Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1908-12-02
ShOplifting.

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Company, A. B. Wilkins & Co., H. T.
Woodward & Son and The Chase
Hardware Company had been made
the victims Of shoplifing.
Walter Wallace, young man who
had been working for C. D. Newkirk
and sons in Moore and Nippawalla town.
ships for more than a year is the one
against whom the evidence seems con-
elusive although some Of the merchants
from whom goods were stolen have ac-
cused Ed. Newkirk. Mr.. Newkirk
came to town Saturday evening bring
ing Wallace with him. They traded at
the stores above mentioned and at all
Of them small articles were taken, such
as neck-ties, handkerchiefs, hose, etc.,
but nothing was missed until Sunday
morning when Wallace made a visit to
Daviss store before leaving town. After
Wallace had made few small purchases
and left the store, c. Davis, who waited
on him, missed some goods and suspect
ed that they had been stolen and went out
on the street and found Wallace.
Wallace carried a suit case and Mr..
Davis demanded that he open it. Wal
lace said he lost the key and Mr.. Davis
took the suit case to the store, accom-
panied by Mr.. Newknk, and opened it
and found the stolen goods. Wallace
Immediately walked out Of town and
has not been seen since. This was
about | | o'clock in the morning. After
this had been made public further in
vestigation revealed stolen goods be-
longing to the other stores. These
goods were found in MI. Newkirk's bug
gy in Johnson Bros. livery barn where
the horse was put up over night.
The search for Wallace having failed,
Messrs. Wilkins and Woodward swore
out a warrant at about 4 o'clock Sum
day afternoon for Mr.. Newkirk's arrest,
charging him with stealing the goods.
Mr.. Newkirk promptly gave bond for
his appearance and the trial was set be-
fore Justice Cole in this city at | 0 a. m.
this "wednesday morning. His bail
was fixed at $500.
Mr.. Newkirk has employed Seward
|. Field to handle his defense. He de-
plores his arrest very much and is en-
phatic in his denial Of the least guilt.
He had implicit confidence in Wallace
and was dumbfounded when he discov-
cred the stolen goods in his buggy. He
explains his being with Wallace from
the fact that he came to town with him,
that Wallace was looking for pair Of tan
shoes and that he asked him (Newkrk)
to go with him as he was a stranger in
the town. lthappened that none Of the
stores carried the shoes Wallace wanted
and this explains why so many stores
were visited. On leaving. Wallace go'
away with about $l2 which he had
borrowed from Newkrk, which does
not look like Mr.. Newkirk knew any
thing Of the theft.
Our people are 10th to believe tha,
Ed Newkirk is in any way to blame fol
this larceny. He and all Of his people
have always enjoyed the best reputation
in Barber county. He has been EN-.
pIoyed In the Citizens State Bank here
until his eyes became so affected that he
was compelled to resign and never has
there been the least trace Of q suspicion
attached to him. His father, his moth.
er and his brothers are among the bes
people in the county. both in character
and financially. Ed. himself. Is SO wei
situated financially that he would have
no reason to stoop to petty thievery.
The merchants who are responsible
for Mr.. Newkirk's arrest are indignant
that they have been imposed upon anc
the longer they thought Of it the more
indignant they became. Mr.. NewkirI
talked the utuahon over with them
after the theft was discovered and
did all he could to lecate Wallace, and
when he left town he did not suspect
that any Of them believed him to be con.
nected with the crime. and was. o.
course. very much surprised when the
warrant was served on him at his home
J Sunday evening.
II We sincerely trust that MI. Newkirl
may be able to establish his innocence
beyond doubt and that Wallace vii
: be apprehended.
!. Unless there is more evidence at hanc
/ than that which has so far been disclos-
ed, the Index does not hesitate to say
that the arrest was extremely hasy.
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