The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-02-15
Father and Mother Held in
Colorado for Theft.
TELL OF MANY PETTY THEFTS
Purse Snatching One Source of
Their Income.
Believed to Have Stolen From
Cars in Yards.

! In the arrest of the four Ruck BROTH
ers for robbery from the Santa Fe,
county officials believe they have IN
covered a family organization that has
been guilty of the theft of thousands
of dollars worth of goods from the
railways in Topeka yards. In addition
to the arrest of the four brothers in
Topeka, comes news that their parents
are under arrest in Colorado, charged
with similar Offenses.
Recently GOtleib Ruck escaped a term
in the state penitentiary by virtue or
the greatest OF good luck and flaws IN
the states Information. His liberty was
short A few days ago three of the
brothers were arrested on state war
rants when certain stolen property was
found in their possession GOtleib Ruck
was not found as readily as his three
brothers but was brought here today
from Ottawa. where he was caught
shortly after the arrest of his relatives
They Snatched Purses, Too.
In the county jail, the brothers have
made startling admissions that will III
sure for each of them a trip to Ian
sing. To officers they confessed many
petty thefts. They told OF numerous
purse snatching in the downtown shop
ping district. These rohberies netted
handsome income. Usually women
who visited the department stores or
were on crowded cars were victims OF
the Ruck's systematic robber1es- But
they did not stop with the taking OF
pocketbooks, the contents of which
were often uncertain
New Years night they visited the
Santa Fe Y. NJ. G. A, where they deft!y
moved a valuable phonograph, while
members of the association were busy
with official business Phonographs
alone are not a valuable asset even 70
a gentleman thief. So the Rucks work
ed in new and wider fields ..-,-. -z
It was in the burglary of frelght cars
that the four Ruck brothers found their
greatest harvest. Perhaps the railway
detectives will never learn the eXacf
value of goods stolen from their cars in
the local Yards That Gotl1eb Ruck and
LIS three brothers took most of the
profits from these thefts, is now well es-
tablished in the minds of the men who
have been working on the car robbery
cases
Did They Get LOST Freight?
Perhaps. when the case is thoroughly
investigated there may be evidence
which will connect the Ruck family with
hundreds of dollars worth OF stoien
meats and produce. Then there were
reached the consignee- Possibly, railway
OFFICIALS believe, the Ruck family knows
something of these shipments
The arrest of the Ruck elders In Colo
rado is considered strong connectlng
link in the evidence against the. four
brothers who are under arrest here When
the father and mother were arrested sew
eral days ago, large amounts OF goods
stolen from the Santa Fe railway were
found in their possession. These goods are
claimed to have been stolen by the four
brothers in Topeka and shipped direct to
their parents. who sold the goods at bar
gain counter prices to ready forelgn
market At present the father is in Jail
awaiting trial The wife has procured
81 OOO bond pending the final disposition OF
the case in the Colorado courts.