The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-07-05
IN WICHITA A YEAR

W q
was arrested last night while trying tc
make his way into the vault of the Kan
sas National bank He was caught by
Jas. Woolard, and after confessions tIrn-
ed over to Sheriff Simmons. who placed
him in the sedgwick county jail. The
fellow polishes shoes for living, having
his chair on the sidewalk along the east
side OF the bank He says that ne is
| an employe of the barber shop. and, be
| Ing acquainted with all the men having
offices in the basement Of the building
was allowed the freedom of the place.
He was found in the basement room jusl
below the vault Of the bank. He was
lying on a shelf with chisel in his hand
digging hole about the size of a man 5
/ body in the bottom Of the vault Under
him on the shelf there was a blanket.
apparently put there TO keep the falling
plaster from making any noise. He chose
a good day to try his skill at bank rob-
| bing, for the noise of the hrecrackers
shielded him for some time from detec-
| ton His intentions seemed to have
been rather vague for even after he had
| got into the vault the great safe would
| have to have been cracked before he
could have gotten any money. His own
talk and confession shows that he worked
as blind man cropping in the dark Ac-
cording to mis- statement he had but one
thought, and that was to get the money.
The vault is located in the northwest
part of the building. The floor OF it.
through which Williams was trying TO
I 10 ,fY.-r,
beams with eight inches of concrete and
brick laid between Williams had just
gotten TO the concrete ooring Of the vault
when he was discovered. but had ii not
been for the timely thought of Jas
Woolard, he could have worked his way
through there and if expert at all with
dynamite he could have blown the safe
that contained the thousands Of dollars
1t is not probable, however that he
would have made a success Of the event
for he had only the chise and with it,
and without a hammer, was making slow
progress. Yet, on the other hand he
might have dispensed with the hammer
to avoid any noise The tool he used
was a common cold chisel. about seven
inches in length. with a very sharp
blade. 1t belonged to the messenger ser
vice office managed by Mr.. Woclard
Williams had borrowed it several times
to fix the electrical slot machine that
sat on a chair by his shoe backing
stand. The room in which he was work
ing is reached by passing through a
winding passage through several unoc-
cupied rooms
Mr.. Woodland in telling Of Williams ar
rest said to a reporter for the Eagle last
night:
Il have been suspecting Williams of
doing something like this for a long
while now. He has his chair right UP
there at the head of our stairs and often
comes down into our office Friday he
borrowed the screw driver. as he said.
10 fix our electrical slot machine that
had been left under his care. For two
weeks past 1 have found him prowling
around through the vacant basement
rooms. and have called to him to stay
out. He has evidently been planning this
robbery for good while. Every time
came back TO the Office from any place
and found Williams away from his chair
went down into the basement rooms and
looked him up. have found him in this
same room.
1
entered the Office a great giant hreorack-
er went off with a thunderous racket. ana
the thought flashed through my mind
what an elegant chance It would be fol
anyone 10 attempt to break into the
bank. for the noise Of the Fourth would
shield them and nobody was around the
bank. l thought of Williams peculiar
actions of the last few weeks and went
forward into the unoccupied basement
rooms. All the doors between these
rooms were opened. but the door leading
into the vault room was pulled 10 but
not shut As I approached it pushed
open the door and looked In. There
was Williams on a shelf close 10 th-
ceiling Of the room He was lying on
comfort and was working with cIlssI. /
the piasterinS falling on him
i stepped away undecided what 10
do He had heard me. for In a minute
~ appeared behind me As I was goins
up the outside steps leading onto Main
street he passed me an5 stsrtcd down /
tho street at q pretty good clip. Here, /
! yelled at him I want you TO come /
back and shine my shoes. He came
back. and when We got down into the
Office whore my brother and some II the 4
kids were turned On Williams and said. f
What were YOU doing in that room /
when I saw youc
I wansn't doing nothing. he replied, /
without a waVer
Yes you were. What were you doing +
with the chisei?'
Nothing was playing. that's all F.
Ishowed him my star and told him 10
consider himself under arrest. for 7 T
knew what he was doing He pat his
hand in his side pocket. and. thinking
that he was after 2 razor and intended
to 5ry to make his escape. I told him
that Il he ran z woUld shoe; him down
I then queried him and said .You
Conunuea on Elehth Pc