The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-08-28
TEN ARE IN JAIL.
Hen Who We're Organized to
Rob the Santa Fe.
Have Stolen Hundreds of Dollars
Worth Of Brass.
HELD SECRET MEETING
Weeks Depredations We're Thus
Mapped Out.
Locomotives and Cars Stripped
of Brass and Copper.
HELD SECRET MEETING

A general roundup of the brass and
copper thieves of the city has been in
progress for the past week, though the
work of locating them has been in pro-
gress for a greater length Of time I'M
der the direction of Special Agent H
n. German Of the Santa F'e and nine
members Of an organized gang are now
in the county jail
So as not to interfere with the plans
of Mr.. German and his deputies the
men have been landed in the county
jail one at a time as fast as they have
been located, though the matter has
been kept a secret and they have not
been booked. Late Monday afternoon
complaints were sworn out for seven
Of the members of the gang who are at
present in the county Jail.
The complaints sworn to Monday
charge George Thompson, William Nc
clean, Edison Williams, Elmer Jack
son. Robert King and Arnie Mitchell
with burglary and larceny and Harry
Streeter with grand larceny. All of the
prisoners with the exception Of Streeter
are negroes
Besides these seven members of the
gang there are three more ia the cOun-
ty Jail: Edward Mcdonald, Doc Man
son and G. w Thomson who were
captured shortly after they made an at
tempt to rob one of the brass store
houses in the Santa F'e yards last week
Streeter, who is the only white man
IN the lot seems to have acted in an
advisory capacity and has not accom-
panied the members of the gang on
their raids and for that reason will es-
cape facing the charge of burglary
though he is charged with grand lar
ceny.
Stealing Brass by Wholesale.
While the depredations have been go
ing on for years the organization of the
gang was not completed until about the
middle Of July when the stealing and
disposal of copper and brass reached
q point of surprising proportions. About
this time the thefts were reported to
Special Agent H. H. German and he
assigned a force of his deputies on the
case with Instructions to stay after the
thieves until they were captured or run
out Of the city.
On the 18th of July one of the Santa
H'e store houses was entered and 1873
pounds of new brass, valued at 1852 10
stolen and it was from this theft that
another clue was obtained. The thefts
became almost nightly occurrences and
though the yards were sprinlzled with
special agents the darkness and cars
afforded such shelter that when the
form Of one Of the thieves was sighted
he was able to make his escape
For almost a week a detail of secret
service men laid in wait near one of the
by sight of the thieves. Then three
men slipped out of the darkness be-
tween TWO strings of bOXcars and made
their way to the store house, broke the
lock and filed their sacks with metal.
They were ordered TO halt but took
to their heels and We're followed by a
volley from the posse though all of
them escaped. Early the next morning
George Thompson was arrested in
North Topeka where he had gone to
two men in the party was made within
dressed. and the arrest of the other
two men nthe party was made within
few hours from Information which
he gave.
The men We're separated and each
in turn confessed and implicated 9TH
ers and as fast as the men have been
landed in Jail they have told all that
they know of the gang. its organiza-
tion and the operations OF the mem
bers.
From the t7th day of July until
the goth day of August the Santa Fe
railroad has lost 5000 pounds OF
brass and copper from its yards in To-
peha. valued at 5000. The brass be-
ing valued at twelve cents pound
while the copper is worth fifteen. and
One-half cents.
An Organized Gang.
The confessions of the men now in
Jail indicate that the gang was thor
Oughly organized for the purpose OF