The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-09-02


in-The Usual Incarceration Has no
Terror for Them-One Mysterious Man
Who Cannot be Caught With His Booty,
Although a Theft is Committed Where
Case Here a short Time Ago.
wichita is full Of thieves and the po-
lice are working hard to take care of
them
At present there are in the city twelve
very prominent professional Tascais
and a great many more junior outlaws.
They have come here expecting TO reap
q harvest during the Masonic Home
dedication and state fair. Most OF
them are house Breakers.
Detectives Sutton and Wood have
every one of them located at the pres
ent time ready to put their fingers on
them They will take them in before
either of the above mentioned events
take place under the vagrancy ordin-
ance.
Before that, however, provisions will
be made for a rock pile to work prison
ers on. Mere incarceration has no ter
rors for professional criminal. Most
of them can afford to exchange their lib
erty for idleness, bed and board during
these hard times. If anything will
make them shake the dust OF Wichita
from their feet 1T is the rock pile, with
plenty of work, for eight hours.
At present one of the most notorious
burglars In the country is In the city.
He admits his identify but says he is
not doing any business. He is puzzle
to the police. Nearly every place where
crooked work has been done he has been
there and yet none of the crimes could
be traced to him.
This man has had only one parallel
case 10 him in this city heretofore. 1t
was the case of a woman She stole but
as her larcenieS never became a matter
OF record they never got into print and
hence the woman escaped notoriety and
scandal that her friends would not
relish.
While In Wichita this lady was admit
ted to the most seiecr. society and had
the most prominent women in Wichita
for her cflums. She came OF distin-
guished lineage.
One day Officer Sutton was called by
a lady who had lost her diamonds. She
had no idea how she had lost them but
she was quitesure she had them in her
jewel case an hour before.
who was here, If anybody, since"
asked Officer Sutton.
Not a soul but my friend, Mrs. So
and So
What do you know about your friend
Mrs. So and So?" asked the detective.
My gracious man. She replied, you
cannot think of suspecting her. She is
the wife of SO and so, the daughter OF
so and so.''
Two days afterwards the diamonds of
the wife of a prominent railroad man
were stolen and Detective Sutton was
again called.
Them" asked Officer Sutton.
mot a soul but my friend, Mrs. So
and So
What do you know about Mrs. So
and So?"
My gracious, sir, she IS one of the
sweetest ladies in our set. Don't, for a
moment, suspect her. She is beyond
suspection. Why, she is the wife of Mr..
SO and So and the daughter of Mr.. So
and So.''
Three or four more cases of this kind
occurred and Detective Sutton was call
ed in. In every instance Mrs SO and
SO was the only one about the place
since the theft was committed.
Mr.. Sutton was puzzled He could
not very well proceed against the qady
for every victim told him that she was
above suspicion. Still he suspected her.
One day a poor washer woman sent
for him. A lady had come TO her rooms
and paid her $40. The woman went to
a drawer, took out her wallet, put the
sl9 into IL with some more money and
walked into another room for some
thing. The lady remained a few min
uteS after her return and then disap-
peared. Inside Of an hour the washer
woman wanted to use some money. She
went TO the drawer where she kept it
and ii was gone.
Who was in your room?" asked Or
f1oer Sutton.
Not a SOUL" she replied. 'but Mrs.
So and So"
That's enough said Sutton. and the
poor woman wondered what he meant.
Inside Of an hour he returned to her
with her money. The officer made no
explanations.
When he left the washer woman's
room he went 10 the home of Mrs. So
ana So and charged her with stealing
the money. II did not steal it, she
said, but I would sooner pay rba
amount than be suspected to annoyance
and scandal"
In a few days after that the wife Of
a banker host jewery TO the amount of
$500. Mr.. Sutton was called in and II
was the same old story. Nobody had
In the house but Mrs So and So and a
servant
We'll" said Sutton. ''tte servant dt5
not steal that jewelry. 1 know the
thief
He Immediately went 20 the ladv's
house and began to reoonoitre. She sus-
pected his designs and she concluded N
use OF the arts Of a woman to thwart
him.
Mr. Sutton" she said, "a certain
lawyer told me that you were monster
and a blacknailer and never to be seen
talking with YOU I believed him, but
since then have found not his mistake,
but that You are a gentleman"
Don't believe anything Of the kind"
said Sutton. II am no monster, l am
only a little firm occasionally. BY the
way. where Is that pewelry you stole
from Mrs. -?'
All, she said, +" see the monster COM
ing TO the front now and the blackmail-
er, too"
Hand me over that jewelry OF. pre-
pare yourself for a visit TO the police
station
rs this one Of your periods OF firm
ness, Mr.. Sutton?''