The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-03-11
Police Question an Usage City
Man Today.
COnvinces Them That He Knows
Nothing OF Platt Murder.
DETECTIVES AT SEA.
All Admit That Clues Produce
No Results.
The Mail Boxes Are Being Care.
fully Watched.

For thirty minutes this afternoon,
the police believed they were on the
trail of the murderer of Benjamin
Platt, the North Topeka merchant.
But as usual the clue failed and the
officers are still at sea.
Shortly after noon Detectives Goff
and Voiles picked up a stranger at
the Union Pacific depot. The man had
been staying with his brother, who
works at the Henry hardware store.
This store adjoins the Platt store on
the south and frequent visits in the
neighborhood had attracted attention.
When taken to the station, the man
declared he came here Thursday to
visit his brother. He had been visit
ing his parents at Usage City he said,
although he admitted that he spent
several weeks here in February and
was in Topeka February %, the date
of the killing.
The man denied ever having heard
of Platt until he saw the coins in the
State Journal window Friday morning
and said that he then discussed the
matter with his brother. His explain
alton of his actions and visit in To-
peka satisfied the police and the man
was released. He promised not to
leave town and said he expected to go
to work next Monday. This was the
only development of the day.
No More Coins Received.
With three packages of the Platt
coin collection now in the hands of
DR.. H. H. Keith, county coroner, all
highly decorated clues as to the muir
derer of the North Topeka merchant
have evaporated and the police timidly
admit that they are still at work on
the case. The third package of coins
was received at the Daily Capital Of
flee early this morning.
Following the receipt of the first
package of coins several days ago at
the office of the county coroner. a
second package was received Friday
morning at the State journal office, to
be followed this morning by the re-
ceipt of a third consignment to the
morning paper.
Down at the police station a Wis
itor might gather a dozen different
theories of the murder from as many
members of the force. Each is equal
ly tangible. The police still cling to
the suit case clue. They point to the
Freidberg notion that the clothing
came from Platts store. Solemnly
the police declare that the murderer
wears 40-33 trousers. His shoes are
No. 10 and his coat size is 40. An
excellent clue.
No policeman who thinks well of his
pay check dare walk the street without
scrutinizing the mail boxes. To drop
a letter in one of the iron repositories
on a street corner is to subject one to
immediate suspicion-if he wears 40
33 trousers. Even the postal clerks
are on the alert Every package is
handled with suspicion Today 100
employees in the Topeka Dostoffice be-
Ieve they will receive package No.
before sundown. Every telephone call
at the police station, in the office of
the sheriff, county attorney and coro-
ner increases the heart beat and
arouses fresh suspicion. But the Of
ficers are honest and sincere in their
statement that there is little evidence.
Every clue has exploded. Every sus-
picion has faded.
jenkins Is Baked.
OF course it would not be wise for
well regulated police force to be with
out theories.
Il am frank to admit" said CHEZ
Morris Jenkins, as he saddled a stool
and brushed at a bit of dust on his
trousers that we have very little 10
work on. 1t is the most difficult case
we ever had Our ideas about the first
letter seems to have disappeared and
there is nothing really worth while
connected with the matter It mas
been a clever piece of work But I
don't think that the person sending the
coins is the real murderer He NAV
know considerable about the matter.
but there is little evidence on which u
base suspicious or make arrests. F,y-
cry member of the force is at work ard
we hope soon to find something worth
while"
That is as far as Tarl-ire cares to &C
in his surmises. Sheriff Norton and
Coroner Keith are not overloaded wiik
firSt-class theories. They consulted;
this morning. Then both stated that
the person who mailed the coins was
probably not the real slayer and had
a mania for hunting notoriety and
mystifying the officers.