The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-10-05
ALL WERE EMPTY.
Police Find a Large Number of
Pocket Books.
Raid on Lower Kansas Avenue
Reveals Vile Den.
AN OPIUM OUTFIT.
Slung Shots and Other Equip
ment of FOotpads Seized.
Large Quantity of Stolen Cloth
ing Is Also Found.

The police made one of the biggest |
catches of the season last night when |
they raided a notorious opium joint |
and gambling house in the rear of
315 Kansas avenue. The joint was
presided over by Herbert Atkins, |
colored, who has been at the police
station q number of times on similar
charges. In the joint with Atkinson
was a woman, Mary Davis. who is one
of the worst "aliey rats" ever cap
tured in Topeka. She not only has a
penitentiary reputation but her local
police record is a long tale of woe.
When the police raided the joint
last night the woman was smoking
opium and Atkinson was eating fried
chicken. He had been smoking most
of the evening but during few min
utes recess he turned TO his old love.
The two were taken to the station at
once and will be brought before court
on a number of charges.
The catch not only signified the
breaking up of a notorious opium
Joint but it is thought by the police
that few of the Taft day robberies
may be accounted for. There were
six empty pocketbooks found in the
shack and later when the trunks of
| the occupants were searched four
more were found. They are of good
| quality and were undoubtedly
snatched by the woman in the case
| who was sent to Lansing for the same
crime a number of times.
| The police went down to the joint
| this morning and searched the dress
ers and trunks They went primarily
| for liquor but instead found number
of empty pocketbooks and a variety of
mems and woman's clothes that an
| aristocrat would be proud to own.
| There We're dress suits, fur coats.
| silk jackets. big plumed hats and
| every article of apparel imaginable,
| and of the very best quality. In other
parts of the house the dope" and
| pipes for the use of opium smoking
at the police station. Another no.
/ ticeable feature in the house was the
| means of defense There were clubs,
l irons revolvers, stubs standing around
| in corners and behind curtains. Detec-
| tvs Hopkins said this morning: eff a
| man ever got caught in that hole he
| would never get out alive unless he
gave over his money. 1t is one of the
| worst dives we have raided for long
1 time" Atkinson also had a watch
and about five dollars in change. 1t is
| believed by the police that he has
1 stolen the watch as he can not give
/ a satisfactory explanation of his
| possession of the time piece and he
has two or three others in pawn
| shops.
Mary Davis. the woman found in
| the place was sent up to Lansing for
| highway robbery and has just been
| released. She is notorious GALLEY
| rat" and has robbed many men by
| getting them into a dark alley with
1 pretended cries of agony and suffer-
1 ing. She was well known by Cleo
Bennett, the reformed opium fiend,
and in speaking of her this morning
Cleo said: she was the worst
| character in the penitentiary when 1
1 there last She did de-
| serve to be released and she should be
| sent back. She is the worst sinner
| ever knew" Chief of Police Eaton
says that she will undoubtedly be sent
| directly back to Lansing.
| From the number of pocketbooks
| found in the joint it is supposed that
| the woman was busy during Taft
| day exercises and the pocketbooks
will be used as evidence.
]. S. Jackson, a farmer west of the
| city was arrested Sunday on investiga-
| ton. He had tried to pay for a meal
| at restaurant with a Canadian bill
and the proprietors thought he was
counterfeiter of some kind and he was
| taken up by the police. The bill was
| taken to a bank and identified as
I, perfectly good Canadian bill and the
| farmer was released. He said he had
eaten twenty-five cents worth of grub,
according to the restaurant idea Of
1 lOOQ value, anu oil lie Hdu was the
Canadian bill and twenty cents. He
| tried to spring the bill on them, but
| they called the police.
| Fred Gilbreth, a bell boy was arrest
| ed Sunday for disturbing the peace
He had been drinking bad whisky and
when caught was trying to butt down
| the buildings along Kansas avenue
with his head. The police fastened
, him down to the station and when
turned loose in the cell he at once
made rush for the iron bars and
! before he could be removed he had
caused several bumps on the top Of
his head. He was taken to the county
Jail and today is doing his billy goat
| stunts in a padded cell.
| Chief of Police Eaton will read a
paper at the Jayhawker club tonight
| on Relation of Temperance to So
ciety." The police force are waiting
for invitations. 1t is said the whole
day force would go if they were in
vited. The night force will guard the
| doors and windows.
The dog catcher fastened with all
1