The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-09-04

she win be afraid to be away from me
I-and guess that will feel the same
Officers Have Been Busv.
Probably the busiest man in Topel<a
| these days during the constant tang
| ling of the webs around the people who
are supposed to be in connection with
| the kidnapping of Marian BleakIey. is
Colonel Norton, sheriff of Shawnee
county. The colonel has hardly had a
| nights sleep during the entire series of
events which had their start two weeks
| ago today when the abduction from
| this city took place.
I'VE have the greatest confidence in
| the world in the colonel" said Deputy
County Attorney w. E. Atchison this
afternoon. HE has taken a great in
terest in this case-in fact he has taken
lots more interest than sleep and
know that if 1t wasn't for his untirfng
efforts and his hopeful spirit we would
never have the case as far along as 1t
is today"
There were three nights immediateIy
following the abduction that the sheriff
stant1y at the telephone or out Of the
city in search of the kidnapers and In
an effort to carry out his acquisitions
for the prisoners He has made three
the Missouri governor and his voy-
ages to Kansas City have been as
numerous as the trains, so to speak
A little story in connection with the
PteIlS OF IHS SneTln TO make good his
requisition for Mrs. Barclay leaked ou.
this afternoon. Sheriff Norton himself
would not admit that the story was
true but all of the officials connected
with the trip will swear to it, they say.
1t seems that the Shawnee sheriff had
planned another kidnapping stunt far
more bold and daring than that ever
suggested by the expert detectives. And
ne was not going to kidnap a little in
nocent child-he had it all worked out
to kfdnap the instfgator Mrs. Barclay.
When the sheriff went to jefferson
City with his second requisition for
Mrs. Barclay on the charge of assault
he had an idea that the reouisitiou
had the requisition honored he feared
that the Barclay attorneys would gath
er together at once and arrange to get
out a second habeas corpus proceed
ings and foil him in his attempt
Plan to Kidnap Mrs Barclay.
So Sheriff Norton prepared his
requisition and then taking Deputy
County Attorney Atchison with him
he made visit to the sheriff with
headquarters at Jefferson City. He
told him of his plans to kidnap Mrs.
Barclay and take her from the state
of Missouri into Kansas. He had it
figured out that with a fast automo-
house he could grab Mrs. Barclay,
stow her away in the car and spin
her out Of Missouri-in case the
requisition was granted. All this
could be done before the lawyers and
friends could get out the habeas
corpus papers and stop the flight.
The Missouri sheriff entered into
the scheme with Sheriff Norton at
once and with their heads close to-
gether they took down a map of Mis-
souri, and drew with a blue pencil
the route taken by the automobile.
1t was to go southeast into Kansas
and it was to miss every county seat
and all the railroads as far as pos
sible. The two intensely interested
sheriffs worked together for hours
over that map and finally they de-
cided on their route.
The Missouri sheriff volunteered
the services of a number of his
deputies and the autom obile was pro-
cured with a competent driver. all
was placed in readiness outside the
very state house grounds. The deputy
sneriffs were scattered all through the
building and at a signal from their
leader they would have thrown aside
the friends of Mrs. Barclay and in a
few minutes notice the party would
have been spinning toward Kansas
from the city limits of Jefferson City.
But the governor did not honor
the requisition and Sheriff Norton
was not able to carry out one of the
most sensational strategies of the
day But 1t was not the fault of the
colonel and he had the nerve and the
cleverness to make the attempt.
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