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Henry Olson was convicted of the murder of gas station attendant Floyd Stotler.  The murder occurred during an attempted robbery of the Hart Oil Station at the corner of Broadway and Kishwaukee Streets in Rockford, Illinois.  Floyd's father, Orville, was the only eyewitness.  Despite the fact that the two perpetrators wore masks, Orville positively identified Olson as the bandit who shot his son.  This identification was the only evidence connecting Olson to the murder.

At trial, Olson presented twelve alibi witnesses.  While most of these were family members and not every witness claimed to have seen Olson at the exact time of the crime, still the alibi was quite credible.  Nevertheless, six of twelve jurors favored convicting Olson, resulting in a mistrial.  On retrial, with much the same evidence, Olson was convicted.

Despite the verdict, the judge, evidencing his doubt of Olson's guilt, allowed him to remain free on $10,000 bond, pending appeal.  Soon afterwards, Olson and his wife disappeared from the community.  They had driven to Chicago and telegraphed family members to come for their car.  A nationwide search for the pair proved unsuccessful.  According to many, Olson's flight was considered an admission of guilt, and there were rumors that Olson's wife was the second bandit in the gas station holdup.

Meanwhile, Olson's attorney continued his efforts to clear his client.  He got a lead from a physician, who reported that a family maidservant had stated that Olson was not guilty.  When police questioned her, she denied making the statement.  Later, after she was taken in for further questioning, she admitted making the statement and said her boyfriend, Maurice Mahan, had boasted to her that he and his chum, George Bliss, had held up the gas station, and that Bliss had done the shooting.  When Mahan and Bliss were picked up, they were questioned separately and each eventually confessed, giving identical details.  They both pleaded guilty to the crime.

Efforts were made to locate Olson and his wife through press and radio to give them the good news, with a message to return home.  After some weeks Olson, then in New Orleans, saw a notice in a newspaper.  After contacting his attorney to confirm the news was true, Olson and his wife returned to Rockford.  Olson faced a third trial, but was acquitted in Mar. 1928.  (CTI)  [11/07]

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