The Topeka state journal., 1897-10-21
NICE Man JAILED
At Least Frank Bruce Gee
Looks Like One.
Arrested Here Through Orders
of Scribner's Sons,
The WellknOwn Publishers
Accused of CrOokedness.

Accused of CrOOkedness.
Frank Bruce Gee, who was arrested
yesterday at the National hotel by De-
/ tective James Kesson, is now at the
| county jail where he is being held until
/ officers arrive with requisition papers
from Nebraska. Whether the man now
being held under the charge of forgery
and grand larceny is a criminal, is a
matter of much dOubt.The police claim
! that he is a swindler, and E. NJ. Down.
/ ing of Kansas City, who is general
agent 70 the Scribner's Sons, Publishers,
says that he is a man badly wanted at
Omaha by his company for a crooked
transaction covering a sum of about
$1OO
When Frank Bruce Gee was arrested
yesterday Chief of Police Henry Steele
notified E. NJ. Downing of Kansas City
and he received the following telegram
in reply:
H. NJ. Steele, Chief of Police:
Hold by all means for message from
Chief Gallagher of Omaha.
E. NJ. DOWNING,
Kansas City, Mo.
A few minutes afterward Chief Steele
| received the following telegram from
Omaha:
Henry NJ. Steele, Chief of Police:
Yes, hold Gee, alias Edwards.
c. V. GALLAGHER,
Chief Police.
Soon after this another telegram was
received from Mr.. Downing as fol-
lows:
VIII Browne return to Omaha with
out extraditiOn papers? If so can you
send officer? Answer what expense.
E. NJ. DOWNING,
Kansas City, Mo.
So from all information obtainable it
appears that the man who is now held
at the county Jail for the Nebraska Off
GERS is Frank Bruce Gee. When he ar
I l-l ha ricfa of E1ln
National hotel as Edward G. Browne.
There are rumors that he is known also
by the aliases, Frank Bruce, and --
Edwards.
With such positive evidence of the
Nebraska officers anxiety to have Mr..
Gee held, Chief Steele had nothing to
do but to keep him in custody until
Iurther action should be taken. An
alias warrant was issued by Justice
Chesney for Mr.. Gees detention and
placed in Chief SteeIe's hands.
Mr. Gee had been arrested about one
O'Clock yesterday afternoon and he was
kept in the chiefs private office at the
police headquarters. At o'clock Chief
Steele pulled from his pocket the alias
warrant and read it to Mr.. Gee. The
latter sat in an easy chair drawing
leisurely at a cigar. When the warrant
had been read to him he simply looked
at the chief and quietly smiled.
'kessOn, wish you would take Mr..
Gee over to the county Jail and let him
spend the night there said Chief
for him here Then turning to Mr.
Gee the chief said
Il will keep you informed as to your
case
The prisoner arose and prepared to
go. He said to the chief before leav-
ing: I thank you for your courtesy
toward me- Detective kessOn took
Mr.. Gee to the county Jail.
Chief Steele said after the man had
gone:
4 believe they want him pretty badly
slf AFr0e1 J 10 r.
seems that Gee was not working direct
ly for Scribner's Sons but that he got
some books of c. F. Hathaway, the
agent at Omaha. Hathaway was be-
get two sets of books and get orders
for them. Mr.. Downing claims that
Gee collected the money on them and
forged the names on the orders Mr..
Downing. the general agent at Kansas
City says that he has been following
this fellow and he seems very glad to
have caught him at last"
Mr.E. M. Downing arrived from Kan
sas City last evening and Immediately
conferred with Chief Steele. To a re-
porter he said: 1T is quite a cOmplf-
Gated case. The charges of forgery and
grand larceny are for the same trans
action. 1 am agent for Scribner's Sons
and Mr.. Hathaway is an agent at
Omaha. This man Gee or Browne or
Edwards got some books of Hathaway
and took the orders and sold them and
forged the names to secure the money.
ways name in a wrong light as he is
our agent and Gee is the guilty one,
not Hathaway"
Mr. Downing last night went to JUS
tice Chesney's house and swore to the
following complaint:
Frank Bruce Gee did then and there
unlawfully and felOniously, in the state
of Nebraska, steal, take and carry
away of the personal property of Chas
Scribner's Sons 40 volumes of books of
the value of 500; that said offense was
committed in the state of Nebraska by
said Frank Bruce Gee and that Frank
Bruce Gee is fugitive from justice
and has fed from justice.
"(Signed) z. NJ. DOWNING"
Mr.. Gee is a most pleasant and affa-
BILE fellow. He is an eastern man, is 35
years of age and unmarried.
Mr.. Gee is a fine looking man. Being
rather short and heavy set and wearing
gold frame, rimless spectacles, a heavy
curly mustache and a fine worst
ed cutaway suit of black, he
presents a most genteel appearance. He
has a rich musical voice, speaks with
grammatical correctness and is well ed
ucated. He has the appearance of a
solid business man.
He was a tidy looking individual to
be occupying such a barren, dreary
place as the county jail, but he seemed
to take his Imprisonment philosophical
" In explaining his case he said:
''This is a misunderstanding and I
will be able to show that when the
case shall come to trial. c. F. Hatha-
way is an agent Of Scribner's Sons at