The day after the robbery Chambers was found with a bruise on the side ot his hand from which I thought the blood along the track of the robber might have floWed, but his neighbors said he was of good character and did not believe it possible that he was guilty. , ‘-Still I thought it best to have him watched and it soon transpired that he was spending too much money. After Wright had been arrested we determined to subpoena Chambers as a Witness for the State so as to get him to Bloomington when baggage master Webber could see him. Webber was placetLiu.. the parlor of the hotel with two or three others and then 1 sent tor Chambers, do come there that I might talk to him as a witness against Wright, “When he come he did not expect to see Webber nor did* Webber know th.it’ we suspected Chambers. “As' soon as Chambers' cnnie in he recognized Webber and became pale and excite;!. I talked to him about. Wright some time ami sent him away and then Webber told me that lie w-is the robber and I caused him to be arrested. He gave bail in five thousand dollars after I had left Bloomington While he was giving bail I had Iris house searched and secured valuable evidence. On Saturday Chambers left home and it was thought he he.d fled, and another affidavit was filed against him for assault with intent to kill Davis, the other having been for assault and battery With intent to kill Webber. He was found at Sunday school and arrested. He was taken to Bloomington j-til, where he remained until Monday aftornooii, when The appeared ben to the mayor on the second charge. His attorneys said they would waive exainination dh’both charges, and asked for bail as Tight As possible. For assaulting Webber the bond was fixed at •35,000, and for the Davis matter a $15,000 bond was required. Within a a hour all but $1,80') of his bond hid been signed, and to give time to secure this, court adjourned until Monday evening. About 8:S0 o’clock the last amount was furnished and the prisoner released, THE PRISONER*. Chesley Chambers is thirty years of age, of stalwart frame,•something above medium height, of light complexion, and phlegmatic temperament. . 'His physiognomy is a singularity. If seen in a crowd, without an observer having any previous knowledge of the man, he would be taken as an ordinary countryman, one content to drudge, save his money and taxe but few pleasures. At rustic gatherings one would think of him as deficient in self-confidence; that he would linger in an outside circle while the inner took all the enjoyment. But there is a lowering of brow over dark gray eyes, high cheek bones and extraordinary width between them, with the lower facial angles dropping sharply to a narrow chin, to mark him for easy rememberance. He is slow in speech, measures his words, and is not plentiful ih them. Secretiveness is stamped upon his face, and it would take endless questioning to gather anything from him. His is the character to do evil deeds, as well as good, alone. Perhaps a large selfishness enters into this feature, and if he committed the Monon robbery, it was eithef'tear of accomplices breaking faith or selfishness that moved him to undertake the task single handed. Cliambers'has been a member of the church for nine years, and was never suspected of anything that would taint his religions character. He dressed well, farmed and dealt in stock. One winter., some years ago. he spent in Kansas as a herder of stock. Since then he has lived in Union county, buying and selling cattle, helping his father oh the farm and doing a turn for a neighbor now and then. Little by little come items to the public showing that if Chambers is not a robber he is wearing $ saint’s mask: About a year ago he had a lot of circulars printed, offering to sell certain medicines ot a questionable character. It is charged that parties sent aim money aad he failed to give value received, 4 1 They': complained to the poetoffice department, and Chambers

figures on the fraud list. In the‘search made at his home several empty whiskey flasks were found, and in addition to this, he, it is said would secretly visit saldons. Among, his traps was round a written advertisement offering a dozen pictures of questionable character, bordering on the obscene, for so much money, and h 8 meets this point by saying fie never did any business in that way except in trying to sell campaign books last fall for a Chicago house. He also said: “I take a drink whenever I want it, but I have never allowed whisky to master me.”

A SEARCH WARRANT. Friday night Marshal Reu Snlith and his deputy, Frank Dobson, having the necessary warrant, went but to Hezekiah Chamber’s, father of the accused, to search for evidence. In Chesley’s room they found two suits of clothing, one of dark gray jeans, and another of dark color, the fading of which had reduced it to a dirty brown. Said Webber in describing the dress of the man who attacked him, ‘ he had cn either a dark gray jeans or a dirty brown suit.” The pants of the latter suit had a leg torn about the knee. This suit was discovered only by accident. It had been stowed away in the back part of a closet. A locked, and to whigh no key could be found, had to be broken open, and in it $133 in bills were discovered. “The bills showed the marks of stitching common to ffioney, that has pissed, through an express transfer.” said the marshal. “The bills were in a bundie, .stitched* together,” said Colonel Friedly to a gentleman who talked with the reporter. An express envelope Was also found. -... Chambers will hold out to Hie last, and it is only ecrfivictibn that can bring him to confess. He will hardly do it then, for he is sparing in words and keeps his own counsel. . The State at the trial in September wiil be represented by Joseph B. Henley and Wm. P. Rogers, the railroad an.J the express company by Colonel George W. Friedley and Major E. K. Millan . Chambers has retained Hon. John W. Buskirk, Eist& East, R. A. Falk and James Morgan to defend him. A romantic young waiter girl at* a hotel in Ontario came near losing her life the other day by trying a foolish experiment. She had heard an old saying that any girl who swallowed a raw clucken’s heart would have for a husband the first male person she shook hands with, aud believing the proverb, attempted to swallow a raw chicken’s heart, but Tho heart stuck in her throat and would not move either way, down or up. A doctor was called in and arrived only in season to save the deluded girl from an untimely death by choking. The witnesses in the cases of the Travelers’ Insurance Co. versus Ak Si Dent Al Inju-re in this bailiwick, are all well known nnd among us. They comprise merchants, mechanics,’ farmers, physicians, laborers, cattle dealers, clerks, rail road employees and druggists. More than 50 cases have already been tried and disposed of, upon ex parte evidence, with the company’s agents for judge and jurymen. In every case the claimant has been awarded" and paid the full amount of his or her claim. It will surprise many that these claim’s, paid at Rensselaer, aggregate thousands of dollars. The money has been paid to the injured, except in one case, it was paid to his widow. The names of claimants and the amount received by each are recorded in a book for that purpose, and open to the inspection of the public. It demonstrates the wisdom of accident insurance, which can be bought in any quantity to suit the purchaser, at the Loan and Insurance Bureau. Frank W. Babcock, Agent.