The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-08-16
K,TrERELL HERE.
He is Vow Playing n Frrneh Harp Joyfnlly in
the q unity Jail.

eSieru2y Is taken from Inc lines
John KittereiI, a negro. the man who
dld the actual work 10 the robbery OF
1900 from wagon of the United States
Express company at Wichita the Eight OF
July 20. was arrested in this cify yester
day. Three of the robbers had previously
been arrested in Wichita, and yesterdays
capture makes the roundup complete.
kitterell. like the others, has confessed.
He got about - 500 of the stolen money
1t was SO satisfactory that he never took
the trouble to count the exact amount
but all this, save few hundred spent in
riotouS way was stolen from him; ne
claims, in Chicago.
The story of the robbery is we'll known.
The express Office was telephoned to have
| It's wagon stop at n creamery on Its way TO
a certain train. When it reached au alley
near the creamery the robbery occurred.
| kitterell was the man who took the
money. His companions were Howard
Id. Greer OF Eldorado. a telegraph
operator, who telephoned To the
express Office to have the wagon
call at the place where it was robbed;
Arthur Hancner, the express messenger,
who planned the robbery and handed out
the money, aud j. 3. Beck, clerk in the
| Occidental hotel at Wichita, who, IL Is
| claimed. knew of the scheme and Was the
treasurer of the gang. Hancher, Greer
and Beck were arrested IN Wichita last
1
with $500. his share of the money, and
| his arrest here yesterday was alone due to
the police OF this city. He was penniless
when arrested and claims to have been
robbed in Chicago of over 1000 of the
booty by negro whom he took from this
city with him 20 see The worlds fair.
The day following the robbery the
plunder was divided aud hittrell left
| Wichita. He came to Argentine, where
| he stopped for week, but made daily
visits TO Kansas City. He spent money
freely and visited disreputaoie resorts.
/ He bought a bicycle for SloJ aud when he
left for Chicago IA week ago last night he
| took the machine with him.
| II had good time while my money
| lasted" said kittrell TO q Times reporter
who saw him in Jail yesterday afternoon.
! The robbery WAS committed on II Satur-
day night aud the following day l left. In
! Kansas City l met John Pin. a coIored fell
low had known while railroadiug iii len
nessee. He and were friends and took
him around with me. l didn't tell him OF
the robbery, nor did be know how much
money l had / bought two tickets over
the Santa t'e aud offered to pay all his ex-
| penses in Chicago. He. of course, went
| with me. We got there last Tuesday and
| stopped at 474 State street. had about
81 100 OF 81, 200 in my valise and left it in
the room. Wednesday l got little full
and was fourisbing the small roll had
with me. Pin induced me to give it to
him for safe-keeping. He did not know |
had any money in the valise, believe, but
ne shook me. When I got to my
room late that night the vaiise
was gone. Pin went there, got
it and drove away in cab. He left
Chicago right away. but where he went l
DON'T know. l reported the robbery at Que
of the Chicago police stations aud the
detectives there are looking for Pin. No:
they never suspected me. L told them
had saved the money from what earned.
They seemed to believe me, too. After.
ward l sold my bicycle in Chicago and
came TO Kansas City.
kittrell had been in town just half an
hour when arrested by Policemen Dayls,
Wilson and s. W. Nichols.
kttrell is only u years old. He had
been in Wichita tor four months before
the robbery and was second cook at the
Occidental hotel The description of him
sent ont by the Wichita authorities was
practically useless kittrell denied being
the man wanted when first arrested aud
stoutly maintained that he was innocent
until taken before Chief Speers. When
closely questioned by the chief, who saw
that he had the right man, broke down
and admitted his guilt.
II wasn't to blaIn," he said pleadingly.
"Hancher put up the job He worked III
a grocery store for some time and often
Came to the hotel where l worked. After
be had been with the express company
three weeks he asked if wanted to mel
in a job that would make US a good stake |
l knew he meant robbery and said didn't
know. He asked me to his room that
night and / went. He roolned at the Occi |
dental. Greer was in the room, and we |
talked over holding up Hancher's wagon. |
Haacher dire tied how 1t be done. We |
didn't decide on time for the robbery. |
la TAX p Hgp .,t
any one time up to then was $500 Next |
night he took GU: over 81, 900 and was sorry |
the robbery dltn't CONS Oft then. AboutS /
O'Clock the night OF the robbery 1 WAS |
in front of the hotel when Greer |
cine to me and said he had to do /
that little job right away. 1t was arranged |
that Greer should wear mask and have /
revolver to swing about as If ready to |
shoot He wasn't to do any more. l was !
TO grab the messenger and take his pistol. !
lie was to resist, but he didn't. Greer and !
did our part. After | got Hancher's |
revolver, he handed me the money pack |
age. The driver thought 1t was regular !
robbery, and didn't know the scheme"
Ali the money, save kitterell's share, has
been recovered. According TO kltterells |
story, Beck WAS not in the robbery until |
the SPOTS were divided.
Kittersll consented to return 20 Wichita
without requisltion. Sheriff Auit of
IN the city last night. He Will return
home today with the prisoner.
Sheriff AuiJ arrived in the city with
Kittereil last night aud locked him mp in
cell in the big county jill rotary at once.
Twenty minutes afterwards an EAGLE re-
porter called at Kitterell's cell and the
latter was playing lively air on a mag
nificent French harp which is the only
L. lnft ,lr s,ft Ill
of the s.. 800 he made in the robbery. He
was dancing on the iron floor Of the cell
to his own music, aud seemingly he was
the happiest man in Wichita.
well kitterelI, did you have good
timer" asked the reporter
"Git away white man." he replied, and
he rolled up the white of his big eyes and
emitted a loud guffaw. which he NEE MT to
indicate that he was stEctly ''in it" during
his absence.
"How much did you get for the bicycles"
Twenty FIVE dollars aud then as an ex-
cuse for his poor business qualifications
in selling bicycle at one-foarth its price,
he stated that ne rode IL out 10 Forty
second street one day and ruined it, Not.
however ill he gave some OF the dude
Chicago niggers pointer on putting on
style
The sheriff asked him how much money
be had IN the roll and he replied: IN
Tell YOU, Mr. Shelf, | had big wad, but
you fellows kept pushing me so hard that
never had time to count II. When |
kitterell arrived in Chicago ne immedi-
s,ely invested in a pair of paten. leather
shoes and swell plaid suit with squares
IS big as those in = common checker
He hos ne the sh0ex