The Topeka state journal., 1899-03-28
III. B. Macke, the Swindler,
Breaks Jail at HOltOn.
Tools With Which He Worked
Struggled to Him
BY OUTSIDE FRIENDS.
Macke's Kansas Career One of
Fraud.
The Government and Banks
Large Sufferers.

swindIer who has achieved almost a ma
tional reputation by the daring OF ms
operations in Ohio, New Mexico anu
Kansas, escaped from the Holton jail
yesterday and has disappeared as
though the earth had opened up ana
swallowed him He was assisted IN
planning and executing the escape py
Frank Winnerick, of Beatrice, Nep-'
who was awaiting trial in the district
court for burglary and grand larceny.
Neither Macke or Winnerick have been
recaptured Two other occupants or the
Jail, Guy Baker, of this city, and man
named Springate, of Soldier, renalIieu
in their cells at the command or Macke,
who had them covered with a 44-canpre
revolver. AS Baker and Springate were
serving light sentences, however, they
had no motive in escaping.
Macke engineered the Jail breaking
operations. He had in his possession
several tools with which he forced some
bolts and removed a steel plate at the
opening where the victuals are passed
into the cage. This made a hole large
enough to allow a man to squeeze
through When once out in the corrlder
Macke and Winnerick easily forced open
the bars on the windows and took thelr
departure Before going Macke ad-
monished young Baker, who is a trusty
about the Jail, not to give an alarm at
the penalty of his life, as he threatened
to kill him on sight if he did
The tools with which Macke worked,
as well as the revolver were evidently
smuggled in by friends from the out
side.
Macke a year ago swindled Eli G.
Nedeau, of Nedeau, Kan, out of sum
of money, at the time estimated to be
about $4,000. He was apprehended IN
albuquerque, N. NJ, by Lizzie McGrath
and H. r. Curtis. of that city, both
formerly being residents of Topeka
Macke was partner in the firm OF
Nedeau & Co., a trading concern 10
Gated on the Pottawatomie ndian reser-
walton, which does an immense business
with the wards of the nation. His
knowledge and connection gave him the
opportunity to swindle on a gigantic
scale and he did not neglect it. Money
secured, Macke, with his wife, abscond-
ed and entered Albuquerque as fugl-
tive.
Curtis saw him at the depot and
recognized him, and Miss McGrath, who
is the cashier of the hotel at which
Macke and his wife registered, also
recognized him.
Macke was under the influence of
liquor. He talked freely with Miss Nc
Grath, acknowledged that he had been
in Kansas and displayed a watch he
had victimized a Topeka jeweler out of.
Miss McGrath and Curtis notified the
authorities at Topeka. His arrest fol-
lowed and he was returned to Kansas.
Before the supreme court of the state
he unsuccessfully applied for his release,
on habeas corpus proceedings, on the
ground that he was detained in custody
on a charge that was not specified in
the papers for his requisitiOn. Since
then and up to the time of his escape
he was an inmate of the HoltOn jail,
where he was placed pending his trial.
His alias was obtained by reversing
the spelling of his name and his initials.
He was formerly a resident of Ohio, but
fed from there to escape arrest and
prosecution on a criminal charge, and
after a more or less exciting career
drifted into Kansas, ingratiated himself
with Eli G.. Nedeau, and soon had his
entire confidence. Nedeau was the cap
tions were boldly planned and executed.
600 from the banks on the firms name,
collected $4,000 worth of government
checks at the Pottawatomie reservation.
Sac, Fox and Iowa reservations, and
looted the store of 81 900. When arrested
he had $500 in his possession.
Macke'S hearing in the supreme court
was set for April 4. 1t was believed that
he had a good chance for escape by
means of the habeas corpus proceed
ings.
Mrs. Macke is now supposed to be in
Ell PasO, Tex, where her relatives live.
A suit is pending in Jackson county in
volVing the possession of about $400 in
money and valuable jewels which Mrs.
Macke claimed to own. The money and
jewels were taken from her when her
husband was arrested, on the claim that
they were really the property Of her
husband. They are now in the posses
sion of Holton parties.