Contextualizing the Fred Clancy Wanted Poster

This exhibit is designed to provide further context for one of the items on display in the Barco Law Library Gallery. We recognize that the materials within our collections, including this poster, may contain language or imagery that reflect offensive and objectionable perspectives from the time period they represent. The Barco Law Library does not support or condone these harmful ideas, and our work is committed to addressing their historical context with sensitivity and care, providing essential context to the narrative. We acknowledge that our collections may include content that is harmful or triggering, and we are actively working to reassess our collections to better reflect and address the offensive terminology and ideas present to provide transparency and context. We are dedicated to anti-oppressive practices and are making reparative changes to uphold our values of inclusion, diversity, equity, belonging, and accessibility.

This historical narrative contains descriptions of violence and murder. By using primary sources from the era, this exhibit aims to offer a broader understanding of these events.  If you come across unaddressed harmful or offensive language in our collections, please contact us at barcoref@pitt.edu."

The Clancy

This wanted poster was circulated widely in Idaho, Oregon, and Washinton in early 1916. Fred Clancy (possibly not his real name) was pursued by the Idaho Sheriff C.W. Leaf as a suspect in the murder of Benewah County farmer Oscar Olson, missing since November of 1915. The story of Leaf’s pursuit of Clancy and the search for Olson’s body plays out in Northern Idaho newspapers from 1915 to 1916. The following excerpts come from The Record (Benewah County), The Rathdrum Tribune (Kootenai County), and The Bonner’s Ferry Herald (Boundary County) all located in the Idaho Panhandle near the Washinton and Canadian borders. The bounty on Clancy was increased to $700 on February 25, 1916 and increased again to $1,000 on March 3, 1916. Despite Leaf’s apprehension and interrogation of several suspects, Clancy was never located. Oscar Olson’s body was eventually found buried beneath a woodshed on his farm in April of 1916.

The Benewah newspaper The Record published the the following article on January 7th, 1906, around two months after Olson went missing:

"The people of Fernwood, as well as his relatives, are exercised over the disappearance of Oscar Olson, a well to do farmer, owning a fine ranch on the St. Maries river above Fernwood. The exact time of Olson‘s disappearance is unknown. The last that was seen of him in Fernwood or vicinity, it was in the latter part of November, when he left there for the city. He and his mother had a suit in the district court, which was to have been tried here at the fall term of court, which met 15 November, and both he and his mother are known to have been here shortly after that time. The case was finally continued for the term and his mother went to Seattle to spend the winter. It is stop by some of Olson‘s friends in the city that they remember of him being here as late as December 5, but they are not sure of it. He usually stopped at the Midway hotel while in the city is the last time his name appears upon the register there is Nov. 17. Olson had a man on his ranch looking after it so his relatives and friends around Fernwood and Clarkia thought nothing of his absence until one day in the latter part of December the man who was taking care of his ranch, appeared at Clarkia with a check of $120 per reporting to have been signed by Olson in which he tried to get cashed. He took the check to McGuire and Baumgarnier and asked them to cash it. They had cashed Olson‘s checks before but there was something peculiar about this one and they called in Millville Roberts, a brother-in-law of Olson, who lives at Clarkia, and showed the check to him. Robert said that although the signature resembled Olson, it certainly was not his writing on the body of the check and they refused to cash it. The man took the check away from him and a few days later left the ranch without saying anything to anybody and his whereabouts are unknown. The check incident said Olson‘s friends and neighbors to talking about him and they remembered that he had not been seen since the middle of November and his brother-in-law started inquiries about him. Sheriff Leaf was communicated with an inquiries were set on foot and regard to the check. The Exchange bank of Spokane, upon which it had been drawn, reported that it had not been presented there for payment. A telegram was sent to Mr. Olson‘s mother in Seattle asking her if she knew anything as to her son's whereabouts, but no reply had been received up to yesterday morning, which timeshare leaf left for the Fernwood and Clarkia to prosecute a search for the missing man in that locality. Olson was between 35 and 40 years of age and was quiet and sober. He always carried considerable money on his person and his friends fear foul play. Sheriff Leaf returned last evening from his visit to the Olson Ranch, and although he did not find the body, he discovered evidence convinced him that not only Olson had been murdered, but that the dude had been committed at the ranch. The vetting from one of the beds had all been removed, leaving only the mattress in upon turning this over he found a large blood stand up upon it. He believes that Olson was killed while asleep and that body was afterwards disposed of in some manner. A search of the house revealed that impact that was since papers, including the deed to the ranch, had disappeared. Another thing that points almost conclusively to the fact that something had happened to Olson is the fact that his taxes were allowed to go delinquent, something he had never permitted to happen before. He is known to have plenty of money to pay taxes, and there is no reason why he should allow them to become delinquent. From the additional facts gathered by the sheriff, it appears that Clancy is the guilty party and Deputy Sheriff Toohey is absent now seeking some trace of him. Mrs. Olson, mother of the missing man, has arrived from Seattle and is almost frustrated with grief."

