The Topeka state journal., 1909-03-26
Pox Which May Be
an Internal Machine.
1t Is Found by Officers in Alley
Near Kansas Avenue.
AFRAID TO OPEN 1T.
StalWart Policemen Hesitate
About Making Investigation.
Romance of an Old Bicycle Ends
at Station.

A mystery deep, perhaps direful,
and enclosed in a tin box turks at the
police headquarters. The sheet steel
case measures IL by by inches and
little. is heavy when moved and it
might be an Internal machine or a
cake of dynamite although the police
| have never seen any just like it.
| The thing was left in the rear of a
| business building on the east side of
| Kansas avenue between Seventh street
| and Eighth avenue some time this
morning. No one saw the man who
left it.
Officer Mcclure happened down the
alley at $40 O'Clock and seeing the
black box snug against the rear wall
Of the building thought first to
dodge the issue" then resolved to
carry it to the police station and have
it examined-and he walked five
blocks with it under his arm.
The officers have examined it thor
| oughly-on the outside. They could
not open 1t though it has a key hole
for no sort of key they could find had
| body shook the box a little and then
| quickly quit-it might be glassware
| inside, was the excuse offered. 1t was
| suggested that some one take it out
but no heroes responded and it would
| not be right to make a trusty do it,
| although they have to stand for most
| any ordinary imposition.
| The black agent of the internal
| regions finding none brave enough to
meddle with it has been placed in
| window where if it does anything at
| all it will be little more than jump
mark of curiosity to passersby who
take but one brief lok.
Why the machine should have been
| left behind that building is a mere
conjecture, who did it, and for what
| purpose is another but the police de-
tective force is investigating. The
purpose alone is the one easy point to
| be determind-if the thing expIodes
before night, then it was the purpose
to blow something up-and that's
felony.
According to the cooks complaint to
the police this morning bunch of fra
ternity men out near Washburn college
did not get their usual rations of fruit
and milk for breakfast. That wasn't
just the complaint. however. The
complaint was that gang of boys, like
other gangs over the city, ravished the
refrigerator last night and left it bar
rem.
The tale of woe came from Mrs Grant
at 1924 College avenue. but that's the
Kappa Sig house, too. so if any of the
Frat boys are seen with detected com
piexion today it is because they didn't
get their morning milk which keeps
their faces clear and rosy.
Gangs have hit before but not in the
same place. Every precinct has it's
gang anu WHeH the gang gets 100 SLOW
then the more adept members do things
on their own hook until held by the
police for correction. The number of
the back porch sneak thieving during
the winter is appalling. Nearly every
morning there have beer reports, bug
nothing came of it. A bunch were gath
cred in the first of the week, however,
and it is the intention to arrest every
boy suspected and let him see what sort
of a place he is apt to get into.
A wheel once stolen from Matt Camp
bell when it was left in front of the
Congregational church about a year ago
has seen a great deal of the ways of
the world since and now is making
trouble for the innOcents-if they are
innocent
Anyhow after wearing out many tires
and wheels and saddles and things the
old frame was thrown into the junk
class or that is what is claimed by two
boys and woman-a mother and son
and a negro boy. The boys say they
bought the wheel in the fair grounds
some time ago gathering up junk for
Dyal. The colored boy offered 20 cents
for it but the white boy got it and an
old tire for 25 cents and took it home
to fix it up. He and others of the
reighbo-hood about his size got busy
and fixed it up with new wheels and
other necessary equipment and it was
once more ushered out upon the high
ways.
Then the old wheel got into the police
station and was claimed by Campbelrs
son still looking for his old mount and
the two boys and the woman think they
have been ill treated and that no one
has a right to take their wheel or at
least the new wheels and tires and 9TH
er things While Matt Campbell says if
he learns :heir names he will have war
rants for their arrests as the original
thieves. At any rate it looks like a
great to do over a very poor bone.
Chester Aikens susDected of being
deserter from the army, was picked up
by Officer England and kept in the city
to go on as an electrical worker, as he
claimed to be.
Reports from the Russian settlement in
North Topeka indicate that George Kao-
berlein is on another drunken spree and
that his family is suffering as result.
Kaoberlein is a Russian and lives at 507
East Gordon street and when sober is en-
is only part of the time
When drinking he is said to be one of
the most brutal specimens of humanity
and vents his spite his wife. He has
been on a protracted drunk ever since he
received his last pay check and the dura-
ton of the drunk win be measured by the
time time his money lasts unless he is thrown
He e Came 6ome ne abant bon nppfdnigbt last
night and kicked in the door of the shack
which is home for himself and family and
began abusing his wife, because there was
no one else about on whom he could vent
his spite: He knocked her down and
most to death. She finally sought safety
IN the Santa Fe depot at the junction in
after 1 o. clock this morning
A policeman was called but could not
sought retirement in his home after he
had chased the remainder of the family
that this man has beaten his wife almost
TO death and probably will not be the last
ious disposition when 9uf drinking. nj GTEO ms ~
he has been before Judge Urmy on