The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-10-08

influence of liquor, and as he left, gather
ed up couple of Towards business cards
which were on show case. This ac-
counts for his having his address. The
letter is written in large bold hand, the
envelope addressed in the same hand with
an attempt at disguise-back slant
When seen by a State Journal reporter
this morning Mr.. Howard said: Yes.
believe this letter is from the right man.
l remember his purchase of the gun. and I
told the police about it and described him
as well / could. He said he was &
cattleman, and he looked it He paid me
for the gun and belt with $40 note, and
he had lots of them, in fact he had roll.
as big as his arm He wanted more
cartridges, but we did not have them and
/ remember of figuring up the next day
that the highwayman fired a number of
shots which compared with the cartridges
he got can not remember the name
he gave. but I gave it to AL Hopkins the
next day. From the looks of the roll he
displayed here, / an inclined to think
that he was not holding up people for
money. but to have what he considered a
good time, to revive the ancient cowboy
custom of shooting up a town.
A search of the register at the Throop
hotel does not disclose a similar hand
writing to that in the letter. The only
name given opposite Denver address for
the entire week is e. D. >Keeler,'' and it
is written in an entirely different hand
writing
The Tone highwayman' who did bust
ness in Topeka on the night of September
Y. began at Eighth and Jackson streets
about II O. clock by stopping r. I. Horton
and viii Burgess just in front of the
Catholic church. He stepped into the
shadow of q tree and levelled a long gilt
tering gun at Horton. Throw up your
hands" he yelled. Without waiting for
Horton to comply with his modest re-
quest. he whirled on Burgess and shouted
hell r4rf 10Th,
their heels and ran in opposite directions
He chased Burgess to the corner of Van
Buren, and then cut loose with his heavy
artillery. probably into the air. as he did
not hit anything. He then made a circuit
to the westward. holding up in turn Frank
Lewis, city ticket agent of the U. P. two
boys whose names are not known, George
Aye, Fred c. Craddock and wife, ana
later another man, down near Moesers
ice plant He relieved Lewis of 81 and a
shot at the victims foot. He fired several
other shots before he closed up for the
night. but hit no one. and did not try very
hard
Meanwhile a large bunch of officers
We're dashing from one scene to another,
without sighting their man. He held up
and robbed Frank Lewis while a police
man was hot on his trail and within a
block of him. AS his operations seemed
to be toward the Rock Island ~ the
police decided. after two hours of fruitless
searching, that he had escaped on a
freight They also decided that he was
some poor hobo, desperate from want of
funds. Instead of a hobo, it seems now
that he was a cattleman with money TO
burn, who put up at a good hotel, and
only went out to have little fun all by
himself Now that he has had plenty of
run, he writes to let the town know that
he appreciates its kindness in furnishing
the same. Perhaps he will repeat the per-
Torrance when he comes through with a
bunch next month.