Indianapolis (IN) News
September 4, 1907
page 5

YOUTH FOLLOWS FATHER TO PRISON

Bedford, Indiana, September 4 – John Fritz and Hugh Atkinson, who confessed to robbing the Rainbolt Jewelry Store several weeks ago taking several hundred dollars' worth of rings, bracelets, etc., upon arraignment before Judge Wilson last evening, on a confession of guilt, were committed to the Indiana Reformatory at Jeffersonville under an indeterminate sentence ranging from one to fourteen years. The Fritz boy is a son of Nelson Fritz who was serving a life sentence for murder and who escaped some weeks ago and is still at large.

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AN UNFORTUNATE FAMILY

Four of the Staggses Have Been Accidentally Killed – Others Injured

Bedford, Indiana, September 4 – The funeral today of Charles Staggs, 16 years old, who was killed near Oolitic, calls to memory the many deaths from violence of the Staggs family that came here from Kentucky 15 years ago. Young Staggs was accidentally shot while hunting. Some years ago, William Staggs lost both legs in an accident at the Consolidated Stone Company's plant and died. Cal Staggs, a brother, was killed at the Hoosier Quarry near here, and John Staggs, also a brother, was dangerously injured five years ago near this city in a dynamite explosion while in the employ of a telephone company.

"Doc" Staggs, father of the boy buried today, died two weeks ago, and Ferd, a son, had a leg broken in a mining accident. Frank Staggs, another member of the family, killed a man named Dell Ross last Spring but was acquitted, the evidence showing he acted in self-defense. Only four members of the family are left. One sister of the Staggs boys dropped dead recently.

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HIS HAIR TURNS WHITE BECAUSE OF A KILLING

Enoch Cheek, Former Marshal of Mitchell, Regrets Shot that Killed Link Hegland

Bedford, Indiana, September 4-The case against Enoch Cheek, former marshal of Mitchell, indicted for manslaughter, has been dismissed in the circuit court on motion of the prosecuting attorney. While serving as marshal, he shot and killed Link Hegland, a Cincinnati man who was "bumming" his way West on a midnight train and who refused to submit to arrest by the marshal.

The latter had been apprised by a telegram from Seymour that four men supposed to be burglars were wanted in that city and had taken passage on the "blind baggage" of the St. Louis train and warned the marshal to take no chances, saying the men were heavily armed and dangerous.

Hegland refused to surrender, and Cheek shot and killed him. Cheek was tried during a former term of court, the jury disagreeing. The former marshal is now suing the B. & O. S. W. Railway Company for $20,000 damages alleging that it was through negligence and connivance of the company's operator that he killed Hegland. Prior to killing Hegland, the marshal's hair was black, and since then it has become almost white; due, it is said, to Cheek's regret over killing the wrong man.

Typed and donated by Randi Richardson.