The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-06-19
BONNER SPRINGS CASE.
NJ. ID. BeardOn's Trial For De-
handing a Bag Of Gold.

handing a Bag Of Gold.
Kansas City. Kan, June 1s.-Mr.
Warner, the complaining witness, told
on the stand yesterday afternoon the
story OF how ex-Postmaster Beardon
demanded $1,000 from him on pain Of
being blown ND. He sain in part:
After receiving the letter demanding
the money he read it carefully.
''Then what did YOU do?" the prose
cutor asked.
II called some Of my friends and
neighbOrs into council with the view
of having them advise me what to do
And what advice did they give2
Warner said that his friends insisted
in the capture, if possible, of the sender
of the letter and his confederates. He
sent his brother-in-laws David Woods
to Kansas City to confer with the post
office inspectors and then telegraphed to
Kansas City. KAN for $1,000 ia gold
in S.. SO and $40 pieces. The gold, he
said, came by EXPRESS.
What did you DO with it?'' the pros
ecutor asked
morning placed it in the window in the
bank"
who put the bag under the side
Walk"
II put it there myself
Did it contain the gold when you
mo. I emDtied out the gold and put
in some. other stuff Of about the same
weight"
About what time was it when you
put the bag under the walk2'
1T was a. little after seven o'clock on
Tuesday evening" that is. on February
Were you present when Beardon was
arrested p the prosecutor finally asked.
mo, I went into the store where some
of my friends were waiting"
Warner was cross examined by Mr.
Hale, who questioned him closely con-
corning an incident of three years ago,
when Warner was almost beaten to
death in his home by robbers The pros
ecution had attempted to show in evil
dence that the receipt of the anony-
nous letter had recalled that assault
and Warner had been wrought un by
fear for his life and the lives of his fam
lily. Hale sought to prove by the bank
er's recital of the story that his con-
duct showed an absence OF any fear. He
considered fear. or the lack of it. an
important element in the Beardon case.
After a recess of ten minutes David
Woods brOther-in-laW of Warner, was
called. He is a tall young man, who
said he had been engaged in the imple-
ment business in Bonner Springs for
ten years His entire manner was open
AFTER Warner showed me that letter
advised him that nothing should De
left undOne to capture the perpetrators
of the crime" he said II went to KAN
sas City. Mo. to see Mr.. Fulton, the
head of the police detectives. They ad-
yised me as to plans for capturing the
criminals. Returning to Bonner Springs,
I laid the plans before Warner and they
were agreed to- secured the help of
several reputable men. and that night
we carried out our plans Men were
stationed at the different roads and
streets and four or i've were waiting
in store near by"
What did you do?" asked the prose-
cutor.
Il crawled under the sidewalk and lay
in a position so that could keep my
eye on the sack"
AT what time did you crawl under
the sidewalk"
Tt was about 20 minutes to 8 o'clock"
How long did you lie there?"
ooh, it was an hour or more, but It
seemed like a whole week The ground
was awfully cold.'
Woods then told Of hearing three men
pass down the stairway from the Odd
Fellows hail. It was near o'clock,
perhaps a few minutes after They
came down in single file. He heard them
talking. and he recognized the last man
as Beardon.
What were these men talking about?'
Il heard BeardOn say he would have
to stop minute, and as they passed on
down the street one of them called back
and said, Aren't you c0ming2 Beardon
answered in a low tone, Not just now
and then they went on"
What did Beardon do then2"
He was standing close up to the Odd
Fellows building at the steps leading
UP to the walk He was in a STOPPING
position. with his overcoat thrown
around his shoulders. He stepped on a
stick or something and it made a noise.
He put his foot under the edge of the
step and moved it about. Then he
reached his right hand under the board
as if he was feeling for something.
WAS he saying anything2"
He was muttering something. He
took hold Of the sack and pulled it out
and started CT with it. At that moment
i began creeping out from under the
walk. / called on him to halt, and he
answered, 7 won't do it, gave a sec
ond command, telling him to throw UP
his hands. This time he turned around
and hurled the sack at me. saying, In
the name of God, what are you doing,
Daye?' After that we walked together
around the building to the place where
the other men were standing
Mr.. Enright asked Woods if anything
else was said at the time
Yes, / explained to him all Of the cir
cumstances of Warner receiving the
letter and OF our plans to capture the
sender by putting the sack at the place
designated in the letter, and / said
you are the person who has come for
the sack2' =