The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-12-16
Sheriff and County Attorney
Leave for Ohio.
Believe That the Right Man Has
Been Found.
HE is UNDER ARREST.
w. B. Cunningham the Man
Under Suspicion.
Disappeared From Topeka Night
of the Murder:
TOOK AN AUTOMOBILE.
This Was Stolen From the
Garage in Topeka.
Wife Also Arrested on Charge
of Theft.
Ex-Sherlff Wflkerson Made the
Capture.
OOK AN AUTOMOBILE.
This Was Stolen From the
Garage in Topeka.

Is the Nickum murder mystery
solved?
Sherif Lucas and County Attorney
Hungate think that it is or is about to
be and both left for Ohio today in great
haste.
w. B. Cunningham is under arrest at
Lima, Ohio. and Sheriff Lucas holds ev1-
dence which he thinks will convict Gun
ningham on the charge of numbering
Mrs. Mary A Nickum on the night of
saturday, November 10.
Nishu Cunningham, the mans wife, is
also under arrest at Lima Ohio and
VIII be brought to Topeka with her hus-
band EX-Sherif ]. Nj. Wilkerson, who
tracked Cunningham and his wife from
Topeka to Ohio, which trip they made
in the automobile owned by Chester
Woodward and stolen from the garage
IN Topeka the night of the Nickum muir
der, secured the arrest of Cunningham
Thursday afternoon and Mrs. Cum
ningham was apPrehended this morn
ing at Geneva, Ohio
Cunningham is known as a desperate
criminal and an all round crook He
killed man in Chicago but got out of
the scrape. He served time in the Joliet
Ill, state penitentiary and served time
in jail at Denver. He stole an automo-
bile IN P1ttsburg, Pa, and in Denver
He is wanted in California and Arizona
on criminal charges, so the officers say.
When Woodward was advised to Sc
cure the services of a detective in hunt
ing up the automobile. Sherif Lucas
had more than vague suspicion that
cunningham, who was practically
known to have committed the theft, was
implicated in the Nickum murder So
strong was his belief that he advised
the employment of Wilkerson and ne
agreed to share large part of Wilker-
sons expenses Wilkerson is one of the
shrewdest detectives in the west 1t
was he who worked out the F'raker in
Surance fraud case. Lucas arranged TO
0f fIc hr1r,
Wilkerson took the trail of the stolen
automobile.
Wflkerson has kept Lucas advised by
telegraph and Lucas has visited Inde-
pendence and Coffeyville and worked up
sl clues. Lucas feels certain that with
the evidence he has that he can fix the
responsibility Tor the murder of Mrs.
Nickum on Cunningham when he brings
him back to Topeka.
Warrants were issued in the city
court this morning. on complaints
made out by County Attorney Hun
gate, charging w. B. Cunningham and
Nishti Cunningham with having stolen
the automobile. Requisitions on Gov
srnor Herrick, at Columbus, were is
im Lucas fears that Cunningham and
his wife will fight the requisition
papers, and it is for that reason that
County Attorney Hungate will accom-
pany him.
Sheriff Lucas received the following
telegram Thursday afternoon:
Lima, Ohio, Dec. Is.
"A. 7. Lucas, Sheriff, Topeka. Kas:
Have n. J. Farren, alias w B.
Cunningham, in custody. Tattooed
Farren and James on arm. Answer
-. F. WINGATE,
Captain of Police"
Sheriff Lucas wired Police Captain
Wingate to hold Cunningham and that
he would start today for Ohio.
While the police at Lima were ready
TO make the arrest of Cunningham,
ex-Sheriff Wilkerson went to Geneva
Ohio, where Mrs. Cunningham was to
have her arrested. This morning
Geneva, Ohio, Dec. 16.
"a T Lucas, Topeka, Kas.;
Have Mrs. c. VIII start for Lima
at a. m. J. NJ. WILKERSON."
VIII Be Brought Back.
Cunningham and his wife will be
brought to Topeka to stand trial on
the charge of stealing the automobile
which charge the county authorities
can prove beyond doubt, and after he
IS brought here Sheriff Lucas will en-
deavor to have him identified as the
man seen near the Nickum house the
night OF the murder. Cunningham
was well acquainted with the vicinity
of the Nickum house, and as he killed
q man in Chicago and is known to be
a desperate criminal the case against
him is probably strong
Sheriff Lucas refuses to state what
evidence he has connecting Cunning
ham with the murder further than the
incidents Immediately connected with
the stealing of the automobile.
The automobile was stolen from the
garage near the corner of Seventh
and Quincy streets the night of the
Nickum murder
The day following the murder, Sun
day, November 20. Mr.. and Mrs. Cum
ningham reached Independence. Kansas,
fn the automobile at three o'clock in the
afternoon. The distance by railroad
from Topeka to Independence is 16O
miles. An automobile can make from
IS to 20 miles an hour. Running at the
rate of 20 miles an hour the trip would
have required eight hours. At Is miles
an hour the trip would have consumed
about IL hours.
The Nickum murder was committed
at about one o'clock Sunday morning.
November 19. From one o'clock to three
o'clock Sunday afternoon IA hours
elapsed, sufficient time for Cunning
ham to have made the trip to Indepen-
dence without trouble.
An Experienced Chaffeur.
Cunningham, alias Farren and other