The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-09-27
ONE WISE KANSAS MAN
HE HELPED THE POLICE CATCH
TWO UNION STATION BUNCO CHAPS.
They Tried to Work Old s.Lock, Game
on Him-From kOkOmO and
Cassville.


| ty, Kansas. with venerable white beard.
returning from a visit to relatives in Ohio.
stepped off train at the Union Station yes
terday afternoon with the intention of anus
ing himself until his train should leave for
the West and was snapped up by a conf
| dence man. The ICON" man and a partner
We're afterwards snapped up by Patrolmen
| Warren and Lyons. The con man was
| tall, slender and youthful looking. He APP
preached Mr.. Keck and cordially spoke to
| him as if welcoming him to Indianapolis.
| At the strangers request Mr.. Keck told him
| his name and his home.
| THAT SOP said the young man genially.
Il am from Parsons, Kan, and am going
through on the same train you are
| He then invited Mr. Keck to check his
valise and accompany him on a trip through
the city to while away the time. Mr.. Keck
accepted the invitation and the two walked
north on Illinois street until they reached
Maryland street, where they turned west.
| The young man professed to have some
knowledge of the city. He told Mr.. Keck
that he would show him a sawmill which
he described as wonderful building. After
some casual conversation the young man
put out feeler in this shape:
| II won't have a dollar left when I get
|
Now, Mr. Keck is from tie State where
numbers of queer things grow. but he had
been on one trip too many to. become an
easy mark so he led that he also
wouldn't have more than dollar left when
| he reached home.
| this exhibition of shrewdness by the rural
! looking old gentleman, but he did not throw
up the game. They had reached the factory
| district when the young man suddenly
stepped back four or five PAGES and APP
peared to pick up small brass paddock
| He showed 1t to Mr.. Keck, saying, LooA
here, I've found lock- / wonder II L can
Mr.. Keck said he was sure he could not
| TELL and the young stranger began TO WORK
with it. Suddenly the clasp flew back and
| the young man showed Mr.. keck that ne
| had opened the lock by pressing on httle
| At this juncture Mr.. Keck's new friend
| hailed another young man who happened
to be Passing and asked say do you knew ~
| Yes was the reply, my father owns 1t.
He sent me down here on Twenty-second
The vagueness of the second part of the
| reply (the men were then about TWO miles
from Twenty-second street, did not strike
Mr.. Keck as peculiar because ne was I'M
acquainted with the city.
The first young man told the newcomer
| about the lock he had found and said he
could open it. The second young man said,
| agressively, Cant you see that locks
riveted. iii bet you 500 you can't open it,"
1
The young man with the lock was eager
to take the bet and his eyes giittered. He
had no money, he said, and he turned to
say .1 let me have IS. This is sure
thing"
/ the world outside of Kansas stood him well.
He told the young man that he had only
dollar and 1t would take 10 cents OF that 10
| get his valise from the checkroom.
National Bank, Of Cincinnati said Mr..
Keck's friend, at the same time showing
a check, land can get it cashed at the
/ Union Station.
A SECOND COME ON
This was too transparent and Mr.. Keck
abruptly left the two young men and re-
turned to Illinois street. He met Patrolmen
| Warren and Lyons and while he was telling
them of his interesting experience he spied
the affable young man from Parsons, Kan,
| leaving the Union Station with another
come on in tow. He pointed out the
| young man and the policemen followed him
and his prospective victim, leaving Mr.. Keck
behind with the promise that he would meet
| them at the Union Station when they re-
turned. 49,, o,,o;r+a,oa
over the same route that he had led Mr..
| Keck. The policemen followed close behind.
| The other young man appeared on the scene
/ at the same corner where he had met his
| partner and Mr.. Keck, and similar con-
| ference began. At this time the two young
men saw the policemen One of them gave
! a. peculiar whistle and both started to run.
| The policemen fired several shots in the air
| and a chase began which was participated
| in by men in buggies and on foot. After
several squares of hard running the two
| young men were captured They put up
| fight, but they soon tired and allowed them
| selves to be led away to the police station.
| AT the police station last evening the
| two young men. who had given their names
| as j. w. Johnson of Cassville, and Nathan
| j. Crume of Kokomo, were confronted by
| Mr. Keck in Chief Colbert's office. Mr..
| Keck identified johnson as the who
| had introduced himself to him and Crume
| as the one whose father owned the plan
ing mill" Crume denied having anything to
| do with the affair and said he had never
| seen Mr.. Keck before. Johnson seemed to
| be the smoother of the two. He asked
| with him. They went in together, johnson
| button-holed the chief of detectives and
said persuasively, You're a good fellow,
''Of course l am replied the chief.
"Well it will be worth about $25 to you if
| you'll get me out of this"
| The chief laughed at Johnsons attempt
| to bride him. and they returned to the first
! room Here Chief Colbert said to Johnson,
| There are two more detectives here. You'll
| have to make that $75-$25 for each of US
| IT don't know what you mean," said john
son. in hurt tone. His dignity had been
offended by the chiefs righteousness.
| cells The roll which Crume had flashed
| was not found when he was searched.
| Neither was the lock nor the check found
! ON Johnson. The detectives said it was their
| opinion that the two men had "blowed' the
roll, which was probably few 81 bills
wrapped around .corncob. and the lock.
| Beloved means that they had thrown
| them away in their fight. They are just a
| couple of cheap. clumsy grafters the de-
| tective said. Neither Johnson nor Crume had
any money. Johnson was dressed fairly
| well.
NOPE TIME FOR "Cr0TTV