The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-02-27

Bob Freeman's wedding day has
been indefinitely postponed and the
prospective groom since last Monday
night languishes in the Sumner coun-
ty Jail, csharged with burglary, while
a fair daughter of Sedgwick county is
heart broken
Robert Freeman is citizen of Null
vane and his intended wife is a
daughter of one of the wealthiest farm
ers in that section and is young wo-
man Of more than ordinary brilliancy
of mind. and is highly respected in the
neighborhood of Mulvane where she
has lived ever since she was born
There is a story in connection with
the arrest of Robert Freeman which
reads like romance. II that romance
Sheriff Woodcock is one OF the star
characters. Since Mr.. Woodcock' s
election TO the Office of sheriff he has
developed into quite a detective and
he is proving a terror 10 evil doors in
Summer county. II was Sheriff's Wood
cocks detective work which was the
immediate cause OF Freeman's we'd
ding being postponed. He would have
been married in about two weeks IL il
| had not been for Woodcock's inter
ference.
Robert Freeman is said to be half
brother TO VIII Smith who figured so
conspicuously in the DIR. Mackenzie
murder trial in Wichita a few weeks
ago in which DR.. Mackenzie was tried
for causing the death of Smiths child.
Freeman came 10 Mulvane about
three years ago and rented farm land
and engaged in farming. He was an
industrious young man about IS years
a Il 81 H.
borhood of Mulvane and II is claimed
succeeded in winning the affections of
one Of the best young women in that
section.
But now comes the strange part of
the story. Last September the store
of Mr.. Stanton in Mulvane was bur
glariZed and about SIS worth of cloth
ing and other goods We're taken, and
some of the citizens Of Mulvane, among
them Robert Freeman. Volunteered TO
assist the Mulvane merchant in find
ing his goods and experimenting the
burglar.
Several days after the burglary Free
man found a small portion of the
stolen goods in straw stack and ar
rested tramp against whom there
was some pretty strong circumstan-
tial evidence.
The suspect was taken 10 Wellington
by Freeman and some other Mulvane
parties and turned over to Sheriff
Woodcock who was given all the evil
dence upon which it was expected to
convict the tramp
Right then and there Sheriff Wood
cock suspected that Robert Freeman
was the man who burglarized Shan
tons store or had a hand in il. And
when the sheriff OF Rice county came
to Wellington with q warrant for the
tramp, Sheriff Woodcock turned him
over and he was taken to Rice county
and convicted of an offense against the
laws and sent 10 the penitentiary.
Ever since that time Sheriff Wood
cock has been on the track of Robert
Freeman. He had him Swallowed here
in Wichita last fall during the state
fair and little scraps of evidence Were
gained here and there which being put
together will surround Bob Freeman in
the coils of the law from which he will
have great difficulty in extricating
himself.
The trail was followed by the per-
sistent sheriff of Summer county until
last Monday he found a grip left at
private house in this city containing
about s35 worth of the goods stolen
from Shanton'S store and which Free
man admits to having left there And
when Sheriff WOodcock returned the
goods and arrested Rrobert Freeman
the Mulvane merchant was knocked
SpeechleSs. Here was the very man
who had taken an active part in try
ing TO find the thief arrestd for robbing
his store and here was portion of the
stolen goods in evidence
Freeman's friends In Mulvane
thought Sheriff Woodcock must have
become suddenly insane or he would
not have arrested a nice young man
like Freeman for burglary. but the
young man seeing that he was in close
quarters admitted To having left the
goods in Wichita and claimed that
the tramp which he had arrested gave
him the goods.
The people Of Mulvane are all excited
over the arrest but Sheriff Woodcock
says he has sure case against Free
man and has no doubt whatever OF his
final conviction. Up to this morning
no effort had been made TO get bail for
Freeman. His friends are so surprised
and dumfoUnded that they do not
know which way TO turn
And now one fair young woman OF
Mulvane mourns and refuses TO be
comforted. She would rather have
followed her idol to the grave than 10
have had her confidence and hopes so
cruelty shattered. but Sheriff Wood
cock insists that he was the best friend
she ever had.