Four days later, The Record updated the story that no new leads have emerged in the disappearance of Oscar Olson, but suspicions strongly point to Fred Clancy, who had been in charge of Olson's ranch and is believed to have forged and cashed several of Olson's checks before disappearing:

"There are no new developments in the matter of the disappearance of Oscar Olson. No further trace of him has been discovered and the opinion has become more fixed among relatives and friends that he has been foully dealt with. The general belief is that he has been killed and his body hid. There is no means of knowing where this was done or where to search for the remains. A thorough search will be made around his ranch and in that neighborhood but his friends have little hope of finding any trace of him there as he was not seen in that vicinity, so far as is known, after he left for this city to attend district court. Suspicion points strongly to Fred Clancy, the man whom he left in charge of his ranch, as being the party who made away with Olson. Not only did he disappear immediately after he failed to get a $120.00 check, purporting to be signed by Olson, cashed, but further investigation shows that prior to that time he succeeded in cashing four checks purporting to be signed by Olson, amounting in all to between three and four hundred dollars. Friends of Olson who were well acquainted with his handwriting, who have seen these checks, are of the opinion that Olson's signature to them was forged. This is also the conclusion of an expert to whom the checks were submitted. This fact, coupled with his disappearance immediately after his failure to get the last check cashed, makes a strong circumstantial case against Clancy. The case against him is so strong that Sheriff Leaf is taking steps to try and apprehend him and went to Spokane Saturday to try and get some trace of him. Chancy is a comparative stranger in this vicinity and very little is known of him or where he had previously resided. He came to Olson's last fall and according to the story he told, was from British Columbia, where he had been engaged in prospecting, and this is all that appears to be known of him. Besides trying to locate the arrest Clancy, a thorough search of the Olson's ranch and vicinity will be made to try and find the body and this seems about all that can be done in the matter as all efforts to get any trace of Olson after he was seen in this city have failed."

The following day on January 12th, the wanted poster was issued.

The Record reports on Friday, January 14th that authorities are actively searching for murder suspect Fred Clancy, offering a $400 reward for his capture, while Olson's family assists in the investigation:

"Now that it has become certain that Oscar Olson was murdered, the interest in the case becomes more intense. The authorities are convinced that he was made way with by Fred Clancy, the man who was working on Olson’s ranch, and bending all their energies to locate and apprehend Clancy. The board of county commissioners has authorize sheriff relief to offer a reward of $200 for the apprehension and delivery of Clancy to the authorities. Here in relatives of Olson have offered a like some for the same purpose, making a total of $400 reward for his arrest. The last trace which has been obtained if Clancy was in Spokane about December 6. He had a blue suit of clothes and a black overcoat belong to Olson which he had cleaned and pressed. After the work of cleaning and completed, asked him to put the clothes on, but he refused, saying they did not fit him very well. he is described as being about 6 feet tall, slim, slightly stooping, and weighing about 163 pounds. Has light hair and a small dark scar under his left eye. He was wearing a black hat and cheap gray coat and pants, which did not match. she said to have Spokane in northern for the west on the evening of December 6th. Mrs. Olson and Henry Olson mother and brother of the something man are here from Seattle for the purpose ?? the purpose of assisting in the search for his body and (illegible) distance of the St. Maries River into which the body might have been thrown. A man was arrested at Walla Walla, Wednesday, who answered someone to this subscription of Clancy and Olson went to that city to identify him. It was found, however that he was not Clancy and he was just charged."

