The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-07-28
CONVICT NO. s42O.

We had read all about him before he
appeared a t the prison under a sentence
of ten years. The daily papers had
said that his was was Salters, ana
his age about 40. He had taken rooms
at a fashionable boarding house on
certain street in Chicago and let 1t be
known that he was a broker On each
side of the boarding house were pfl-
vate dwellings, and further down the
street. but to be reached over the roofs,
was large art store.
The first thing to happen after the
arrival of Mr. Salters. but with which
his name was not at all connected, was
the robbery of the art store. Some rare
old canvases were in to be touched up,
and they were carried away Also,
quite a large sum of money. Two Of
the best detectives were put on the
case, but they could not even find how
the burglar entered the store. 1t was
finally decided that he must have used
a false key, but that decision did not
help to capture the man.
Ten days later the private house on
the right was robbed. It was four
story house occupied by a wealthy gro
Ger There was a family of four, and
four servants and two dogs Every
room in the house from top to bottom
was searched by the robber. He even
took a small amount of money from
under the pillow of the cook. He took
from the grocer, a watch and $500, and
from his wife about $1,000 worth of jew
elry. It was believed that he was in
the house for a couple Of hours, and
yet not the slightest alarm was raised.
Again there was no cleW as to how
the man entered.
It was only five days later, and the
police were still working on the other
cases. when the private house on the
left was robbed. It was occupied by
two old maids, who were sisters They
had one servant and a poodle dog. On
the night of the robbery, as the sis
tiers had become alarmed, brother OF
ST.
ing in the house The shotgun was not
only taken away, to be found down in
the kitchen next morning, but the
brother was robbed of his watch, a
small amount of money and his clothes
thrown into the back yard from the
window The amount of plumber and
jewelry obtained in the house was over
thousand dollars.
Still no clew as to the way entrance
had been effected. While the detectives
were after the burglar, the daily papers
were after the detectives, and things
were being made hot all around, when
the rooms of eleven guests in the
boarding house at which Mr. Salters
stopped were ROBBED on the same night.
He was the heaviest loser, being a VIC
tim to the tune OF $500 in cash. Every
room had a door that would lock, and
on every door was bolt in addition.
Not door showed the slightest mark
Of violence.
The house was filed with detectives,
and everybody was examined and cross
examined, but 1t was no use. The rooms
had been entered and despoiled7 while
the guests were sleeping, and that was
all there was to it. The detectives
wanted to suspect some one In the house
but all told straight stories.
They were waiting In fear and tren-
bling for the next outbreak. when a
stupid-headed servant girl in the board
! ing house solved the puzzle. From the
house OF the grocer had been taken an
unset catseye stone. This was found
under Mr.. Salters' bed one morning
when the girl swept his room. 1t waz
taken to the IandIady, by her exhtb-
tied to some Of the guests, and before
night It was IN the hands Of the detee-
tives.
Mr.. salters was asked to explain. AS
he couldn't explain. he was traced te
another room half mile away, and al
the plumber found. He simply laugh ed
when put under arrest. He laughed
when put on trial He had been caught
so dead to rights that he smiliugly
pleaded guilty. and took his ten-yeai
sentence without moving a muscle
The police were on to Mr.. Salters fol
one Of the slickest chaps in the bust
ness. and they would have given Z