The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-04-29
AT THE STATE HOUSE.
Breaking Up the Hanover Gang
of Outlaws.
Sheriff Ward of Republic COun-
ty Here for acquisitions.
Twenty Four Men Sent to the Peni-
Tertiary Who Were Members
of the Gang.

Sheriff r. B. Ward of Republic coun-
ty was in Topeka today and secured a
requisition to perform what he hopes
will be the last sad rites over the re-
mains of the notorious Hanover gang
of outlaws, bank robbers, tramps and
petty thieves which have infested
northern Kansas and southern Nebras-
ka for years and have kept the citizens
in constant terror and the various
neighborhOods in a state of great ex-
element at all times.
Sheriff Ward has already captured
and been largely instrumental in send
ing 13 members of the gang to the pen
itentiary. He has captured in all 20
members of the notorious band while
a brother officer in Nebraska landed
four OF them in the penitentiary, max
ing a total of a men who are now do
ing time as the direct result of the in
detatigable efforts of Sheriff Ward IN
experimenting the criminals.
The sang was pretty well scattered
after 13 of their pals had been sent to
the place where steady employment
was afforded them the year around but
the king bee" has dTifted back into
the community and seems to be gath
er1ng about him again remnants OF the
original gang of SO What relations
this eX-SalOOn keeper now SuStainS
with the depredations recently commit
ted Sheriff Ward does not attempt to
explain but he does say that very soon
aIJGr the FORMER sup DOS6Q DOSS OF the
bandits returned to the state the IN
lawful operations were resumed.
Two weeks ago in BeueVille, Frank
BristoWl J. H. cellar and George and
Joe Lamont with three others broke in
to the hardware store owned by a. J.
Whitney and plundered the stock of
property amounting to nearly $500 in
value. The three men whose names
Sheriff Ward could not remember have
been captured and are now in jail there.
The four men whose names are men
toned are in Jail at Fairbury, Neb. and
for their return to this state for prose
cutiOn for burglary and grand larceny,
Mr.. Ward secured q reQuiSitiOn. This
means" said the sheriff, that this
crowd of seven will be sent to the pen
itentiary. There is no doubt about it,
he continued. The property which was
stolen from the stores was found in
the possession of the men when they
were arrested. We have positive evil
dence which will convict the whole
crowd and we will land seven more Of
them at Lansing"
The operations of this gang who were
given the name Hanover outlaws be-
cause their depredatiOns seemed to
have been planned there, have covered
a period of several years. The crimi-
nails would travel over that section of
the state doing systematic stealing and
when the surroundings became uncom-
bic would hurry over the line into
Nebraska They would operate in that
state for a time and to escape arrest
would return to Kansas and resume
the officers for years but finally they
were discovered and through a woman.
Living with a hardened citizen who
had frequently been charged with the
responsibility of the existence of this
band of outlaws, the woman became
possessed of cOnsiderab BILE information
concerning their movements and had
heard some of the plans for robberies
made. She had a quarrel with her low
er and angered at his faithlessness was
visited by Sheriff Ward, Postal Inspec-
tor Sullivan and another officer of the
United States government. After some
rigid ss-Questioning she gave the
gang away. The officers gathered in Is
at the first haul.
This unexpected and demoraHzing at
tack scattered the bandits and was in
strumental in causing a cessation of
safe blowing and burglaries for some
time. However, the old depredations
were resumed and now seven more
have been taken into camp by officers
of the law
Four others having been arrested and
sent to the penitentiary from Nebraska
has depleted the ranks of this or
ganized body of thieves to such an ex-
tent that Sheriff Ward is of the opinion
that Kansas will not be again disturbed
by their operations.