The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-08-01
THE PLOT THICKENS.
Was County Treasurer DOran the Man
They We're After?
a Probability is That the Pacific Ez.
Press Was No. the First Intended
Victim Of tie Saturday
Night Robbery.
The plot thlckens.

case of the robbery of the Pacific express
wagon Saturday night: at least there IS
nothing new in the line of arrests.
A dozen different stories were told in
the streets yesterday but there was no
foundation for them 1t was reported
everywhere that the money was recovered
all but twenty cents III some cases and
seventy-five cents in others. 1t was also
said that two employees of the company
were arrested. This is not so. The two
employees of the company named, Messrs.
Jones and Hancher, were at their work as
usual all day yesterday.
A funny street incident took place in
connection with this phase OF the matter.
A crowd of men were discussing the
matter and all of them not only stated
that the two employees were arrested, but
they actually said they saw them arrested.
One man was so eager to display his
knowledge Of the affair that he was de-
scribing the way the boys were arrested
and especially the driver OF the wagon.
Jones was standing on the edge OF the
crowd and he cody informed the gentle
man who knew so much that be was the
driver of the wagon. The gentleman who
knew so much was bewildered and he
went up neighborlng alley and gave
himself good kicking for knowing SO
much, or rather so little. 1t is strange
how little regard the people have for the
reputation of fellow citizens. 1t is
not only strange but it is wrong. They
should remember that the reputation
OF workingmen of this class Is all
they.usually have and they should not rob
them of it without just grounds. The
police as well as the company'S detectives
are working on the matter and in few
days it is probable that the guilty parties
will be caught. A report was in circula-
ton last night that a negro was arrested
upon his arrival at Leavenworth yester-
day and that 800 was found in his posses
sion.
The exact amount Of the theft is s., COG 40
There is new feature to the robbery
which came to light yesterday and that is
whether robbing the express wagon wasor
was not the primary object of the thieves.
1t is not improbable that County Treasurer
John A. Doran was the intended victim of
the robbers. With reference to this an
EAGLE reporter CLEANED the following:
yesterday and If their source could be as
certained it may furnish good clue to the
solution of the mystery of the express
robbery. ''Pll tell you, said young man
to the EAGLE reporter, that Johnnie
Doran came within a hairs breadth of be-
ing robbed instead of the express wagon"
The observation was not noticed at the
time being but it came to MUD freely and
the more il was thought oe the more earn
est the desire to look into it became.
Every afternoon at 3 o'clock County
Treasurer Doran takes the receipts of his
Office for the day and deposits them in the
bank, as there is no vault in the court
house. Sometimes he comes down from
his office in the cars, but he walks most Of
the time for the benefit OF the exercise
There is not day but what he takes with
him in this trip all the way from
$1,000 to $4,000 On Saturday he had
a little over SO, 900. About $50 o'clock
stranger entered his office and proceeded
to examine a list of the tax sales posted on
the wall directly across from Mr.. Doran's
private Office. He remained there long
time, and was seen looking sideways at
Mr.. Doran frequently while he was making
up the money aud slowing it away about
him, preparatory to leaving for the bank.
Five minutes before the clock struck
Mr.. Doran left the court house by the west
entrance aud proceeded to the southwest
corner gate OF the court house lawn. He
turned his head around to see what time
it was by the court house clock, and as he
did so he saw the suspicious looking char
acter whom he had left in the office after
him, standing at the top OF the steps
leading to the court house and nod
ding ar man on the opposite
side of the street near Cones grocery.
When Mr.. Doran got to the street
he turned around again to see whether
there was Car in sight aud he saw the
man on the opposite side of the street. to
whom the other man nodded, Unhitchiny
a horse and buggy. He paid no attention
to this and no car being near he proceeded
down town taking the east sidewalk After
passing the street car barn be was famiI-
iarly huiled by stranger in a buggy as
follows:
Halo johnnie, are you going down
town ?"
II am" said Mr. Dsran.
Then get IN. replied the man in the
buggy and I'll take you down there fly
ing"
While be was addressed very Familiarity
yet Mr.. Doran was quite sure that be
never saw the man before and he became
suspicious. He didn't care about
himself, but lie was cautious about
the money aud be thanked his
strange friend. The latter became
persuasive and said II have something 10
tell you" This only served 70 arouse his
suspicious still farther and made him
more determined to be careful. just then
lone pedestrian came along and Mr..
Dorau made it poiut to hold a conversa-
tion with MIN until g car name along
The mau il the buggy also waited, but
vixen the care came along Mr.. Doraa hail
ei il and came down town IN that way.
He communicated his suspicious 10 Mr..
Skinner and the latter had a good laugh
over il and told John tEat be evidently
lost a'rnself vote By prefeyrinS ride ia
the Car to ride in the bnggT. Whether
he laughed JOAN out Of MS suspicious or
not Is not known, bat it is very sure that
Mr. Doran Game down town Saturday might:
with good trusty revolver 10 his pocket
He told the story thai ughr TO his grocery
maa and asser describing tse fellow ihe
grocery man turned pale A. exactly noon
that day the fellow described Was ia that
store and called for half poaGd CT cay
eune pepper. What do you wsaS 50 much
for this t.use OF the year was asked sna BE
replied that lie wanted 20 Kill potato
hugs. The grocerynIan didn't have thag
much pepper and his customer vast soge
where else Before Ns. D7raa w~at honi=
be heard oil tie express robbery, Aaa tAeu
ali the proceedings 81 the day came rush
fn- into his mind. Tie question nox Ii.