The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-08-07
Was Working in a Railroad
Camp as Robert Brown.
ADMITTED IDENTITY.
Says He Is the Guilty Party.
and None Other.
Placed in the Kansas City, Ks..
Prison for a Time.
Tells the Story of His Wander.
ings and Early Life.

Kansas City. Kas.. Aug. &c. L.
Melvin, the lola, Kas.. joint wrecker,
wanted in lola on a charge of blowing
up joints with dynamite, has been in
the Wyandotte county Jail in Kansas
City, Kas.. since Thursday night. He
was arrested August by Sheriff
Henry Richardson of lola in a Chi
cago. Milwaukee & st. Paul railroad
camp at Keystone, Iowa. Sheriff
Richardson arrived in Kansas City,
Kas., with his prisoner early Thurs
day evening. He took him to the
Wyandotte county Jail, although Mel
vim wanted to go to lola at once. The
movements of Sheriff Richardson
since the arrest of Melvin have been
guarded, and it was not until yester-
day afternoon that the lola joint
wrecker's presence in the Wyandotte
county Jail was made known.
Oscar Haner, the Wyandotte. coun-
ty jailer, said that it was at the re-
quest of Sheriff Richardson that he
kept Melvin's presence here secret.
Haner denied Saturday and Saturday
night that Melvin was in his charge.
Denies He Is Insane.
Melvin talked freely yesterday after
noon about what happened at lola
and what he had done since he left
there after blowing up the saloons on
July 10. He is a man of small stat
ure, but has a very large head. He
has small eyes, thin lips and sharp
chin. He spent the greater part of
the time yesterday afternoon ex-
planning that he was not insane and
at several times during his converse
ton he emphasized the fact that he
did not propose to hide behind an in
sanity plea as an excuse for what he
had done at lola.
after I blew up the saloons in
Iola,' said Melvin, 81 went to Bates
county, Missouri. I am not going to
tell you how I got there or anything
about that. It is sufficient for you
to know that I went from lola to
Bates county. I was raised in Bates
county, but 1 did not go in the vicin-
ity of my old home. 1 saw several
persons I knew, but they did not know
me. I worked with threshing ma
chine stacking straw for several days
and saved about 50 out of my wages.
City. Mo-, arriving there Saturday
morning, July e. I stayed in Kansas
City until the next day, Sunday. and
shipped out with several 1aborers to
Iowa. have been in Iowa since and
worked hard filling scrapers.
did anyone connected with the
prohibition movement in lola assist
you in making your escape from lola,
and have any of them known of your
whereabouts since you left Iola?" Mr..
Melvin was asked.
He Had No AccompIices.
mot a soul knew 1 was going to
blow up those saloons, and I have not
communicated with any of the prohi-
bition leaders since [ did the work.
None of them has known of my
whereabouts I did it all on my own
responsibility. I didn't care in the
slightest if the sheriff did find me. 1
expected to return to lola in a few
days anyway. I came near going back
two or three times, but I wanted to
first get a couple of good revolvers to
defend myself. I thought some of
those fellows would try to kill me, and
wanted to meet every assault.
do you want to know what caused
me to dynamite those saloons? Well,
will tell you in short order. 1t was
not because I was insane. I knew ex-
actly what I was doing and had been
planning it for weeks I will start at
the beginning and tell you the whole
story.
ST have a little home on Elm creek
near lola, where my wife and five chill