The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-05-06

(PhOtO by Str1ckrott)
Morris Jenkins, Chief of Police, Who
Captured the Bandit After a Heroic
Hand to Hand Fight.
1t was shortly before G O'Clock
when the policeman saw the two char
| acters. He walked right up to them
| When he asked Miller what he was
| doing in Topeka and when he came
| to town, Miller was not at all polite.
He insiruated that it was none of the
pclicemans blankety blank business
and started to back away. Suddenly
Lagrand jumped to one side, jerked a
revolver from his pocket and shot
Matthews through the neck.
AS the officer staggered and reached
for his cwn gun, Miller reached to
his own lip pocket. But Matthews
| was looking at Lagrand and was stag
gering from the wound he had re-
ceived. Taking quick aim, the po-
liceman fired. Almost simultaneously
was the report from Miller's gun. Both
shots did effective service.
The bullet from Matthews gun
plowed through the bones and Hga-
ments of Lagrand's forearm, tearin g
the leaders to threads and shattering
the bones. Passing through the
criminals arm, the shot lodged in La
grand's left side.
Just as Matthews big gun barked
came the report from Miller's revol-
yer. This was the shot that probably
caused the policemans death "a hours
later. The ball tore through the Off
GERS left side, penetrated the left lung
and lodged in the policeman'S back.
At the Jail both men denied that
they did the shooting. They insisted
that Matthews was the aggressor, but
their stories contradict and are not
corroborated by the statements CT
witnesses to the tragedy.
Physicians who attended Matthews
at st. Francis hospital gave little hope
from the first for the officers recov-
cry. He died at $50 this morning.
For his death the two men will answer
for first degree murder.
Little is known of either Lagrand
or Miller by local officers. The men
said they went to Bonner Springs from
Kansas City and came to Topeka early
Sunday morning. Benjamin Milstead,
the Bonner Springs marshal, came to
Topeka Sunday and positively identt-
fled the two men,
Matthews Was Brave.
Officer Matthews showed real bravery
throughout the entire affair He had
heard of the hold up at Bonner Springs
and was on the lookout for the men,
In fact, he was at the Union Pacific
station when the report was flashed
over the telegraph wires, thereby get
ting a good description of the men. In
addition to that, Benjamin Milstead
the marshal of Bonner Springs, who
was held up, notified the Topeka police
of the affair by telephone and gave a
good description of the pair.
Matthews saw the pair entering the
waiting room just before the arrival of
one of the early morning passenger
trains. He walked up to them and be-
gan asking them questions when they
opened fire or him. The gave him no
warning of the approaching hostilities-
After having been fatally injured, and
being unable to pursue his assailants,
Officer Matthews dragged himself to the
ticket office, where he attempted 20
notify police headquarters of the af-
fair by telephone.
After reaching tn. telephone and re-
peating but a few words to Jailer AL
Hopkins at headquarters, he collapsed.
1t was necessary that the telegraph
operator take the telephone and COM
municate with the jailer that the entire
police department be called out.
Fred Shellebarger, of Shellebarger
and Son, undertakers, was called to an
swer the call with his ambulance and
take the injured officer to hospital.
dressed, hitched his horses
to the ambulance and was leaving the
barn in the rear of his place within ten
minutes after receiving the call. Patrol
Driver Charles Carson was equally as
active. Chief of Police Morris Jenkins
had been notified of the affair and
ordered the police buggy be sent to |
the Union Pacific station. Driver Car !
son was ready to start about as soon !
as Shellabarger.
On account of the hour, but few
police officers were on duty. One-half
of the night force is relieved from duty |
at o'clock in the morning while the
remainder cover two ordinary beats. |
started just ahead of |
Driver Carson and sought to attract the |
attention of the police who were t,n |
duty by ringing the gong on the ambu- |
lance. Driver Carson. coming behind, |
picked up two officers, who were on
duty on lower Kansas avenue. The run |
was made from tte police station to |
the Union Pacific station in less than |
FIVE minutes. Frank Parcels, the other |
North Topeka patrolman, had gone |
home.
officer Matthews was put in the am
bulance and hurried to st. Francis hos
pital. DR.. James Stewart, the city ply
sician, was called, and with the assist |
ance of DR.. w. F. Bowen, made a hasry
examination. They did not think that |
the officer could survive. The family |
was notified and spent practically all |
husband and father until he died eariy |
this morning.
When Jenkins Arrived.
Chief jenkins arrived at the dane+
and saw Matthews as he was loadaI \
into the ambulance. He then directed |
the search. He rode to near the
Union Pacific-Santa F. junction ana
then started on foot toward the three |
bridges. Upon arriving t2-ere, he saw
Charles (Scrappy) Hunter, a hack
driver. and his wife fishing. He asked |
Hunter concerning the men, but Hunter
had not seen them. Jenkins then