SID GREEN MADE GET AWAY

The short article in the July 5, 1905 edition of the Denison Bulletin was taken seriously by P.J. Klinker, Crawford County Attorney. He contacted U.S. Marshal W. Jess McAhren and sent him to Winters, California to arrest Sid Green. Things didn't work out so well...

Denison Bulletin - August 2, 1905

Dow City's Former Banker Arrested in California

H.S. Green, former proprietor of the Exchange Bank of Dow City was arrested at Winters, California, last week. He was being held until Deputy U.S. Marshal W.J. McAhren of Denison could arrive there with extradition papers and take charge of him but he was released by the officers at Winters on his own parole while McAhren was enroute to Winters. The wily ex-banker made his escape and has not yet been located.

County Attorney Klinker and McAhren had been quietly at work on the Green case for some time and had finally succeeded through Dow City parties in locating him. Letters and communications to friends and relatives caused it to be known that Green was at Winters. A letter with a picture of Green was sent out there to the officers, explaining why he was wanted and asking if the man was there. A telegram was received from the Winters officers a week ago last Saturday that Green indeed was there. The county attorney then at once set about to get extradition papers to bring him back, and applied to Governor Cummins for the necessary documents which came to Denison on the following Tuesday. Upon their arrival the attorney wired the Winters officials to arrest Green and hold him. They did so and wired back that they had him.

When it was certain Green was arrested McAhren prepared at once to start on the long trip west and the officers at Winters were wired that an officer with extradition papers would start on the first available train and for them to hold Green until he got there.

At about this time County Attorney Klinker got a telegram from from Green himself which said: “I will come without extradition papers any time you send for me.” McAhren took no chances, however, and went with his papers at once to Sacramento, California, to see the governor and secure the custody of Green, and it was while he was at Sacramento last Saturday that the telegram was received here which stated that Green had broken his parole and escaped.

McAhren, of course, went on to Winters, not knowing of Green's escape until he got there, and then he was “up in the air.” He tried several days to locate Green, and in reply to an inquiry from County Attorney Klinker wired back that Green had gotten away and could not locate him, and wanting to know what to do. The attorney wired back for him to use his own judgment, and it is presumed that McAhren is now looking for Green.

That is the story of the affair as it appears on its face. That Green has someone in Crawford County who is well posted on what is going on in his case, and is keeping Green well informed, there can be no doubt. Who it is, is hard to say, but it is concluded by everybody that whoever it is sent word to Green that McAhren was on the road and for him to get away. Green evidently wheedled the Winters officer into believing that he was not guilty of anything wrong, that he would be glad to come back here and answer, and then sent his telegram to throw them off their guard. They then probably paroled him on is own word, and then it was that Green made his get away.

Where he has gone to is uncertain. It was suspected by the Winters officers that he had skipped to Portland, Oregon, but that is indefinite. Green knows the western country like a book. He has many and good friends everywhere in the hills and mountains of the desert from Nebraska to the coast. He can find a thousand secluded places to hang up his hat and the shrewdest sleuth in the country would spend years before finding him. Through his own family, however, he many be again located, but if he is scared enough to work such tricks on the officials to get away, we do not expect to ever see him in Denison.

Main Street - Winters, California

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Denison Review – August 16, 1905

A LETTER FROM GREEN

Written to County Attorney Klinker from British Columbia

by the Fugitive Banker

Dear Sir -

You will no doubt be surprised to hear from me, but I wished to write you a few lines. First, in regard to the Officer at Winters that let me go; it was not fault of his, it was all of the best people of the town that insisted that I should have liberty to go where I please, and no compensation of any kind was ever offered him.

Second: - I had about come to the conclusion that there were no indictments against me and I was getting started in a hotel and was making no secret of where I was located and thought with hard work of myself and family I would be able in time at least to pay all the poorer depositors and one of the objects of living is that I may sometime get enough money together that I can pay every cent that I justly owe, and and how can I possibly do anything in that line if I am on trial and locked up. God only knows what the verdict of a jury would be, but I know that I did all mortal man could do, as I thought to protect everyone that I was indebted to, and I thought in any case of failure that my assets would more than pay all liabilities, but I had no idea how things would shrink in value in a Receiver's hands. For instance a thousand acres of land in Western Nebraska that I could have sold for Twenty-Five Thousand Dollars, and I do not think could be bought for that today, sold by the Receiver for Fifteen Thousand Dollars and other pieces of property in proportion, only worse. I suppose the Receiver did as well as he could, for everybody tries to buy property forced on the market at half price.

One more thought and I am through: I do not see any reason in justice why the law should pursue me. (Remember I am not fining any fault with your actions to have me arrested as you are only fulfilling the duties of your office in accordance with the law.) The only thing I counted is why anyone should want me locked up if they could have me. Do they think I am dangerous or do they want to punish me.

I have had all the punishment that mortal man could bear without committing suicide and my wife and family have gone through untold mental agony. Now I am separated from my wife and family and no one knows when I will see them again. I would not care for myself, but all efforts to punish me react on my wife and children. I have often wished that the law was changed so that wen a man failed he would be shot or killed by the officers of the law. For that is one thing I am not afraid of and that is to die, for then a person will go before the Supreme God who will judge our acts in accordance with the spirit in which they were done.

I suppose the best thing for me to do now is to go to some country like Alaska and see if I can retrieve my financial strength so that I will be able to support my family and if possible make enough so that I can commence paying up on my old indebtedness to depositors.

I have no doubt with the Lord on my side that in a few years I will at least be able to send some money to some widow depositors like Mrs. Jenkins and Mrs. Hammond.

With regards to all and enmity against no one in this world, I remain,

Yours truly,

Sid Green