The Topeka state journal., 1911-09-08
He LOST The REST
Carl Kaps Who Was Robbed of
$4,000 Is Back.
Tells Story of $1OO More Being
Taken From Him.
HAD MONEY IN GOLD.
He Can Not Account for Its Dis
appearance.
Was Trying to Get Back to
Germany.

carl Kaps. the aged German far
ner of Russell county, who lost or
was robbed of $4,000 in Topeka sun
day night and after an investigation
OF the case by police detectives re
turned to Wilson, arrived IN IOpeka
again this morning to tell the pollce
someone had succeeded in robbing
him of the 500 in gold which he haQ
When he left the police headquart-
ers Monday evening, the old man had
five $40 gold pieces in sack Whlch
he pushed into his left side trousers
pocket Chief Jenkins cautioned him
to take close care that he did not lose
that also but Kaps waved his hand
to imply that advice was unnecessary.
Now he says he went to the German
American bank, where he had trans
acted his business, by h1mSel1, tnat ne
aa dthe money in his pocket when he
went into the building and that he
found il missing when he came out.
It is fnconceivable how he could have
lost it in the bank
He did not return to the police vi.
This story. however, but caught a train
back to Wilson. He had enough mon
ev left to buy his ticket. There he
was forced to borrow money from the
Wilson state bank to come again 10
Topeka, in the hope that he might be
able to recover the money which he
has lost.
The police are baff1ed by the case.
Evidently some one or more than one,
are seeking to deprive the old man
of his 1ife's savings and are keeping
close watch on his movements AS
soon as he turned up at the station
today, Chief Jenkins called n h
Wolff. a merchant tailor OF Topeka,
who it developed had come from the
came province in the fatherland-
Wolff brought an attorney with him
Among the papers Kaps carried,
and from which $4,000 in drafts and
securities had been extracted IN ms
room at the Midland hotel sunday
night were his naturalization papers,
& statement from the Gerrlan-Amerl-
can hank that it held $4,000 or its
equivalent in German marks, subject
to duplicate drafts in case the orig
fnals are not found, and copies OF the
mortgage notes he held on FARMER
of Russell county
Kaps' name was found to be Johann
Frederick Carl Kaps and his address,
Dorrance, Russell county ne was
accustomed, however, to transact his
business in Wilson, across the line in
Ellsworth county.
How He Got the Money.
The place of his nativity is Herin-
gen, Thuringen, Germany. It now de- /
velops that the old man. who is in his
seventfeth year, came here to make 1
Anal preparations to return to his
fatherland He had sold all his prop
ertv and had his savings of $3.50 /
on deposit in the German-Anerican /
bank here He took drafts for this
amount. Then he intended to sell the |
bank his two notes of $1,000 each for |
the expenses of his journey. When he I
learned the discount. however, he de- /
clined to sell and said he would rather
take them to Germany with him.
Asked whether he intended ever to /
return to America. the old man said:
''Nein. Ich habe niemand hier- /
Meme frau, meme tochter. mein sohn; |
allie sind tod" The old man forgot for /
the time the trouble which is add
ing years to his age just as he was
ready to return to the friendly place /
of his birth. He spoke slowly, tears .
came to his eyes and his voice
trembled
Coming to the United States thirty /
years ago with a colony of Germans
-Sho settled in Russell county. he had I
toiled to make himself independent in
his age that ne might live with his
wife in ease and see his children sue
cessful. Now. instead. his family is
gone and his wealth is in Jeopardy.
The case is a sad one. But the /
sympathy and concern of those who 4
are anxious to help him can do little /
good He expected to be on his way /
to the old country by this time. But
he can not we'll leave until he has !
es--o- tre farlS time to trace his drafts