The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1910-09-02

The Kansas City Journal this morn
ing is the authority for the following
account of the arrest of ]. T. Larkin,
formerly of this city. at Kansas City
Wednesday night
You've got me, but you must admit
that / have given you good time, =
said ]. T. Larkin of Milan, Mo-, as he
sat in Inspector Edward Boyle's room
at police headquarters Wednesday
night.
Larkin was arrested on the instruc-
tions of the Texas and Oklahoma state
authorities. The Kansas City detectives
had been trying to locate Larkin for a
couple of months. ]. F. Lyngar and G.
T. Lewis, city detectives. had been
working on Larkin's case for a couple
Oh months. They would get on the
mans trail, and then he would disap-
pear, and this was accounted for by
reason of the fact that Larkin came
to Kansas City and then left for some
|other part Of the country.
Larkin had get-rich-quick schemes
that would be credit to frenzied
tinancier. He is only q years old, but
between the time that he quit teach
ing school couple of years ago and
when the Kansas City detectives cap
tured him, he is said to have succeeded
in swindling individuals, banks and
even the government ont Of thousands
|of dollars.
As in frequently the case. a woman
was the cause of Larkin's capture. Lar
kin was out in Utah boosting his big
land deals when he received a letter
from woman by the name of Mrs.
Josephine Diehl asking him to come to
Kansas City. From Utah he went to
Minneapolis. Mimi, to transact some
business, and then came to Kansas
City, only to be betrayed into the
hands of the police indirectly by the
woman that he had loved. Larkin and
Josephine Diehl had been friends for
"a long time.
Larkin says he was member OF the
firm of Larkin, Bankus & Co. The
firm. he says, was composed of R. H.
Bankus, president; ]. ]. Hoffman,
yice-president; J. T. Larkin, secre-
tary. The company's letterhead shows
that its place of business was Vinita,
Okla, but the Officials Of the com
pany lived at Milan, Mo. The bust
ness of the firm was thai of real estate
brokers. ostensibly From what the
detectives have been able to learn,
that was what the members Of the
firm other than Larkin regarded it.
Even Larkin admits that all other
members of the firm are honest men
and that he is the only dishonest one.
Larkin said that he had learned of
the practice In Oklahoma to buy In
dian lands for d mere song, and said
that he thought that he might just a,S
well reap a fortune through that source
as others. He tried the scheme and it
proved profitable. Then he developed
into manipulation of titles to lands
other than that belonging to Indians.
He carried his schemes into Texas,
Kansas, Colorado, Missouri, Minneso-
ia and even Michigan. He had a gi-
gantic project in view. A 100000 cor
poraiion was his objective. and ae
claimed that this was promoted with
no intention of dishonesty. But 1t was
the other deals that Larkin was CON
|nected with that got him into trouble.
Alleged forged patents to Indain lands
In Oklahoma was the principal cause
of his arrest.
Wednesday night Boyle received a
message from woman to the effect
that the capture of Larkin could be
made in Kansas City If some one were
sent to Eleventh street and the Paseo.
Detective Alex. Johnson, one of the
smallest men on the force was called
into service. 4 womans skirt, shirt
waist and hat were borrowed from
Mrs. Maud Moran. police matron.
4 woman was to meet LarIxin at
Eleventh street and the Paseo and
Detective Johnson dressed as woman
went to that place and waited IN tax
icab. Larkin came according to ap-
lpointment. and when he entered the
taxicab be was driven off to police