The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-02-14
A DEATHBED TALE
Carter Roe, a Blue Cut and
Elmdale Robber,
Hid a Box of Money Near Skin
ner's Zee House.
THE BOX is DUG UP
By Unknown Parties and Car
ried Away.
Ex-Sheriff WilkersOn Looks For
the Doodle
BUT HE FINDS ONLY
A Hole in the GrOund-The
Story Told By
Carter Roe just Before His
Death at BedWell's.
BUT HE FINDS ONLY
L Hole in the GrOund-The
Story Told By
Carter Roe just Before His
Death at BedWelI's.

The discovery of a freshly dug hole
near the Skinner ice house in Garfield
park has thrown every one in that vi
cinity into a fever of excitement, for the
place shows plainly that a box was ta-
ken from the excavation and in that
box it is supposed was 81, 800, part of the
booty hidden by a gang of robbers who
had their headquarters in Topeka until
1895.
The mysterious Blue Cut train rob-
berry in 1895 near Kansas City and the
attempted robbery of the bank at Elm
dale may both be solved by the death
OF carter Roe, who died on January 23
in Bedwell'S asylum east of Topeka
Garter Roe was a tough character
who was close friend of the Robbins
boys in North Topeka. For nearly three
years he has been an inmate of Bed
wells asylum, suffering from what doc
tors call melancholia- Early last fall
ne was taken with quick consumption
and grew rapidly worse until he died.
a week before his death he became ap-
parently rational.
One day he called Mr.. BedwelI, the
superintendent of the asylum, to him
and said family:
Il want to go to North Topeka"
why do you want to go over there?"
asked Mr.. Bedweu.
Il have some money there replied
the dying man. I can get 81, 300 if you
will only take me-
Where did you get so much money!
4 earned some of it," said Roe in a
faltering voice.
Did you rob train or a bank and
got the reSt?''
The man stammered and blushed and
then began to cry. He finally told Bed
well that he wanted to relieve his mind
before he died and then told him the
following story:
Yes, I have been in a bank robbery
and a, train robbery too. I did not get
anything in the bank but got the money
that is now buried in North Topeka
from the train
Mr.. Bedwen bent down over the man.
1t was a great effort for him to speak
but he whispered the details as well as
he could.
'It was on April 90, 1895 that we broke
into the bank at ElmdaIe. We got in
all right and we were drilling a hole
in the safe, and got it almost through
when some one heard US, and they
awakened several people, and we had to
get out to keep from being caught.
"Only a little while after that we rob
bed the train. That time we got $500.
There were six of US and we brought
the money to North Topeka, where we
divided it and each of US got $1,000. 1
was afraid to keep so much money
about me, and one night put it into a
little wooden box and took it over near
the stone ice house near Garfield park
and buried it. I can find the place,
know, for it was just about three feet
from a stump that was south of the
ice house.
"Then I went to Springfield. where I
was arrested, and then they put me in
here. 1 wish you could get John VIII
kersOn to come here and will tell him
what I have told you. want to get
this off my mind
Mr. Bedwell did not think seriously of
what the invalid said, but a few days
after he took the trouble to go to the
place indicated by him at Garfield park
He found no stump and concluded that
Roe's mind was wandering when de
told the story.
That story you told me was all
bosh," said he to Roe. There is nc
| stump there"
TT is true said the sick man. ''If
| the stump is gone, can find the place
from the bearings if you will only take
me over"
But the man was not able to stand on
| his feet, and Mr.. Bedwe1 feared that
| the effect of the trip would be more
| than he could stand.
John NJ. Wilkerson was sent for at
/ the request of Roe, and he told the
| same story to him. He told him exact
| Iy what he had told Bedwen. In nc
particular did the words differ. A short
/ time afterward Roe died.
| WiIkerson asked Roe about the lOca-
| ton of the train robbery, and was told
| that it took place near MarysVllle. he
| wrote to the authorities at MarySV1lle
| Kan. and the town of the same name
| in Missouri, and has now come to the
! conclusion that the man referred to the
| = =
sum of money was taken from an ex-
| press car near Kansas City.
| He found the story Of Roe about the
| Elmda1e bank robbery was exactly cor
/ rect in every detail and this more firm
| " establishes the belief that the man
| had told the truth.
| 1t was not until last Friday that Mr.
| Wilkerson and Mr.. BedWeH decided tc
| make some measurements and begin
| the search for Roe's share of the booty
They went to the place indicated by him
/ and were startled to see a large square
/ hole about three feet deep. In one
| corner was a place about a foot square
| where a box had been taken out-the
box which they are satisfied contained
/ the money The hole is supposed to
| have been dug and the box taken about
| a week ago. They found boys who said
! the ground was not disturbed a week
ago last Thursday. Now both BedweI
| and Wilkerson are Iookin for the man
| who did the digging, but they have not
] the least clue
/ Ex-Sheriff Wilkerson says: IN the
| summer of 1895 I went to Springfield
| No, where Roe was held to await the
| arrival of the officers from here. He
| was wanted for burning a house near
/ the BaughTnan ice house, belonging to q
man named Thomas. When I got there
ne was demented. But thought he