The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-08-21


whom she introduced as her daugh
ter.
She said that her home was in the
south and that she had been visiting
in Kansas City for several weeks and
that before returning TO her homo
she had decided to visit with Mrs
Blakeley, who was distant relative
Kansas City were unable to give her
the address of Mrs. Blakeley for the
reason that her Topeka address was
being kept a secret to prevent a pos
sible kidnapping of her little girl.
There were numerous inaccuracies
in the story of the woman who claim
ed to be a Mrs. Cooke and the desired
information was withheld by the re-
porter to whom she talked. The I'M
preston at the time prevailed tnat
she was seeking information to be
used for other than the purposes for
which she claimed it was sought
The woman took her departure,
saving that she would remain in the
city for a week If necessary TO secure
the location of the Blakeley home as
she was determined to see the little
girl and her mother before returning
to her home in the south. The kid
mapping recalls the mysterious visit
of the unknown woman to the State
Journal office and arouses suspl-
sion that she may be implicated in the
kidnapping which odcurred this morn
ing.
Two strangers Detained.
Two strangers who appeared at the
Rock Island depot at 1870 O'Clock were
seized upon by the police, on sus-
picion of being the kidnapers. Inc men
gave a pretty straight account of them
selves, mad as they were not accom-
panied by a child and we're unarmed,
the police did not hold them.
The latest report from Chief Eaton,
who started in pursuit of the kidnapers
in DR. Keith's automobile, was at
Valencia He was still pursuing buggy
which had passed on westward some
before. If the rig hired from Perkins
livery barn, and abandoned at Fifth
and Fillmore streets was the one used
by the kidnapers, the chief Is evidently
chasing the wrong clue.
Child Still in Topeka.
Sheriff Norton stated at 2 o'clock
that he was satisfied the kidnapers
and the child were still in town, had
hidden the child in some place prepared
for the purpose, and separated to avoid
detection. They were seen to enter an
automobile when they left the livery
rig at Fifth and Fillmore streets about |
Ii O'Clock, and the officers have a good |
description of the auto. Half an hour
before the kidnapping, the Perkins livery |
rig, supposed to have been used by |
the kidnapers. was seen standing in |
Sixth avenue and Seventh street on |
Quincy. Acting on this clue, Sheriff
Norton sent two deputies to search the |
Thompson block. on a theory that 1t |
night be the place chosen by the kid
lapers as a holdover for their prisoner.
Used Two Rigs.
Further information concerning |.
the exchange when the livery rig was
left. at the corner of Fifth and Fill
more seems to show that the rig
wasn't the one used by the kidnap-
Ders in taking away the little girl.
rhe man who hired the rig at Perk-
ms barn this morning, answers the
of the man who held the
horses for the kidnapers in the alley
while the child was being stolen. He
also answers to the description of the
nan who left the rig at Fillmore.
The police believe that he had the
ingle rig tied somewhere on Tenth ave-
lCe, and used it to. make his escape
n the opposite direction while the kid
apers drove west and south with the
ably. Mr.. Belknap, the young man
tho interfered with the kidnapers and
Tas beaten insensible with a revolver, :
tated that the crooks drove two horses
9 a top buggy. The rig hired at Per-
ms barn was q. single open buggy.