The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-04-17
HOW IT WORKS.
Police Sometimes When
They Arrest People.
5. MI. Charlton Was Taken Into
Custody But Released.
WAS NOT A CRIMINAL.
Suspected of Holding Up Drug
gists,
But Was Only Hunting Spuri-
Gus Brandy.
Other News Collected i'm Police
Circles.
VAS NOT A CRIMINAL.

A good story on ex-Chief Strauss has
just leaked out on account of the suit
filed in the federal court against two
Atchison jointists for selling an imita-
ton OF Hennessey's French cognac.
Last week a man arrived in Topeka
and took a room on the second floor
front of the Throop hotel. He went to
the different joints and drug stores and
at each place he called for Hennessey's
cognac. The proprietor of the place
would give him bottle. The man
his hotel Several who sold him bottles
of cognac received letters from him
telling them to call at his room
Chief Strauss heard of this. 1t was
plain case of hold-up or blackmail. He
had a couple of officers work on the
case. They found that the man had
ton of Pennsylvania, and that at one
drug store where he swore to an aft
davit for liquor he gave the name of W.
a. Myers.
The police were certain that the man
was going to these drug stores, buying
liquor from them and that he would
then demand sum OF money to keep
still or he would expose them as viola
tors of the prohibitory law
One druggist, in answer TO the letter,
went to the hotel ready to pay the hush
money.
How much will this be?" he asked
we usually settle for $25," replied
Charlton. The druggist said he would
return The police heard of this. 1t
clinched their case and they would ar
rest him for Matchmaking Topeka drug
gists.
They were afraid, however, that he
would leave town before the next day
and how to hold him over was the
question. They thought that as he had
signed his name as Myers when it was
Charlton that he could be arrested for
for
question what TO do, so the chief de-
cided to arrest the man for vagrancy
and hold him till the next day.
He swore out Il warrant for that Of
Tense and placed it in the hands of
Sergeant Owens and Officer Matthews
with orders to serve it. The officers
went down to the hotel and knocked at
the door of the mans room
Come right in, gentlemen" he said
when he opened the door
Il have a warrant for you" said
Matthews, and he read the official docu-
ment charging the man with vagrancy-
with what?" asked the we'll dressed
| well groomed man as he collapsed into
chair.
For being a vagrant."
why, in my part of the country that
| means having no visible means Of sup
port said the man.
well, it covers a multitude of sins
| in this part of the country, remarked
| Sergeant Owens. Charlton accOmpa nied
| the officers to the station.
| You arrest me for vagrancy?" he
| asked the CHIEF when they arrived at
| the station.
Yes, sir
when I am paying SO a day at the
hotel. There is some mistake" He
then found out that Chief Strauss sus-
pected him of trying to hold up the
| druggists and joint keepers. Charlton
| explained that an imitation of the ia
nous French brandy was being sold in
this country and that his business was
to go TO places where liquor was sold,
/ buy a sample of their goods to deter
mine whether il was the original or
counterfeit. If he finds it a counterfeit
he would tax the person selling it about
S25 for handling counterfeit goods. The
chief came to the conclusion that ClarI-
ton could not be held for vagrancy and
allowed him to go, and also sWore every
body to secrecy; but mistakes will hap
pen and secrets Will out.