The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-10-12
Burke Might Have Escaped but
for Woman.
His Retreat Betrayed by His
Wife'S Acts.
ENTERS GUILTY PLEA.
Will Go to Penitentiary for
Two and a Half Years.
Worked Confidence Game on
Santa Fe Passenger.

W. H. Burke entered a plea of guilty
to the charge of highway robbery this
morning in the district court before
Judge Hazen, and was sentenced to
two and one half years in the peniten-
tiary
The crime to which Burke pleaded
guilty was that of robbing John Garad-
ly, q Frenchman, of S25 on passenger
train at the Santa Fe depot, in Topeka,
May 20.
Burke, by his act, stirred up reg
ular hornets nest of officers and detec-
tives. who followed the same plan of
procedure in capturing Burke, and his
aecomplice, as is used in Sardous
drama La Tosca," where the fugitive
lover of La Tosca is located by officers
who followed her to find his hiding
place
on May 20 Garadly and his wife were
on Santa Fe train bound for Perry,
Oklahoma. Just before the train stop
ped in Topeka a man seated himself in
the seat opposite and facing Garadly
The man entered into conversation with
Garadly and found that he and his
wife were going to Perry.
Well Perry is a good town" said
the man. L live there and am in the
lumber business"
Garadly then asked the man if he
knew several people in Perry. Oh, yes,
he knew them. All good people and GUS
toners of his Garadly caught at the
bait. He at once decided that the man
was the right sort. The man, also, de-
cided that Garadly was of the right
sort to act as the party of the second
part in a confidence game.
The man got off the train for a few
moments and then returned. AS he sat
down he put wallet containing what
appeared to be a draft in his pocket.
That knocks me all out, the man
said to himself.
Garadly was all attention. whats
that?' he asked.
not cash my draft for $3.50" said the
man.
Gsradlv was still all attention.
You haven't that. amount, have
you?'' asked the man.
No l only have $50. said Garadly.
Would you mind letting me have $50
until we get to Perry?" asked Burke.
L will let you have this draft as Sc
Ciaradly seemed little undecided. He
had counted out $25 of the $50 when the
man grabbed the $25 and ran from the
car.
Garadly followed him but when he
reached the door of the car man block
ed his passage and held the door shut.
1t is raining outside" said the man
who prevented Garadly from passing,
you better not go out"
When Garadly did reach the station
platform he told a policeman of the
robbery. Garadly stopped in Topeka.
Officers Gardner and Lucas were de-
tailed to work up the case. Garadly de-
scribed the man who grabbed the money
and also the man who held the door
shut.
Gardner and Lucas began an fnvesti-
or
man following the descriptions They
heard that such a man stopped at the
Chesterfield hotel.
The hotel clerk remembered that a
woman had taken "A room there and had
told him that her husband was coming
and that her husband was fine look
tRE man. with gray hair and that he
looked like a banker and in fact he
was Il sort Of q banker-faro banker
The description tailed with that of
the officers. Garadly said the man who
robbed him had a bloodshot eye. The
hotel clerk said that the man who look
ed like gray haired banker had
bloodshot eye. The officers went to the
room. The wife was there but not the
man. The officers left the room. The
woman ran down the hallway of the
hotel to another room. The officers
followed and there found the man they
were looking for. The officers found
that the man in the room had blood
shot eye. He was arrested and was
found to be w. H. Burke, the posses
sor of many aliases and d record.
He WAS taken to the police station
and locked up on the charge of rob
berry. Then the police followed Mrs.
Burke and they caught Gregg Harris.
who was identified by Garadly as the
man who held the door of the car shut
and prevented him from chasing
Burke
Burke was bound over in the city
court on $500 bond to appear for trial
in the district court. Col H c. Lindsay
was his bondsman.
Gregg Harris pleaded guilty to the
charge of robbery and was sentenced 10
so days in the county Jail and a fine of
5000 He is still in Jail.
Burke disappeared. When it was
about time for his trial he could not
be found. Then Detective Germain, of
the Santa F'e railroad, took a hand and
kept track of Burke. He found that
and left word for her mail to be sent to
Texarkana Arkansas. Then Sheriff
Lucas and County Attorney Hungate
went to Texarkana. where Burke was
arrested by the chief of police just be-
fore their arrival
Burke was brought here for trial. Mrs
Burke tried every one and every means
to get him free but her efforts were
fruitless and he consented this morning
10 plead guilty if he was given but two
and one-half years sentence.
Officers Gardner and Lucas have the
bogus draft which Burke offered to let
Garadly keep as security. They also
have several other similar drafts. Burke
stepped out of the court room and stuck
his hands in a pair of handouts. He'll
go to the penitentiary with quite large
party from Shawnee county when Sher-
if Lucas makes his next trip.
r@fT