The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-01-12
POLICE JOTTINCS.
Robbery That Was Solved in
Short Time.
Police Called in and Money
Found Under Carpet.
DIAMOND is PLUCKED.
Oklahoma Man Loses Three
Carat Stone at e. p.
The Men Concerned in the Theft
Get Away.

| Mime most, the enemy was Charles
Coffey last night if things are things
and the detective on the Job says they
are Corey, a young colored man, has
a room at the rooming and boarding
place of Mrs. Starkes over the Brad
shaw pool hall at III West Fifth street.
A friend of Coffey, a little yellow fellow
J from Kansas City, came to town Mon
/ day and with him also came another
designated as the little black fellow. The
| three hung around together all after
noon and when night came the yellow
fellow rented a room for the night from
Mrs. Stakes which was to be the same
room with Coffey. Black man rented
no room, supposedly broke. But the lit
tie black was also slipped into the room
last night by Coffey and the three
had a pleasant evening with some bot
ties of kansas blend" whisky. When
| 1t had grown quite late, Mr. Coffey told
the men to go to bed,that he intended
to go out on Buchanan street. This
morning he was in bed with them and
upon dressing, little yellow found that
he was shy in the trousers pocket some
81. Little black, who had some two or
three dollars despite appearances found
that he also was shy his mite The
room has two doors, the side door be-
ing the one usually used and the front
open and a key thrown a few feet from
it. Robbery declared Coffey and led
the guests to the police station where
Detective Sauls was detailed on the
he had gone as far as the transfer sta
I ton when he said he was going out to
Buchanan, but had there changed his
mind and returned to the room and re-
tired That was a clue. Upon ques-
tioning, he admitted that the men were
asleep when he got back. The plot
thickened. Then it was learned that
Coffey had the only key to the opened
door. which key was thrown on the
floor Then the detective began to
search the room and Coffey fastened to
the landlady crying about the outrage
going on in her house and secured a
lot of emphatic sympathy. But just as
he came into the room again the little
black fellow found a place where the
carpet was slightly pulled up but COW
cred by a stand. He told Sauls of it
ten dollar bill and silver. summing up
$13.25. Then the host, feeling the web,
jumped upon the little fellow. 'tAh,
ha! how did you know it was there?
How did you know where to look SO
quck? You stole it in the night"
The evidence made a certain case
against the host blu the little Yellow
and Black were so glad to get their
money they walked off up town arm
and arm with Coffey smoothing it over.
No prosecution is to be made as they
are too good friends.
With a dozen confidence games. a
mail pouch robbery, az purse snatch
ing, and several grip thefts at the
Rock Island and Union Pacific depots
still fresh in mind, there is reported
for last evening the stealing of a three
carat diamond from passenger on a
Kansas City train at the Union Pa
cific depot All this indicates that
there is a gang Systematically work
ing these roads with Topeka for the
safe stop. Several attempts have
been made to convict suspects but nc
sufficient evidence has yet been OBJ
tanned.
AZ tho train ~+oppad a. 49, o1+
form three young men slipped in the
front end of the coach from which
many passengers were getting off,
crowding the door way and aisle. E.
w Carr of Chandler, Okla, was sit
ting in a seat watching the crowd at
the depot when OneNof these men Jerk
ed the big diamond stud from his
cravat and the three jumped off as the |
train was just leaving. A telegram
was sent back from Lawrence de-
scribing one of the men as dark com
plexfoned, slightly stopped sflouldered. |
with dark derby hat. The other one |
described was light complectioned and |
about five feet nine and one-haIf |
inches tall. As vet the police have no |
clue There is a reward of 500 Of |
fered
Another bad check has journeyed |
back to an anxious Topeka business
man.
The returned check in question comes |
from Holton. Guy McCarty bought a I
pair of shoes in the shoe store of C. A.
F'ernstrom at S24 North Kansas avenue |
He did not have the money to pay but /
produced a check for S13 drawn on a |
Holton bank. The check was accepted |
and the shoes and change given Nc
Carly. McCarty has not been heard |
from but the check came back marked /
n. G. City detectives have been look
ing for the man supposedly from Hol-
ton but no trace has been found and it /
is quite likely that he never saw Hol- /
ton and does not care to- Very likely
he is one of the adept check cashiers
who uses good enough Judgment in l
cashing to always get clear of the town |