The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-09-05
DID He KILL PLAT
Negro Arrested by Postal Au-
thOrities Believed Slayer.
EdmundS Store Jewels Found
i'm His Cabin.
SEE LOOT WORTH $4,000
P. o.. Inspectors Find Letter
Telling of Murder.
Police Believe Robber Man
Who Slew PaWnbrOker.
SEE LOOT WORTH $4,000

The man who burglarized M. T.
Edmunds' jewelry store at SO7 North
Kansas avenue, July 8, has been ar
rested. 1t is also believed by two
poStoffice officials that he is the man
who killed Benjamin Platt in has
h store February %, 1911. He is Johd
E. Riley, arrested August rs in Tulsa
Il Okla, on the charge of robb1ng lock
II box in the postoffice in Salina.
Il J. c. Lindland, postoffice Inspector
/ at Topeka and j. f. Elston, inspector
i at SaIina, are the men who are re
/ sponSible for the arrest of Riley. In
| Spector ElSton has been working Oh
/ the case about two months and In
/ spector Lindland for a longer period.
Riley made the mistake which caused
his arrest by robbing lock box IN
| Salina about July L. The box had been
| robbed number of times but the
postoffice inspectors were unable to
| get a clue as to the system of robbery
| or the identity of the man who was
doing the work.
After an investigation, the inspec-
tors believed that the robbery was be-
| ing committed by some person who
was carrying duplicate key to the
J box. In order to find this man, they
equipped the box with a burglar
| alarm One night after dark, the
| alarm sounded. A clerk in the post
| office rushed out in the lobby and saw
| Riley, but on account of his size was
afraid to tackle him. However, ne
was able to give the inspectors good
description of the negro.
$4,000 in JeweIry.
The inspectors soon learned the
identity of the negro and searched
his home in Salina. They found Jew
elry which has an estimated value OF
$4,000. In this lot of Jewelry were
watches and rings which were taken
out of the Edmunds jewelry store
early on the evening of July 8.
Among the other articles which were
found in Riley's home was a letter
which Riley had written to his wife,
in which he had told her of the par
ticulars of murder he had commit
mitted in North Topeka. The GATE on
this letter has not been learned and
it is now in the possession of Inspec-
tor Lindland. He did not give the
name of the man whom he had killed.
Riley is known to have been work
ing as laborer in the M1d-Contlnent
mills of North Topeka about the time
the Dlatt murder was committed and
is known to have been in Topeka
about the time the Edmunds burglary
was committed. He is well known to
the Topeka police and has been ar
roster in Topeka on one or two occa-
sions but only on minor charges
After robbing the postoffice box in
SaIina Riley came to Topeka ana
cashed a draft for $500 which nc Sc
cured in letters that were in the box
Then the Letter Vas Found.
The police of Topeka received re
port of the affair at that time and
were searching for Riley put ne leIt
town before they could find him. They
did not suspect at that time that ne
was the man who burglarized the Ed
munds store and they did not know
anything about the letter inspector
LindIand found the -elter amer I~AioS
left Topeka
The inspectors traced Riley through
more than 100 towns In TINS sectlon on
of the country and finally landed MIN
in Tulsa. August %. Since then Riley
was given a preliminary hearing in
the federal courts and was held in
default of bond which was fixed at
$4,000.
The inspectors left Wednesday for Tulsa
and will bring Riley back to Kansas p4t
it is not known whether they wi VIII Tan n,
spector Lindland told members OF me
Topeka police department that he was
confident that Riley p, vas the man "Ao
The Edmunds store was robbed Whlle
Mr.. Edmunds was at supper. ABOUT ~
in the evening. He returned about 1:5o
o clock. He discovered the robbery and
found the rear door fastened with bar
A gold watch with about SIS and NUM-
Der of other watches, 10 diamond rings
set with stones from II to u karat and
number of other articles were taken. In
spectors Lindland and Elston found many
of these articles in Riley's home In Sa-
lima.
Chief of Police Morris Jenkins was
notified Immediately after the EdmundS
robbery was discovered and took persona!
charge of the investigation. AT that time
he announced that he believed that the
man who had been in the store was the
same person who killed Benjamin Platt
and before expressing this opinion, he
noted that the circumstances and clues
which were left behind were practically |
identical. Chief Jenkins has been working /
on this theory since that time.
Riley and his wife formerly lived in !
North Topeka and boarded at the home OF |
Rev w. B. Brooks. the colored minister |
who is familiar figure in Topeka. Tine I
woman left Topeka and was followed |
short time later by Riley who failed to |
paw his board bill
Chief Jenkins, while he hopes that Riley |
is the man who is wanted for the murder |
of Benjamin Plat, will not have much t |
say until he holds a conference with L.
spector Lfndland and learns the contents /
Of the letter.