The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-07-15
THOMAS IS FOUND
Insane Man Believed to Be i'm
River Located.
Heard From Near His Old Home
in Indiana.
SEARCH OF THE RIVER
Commenced Today Before Word
Was Received.
Two Motor Boats on the Way
to Lawrence.
SEARCH OF THE RIVER

message was received by Chief of
Police Eaton at the police station at 2
o'clock this afternoon that David r.
Thomas is still alive and not drowned
in the KGw river or otherwise injured.
The message came from w. L. Thorn
as at Emporia who had just received a
telegram from Attica, Ind, which sta
ted that a daghter- of the insane man
had received a card from him that
he was coming to see her and that he
would be there by this time.
Attlca, Ind. is the place where
Thomas left his wife and babies and
it has been his cry for ten years, u
want to go to my wife and babies IN
Attica, Ind Many times he has tried
TO get away and failed. Now he has
succeeded.
The police there had looked for the
nan since nearly four weeks ago and
getting no trace, the relatives at EN-
Poria upon being advised of his nom
appearance at that point were con
WINGED he had been lost in the river
bere. The motor boats had left for
Lawrence when the message came and
can not be reached until they arrive
at Lawrence where they viii be ADVISED
of the fruitIessness of the search.
The search of the Kaw was begun
this morning at $3.50 O'Clock under the
direction of D. A Dryer. Until today
the water was too high for the under
taking but during the interval the
boats and crew we're selected for the
trip. Two boats, May Merritt II and
Nancy Lee, were chosen to make the
journey. The May Merritt is p foot
er and capable of carrying fifteen pas
senger. 1t is operated by Harry Bates,
her owner, and B. V. Kelley. secretary
of the Motor Boat club. The Nancy
Lee is in charge of her owner, J. NJ
Brunt. and carries Detective Dryer.
Admiral Dryer took command of the
ships early this morning. taking the
Nancy Lee for his flagship and naming
Mr.. Brunt his Commodore. Rear Ad-
miraI Kelley took command of May
Merritt with Commodore Bates at the
engine The fleet was put into ship shape
Immediately and all were ready by nine
bells.
Chief of Police Eaton assisted in the
first half days work. The river is at a
beautiful stage and the morning was
cool on the water. With flag at half
mast the flagship started across the
river north to look along the shore,
while the big boat Weighing $500
pounds churned up the south bank
with the chief of police scanning the de-
bris. Both sides of the river were
carefully viewed, great piles Of drift
were probed into, rank growth OF
weeds tangled and matted by the rush
of the water were pried into and the
little jutties were examined for the
drift they might be holding.
AS far as the asylum the boats stem
med the current at the rate of about
two miles an hour. The big boat &1ve
to around the point of the first big
island for a scrutiny of the great mass
of debris at its head. The weeds and
drift on its top were examined with no
result while the Nancy Lee probed the
north coast. Then a long sand bar
upon which had struck and buried III
the sand logs and other drift was look
ed over but the body had not settled
there Far up the river opposite the
hospital. where during March Thoma
had fed out onto sand bar and
braved the current rather than be cap
tured by his guard, at an island which
would have probably caught him had
he tried il the last time. both boats
came together and anchored. A search
ing party from the crews were sent to
beat about the brush and returned
with the report that there was no one
inhabiting the island and no trace of
any dead people.
Pushing off the motors began
a. swift return to the club house land
ing running in single file at full speed
for the speed of the current is too
fast for profitable search running
with it. Arriving at the landing the
boats put up for dinner.
At near two o'clock both set out
again for Lawrence where they ex-
pect to arrive before o'clock and
there spend the night. Tomorrow