Hanscomb Returned
Waupaca Republican
WILLIAM HANSCOMB
Brought In from
It seems that Sheriff Williams’
mission to
Hanscomb seemed to have lots of money the last winter he
was lumbering here, but he lost it gambling etc. Bronson claimed Hanscomb
owed him quite a good deal when he failed in fact there are numbers who claim
that Hanscomb got into them for quite a sum.
A
REPUBICAN reporter called on Hanscomb Tuesday. Deputy Safford pleasantly ushered us into the
hall leading to the lower corridor of the jail. The grated iron door was swung
back unlocked and we found Mr. Hanscomb really
enjoying the freedom of the house and not in the capacity of a criminal. He was looking well, and after exchanging the
usual how-do-you-do’s Hanscomb said: “You can say to those sensational newspapers
that I was never treated better than Mr. Williams has treated me. I don’t consider that I was arrested like a
criminal. He read the summons or charge
and I came right along. I never had a hand in killing Mead. I was up in the woods north of Iola that
night and drove down the following Monday with Abel Dufer. You can say in your paper that I got quite a
sum of money the February following the murder from one of the person now under
indictment, and I loaned $300 to D.C. Pavey, Ed
Bronson’s attorney of Stevens Point to go East with, I supposed at the time it
was in the interest of the clutch that Bemus, Dana and others were endeavoring
to push but afterward learned Pavey went east to
negotiate some government bonds. I
understand this Pavey is already corralled at
In
answer to why he left for the
Mr.
Hanscmb seemed to think that when the trial comes in
June there will be some sensational developments.
To
a Sentinel reporter W.S. Bemis, who was Hanscomb’s
partner in the lumber business in the winter of 92-3, said when asked if he
knew anything about the facts concerning the money Hanscomb
paid him. He said: “I am not doing any talking, but when the
proper times comes I will tell all I know. In anser to the
question if e knew where Hanscomb got the money he
paid him Mr. Bemis said: “Hanscomb did not pay me any money. I owed Ed Bronson at
that time about $800. Bronson took out
my account and paid me the balance $2,000 which was the amount I sold my share
of the lumber business for, and I gave them a bill of sale of my interest.
In regard
to the arrest, and the taking of Hanscomb to
Clintonville and
William Hanscomb formerly of this city,
who left here for the west about nine years ago under circumstances which
caused some sensation at the time, was in the city Sunday greeting all friends
and looking as natural as he did years ago. But Mr. Hanscomb
was in charge of the deputy sheriff of Waupaca county
and was looking for bail. And thereby
hangs an interesting tale. Hanscomb was arrested in the state of
Sheriff
Williams of Waupaca arrived in the city this afternoon and was interviewed by a
Northwestern reporter while taking a late dinner at the Tremont house. Mr. Williams was very courteous and willing
to give all the information about Hanscomb’s arrest
that was proper in view of the coming trial of the great Mead murder case. He said that a requisition for Hanscomb was placed in his hands by the district attorney
of Waupaca county, and that he went to
Sheriff
Williams says that Hanscomb did not talk much about
the case during the trip from the Pacific coast, although he did make the
remark that some of the parties to the Mead murder would get tuck this
time. He seemed to be well informed of
the events that had transpired in Waupaca since he left here nine years
ago. Mr. Williams frankly stated that he
was not at liberty to tell what the evidence was against Hanscomb
or what part in the drama he is alleged to have played, or what knowledge he
was supposed to possess. He said Hanscomb declared he could prove an alibi, that is, he
could prove that he was not in Waupaca on the night of the murder, but Mr.
Williams remarked that that did not help his case for he was not arrested as an
accessory in the act, but as accessory after the fact.
“You may not see the connection there is between some thing and Hanscomb’s arrest,” said Sheriff Williams, “but when you come to see the evidence in this case you will see where the links come in and how a good many things will be all changed about from what they now seem to be. The trial will begin on June 6th, and you can say that the prosecution will be ready for trial and will have some startling testimony to produce. Then you will see why a certain crowd has made all the opposition possible to the prosecution in this case, and names and facts will come out that will astonish the people, I tell you this is to be one of the most sensational and startling trials that ever took place in this country. Mr. Williams went on to say that the delays in this case had been the subject of much criticism and ridicule, but the fact was there were so many links to be forged in the chain of evidence and so many points to be covered, and so much caution required in the proceedings that it took a long time to get read and get all the different classes of evidence brought together. Mr. Williams said he was here today for the purpose of seeing certain arties who were to meet him here to confer in regard to further movements in this case, but of course he was not at liberty to disclose names or further information regarding it.