SID HYPNOTIZED THE CALIFORNIANS

Denison Review – August 9, 1905

GREEN HYPNOTIZED THE CALIFORNIANS

Green's Hotel Most Popular Place in Winters

Officer McAhren Tells the Story of His Long and Fruitless Quest

Deputy U.S. Marshal W. J. McAhren returned last week after his fruitless quest for Green, the fugitive banker of Dow City. Mr. McAhren was deeply disappointed and chagrined at not getting his man, but he feels that both he and County Attorney Klinker did all they could to secure Green and to bring him back to justice.

“I got to Sacramento on the 29th,” said the U.S. Marshal, “and got the necessary papers just as soon as possible; was on hand when the office opened. As soon as I had my papers I called up Winters to tell them I was coming. It was then I got the first word that Green had gone. It fairly knocked the breath out of me. I did not know what to think. It was the worst $1.35 cents worth of time I ever spent. When I got out of the booth I said, 'Gee Whiz, are you going to charge a man for getting such news as that?'”

“Well, I went to Winters. There did not seem to be much use of it, but I thought I might get some track of Green. Winters is a town of about 1,000 on the main line of the Southern Pacific, about sixty or seventy miles from Sacramento. When I got there and saw Marshal Overhouse I felt like kicking him all around the town. Later, when I found out all about it I began to feel sorry for the man. He is an old man; was elected marshal last spring and was not onto his job like an old offer should have been. And besides this, Green had the whole town hypnotized. They are genuine Californians out there. If they like a man they like him all over; when they get down on him they want to hang him right away. The people were mad enough to have hanged Green had he been brought back.”

“It seems that a wealthy banker met Green in Berkeley, California. It seems to have been a case of love first sight, for the banker persuaded Green to go to Winters, supplied the money for him to move on and leased him the big eighty room hotel of the town for three years, with privilege of five years.”

Street Scene Berkeley, California

“As a hotel man Green was a success. In the three months he cleared from $200 to $300 per month. He was kindhearted, a good talker – everybody liked him. It was a prohibition town, and this was just what Sid said he wanted for the sake of his family.”

“It was a great church town and this was just what Green was looking for.”

“When the marshal received word to watch Sid Green he could not believe his senses; when the order came to arrest him the marshal had the whole town up in arms. The banker, the clergy, the leading citizens, protested against the outrage. Green said he was wanted as a witness in a civil case and that the criminal charge was only a ruse to get him back to Iowa. Believe him? They just fell over themselves to believe him. The banker said he would stake his last dollar on Green's honesty. And so it came about that Marshal Overhouse was over-persuaded and failed to do his duty, and let him go about the town just as he pleased.”

“Marshal Overhouse then produced an Affidavit sworn to by Maurice Natman of Yolo County, California that stated: “I, Geo. W. Overhouse on or about the 22nd day of July A.D., 1905, received of P.J. Klinker a letter and description of H.S. Green. On the 25th day of July I wired P.J. Klinker I had Green in jail, but I did not put him in jail or take any bond for his appearance as the prominent friends of Mr. Green over persuaded me to let him have his liberty, (which I did) as they requested. But on the 28th day of July he failed to appear, I then made diligent search for him on the 29th and have been unable to locate or find any trace of him up to date.'”

“I do not think the marshal was dishonest or that he accepted money. He was simply new to the office and had every confidence in Green, and, as he says, was 'over-persuaded' by Green's prominent friends. He was all broken up over the escape and did all he could to shut the barn door after it was too late.”

Here is the news dispatch to the Sacramento Union newspaper that tells the story of how Green made his get-a-way:

Winters, July 29 – Last Tuesday H.S., better known as “Sid”, Green was placed under arrest by the Town Marshal on a telegraphic request from the authorities at Dow City, Iowa.

Green was wanted for fraudulent banking. He was president of the Exchange Bank, which failed in April, 1904; he was also heavily interested in the Green Cattle Company, operating principally in Routt County, Colorado.

Green came to Winter thee months ago with good recommendations and was made manager of the principal hotel, changing its name to “Green's Hotel,” and with his family had become quite popular. When arrested the Town Marshal was advised to allow him his liberty, as Green immediately sent a dispatch to Dow City saying he would come back without any trouble on extradition papers.

Green's family had gone into the mountains about twelve miles the day he was arrested and since then he has been permitted to drive out to see them each day. Last night he went out as usual but failed to return and it is thought he drove to Elmira and took the train for the north.

Green protested his innocence of any wrong doing and said he was really wanted in Iowa as a witness in a civil suit but could not be compelled to go there but only by a criminal charge.

He was driven to some railroad point in the night by his fifteen year-old-son, who refuses to say where he left his father, and though the telegraph and telephone have been extensively used, no trace has been found of him.

The Dow City officers telephoned this morning from Sacramento that they had stopped off there to secure extradition papers, and, of course were non-plused on receipt of the news that their bird had flown. Evidently they took no stock in Green's promise to return voluntarily, or they would not have stopped for the papers with which to take him back as a prisoner.

Marshal Overhouse did all he could when it was too late to do anything. Here is one of the postals he sent out:

Arrest for Escape From Justice

H.S. Green, known as Sid Green, age about 45, height about 5 feet 10 inches, fair complexion, blue eyes, dark eyelashes, dark hair sprinkled with gray and that hair looks silvery, hands long and bony, high cheek bones, lips thick and quiver when he talks, weight about 155; had deep voice, talks rather loud. Wanted by County Attorney, Denison, Iowa. Arrest and wire.

McAhren continued, “But Sid had a big night's start of him, he could have been in Portland, or out to sea by that time. I stayed two days but saw the uselessness of staying longer or of spending a lot of money to catch my man when if he had escaped from California my papers would be no good.”

“I saw Mrs. Green, she is a lady as she always has been and I felt sorry for her. She was heart-broken over it all. While Green was there he was the most popular man in town but the minute he left and people found out the truth about him they were so mad they took their spite out on the family. Mrs. Green told me something of their life during the past year and it was pitiful. She said she had repeatedly urged Sid to give himself up and that when he heard they were after him he agreed that he would. She said she thought he meant it when he sent the dispatch saying he would come back when wanted but as the time grew nearer his resolution grew weaker and he ran away.”

“I hope we get him some time but the jig is up for the present. I feel, however, that Klinker did all he could and I do not know what more I could have done. After Overhouse wired that “your man is in jail” what could you think except that he was in jail.

It was as clear a case of 'three shell' game I ever saw worked and when we picked our shell Green was under the other one. No plans have been made for further efforts, but I think we will get Sid Green yet.”

To Be Continued: Barney Bedott Writes Again