The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-09-17
ROB STANSFIELD'S STORE.
Four Young Men Break Iu in Search OF
Liquor.

Liquor.
Four Topeka young men have got
themselves into grave trouble. They en-
tered Stanstieids drug store at 632 Kan
sas avenue Saturday night, and Sunday
afternoon - ud Nicholson, Johnny
off, Guy Pier and John 5tenman we're
arrested. Nicholson and Wolff admit
their guilt
The entrance was effected at a rear
door. A hole was cut in the screen door
which enabled them 10 unlock it Then
a pane of glass was broken from the
stout inner dor by means of which they
could reach in and unfasten the night
lock. They took large quantity Of the
best whisky and brandy but were fright
ened away before they could make AS
Policeman Allen found the rear door
Standing open. BY getting assistance or
even by guarding the door he could have
.naDbed" the entire party; but instead he
blew his police whistle. which alarmed
the robbers inside, and they unlocked the
front door and walked boldly down Kan
sas avenue.
The affair was reported to the sheriff's
Office early the next morning and Sheriff
Burdge and Deputy SherIffs Tom and
De WilkersOn and Arthur Wellman
commenced to work on the matter. Mich
olson, Wolff, Pier and Stenman were
known to have been on big drunk early
Sunday morning and suspicion at once
rested on them.
Nicholson was found in front Of the
Throop hotel about / o'clock by Officer
i. P. (Doc) Ward. He was placed under
arrest. Nicholson admitted his guilt but
said he would not have done it had he
not been under the influence Of liquor.
lie said he would turn states evidence
or anything else if he could only get out
Of the scrape. He wanted to get out Of
town Sunday night. Wolff caught
about the same time by Tom and De
Wlkerson. He also pleaded intOxica-
tion for the reason of his Offense and
agreed TO tell all he knew if he could be
released. He implicated Pier and stem
man.
When Sheriff Burdge. accompanied by
h Is brother, was leading Nicholson down
Fourth street he made IA desperate effort
to escape. At jackson street he broke
away and ran north. Nicholson proved
himself the fastest runner Of the two,
and when the Rock island tracks were
reached Sheriff Burdge was almost ex
hausted and the prisoner was gaining
ground rapidly. A stranger came to the
sheriff's assistance and said: sYOu are ex-
hausted and I'm fresh. Give me your
gun and I'll catch him for you The
stranger was good his weerd, and
proved himself a good runner. He over
took Nicholson on the Rock Island bridge
and brought him back.
Guy Pier, who is better known as Fri
day." and John Stenman were found last
evening at Lip Tack's place in smoky
Row.
The tools used, chiseI and small
steel saw, were found secreted between
the springs and the mattress of Miss
Tack's bed Pier and Stenman pleaded
not guilty.
Wolff, who is a son of George Wolff.
and brother-in-law of Chief Of Police
H G.. Lindsey, was released on bond last
night, with Chief Lindsey as security.
lie and Nicholson are we'll known young
men about town, and their statement that
they would have had nothing to do with
the robbery had they been sober, is gen
orally believed.
An interesting feature of the case is
that Nicho' son and another one of the
alleged robbers went into StansHeld's
drug store yesterday and said: "Hello, 1
hear you were robbed last night How
did they get in? What did thay get?''