The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-03-08
HOW SHE WAS DUPED.
Remarkable Story of Courtship and
Elopement-

The confession of E. F. Estelle to the
robbing Of store at Irving brings to
light a romance and its unhappy finale.
About four years ago Estelle, rather
good-looking young man. arrived at Cher
ryYale and with his winning ways, tried
to induce the people of that community
to buy his real Standardization
mated volumes. His winning ways dis
posed of many books and also won the
love of Nota Lowman, of La. Fontaine. 1t
was case of love at first sight. Estelle
remained in that locality for some time
and with promises to return he left his
sweetheart and went to northern Kansas
ostensibly to sell books. A week later
he was captured with a gang of safe rob-
bers and sent to the penitentiary at Ian
sing for three years on the charge of rob-
bing the postoffiee at Talmo.
But love laughs at locksmiths'' and
despite the rules of the prison regarding
correspondence, Estelle kept up commun-
ication with his lady love. But she never
guessed that he was behind the bars.
Estelle mailed his letters to a friend in
Texas. They were there remailed to Miss
Lowman. He told her he was still SELL
ing books and as she was a member of
the Methodist church, he told her he was
selling religious books and to prove 1T
had his friend send her copy of THE
Life of Christ" The correspondence was
Kept up during his term at the penlten-
tiary and when he was released last jan
uary he went at once to Wilson county
ana induced his sweetheart TO 6lOpe Win
him. They were married on January IS
and came to Topeka to spend their hon
eymoon.
uary 20 and was gone until the 70. A
few nights after his return the house
ed de early 5'e In the morning by the police
and EstelIe was taken to jail. He was
suspected of robbing the safe in the Pet
erson store at Irving on the night of
January q. He was locked up in the
city jail and before his wife saw him she
questioned nv the officers and adj
mitted that he had been away from the
2Qth to the 2Srd. She, would not believe
that he had robbed the store. She was
told that he, was an ex-convict; She
knew it was no use to deny that he had
served time His picture is in more than
sent a photograph and description of the
| Talmo convict to the Topeka police. It
was a picture of Estelle. He confessed
to his wife that he had been in the peni-
Tertiary. It was a blow to the unsus-
believe it. But she forgaye him and said
| she did not believe he had robbed the
| safe at Irving and would stand by him
| through thick and thin. For two weeks
Estelle was kept in the city Jail, while
the officers were. weaving closer and
| closer the web of evidence which would
prove him the leader of the gang that
| blew the safe at Irving. Every morning,
afternoon and evening the wife visited
Finally the time came for Estelle to
examination. The police tried to induce
! the wife to return to her parents. She re-
| fused. She believed her husband inno-
| cent and she would not desert him but
! followed him by the next train to Irving.
| There she visited him in the Jail. When
Estelle saw that the officers had gath
cred evidence that would certainly con-
| Wet him he decided to confess in hopes
| of getting off with a lighter sentence.
| When told that he had confessed. his wife
| would not believe it. She rushed to the
Jail and asked him. He admitted it. That
! was too much. She had forgiven. him
when they We're married, but she would
| not forgive his second offense. She an
nounced that all was over between them
and left for her home. She wrote to the
| officers at Topeka that she was thankful
for the good advice they had given her
| and that she was sorry she had not
needed it. She said that as soon as he is
| sentenced to the penitentiay she will sue
| for a divorce.