The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-09-15
HUTCHINSON MAN
ROBBED OF SI,54O
Taylor Reed Loses Small For
tune Suddenly.
BY TWO COLORED MEN
They Hold Him While Woman
Takes Money,

Taylor Reed. contractor on the Orient
Railroad, who has but recently completed
work by contract for the company near
Viola, was robbed Saturday night Of
$50 in currency while in the vicinity cf
the alley between Douglas avenue and
William street near Topeka avenue The
robbery was reported Immediately to the
police and the same night Cora Johnson.
colored woman was arrested b. Off
GERS as she was boarding a Santa Fe
passenger train after purchasing a ticket
10 Pueblo. Colo and placed in the CITY
jail charged with participating in the
theft A thorough search made by the
police when the woman was placed in
The Jail failed. however, TO locate any
OF the missing $3.50 ana to all apoear-
ances the chances for finding anv Of if
are few. TWO coloreI men are supnosed
TO be implicated in The hold-up bur have
not been located. As Reeds description
OF them is 50 incomplete it is feared that
they viii never be apprehended.
The story Of how he was robbed is best
tod by Reed in his own words. He
says: i came 10 Wichita Saturday at
ter completing a job of work On the
Orient near Viola. While waiting for the
closing Of another contract with the com
pany, decided to go 70 Texas and ne
eouate for the purchase of some land
which ] had heard about After arriving
II Wichita 1 changed my mind about the
Texas trip and decided to 90 to Kansas
City instead Before leaving. however
/ determined TO visit in Wichita until
Monday morning About 9 O'Clock Satur-
day evening. after strolIing leisurlv about
the city, I found myself on a street which
/ have later learned was Topeka avenue.
Near the alley just south of your prin-
cipaI thoroughfare. Douglas avenue l
was accosted by q coIore3 woman who
tried to draw me into conversation. She
took up a position directly in front OF
men and as l tried to push her aside and
continue Up the street, l felt myself
suddenly taken hold of from the rear BY
two colored men Each laughed pleasant
ly. and for moment, l thought the mat
ter was a Joke But when ] felt the
woman reach into both trousers pockets
1 knew at once that 1 was being held up.
/ never gave thought to my money,
however, only Of my watch which 1 car
ried in small pocket near the waist
band of my trousers. The money I had
removed a short time before from an in
side vest pocket and placed in one of my
trousers pockets. As suddenly as the
men caught hold of me they released |
their grasp and all three persons ran up /
the alley laughing as they went. Nv
first move was to see if they had taken /
my watch. This / found 10 be perfectly
safe. i had commenced TO congratulate /
myself that the men had not robbed me /
when / thought of my money. I quickly 4
discovered that it was missing BY that /
time the three people had disappeared /
and there was nothing TO do but notify The /
police. 1 could give a very good des-rip- /
ton Of the woman and the police very
readily secured her arrest as she was lust 4
boarding a train TO leave the city. The
two men, though, ! am afraid. will never I
be arrested. Owing to the night being /
dark and the fact that 1 only secured a /
half view of them it is impossible for /
me to give good description of them. 1
think that I could identify them by
their voices"
Air. Reed. while the loss is a heavy one /
70 him, seems TO take the robbery philoso- (
phically. in that it can't be helped now,
but he is, of course. greatly put out at /
the easy manner in which he was re-
heved of his money. III never carry |
that much money on my person again.
said Mr. Reed. and the next time any
one attempts TO hold me up they Will get
but little of value"
The reason that Mr. Reed gives for
carrying such a large sum Of money is
that he has experienced several losses
10y banks failing At different times ana
decided To handle his own money. The
money consisted of seven one hundred
dollar bills. three fft-es and the balance
was IN tweuties, tens and fves- Mr..
Reed 3 home is in Hutchinson at which
place his family resides.