The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-07-21
PHOENIX VANpROFF ARRESTED.
CoIored Man Took Girls Riding in DR..
Thomas Rio.

Phoenix .Vandroff, one of the colcred
walters at the Manhattan hotel, was ar
rested last evening and held in the city
Jail last night awaiting charges TO be
preferred against him by DR.. Thomas
for taking his rig from where it was tied
near the Manhattan hotel yesterday af-
ternoon.
DR.. Thomas tied his horse as usual at
the pole near the alley on Topeka ave
nue. at about 1:30 o'clock yesterday af-
ternoon. He did not discover that his
horse was missing until almost O'Clock
and then by mere chance. He happened
to glance out of his Office window over
Behring's drug store, and said There
goes an exact match to my horse" He
stepped closer to the window to get a
better look at the animal and then dis
covered that it was his rig and was in
possession of a colored man and two wo
men. BY the time he could get down
stairs his horse had disappeared. The
police were notified and they in connec-
ton with the doctor hunted the rest Of
the afternoon for what they believed u
be the stolen rig. but got no trace of it
until Vandroff returned to Surgeons
barn at about o'clock and was arrest
ed together with the two colored women
he had with him, by an officer and DR..
Thomas.
Vandrof tells the following story TO
explain his having Dr. Thomas horse
and buggy in his possession when arrest
ed last evening. He intended TO drive
good horse flesh and shine with his two
10 h. hoT Of If or
noon between the walters of the Carey
and Manhattan hotels After dinner he
drew s. from the day clerk and then
asked the cigar clerk 20 order a rig from
Surgeons livery stable for him and
have it brought to the side entrance Of
the hotel The cigar clerk ordered the
rig and Sturgeon said he would send it,
but he afterwards decided not to let a
person whom he did not know take one
of his rigs without first seeing him. The
stable is just across the street from the
Manhattan hotel. and Mr.. Sturgeon
thought Vandron would call for the rig
if he wanted it. and so he did not send
it. Vandron says that when he was
ready to go and saw DR.. Thomas driving
horse and rubber-tired buggy hitched to
a telephone pole near the door he sup
posed it was the livery rig. He got in
and drove to fremont street where he
got his two girls. He then drove down
Douglas avenue by the Manhattan hotel
and then 10 the fair grounds. After the
game he took little ride over the city.
He was just turning into Surgeons
stable 10 leave the horse when, with the
two girls, he was arrested by an officer
in company with DR.. Thomas
DR. Thomas will not accept Vandron' :
explanation. and charges him with taking
the horse Intentionally. lie says he has
left the horse tied in that same place
every day for years and that Vandron.
working so near. could not help know
ing whose horse ii was He alleges that
Vandroff wanted to cut swell in his
rig and made the mistake knowingly.
The women were taken to jail but were
turned loose early last evening upon
promising TO appear At the police court
at O'Clock this morning vandron was
held in Jail but viii be given an op-
portunity to explain 10 the police Judge
this morning.