The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-09-06
Plato Residence Was Rented to
Sergeant Henry Carpenter.
MRS. PLATO AROUSED.
Says She Did Not Rent Her
Place For Road House.
People in NeighbOrhood Organ
ize a Vigilance Committee.

The police force of Topeka should be
fumigated. Chief StahTs adviser and
the man who is in charge when he is
absent is Sergeant Henry Carpenter.
Carpenters record since he has been on
| the police force has been most un-
savory, and it has eliminated by his
renting the Plato place north of To-
peka for the notorious Vera Knowles.
Here is a record of Carpenters dis
graceful acts since his connection with
the Topeka police force, all of which
was published in the State Journal:
Arrested for embezzling $500 from a
poor widow. Dismissed by Carpenter
paying back the money.
Has a disgraceful fight with the
driver of a beer wagon, the quarrel
having started in a disorderly house.
Whips Vera Knowles in her resort
because of a real or fancied wrong.
Rents the Plato residence for the use
of Vera Knowles as a road house.
All these things, except perhaps the
last. have been known to Chief StahI,
Mayor Hughes and the police commit
tee, which is composed of such excel
lent gentlemen as James A. Troutman,
S. G. Miller and S. A. Swendson. They
have all been recounted in the State
Journal in the order in which they oc-
CURED.
But these men who have the control
of the Topeka police have not moved a
hand to change the conditions. They
have allowed Carpenter to hold the inn
portant position of first sergeant of the
police force, knowing all about his rec
ord 1t is next to criminal, and Chief
Stahl, Mayor Hughes and the police
committee are responsible.
s. M. Hall was removed with reluct-
ance, after he had killed an inoffensiye
al n mr. n2 ION
he is still doing special work.
CARPENTERS LATEST.
Tt was announced in the state Jour-
nal last Wednesday that the large Plato
residence, on Central avenue in North
Topeka, had been rented by Vera
gagged in moving her furniture from her
present disorderly house at 307 Kansas
avenue to the new location.
Vera Knowles secured possession of
the Plato mansion under false pretenses
according to the owner The house was
rented to Mr.. Henry Carpenter, police
sergeant, who represented to Mrs. L.
Plato, the owner, that he wanted the
building for private residence It now
is clear that Mr.. Carpenter was acting
in behalf of his protege, Miss Vera
Knowles.
When Mrs. Plato read in the State
Journal that her property was to be
used by Vera Knowles for a disorderly
had received in regard to the real pur-
pose of Mr.. Carpenter in renting the
property. She at once notified Mr.. Car
penter that she would not permit her
premises to be used for improper pur-
poses Carpenter had paid a months
rent in advance, but Mrs. Plato insist
er that he get the Knowles woman out
without delay, and this Carpenter prom |
ised to do on condition that his name
not be made public.
af 17c a. 04f of
Mr.. Carpenter, Chief Stahl and Mayor |
Hughes who claim to be exponents of a |
good and virtuous police administra-
tiOn refuse to believe the evidence |
place as one Of their chiefest and most |
trusted officers.
MRS. PLATO's STATEMENT.
Mrs. L. Plato, of whom Henry Car /
penter rented the house for Vera |
Knowles to use as road house, sent /
the following statement of the case to |
the State Journal:
Topeka. Kan, Sept 5, 1901
To the Editor of the State Journal.
In Wednesday evenings paper you
had statement that the Plato place on
North Central avenue had been rented |
for road house to Vera Knowles, and
in regard to the same 1 would like to
say.
That this house was rented to a gen
tleman who paid the rent for the same
and / supposed at all times that the |
gentleman renting the house was going
to occupy the same and it was only
upon reading the article in your paper
Wednesday evening that I learned who
was moving into the house and the
character of the party. Immediately
gave notice to the gentleman that had
.ented the house that the property could
not be used for any such purpose nor
would I allow under any circumstances
any one to occupy the house but respec-
table people and this gentleman has
promised me that she will remove from
the house Immediately and I shall not |
under any circumstances whatever al
low her or any one with like character
to occupy this property.
Hoping you will be kind enough to
publish this statement so that the true
state of affairs may be known, I am
yours very truly,
MRS. L. PLATO.
Mrs. Plato refused to state who was
he gentleman referred to in her let
err She said she had promised not TO
-eveal the name of the man, but ad-
0eka police force. However, there's no
mystery about it. The man was Ser
geant Henry Carpenter of the Topeka
police force. He undoubtedly had a
light to rent the Plato residence for
Vera Knowles If he wanted TO but he
ought not to hold more than one posi-
ion at once-either he ought TO resign
rom the police force or as manager
or Vera Knowles.
PEOPLE ARE EXCITED
Meanwhile the people in the neigh
,orhood Of the Plato place are greatly
wrought up over the affair. A vigilance