The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-09-12
HARD LUCK STORY
Roy Taylor, a Young Kansan
ElOpes But Loses Wife.
Father of the Bride Follows and
Captures Daughter.
IN JAIL IN CHEYENNE.
N JAIL IN CHEYENNE.
Charged With Committing For
gerry and Theft.
Efforts to Locate His Bride Led
Him Into Trouble.


strongly of melodrama is the tale told
by Roy Taylor. who is in the county
Jail awaiting trial on charges of horse
theft, check raising and forgery. He
was arrested in Kansas City at the re-
quest of the Cheyenne authorities. Late
yesterday he was arraigned before JUS
tice w. P. Carroll, waived preliminary
examination and was bound over to the
district court. He states that he will
plead guilty.
Two weeks ago Taylor, it is alleged,
stole a horse, saddle, bride and spurs
from G. ]. Rugg of Bear creek. and also
stole a check, which Arthur Rugg had
made out in favor of another man.
raised it to $29, forged the Endorsement
Of the owner of the check and cashed
the paper.
In extenuation of his crimes, which,
he asserts, are the first he ever COM
mitted. Taylor tells an interesting and
romantic story. He says that six
months ago he was married to the
daughter of a well-to-do Kansas farm
er, clipping with the girl Learning their
plans, the father pursued them, and.
while Taylor was absent for few min
utes an hour after their wedding found
the bride and compelled her to accom-
pany him. Taylor, when he returned,
had difficulty in finding the trail of
the bride and her parental abductor,
but finally learned that they had left
for a neighboring town. Thither he fol-
lowed them from town to town, but
never caught them. Being finally re-
duced to Strengthened circumstances, he
was compelled to give up the pursuit
and seek employment.
He came to Wyoming, and was given
place on the ranch of the elder Rugg.
Taylor says he intended to save the
money he earned on the Rugg ranch
and use it in an effort to locate his wife.
Early last week he received word that
his missing bride and her father were
at Ottawa, Kan, and he planned to go
there. He was a victim of ill-luck,
however, for he borrowed team from
the ranch and drove to ranch four
miles away to pay a visit. There the
team became frightened, broke from
their fastenings and ran back to the
ranch at top speed. Taylor asserts that
the horses and wagon were not injured
as a result of the runaway, but that
nevertheless Arthur Rugg. who is in
charge during his fathers absence,
claimed damages amounting to $40 and
deducted that sum from the wages Tay-
lor had coming to him.
Thus, Taylor says, his hopes of reach
ing ottawa to claim his wife were dash
ed. He was desperate, and when he
saw young Rugg write small check
in favor of another ranch hand and
lock the paper in a drawer, he deter
mined to steal it and so manipulate 1t
as to secure sufficient money to reach
Ottawa. With this idea he forced the
drawer and stole the check. Then in
order to reach Cheyenne quickly, he
appropriated a horse saddle and bride
and a pair of spurs belonging to the
elder Rugg.
Arriving here, he left the horse at a
livery stable, but retained the saddle,
bride and spurs. Raising the stolen
check to S29. he forged the signature of
the man in whose favor it was drawn
and cashed the paper at the First M
tional bank. With the money thus Sc
cured he purchased a ticket to Quene-
NO. Kan, a small settlement near OF
tawa, and shipped the saddle, bride
and spurs there. From Quenemo he
and found that his wife
and her father had departed from or
tawa going to Kansas City. He sold
the stolen property he had with him
and followed to Kansas City, where he
was arrested.
The Kansas City police found that
his wife and her father had been in
Kansas City a few days previously ana
had departed for Minneapolis, Mlnn-'
where they now are
Taylor returned to Wyoming without
extradition, acknowledging his gul.t
and his readiness to take his medicine
He asserts that he had no intention TO
wrong the Riggs but merely INTENDED
to get even for the $40 of his money
by the younger Rugg as a re-
suit of the runaway.
Hard luck and love for my wife got
me into it, he said today, land I'll
have to go through"