The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-12-20

We have no evidence that Cunningham
is mixed up in the Nickum murder
Deputy Sheriff Wilkerson said: Gun
ningham put up quite little fight when
he was arrested but the detective was
big man and it didn't last long. The
case against them is certain but now L
do not believe that Cunningham can be
connected with the Nickum murder
He s'yVas'' Murder Suspect.
County Attorney Hungate said: Cum
ningham was a Nickum murder suspect
Just as any other man who has a Grim
inal record such as he has and who left
town the night of the murder would be
suspected. The key found in the front
door of the Nickum hotel office was
a pass key and it was known to the
officers that Cunningham had such
pass key. That is all the evidence on
which to base the suspicion. 1t would
have been a. nice thing if in capturing
the automobile thief Sheriff Lucas could
have captured the murderer"
Mr.. and Mrs. Cunningham have been
kept apart ever since their arrest. They
were arrested in different towns and
have had no chance to communicate
with each other. Each is being given
searching examination this afternoon,
in separate cells, by County Attorney
Hungate.
Governor Knew Mrs. Cunningham.
Governor Bailey knows the family of
Vashti Cunningham. the woman who
was brought to Topeka this morning
from Ohio, charged with completely in
the theft of Chester WoOdwards auto
mobile.
Vashti Cunningham'S name, when she
was d girl, was Vashti Gardiner, and
she lived with her parents at Seneca.
Her father and mother ran the Guilford
hotel there. Governor Bailey said this
morning:
II was well acquainted with MI.
Gardiner; he ran the hotel there for a
number of years, and ran it well. He
was a fine, genial gentleman, and his
Wi a n hI I
remember much about this girl Vashti,
though I recollect there was a girl by
that name, and 1 probably saw her
about there more or less. The Gardi-
ners has a very good reputation in
Seneca; they ran a first-class hotel, and
there was never any reflection on their
character.
After they left Seneca, which was
about ten years ago, 1 think they went
down south somewhere. L don't know
where they are now. l am very much
surprised to hear that Vashti Gardiner
is the same as the FaShti Cunningham
who was mixed up in this automobile
esca pade.''
A Seneca man says that after leaving
bile, Ala, where Vashti was married.
She afterwards separated from her hus-
band, and went to Cleveland, where she
ran a barber shop, and where she met
Ferrand, or Cunningham
Borrowed the Auto.
The following story of Cunningham's
theft of the Woodward automobile is
from the St. Louis Republic:
w. B. Cunningham, charged with
breaking into a Topeka (Kan.) garage
and taking $2,500 automobile, says it
was the allurement of a big cross
country trip that prompted him to bor-
row the car. His arrest, and that if his
wife, resulted from a glowing descrip- |
tion which Mrs. Cunningham, not know |
ing that the machine had been borrow |
ed, wrote of the journey eastward.
Mr.. and Mrs. Cunningham were ar
rested in Ohio and are being taken back
Topeka. The charge is burglary and
larceny.
Cunningham is a Typographical
draughtsman. His home is at Inde- |
pendence. Kan, but oil fields work
took him to Topeka during the past
year. He developed a passion for |
and became an expert |
chauffeur and he and his wife were |
roads in autos loaned them by friends. |
He told his wife that a friend had |
loaned him big car for tour to New !
York. On Saturday night, a month |
ago, he went to a garage and took the |
car of Chester Woodward. He and |
his wife stocked the auto and started |
on the tour. 1t was Monday morning |
before the loss was discovered and |
by that time they were far on their /
journey.
They passed through ST. Louis At
Collinsville, ILL.,, the car broke down |
and Cunningham placed it in a feed |
sta BILE and he and his wife went by !
train to Lima, o., where Cunningham !
has relatives. Mrs. Cunningham went |
to Geneva, o., to visit friends, and |
while there wrote a letter to Topeka |
telling of the journey and the break
down and where she and her husband |
We're Their arrest followed.
Cunningham says it was his intention |
to go to Bridgeport, Conn.,, and send |
back from there Ia
he had no intention of selling it and did |
not try to do so. He declares that his |
wife was wholly ignorant of the man.
ner in which he obtained possession of /
the auto.
Cunningham is 81 and his wife is 28
Sheriff Lucas will continue the journey
with them Monday night.