The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-05-13
Judge GiIIett Case Reveals An
other Like 1t.
SAME WOMAN WAS USED
Tactics Also Similar, but Girl
a Different One.
Detectives Ericsson and Med
lock Charged With This Deal.

6OltOn, Kan, May 13.-EVidence that
provides the connecting link to estab-
lish a blackmailing campaign at the
hands of Detectives H. -. Ericsson, H
c. Medlock and Mrs. Charlotte Thor
| mann, wife of the wealthy Summer
vile mayor-banker. was furnished here
today by sworn affidavits and corrobora-
tive testimony. With this evidence it
is now probable that County Attorney
Simon, of Shawnee county, will at once
be asked to arrest the trio for black
mail. Topeka appears to have been
the rendezvous for the operations of the
principals in at least two sensational
attempts at blackmail and extortion.
The story of the new blackmailing
scheme of the Ericsson NJ Medlock-Thor-
mann organization is no less sensa-
tional than the details of the effort TO
ruin the character of Judge Gillett, al
though the principals in the second case
are less widely known in the state.
With the revelation of the second case.
which originated and was planned in
Holton, residents of this town who were
acquainted with the bankers wife, have
had but one topic of conversation since
the publication of the details of the
Judge Gillett case in the State Journal
Saturday night.
Details of the Holton scheme OF
blackmail, are linked minutely with the
affairs of the -Gillett scandal. The
same plan that was practiced to de-
fame the Kansas jurist was used in an
effort to cause the dismissal of a recent
damage suit. And the defendant in this
action is brother-in-law of Detective
Ericsson
identical dates on which the Gillett af-
fair was staged-Medlock, Ericsson
and Mrs. Thormann were working on
their second case. 1t concerned the
17c Of fxrY<. J01f fv~lC
of c. o. Griffith anC wife of Valley
Falls and the reputation and character
of Lakins w. Smith of Wichita, a
brother-in law of Detective Ericsson.
Griffith is a plumber. Some months
ago he lived with his family in Wich-
ita and was engaged in business with
Erricsson's relative. 1t was while the
Griffith family were in Wichita that
Mrs. Griffith charged undue intimacy
on the part of Lakins w. Smith. SUIT
for $4,000 damages was filed by the
woman in the Sedgwick county district
court. The Wichita defendant is quite
wealthy. Efforts to bring about the
dismissal of the action or to effect a
favorable compromise were of no
avail.
Then, it is said, that the Wichita
man appealed to Ericsson for assist
ance.
Medlock came tc Holton. He talk
ed the matter over with Mrs. Thor
mann. A plan was devised and that
the Kingman judge.
Mrs. Thormann wrote or telephoned
to Griffith asking him to come to Hol-
ton to do some plumbing. He came.
While here it was arranged by Griffith
and the Thorn.ann woman that Grif-
fifth, who had now moved to Valley
Falls, was to meet a Holton girl in
Topeka. Georgia Cooper, an orphan,
was approached by Medlock and Mrs.
Thormann, 1t is claimed. She refused
to make the trip. Then a new victim
was found. 1t was Josephine BOggs
on whom the detective and the bank
er's wife now centered thier appeals
and promises. The girl was Is years
old. She was in trouble. Her mother
worked at the City hotel in Holton and
the daughter helped her with the
work. When Medlock and Mrs. Thor
mann offered to help her out of her
present embarrassment, she consented
to make the trip.
In January the girl went to Topekn
on an evening train. She met GrifHth
at the Chesterfield hotel and they reg
istered under assumed names, being as
signed to rooms Nos. 100 and 101. The
next day Medlock and Ericsson ap-
preached the girl and from her received
a sworn statement that she was II
years old and had spent the night in
Grifith's room. Then she came home.
But the Ericsson NJ edlock- Thornann
plan was only beginning to bear fruit
The affidavits were turned over to the
WIcnlId OclSilOdlll III Lne QdfmaRe SUIT
and his representatives visited Mrs.
Griffith at her home in Valley Falls.
Here they produced the Boggs' girls
sworn affidavit. 1t is charged that
threats were made that if Mrs Grifith
did not dismiss her action against the
wichita man that Griff1th himself would
be prosecuted on a criminal charge
More trips were made to HoIton. But
this time by representatives of the Grif-
hths. They secured afidavfts that the
girl was over 18 years old. They Sc
cured from Miss Boggs counter affi-
davit in which she denied intimacy Will,
Griffith. Backed by these statements.
Mrs Griffith refused to dismiss the
prosecution CT her civil damage suit.
And the second attempt at blackmafi
was nipped in the bud.
Since the incident of a few months
ago, Miss Boggs has become Mrs. Cflas
Boyte, is living in Holton and to friends
has stated that she is willing to 20 to
the witness stand and tell the facts
concerning the entire transaction Misc
Cooper the near victim of the plot
is now in Topeka She is working for
small salary in a Kansas avenue
restaurant and is earning an honest
living. 1t is stated that she has also
made affidavits concerning the efforts
of the woman and the two detectives
to make her a victim of the white
slave traffic and that on her testimony
is furnished the basis for still further
criminal actions against three of the
principals in the Gillett case. These
records are said to have been furnish
ed to County Attorney Simon some
weeks ago. With the history of the
CsiIlett case Just revealed several rro-