The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-11-19

days, saying that he was going on a
business trip She had a bicycle and
spent much Of her time riding about
town. She was from the country and
there was much to amuse her in the
capital Of the state. She was happy and
had not thought to question her huS-
band as to his means of making a liv-
ing. Her husband was gone but three
days and returned. He looked and act
ed just the same.
A few nights after he returned the
hotel was surrounded by police There
was some one battering the door of
Estelle's room Mrs. Estelle opened the
door There stood Chief Ramsey and
several officers. They had the drop on
Estelle and took from him two large As
calibre revolvers and two belts of
cartridges. He was taken to the city
jail and locked up. 1t was all a surprise
to the wife.
During Estelle's absence from Topeka
a general merchandise store at Irving,
Marshall county, Kansas, had been
broken into. the safe blown and 500 in
money and 500 in notes taken. Cards
describing the robbery were sent out.
Chief Ramsey received one. The card
stated that there was about 500 in silver
and that it had been badly mutilated by
the explosion. That day it had been re-
ported to the chief by Officers Pavey
and Donovan that a man had been pass
ing mutilated money. Ramsey decided
that Estelle was the man wanted for the
robbery. He had several pals staying
at the hotel with him. That night the
dEI6SlS were IlldQE Oti no OlHNI GNlQ6nCC
than that of the mutilated money. Then
Chief Ramsey went to work to secure
the evidence. He directed the move
ments of two detectives and a postoffice
inspector and in a few days had Estelles
movements from the time he left Topeka
until he returned marked on the map
The evidence against him was certain.
The rest of the crowd was allowed to go
as there was no evidence to hold them.
Estelle was taken to the county jail
at Marysville, Marshall county, to be
tried on the charge of robbery. He was
bound over at the preliminary examina-
ton, and while being held for trial he
and another prisoner escaped. Sheriff
St. Claire Guthrie formed a posse and
pursued the two escaped prisoners He
kept close to them for 80 hours but could
not overtake them. Finally he tele-
graphed ahead to the sheriff at Council
Grove to head off the gang, and the rob
bers were stopped near that town by a
posse. The gang fortified themselves un-
der a railway bridge and stayed there
all day surrounded by the posse. After |
dark Estelle told his companions that he
was going to escape, and crawled out
into the darkness and started to walk /
away down the road. He met Deputy |
Sheriff j. Z. Dunlap. and mistOok him |
for the sheriff, and shot him dead in |
his tracks. Estelle escaped in the dark /
ness and made his way to EmpOfla, |
where he was discovered and surround |
ed in a thicl1et. He made his escape |
again by a clever strategem, but had |
not gone far until he was recognized |
by one of the officers and was cap /
tured.
He was tried for the murder of the 1
deputy and was sentenced to hang, /
which in Kansas means life imprisOn- |
ment He is Texan by birth, tall, |
lanky, and about 80 years of age and to |
look at him one would not think him l
capable of killing a chicken.
CraVens. who is with him. was serv |
ing a twenty years sentence for rob- /
berry He has the look of a despera te /
man, but not much is known of his /
past history He was sent up from
Chautauqua county.