The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-03-13

| according TO the oIncerS hel C. -
were stationed outside the room.
| They will be used as witnesses by the
| Kansas officers.
Boyle was sweated by the local ot1l-
GERS and the Topeka men after MS ar
rest.
Denies the Murder.
81 know what you are after me
for" he told his questionerS shortly
after they began their quiz, 'but
didn't kill the old man..
Boyle denied the murder ana re
counted to the officers how sorry ne
was to hear of the death of his frlend;
as he called the slain man. ne seIu
that he was at work the day the muir
der was committed and told the names
of several men who knew ne was d.
work when the second-hanu ueaie4
was killed. Finally he admltted tnal
there was only one man VINO KIN
throughout the ordeal but kept up d
steady stream of denials.
OFFICERS from Topeka told the local
police that they had secured affldaVlts
from a number OF men shoWllls 49, 80
BOYLE left the place at which he was
working at noon the day of the killing
and did not return to work tnat oay,
The murder was committed ABOUT
o'clock in the afternoon according 70
Topeka officials,
BOYLE was arrested in connection
with the killing shortly after 1t oc-
CURED, according to Information given
the local officers. He established What
looked like an alibi at that time aho
was released. Evidence pointed so
strongly to him as the murderer, now
ever, that he was watched. Recently
affidavits which prove the allb1 untrue
were secured by member OF th9
sheriff's force.
Then the stool pigeon was secured,
supplied with money and sent to St
Joseph to cultivate the acquaintance or
the man suspected. His success came
after a few weeks of drinking.
Boyle is nearly so years old, but does
not show his age. He is rather tall,
angular and wears a sandy mustache
He has wife and four children here
He has been running q small plumbing
shop and doing fairly well, he says. he
came here from Topeka last fan.
Boyle admits drinking with PIatt and
securing liquor shipped in from Kansas
City through the aged merchant. He
SAYS on the day of the crime he was
working on a house belonging to r.
Montgomery, us West Tenth street. He
denied leaving the job until o'clock,
going to work, he said, at o'clock in
the morning He told the police that
George w. Desenberger, 1909 North
Harrison street was with him and
knew these assertions to be true. Des- |
enberger is a carpenter, but said today |
Boyle quit work at noon. Boyle's MEM |
DRY as to where he was and what oc- |
Cured on Washingtons birthday last |
year seems remarkably clear.
Boyle was sentenced to the work |
house for hundred days last fall in |
with the death of q grand |
child who died from having cold water |
poured upon her. He served only a |
short portion of the sentence, how
ever, being paroled.
story of the Crime.
The murder of Benjamin Plat, which
rod in h 10 Str a L2V1
sas avenue on Washington's birthday |
of last year, proved to be one of the |
most puzzling crimes in the history of
Topeka. Along with the Nickum case
Their into it the police and sheriff's
office delved.
Killed With Hammer.
The aged man had apparently just pre-
pared to eat his lunch when killed
The food for the MONDAY meal was
Inwrapped and spread upon the little
able. The murderer is believed to have
,rept up behind his victim and struck
MIN on the head with a hammer or
similar weapon. After making sure
lis victim was dead he locked the door
IF the shop and took a wallet contain
ng 500 from the dead mans pockets.
IN this money was number of old
coins. After packing a suitcase with
clothing he left it is believed, by way
# the back door. The crime was dis
covered that evening when a nearby
merchant found the Plat shop locked
still outside the store. He notified
sam Friedberg. son-ip-law of the
lead man, and the search started by
hem led to the discovery of the life
ess body. There were no signs of a
truggle.
ound. Then they came fast but none {
f them furnished the officers anything !
pon which they were able to build up !
case against anyone. DR.. H. H.
Keith county coroner, the State Jour
al and another local publication re-
elved coins which were taken from
he pockets of the dead man through :
he mail. Nothing came in the way ,,
f an arrest which would bring evil +
ence against the right man, however I l
nd little work has been done on the
ase, as far as the public knew, within
he last six months.
A brief history of the case follows: y
Feb. 22-Platt found murdered.
March 4-BIoodstained coat found +
4 store room near Platt store. .
March S-Twenty-one coins from :
latt's pocketbook received through =
ne mail by Coroner H. H. Keith.
March 9-Bloodstained clothing :,
ound in suit case near Platt store, in r
n alley.
March 1o-Boyle arrested, released
three hours on advice of county Of =
GERS.
March 1o-The state journal gets Q
trough mail eight coins taken from !,
latt's body. g
March 1i-Capital receives through 4
TAIL coins taken from Platt's body.
March 18-Charles Lolley, ex-con-
let, and Bert King of Soldier town Il
alp, arrested.
March 21-King released. No evil
ence found against Lolley.
March II, 1912-Boyle confesSes to u