The Record reports on Friday, January 21 on the sheriff efforts to arrest a suspect matching Clancy's description, while local searches continue for Olson's body without success:

"Effort being made by the sheriff in the reward offered by the commissioners and relatives for the apprehension of Fred Clancy, who has thought to be guilty of the murder of Oscar Olson, who disappeared the latter part of November, seem to be meeting with success. Tuesday evening, the sheriff received the telegraph from Sheriff Crenshaw of Tillamook, Oregon, stating that he had arrested and was holding a man who answered to the description of Clancy. Every point about the man to the minutest answered the description of Clancy and the Tilla sheriff think he has the right man. Sheriff answered the telegram, requesting that sheriff there to have photographs taken of his man to send them on here. He also stated that if necessary man would be sent from here who could positively identified Clancy and the man being held sheriff is now awaiting a reply to his telegram and photographs of the man being held, and no one will be sent to see the party until these have been received. Further surge has been made on the Olson’s premises near Fernwood, but no trace of Olson’s body has been found."

Same issue shows a notice that local government approved funds for capture of Clancy:

The Rathdrum Tribune reports on Friday, January 21 that foul play is suspected:

"Oscar Olson, a rancher living on a farm on the St. Maries river in Benewah county disappeared under circumstances indicate foul play. His bank account was found to be reduced by some $300. Handwriting experts decided that part of the signatures to his check were forgeries."

The Record reports on Tuesday, January 24th, that there is discord on the suspect's likeness to Clancy:

"Sheriff Crenshaw of Tillamook, Oregon, has forwarded the photographs which she had taken of the man who he has under arrest, Fred Clancy, wonder for the murder of Oscar Olson, to sheriff Leaf and they were received Saturday. Leap was not acquainted with Clancy, but the pictures were submitted to a number of persons who had seen Clancy. Somewhere positive that the man was Clancy, while others were thought not. They all agreed that there is a stronger resemblance in the build, height, and the way he wears his hair, but some sure that the features were not those of Clancy. Henry Olson, Melville, Roberts, brother-in-law Olson, and his son were among those who did not believe the pictures to be of Clancy, although they all stated that they were a striking resemblance and the description given by sheriff Crenshaw of the man under arrest fits Clancy absolutely, even to the scar on his face and the injured finger. After talking with the various parties, Sheriff Leaf decided to take the photographs to Spokane, where there are several men who had known Clancy for years and submit the photographs to them. It was his intention, then, if the photographs were identified as being Clancy to go to Tillamook and bring him back. No word has been received from Leaf since he had left here, but it is known that he left Spokane Sunday for Portland and it is presume that he is convinced that the suspect is Clancy and will bring him back."

The Record reports on two related items in the Feb 4 paper: on Friday, February 4th, 1916,:

"The board took under consideration the matter of offering a reward for the apprehension and arrest of Fred Clancy, suspected of the murder of Oscar Olson, at which time upon motion duty made, presented and carried, it was ordered as follows: that the board here by appropriates, out of the current expense fund of Benawah county, the sum of $200 as a reward for the apprehension, arrest, and delivery to the sheriff of this county of one, Fred Clancy, who is a fugitive from Justice from this county and who is suspected of the murder of Oscar Olson;"

"The sheriff's office has received word from Spirit Lake that a man thought to be Fred Clancy has been arrested and is being held until the officers here could arrive. Deputy Sheriff Toohey left Wednesday for that place to bring the party back. Should he prove to be Clancy. Mr. Toohey returned Thursday vending and reported that the suspect was not Clancy. He stated that the man answered the description every particular, Mr. Toohey was sure from talking with people who had seen the Spirit Lake man that he was Clancy and was much disappointed over the outcome of his trip. Clancy is wanted here for the murder of Oscar Olson and there is a reward of $400 offered for his arrest and delivery to the sheriff of this county.

