The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-12-19
ON THE WAY HOME.
Sheriff Lucas in ST. Louis With
Prisoners.
Cunningham's Queer Comment
When He Was Arrested.
6 OH, is THAT ALL? "
His Comment When Told Charge
Was Larceny.
III. III. Parker Saw the Missing
Auto Early Sunday.
g OH, is THAT ALL?"

A telegram was received this morning
by T. F. Doran, from John W. Wilker-
son, dated ST. Louis and announcing
| that Wilkerson was in ST. Louis and
that Sheriff Lucas would arrive there
this morning from Lima, Ohio, with his
two prisoners, w. B. Cunningham and
Vishti Cunningham.
After securing the arrest of Cunning
ham at Lima and Mrs. Cunningham at
Geneva, Wilkerson left for st. Louis
presumably to follow clues to secure ev-
idence against the Cunninghams.
Sheriff Lucas left Topeka Friday af-
ternoon with a warrant and reQuisition
papers for Mr.. and Mrs. Cunningham
given by Governor Bailey on Governor
Herrick of Ohio. At first it was thought
that the prisoners would fight the re-
QUESTION and County Attorney Hungate
arranged to go with Sheriff Lucas. La
ter word from WilkerSOn decided that
Eungate need not go and as Lucas has
made such a quick trip the prisoners
did not fight the reQuisition.
That Cunningham, alias Ferren and
other names, thought he was arrested
on a more serious charge than that of
stealing an automobile is shown by the
following dispatch from Lima, o., TO
the Cincinnati Enquirer under date of
December 16:
"Infatuation for another mans wife
led to the arrest here of n. ]. Ferrend,
alias w. B. Cunningham, and to the
arrest of his wife. in the home of her
parents, in Geneva, Ind, where she had
gone to spend Christmas. Ferrend
stands charged with grand larceny in
Topeka, Kan He and his wife escaped
from that state in a stolen auto. They
were traced to St. Louis, through I'LL
nois and into Ohio and Indiana. Losing
track of the man, the whereabouts OF
Mrs. Walter Ferguson, formerly of this
city, with whose husband Ferrend had
been in partnership in the Indian Ter
ritory oil fields, were noted, and on her
arrival here Ferrend was at the depot.
After a fight, in which he made
and Deputy Sheriff ]. M Wilkerson
arrived last night with his wife. Mrs.
Ferguson says she only aided the au-
thorities, though she admits that the
quartet spent the summer in tents near
Bartlesville, Indian Territory.
''Ferrend is said to be wanted on 9TH
er and more serious charges. He will
be taken, with his wife, back to Kan
sas. He has parents and brother
high in commercial circles in Cleve-
land.
when he was told he was wanted
for grand larceny he smiled and re-
marked:
oh! Is that all? Somebody or else
must be crazy -
Another witness has been found who
saw the Cunninghams as they left To-
peka on the morning of November 20,
after the murder of Mrs. Nickum with
Chester Woodwards Franklin automo-
bile H. H. Parker, a grocer at 1920
Quincy street, saw the machine whiz
by his store at an early hour that
morning. He was slightly surprised at
the time to think that anyone would go
out for a pleasure jaunt at that hour,
but the passing of an auto was not an
unusual occurrence, as Quincy street is
used frequently as a speedway and he
forgot the occurrence until he saw the
account in the State Journal about the
theft, and flight of Cunningham.
A reporter called on Mr.. Parker at
his store this morning, and asked him
about the story that he had seen an au-
tomobile that morning.
Yes, a machine did go by here that
Sunday morning, and it went in a hur-
ry'' said Mr. Parker. at remember of
thinking at the time that it was rather
early to be out, but there was a chance
that they We're going out in the country
in a visit, or to hunt. There was a man
and a woman in the auto, but they were
going too fast to see much of them, so
couldn't begin to describe them. 1t was
think nearer than 6. but I am not
sure about the time. The machine was
not one of the small ones, but it was
and I don't know anything about the
green or brown don't know. 1t did not
look like a new auto,-kind of dingy.
They were going at least 20 miles an
hour when they passed here,-looked
like they were going somewhere and in
a hurry to get there. The incident made
no particular impression on me, and