The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-04-08
POLICE JOTTINCS.
HOmeseeker Robbed as Santa Fe
Train Stops.
Crowded L. C.. Furnecker into
Vestibule of Car.
THE MEN GET AWAY.
THE MEN GET AWAY
kilograms Failed to Bring
About Their Apprehension.
Traveller Lost Something Over
Two Hundred Dollars.

Three young pickpoekets for whom
no names nor descriptions can be fur
nlshed damned a homesteader bound
for Texas into the corner Of a car
vestibule as Santa Fe train No. 5
stood at the, depot. relieved his pock-
cts OF 5000 worth of paper and an I'M
known amount OF cash.
No. pulled in late. L. C. Furneck-
er, the homeseeker, hurried to the
Commercial lunch room for his lunch
and back to the train which was about
to leave AS he climbed into the YES
Thule and started to enter the car
ahead the three crooks appeared to be
just coming fro mthat car and turned
into the closed vestibule of that car.
forcing Furnecker with them. They
crowded him into a corner, seemingly
trying to reach for the trap door to
open it. The homeseeker could feel
them quickly finger through his pock-
cts. Then they left him and fed into
the car behind. -
Immediately searching his pockets,
f'urnecker found that his pocketbook
was gone and remembering seeing a
patrolman at the depot, ran out on
the platform and spied Officer Leach.
me station master was calling "All
aboard" so the officer got on the train
win the man, getting his name and
loss while the car began to move.
He jumped off down the yards, hur-
ried back. and promptly telegraphed
ahead. 1t was feared that the thieves
would be able to drop off No. 5, being
late, and get on No. 2 when they pass
ed at Pauline, but No. was given the
main track and there was no chance
for them to transfer. Again it was
thought trey might do the trick with
No. Il at Eurlingame, but again No. 5
went straight ahead. Thus the men
would necessarily he on the train when
it reached Gage City. A telegram was
sen: there to have the train searched.
NJ report has yet come concerning
any results.
L. E. Furnecker, the man robbed,
lives at GAINESVILLE, Wis. He was en-
route to Texas to look over the new
lands and had considerable money
with him. There were two drafts. one
for S16o and the other for $4S. The
denominations or the amount of the
balance he could nos tell
Nor could he give any descriptions
of the men. All he knew was that they
had been on the train for some time:
he did not remember the kind of
clothes they wore, their complexion,
nor stature. all he knew was that they
took his money.
The officers think that the trio must
have ridden some distance with their
victim and carefully stimed their rob-
berry just as the train was leaving,
thus preventing any investigation or
opportunity for arrest.
That the demand for booze creates
A smooth and odd graft for the boot
leggers is the gist of a story told at
the police station this morning by
Chief Mendenhal1 of the Fort Scott
police force, who is in the city Down
at Fort Scott, which has been cleaned
out quite as we'll as has been Topeka
booze finds its course to flow only
through the hands of bootleggers.
Colored fellows usually take the role
One of these dispensers was working
his graft around the Katy depot the
other day, having come in on train.
and approaching a bystander who
looked dry, he showed him pint bot
tie and cautiously asked him if he did
not need 1t. The would-be patron
asked what it was worth and the re-
ply was Is cents. 1t was refused and
the bootlegger left.
Soon, however, the train seemed
ready to leave and the man with the
bottle again came to the proposed
buyer and slipping him the bottle said
very slyly that he could have 1T for
so cents, so a bargain was struck
The colored man climbed back on
his train. The man with the spirits
trudged to his residence and placed
the bottle in a cupboard. Upon arts
joyous1y to his cupboard and raised
the bottle for an "eye opener" But
what a taste and how acetic! 1t
was vinegar. Vinegar that the grocer
many bootlegger may have just the
same stuff to graft Gon a ! depraved
appetite i - :. xekE
The pool players arrested charged
with shooting craps at the rear table
in Shaw's pool hall on Fourth street
were discharged on account of unsub-
stantial evidence. Gladness, the
smoky moke who never felt a frown,
was among the number. And he
laughed in glee when he heard the
judge excuse him. On the stand,
Gladness, Robert o'Bryan. was a little
nervous because the witness just be-
fore him had said that he had seen
Gladness throw dem bones.''
"Oil of Gladness,' asked the de-
Tending attorney, were you in that
pool hall when they arrested you ?"
NO sab, they got me later. When
the cop came in the front door and
says youau is under arrest, I went
out the back door, down the street and
home. I waited there while, think
ing an officer would come for me, but
none came and I went to the Rock
Island depot where one nabbed me-"
Off the stand Oil Of Gladness is every
whit as happy as a millionaire though
he denied having enough money to
get into crap game had there been
one. Smiling from ear to ear, expos
ing double line of ivory, short and
slough footed ragged and patched,
his quilted trousers following him
about altogether reluctantly, his shirt
gaping his hat brim pinned up be-
hind to a Yale disgrace, Gladness, at
the discharge of the judge, turned to
say: Use much obliged to yo honor"
and ne laughed his way into the free
air, leaving all who saw him laughing
as he said goodbye.
Detectives Frank Summers and Lon
Sauls subpoenaed to the trial of
Thomas Cook at Westmoreland yester-
dav after arriving there by across
country drives and such saw the case
continued until next Tuesday when
they will have to go again. Cook was
captured in Topeka after selling the
pawn shops a quantity of clothes
which he had stolen in ST. Marys,
1.-The host is not dancing at this dance >,