The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-01-10

Il
Three hundred dollars was an
nounced this morning by J. E. Cum
ningham and Mrs. Frank Peterson,
Mrs. Nickum's children, both of OF
tawa. Sheriff Lucas also offered 500
additional reward this morning. The
total is now as follows:
Sheriff A. 7. Lucas. ...........$i0S
The Nickum family. $500
1otaA $500
The search for the murderer will
without question now receive consid-
cradle stimulus. Much has been said
in regard to the inadequacy of the re-
ward to cause high-class detectives to
set to work on the case.
Sheriff Lucas says that he has no
new clues. ut is mystery" he de-
clared today. Eyes I'm working on
it; but 1 have nothing particular in
sight; It's a mighty tough proposi-
ton"
The murder took place on Novem-
Der 49, Hard work has been done to
ferret out the criminals. but almost
two months have gone by without re-
suits. Several persons have been
arrested. but evidence against them
all was lacking.
]. E. Cunningham and Mrs. Frank
Peterson are children of Mrs Nickum
by her first husband. A. e. Cunning
ham. Mr.. J. z. Cunningham and Mr.
Peterson were both in the city this
morning and authorized the additional
Mr.. Cunningham says that he can
not understand the case at all. II
have no theory regarding it," he said.
1T has gotten past me. We would
like mighty well to know about it,
however, and capture the miscreant."
Mr.. Peterson talked at length con-
corning the case. II feel sure" he
declares, that it was done for rob-
berry / knew considerable about Mrs.
Nickum's business affairs. am now
the administrator of her estate. She
had mortgage of $1,000 on the hotel.
She told me few weeks before she
was killed that by December 1 she
would have enough money to pay off
the mortgage.
cat the time she was murdered she
must have had at least 500 in the
house 1t is gone For some reason
or other she never banked her money.
I demonstrated against this time and
time again. She was accustomed to
carry around her accommodations in a
little silkolene bag. told her that
she would be robbed some time. She
was robbed in fact of a little money
and gold watch last summer, both of
which were stolen out of this bag.
Tin this bag" continued Mr.. Peter
son, "she was wont to carry a button
hook and a few little things of that
kind We found that button hook on
the floor: am sure that somebody
got the 500 which she had and took
it out of this bag. She was killed by
a rObber without question
"She was doing a good business att
the Nickum house, clearing up from
800 to $3.50 every month. But she
always kept it in the house, in the
bureau drawers or under the mattress.
She thought it was perfectly SAFE
what do you think about the talk
that some woman killed her from a
Jealous motive. This fact some of the
officers deduce from the mutilation of
the body?" was asked
THAT is all bosh," said Mr. Peter
son. Some man robbed her and tried
to cover up his CRIME. He doubtlessly
attacked her from the rear. She was
a very nervy woman and would have
given almost any person a mighty
good fight before she was overcome.
1--WE hope to find out by whom and
how it was DONE" continued MIR. Pc
terson, land for that reason we have
hung up the reward. It is informa-
ton that we want rather than pun
ishment of the guilty persons. Mrs
Peterson, my wife, worries about the
matter a great deal. We have not
employed any private detectives to !
work UP the case. We know nothing
to set them to work on. Mrs Nickurn,
to nv personal knowledge and to that
Of my wife, had not an enemy in the
world who would have injured her in
that way"