The Record on Tuesday, February 28 reports that Sheriff Leaf returned from Tillamook, Oregon, without the suspect, discovering the man held there was not Fred Clancy:

"Sheriff Leaf returned Saturday, from Tillamook, Oregon, where he went to get the man suspected to being Clancy, wanted for the murder of Oscar Olson. upon his arrival at Tillamook, he found that the man being held was not Clancy so he returned without him. He stated that he was at a loss to know how the report came to appear in the Spokesman-Review that he was bringing the man back with him. He had not talked with a reporter while on this trip this failure had not caused any relaxation in the efforts of the officers to locate Clancy. The sheriff had discovered that Clancy had a number of friends in Spokane, and that after leaving the ranch he spent several days there. An effort of is being made to locate all of those that knew him, and with whom he was during, this time, with the hope that he might have discussed his plans with some of them and mentioned where he intended to go and get a line on his movements. Meanwhile, I’ll descriptions of the may are being sent to police officers all over the country with the request that they keep a lookout for him, and it is very probable that some of these will have the desired effect and will result in his capture."

The Record on Friday February 18, 1916:

"Two of considerable importance have just been brought before the probate side of Judge Coleman court. Mrs. Mary Olson, mother of Oscar Olson, who disappeared from his ranch and the latter part of November, and who is believed to have been murdered, has applied to the probate court of this county to be appointed administratrix of his estate."

The Record reports on Friday, February 25 that the reward increased to $700 and again on Friday, March 3 to $1000:

"Mrs. Olson, mother of Oscar Olson, who is supposed to have been murdered last December, has announced that she will give an additional $300 reward for the rest of Fred Clancy, the man who is supposed to have committed murder. This makes a total of $700 reward offered for the apprehension of Clancy, the county having offered $200 and Mrs. Olson 500. It would seem that with this reward as an incentive for the officers, it would be impossible for Clancy to escape arrest for any great length of time no matter where he may."

"The board of County commissioners, at its meeting last week, increase the reward which it will pay for the apprehension of Fred Clancy, wanted for the use suspected murder of all Oscar Olson. At a previous meeting, the commissioners have offered a report of $200 for his arrest. They have now increased the amount to $500. This, with the $500 reward offered by the relatives of Olson, makes a total of $1000 that will be paid to anyone arresting Clancy and turning him over to the sheriff of this county. So far no trace of him have been found, but it is probable that with a reward of the size as an inducement, the officers will succeed in locating him."

The Record reports on the reward increase approved by county commissioners (masthead undated, likely mid-March 1916):

"At the time of resignation of CA Thomasson, as constable of decimate precinct that was considered and accepted. At the time it having been shown that the heres of Oscar Olson had increased the reward $300 for the arrest of Fred Clancy, posted murder of Oscar Olson, it was moved Dooley second and carried that this county raised the reward $300, and the auditor is here by order to draw a warrant upon current expense fund for the sum of $500 upon the arrest of Fred Clancy, so reward to be paid up upon the order of the sheriff of this county."

Then, The Record reported no success in finding Olson's body amid heavy snow on Friday, March 24:

"M. R. Roberts, brother-in-law of Oscar Olson, was in the city yesterday and today. He states that although there is still considerable snow in the vicinity of the Olson Ranch, he has been prosecuting a vigorous search for the body of Mr. Olson but so far without success. He states that no trace has been found on the handsled which it is believes Clancy used in disposing the body. He does not believe that the body will be found near the house, but thanks that a team was used disposing of it. A team could be driven a long distance into the woods, the body put on the handled and taken into one side of the trail and buried. The fact that Clancy came back to the ranch after once, leaving indicates to him that he had no fear of the body being discovered for sometime at least. As soon as the snow in the woods goes off, the search for the body will be resumed and will be made very thoroughly."

Finally, the body of Olsen was found. The Rathdrum Tribune and The Bonners Ferry Herald both reported the following on Friday, April 21, 1916, referring to Olson as “Arthur” rather than Oscar:

"The body of Arthur Olson, the Fernwood rancher, who was suspected to have been murdered at Fernwood. In December, 1915, was found buried in his woodshed April 14. The body was buried about three feet deep in a corner of the woodshed, and the grave was covered with chips and wood to prevent detection. Fred Clancy, Olson’s hired man, left soon after Olson’s disappearance and a reward of $1000 has been offered for his arrest. The body of Arthur Olson, the Fernwood rancer, who was supposed to have been murdered at Fernwood in December, 1915, was found buried in his woodshed Saturday. The body was buried about three feet deep in a cornor of the woodshed, and the grave was covered with chips and wood to prevent detection. Fred Clancy, Olson’s hired man, left soon after Olson’s disappearance and a reward of $1000 has been offered for his arrest."