His lawyer demanded an immediate trial, but Detective Wooldridge secured a two-day continuance to bring witnesses from Chicago to prove the identity of Bell. This so enraged the attorney that he turned upon Wooldridge and informed him that he would again free Bell and even offered to bet $200.
He further stated that he had asked Governor Folk not to grant requisition papers for his client. Detective Wooldridge replied, "Do you remember Admiral George Dewey at Manila Bay who told Captain Gridley to fire when he got ready?"
Wooldridge further told him he didn't care any more for him than the dew that dropped on the jackass' mane. Wooldridge told the attorney that Bell had defrauded over two hundred working girls in Chicago, Illinois, and that the Cook County grand jury had investigated the matter, and returned five indictments against Bell, and the Honorable Charles S. Deneen, Governor of the State of Illinois, had caused to be issued requisition papers for the arrest and apprehension of J. H. Bell, and he had made Detective Wooldridge a special messenger to go to St. Louis, Mo., and bring Bell to Chicago where he could be placed on trial to answer to the indictments that had been brought against him.
Detective Wooldridge stated that he had come three hundred miles to perform that mission and he intended that Bell should return to Chicago with him.
The attorney replied "he hardly thought the Honorable Governor Folk of Missouri would grant requisition papers on Bell."
Detective Wooldridge told the attorney that he came for J. H. Bell and was fully determined to take him back to Illinois to stand trial and that he would cross the bridges as he came to them and burn them behind him. He told Bell's attorney if the Honorable Governor Folk refused to grant the first requisition papers, he would try on each of the other indictments asking for requisition papers.
If this failed there was five forfeited bonds by which Bell could be brought back to the State of Illinois on extradition papers.
If all this failed he had made arrangements to have him brought back by the strong arm of the United States Government, through an Inspector of Mails and United States Deputy Marshal for using the mails for fraudulent purposes.
Wooldridge called up John M. Collins, General Superintendent of Police, Chicago, Ill., by the long distance telephone and requested the second set of requisition papers, certified copies of the five forfeited bonds, and that the bondsman be sent to St. Louis at once, which was done.
Thirty minutes after he left Bell's angry attorney, Wooldridge was aboard a Missouri Pacific fast train, bound for Jefferson City, Mo., to see Honorable Jos. Folk and lay before him the reason why requisition papers should be granted. Arriving at Jefferson City at 10 P. M., the following morning (which was Sunday morning) he made a demand upon Jailer Dawson for the body of Bell. Jailer Dawson referred him to Judge Sale. Wooldridge found Judge Sale at his home, who, after examining his papers, found them all right and ordered the jailer to turn over Bell to Detective Clifton R. Wooldridge.