The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-09-08

q long time to wait before could have
q hearing, and I couldn't stand it,
Sauls locked the returned prisoner in
another cell which will not be so easy
to open. Naturally. the officers fee
friendly toward the young man who
risked punishment for jail-breaking to
redeem his word. The fact that AgneI
has been at large over a week, while
lookout for him, indicates that he could
ea silly have continued his absence, and
that it was not fear of recapture Which
caused him to return
Agner was arrested at BartieST1lle
Ok, on suspicion of counterfeiting. He
is alleged to be the accOmpHce of a
gang of dollar-makers who have been
operating in southern Kansas ana Ok
lahoma, but there Is little or no evil
dence against him. He was placed in
the Shawnee county Jail pending a
hearing before the United States COM
missioner, and kept in an old, unused
cell because the marshal wanted him
kept away from Ryan. another prisoner
held as a member of the same gang.
When Agrer unlocked his door with a
spoon handle. and had his arrange
following letter and left it in the cell:
Dear Friend Sheriff:
This may be surprise to you but
don't be worried as 1 am good fell
low even if have been hauled around
in shackles and cuffs which was the
first time in all my life. But am In
nocent of any crime and I will never
deny the truth and as soon as l can
get an attorney (if not sooner), will
be back and board with you again
and prove to you all that am NOT
guilty of any crime.
81 never did anyone any harm to
my knowledge but as 1 think I have
not had a fair chance since 1 have
been locked up, will try to see what
can do for myself on the outside
even If it does take the last cent from
my wife and children and l know
they will not object to my using 1T in
so good a cause.
Now I think it is a shame the way
I have been treated. To be taken
away from my wife and two children,
one of them but eight days old and
the mother still in bed with only
few dollars to get along with, then
to have me hauled all over the coun-
try and make her spend them in try
ing to follow me up. Furthermore,
the fellow that was so low down and
meddlesome' to make a complaint and
cause me all this trouble had little
to do.
Now as soon as I can find where
my folks are and can get a lawyer, I
will be back to try to show the pub
lie that I am innocent and respect
myself even IL the newspapers have
made me out a criminal and fugitive
from justice.
Now I do hope you won't get ex-
cited about this and overdo your
self in the first leap to follow. so I
will close for this time. Yours,
FRANKLIN DOW AGNER."
Tells How He Got Out.
Franklin Dow Agner is a young
man of % years of age He is good
eyes. He talks and smiles in a man
ner scarcely to be attributed to a GRIM
inal of great or small experience and
the officers today are laughing over
his strange case, confident tht he is not
a guilty man.
1t is certain that he is the most
unique of all prisoners ever held in
Topeka. Talking freely to a State
rival at $3.50 O'Clock. he told of the
escape and of previous and subsequent
events in connection herewith
THAT spoon with which I was sup
posed to have picked the lock-" he
said smiling, ct had sharpened on the
floor with the intention of making
knife of it to sharpen my pencil for
writing my folks. The only tight
which to break off the handle was
that of the door. 1 pushed the handle
into the crack and pried on it, think
ing I would break it off. No one
Isto hear the bolt of the door spring
back into the lock. The clang of the
steel door when it happened might
have been heard all over the jail.
morning. The door remained unlock
ed all day. I had pulled it tight shut
and it never sprung so that the officers
talking to me did not notice it. I had
brooded over the condition of my wife
and babies. was afraid my wife might
believe some of the stories about me
and wanted to go home to see her and
the babies. I thought of asking the
sheriff for permission to go but de-
cided the surer way was to make use
of my open door. Hence 1 waited I'M
til night after writing the sheriff that
letter and made my departure"
Talked to a Policeman.
''Where did you go from here?" he
was asked.
ct walked across the street and