The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-02-15
REIGN OF TERROR
Bloody HOldups Nearly Every
Night in This City.
A Shocking Attack Made on
George Bowers
Last Night at Sixth and Lin
coin Streets.
HIS NOSE is BROKEN
BY Piece of Gaspipe in the
Hands
Of a Burly Negro, Who Rified
His Pockets.
lis NOSE is BROKEN
Piece of Gaspipe in the
Hands
ANOTHER ROBBERY
Last Night at the Alley on Sew
enth Street.

The hoIdups and highway robberies
in Topeka have now become an almost
nightly occurrence The police force
seems to be unable to prevent them.
If they do not cease at once every sus-
picious character in town, black or
white, should be placed under arrest.
So far all of the holdups have been by
negroes. There have evidently some
toughs made their appearance in this
city who need rope.
Last night at 10 o'clock George Bower,
a candy maker who lives at PA The
Drive, Auburndale, was held up and
robbed at the corner of Sixth and Lin
coin streets by a coIored man. The
nighwayman dealt him a vicious blow
on the head with a piece of gas pipe, in
hicting a serious scalp wound and
breaking the bridge of his nose.
Mr.. Bower was returning to his home
and was walking. When at the north
east corner of Sixth and Lincoln streets
a man sprang at him from the va
cant lot, and without a word struck Mr..
Bower on the head with a piece of gas
pipe fully three feet in length. The
latter fell to the sidewalk unconscious.
When he regained consciousness the
coIOred man had left and he found that
his head was badly injured. His pOck-
cts We're turned inside out and he was
alone.
Blood flowed from the wounds on his
head and at the nose. He called for
help a. loudly as he could The family
of DR. w. A. Wehe heard him and went
to his assistance. He was carried into
the house and soon afterward DR.. Wehe
dressed his wounds. He found that
there was a long cash on his head
caused by the blow made with the gas
pipe The nose was badly mangled, and
Mr.. Bower suffered much pain. He was
taken in an ambulance to his home in
Auburndale. Today he is suffering from
the wounds inflicted, and is weak from
loss of blood. He was robbed of but 81
all he had. The case was reported to
the police and a search was made. No
arrests have as yet been made, but the
police today say they have good clues
A bout the same time (ten o'clock last
night. another hOldup occurred on Sew
enth street between Kansas avenue and
quincy street, in which a man named
Smith was stopped by a colored man
and made to throw up his hands. The
negro struck Smith blow on the cheek
and then went through his pockets. Al
ter that he ran north in the alley near
Nick Chiles' place The police were
notified of the case. Sergeant Owen
investigated the case, but says he was
unable to learn much about it A col
ored man who is of notorious charac-
ter is suspected of the crime, and is be-
ing watched. Who Smith is was not
learned or how much he lost. The
affair was quickly hushed and but few
even heard that there had been rob-
berry. The police say they know who
did it. If they do they will probably
have the man in custody before long.
Saturday night, February 5, man
was found at Crane and Kansas ave
nue. in an intoxicated condition. He
declared that he had been robbed OF
$500. He was taken to police station
where he told the officers that two col
ored men had attacked him, beating
him with club on the head, and taking
all his money. There were three small
scratches on his face. The police dis
credited his story However, it is
known that he had something over $50
with him early in the evening which
was missing when he was found. No
body was arrested whom it developed
did the crime.
Thursday evening. February 10,
Fletcher Lewis, a Santa F'e employe,
who lives on Adams street, was struck
on the head by an iron pipe in the
hands of a tall colored man, as he
walked east on Eighth street and
reached Madison. The blow daZed him,
and he fell to the ground but quickly
arose, when the man demanded his
money and threatened to kill him if he
yelled. Mr.. Lewis handed over all the
money he had which was something
over two dollars. He then proceeded on
home, and the matter was made pub
lie. The police say they were not no.
titled of the hOldup, but that they
heard of it and went to investigate,
when they were told by Mrs Lewis
that they could find out all they wanted
next day. Lewis was not injured by
the OiOW, with the exception OF q SllSHC
bruise on his head. The crown of his
hat saved his head from dangerous in
jury
It was on Saturday evening, February
3 that William Kerr. proprietor of the
Topeka Towel Supply company was
held up and robbed at B and Jackson
streets at II p m. 1t was a colored
man who committed the crime. Shortly
afterward the police, on a description
furnished by Kerr. arrested Will Da-
Wis a colored tough. When searched
two rings which had been wrenched
from Mr.. Kerr's finger were found in
his pockets, and $50 in money, which he
had stolen, was recovered
When Mr.. Kerr was attacked the col
ored man struck him a vicious blow on
the head with his fist and then drew a
revolver. Davis has been turned over
to the state for trial on the charge of
highway robbery. He will get a long
term in the penitentiary but there are
others who may not get there if this
reign of terror goes much farther.
Chief of Police Henry NJ. Steele says
he should have a larger police force so
that he can put patrOlmen in the resi-
dence districts at night. At present
two policement have the territory west
of Jackson street and between the
river and Martin and Dennis addition.
Regarding this Chief Steele says: 1T