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

| the Union Pacific bridge and met a
| stranger. Not having received de-
scription- of the assailants, Chief
Jenkins was not prepared for the occa-
| sion. He spoke to the stranger, who
! happened to be Miller. After a few
| words, Miller forced the chief to throw
up his hands. The struggle between
the two men as they rolled down the
embankment was desperate.
In relating the facts to a State Jour
nal reporter, Chief Jenkins stated that
he was not afraid of the man but was
determined to capture him. Charlie
Hunter saw them in conflict. He rushed
| to the foot of the embankment and upon
the direction of Chief Jenkins, he pulled
| the gun out of the hands of Miller.
Chief Jenkins had the end of the gun
barrel in the small part of his hand
and gripped it with the two last
fingers. He had it turned in such a
| manner that Miller had not been able
| to snap the trigger but the latter had
forced it to the chiefs side with the
intention of killing him. After being
| relieved of the revolver, Chief Jenkins
overpowered Miller without assistance.
Chief Jenkins then loaded Miller in
the police buggy and assisted in taking
him to the police station Dr.~L r.
Goodwin had been summoned with an
automobile. His son. Vernon, answered
the call and rushed Chief Jenkins and
several other officers back to the scene.
The officers started at the three bridges
and separated for the purpose of beat
ing the brush for the other assailant.
Chief Jenkins found him lying in the
sand with his coat drawn up over his
head about one mile east of the three
| bridges where he had the encounter
with Miller.
Benjamin Milstead, the Bonner
Springs officer, was notified of the ar
rest of the men but did not know that
they had shot Officer Matthews He
came to Topeka Sunday night with a
warrant for their arrest but did not
execute 1t, after learning the facts. IN |
speaking OF the affair, he said, ST rode |
out to the Union Pacific Santa Fe |
crossing on a Union Pacific passenger
train 1t was not quite O'Clock and
not dark. I saw the two men sitting
on a pile Of ties two or three hundred
yards east of the crossing / got off
the train at the crossing and started
back to them. They walked out in the
middle of the road as soon as they saw
me and turned their back on me- I
began talking to them and then they
held me up, took my gun away from
me and walked me across a bridge T
think that they intended to try to kill
me or something of that kind BUT
changed their minds for some reason
After considerable parley and testing, |
they returned my gun and ordered mo
to walk east toward the city and told |
me not to look back. 1 complied with
their request as I knew that they had |
an advantage over me and was afraid |
they would shoot me.
After they held me I'D and started |
me across the bridge, we approached a |
man who was working on the tracks |
They warned me not to let on that |
there was trouble on hand and threat |
ened to kill me if did. 1 did tell him |
of 1T but he was unarmed and could |
not offer me any assistance"
E. r. Simon, the county attorney,
visited Matthews at the hospital Sun
day afternoon and asked him some |
questions preparatory to making |
signed statement which he wished to |
use as evidence should the officer die |
from the effects of the wound. After
making the statement Officer Matthews
relapsed into Inconsistencies and |
could not sign the statement. How |
ever, he said that both men opened |
fire on him without warning and said
that he could identify both of them.
Ohcer Matthews could not recog-
nize his fellow officers after being shot |
and before being taken to the police
station. 1t was apparent that the
eyesight but he recognized the voices
of the several officers.
Officer Shot Four Times.
Sergeant Lon Sauls found his re-
volver and found four empty shells,
which indicates that he fired four
which Miller and Legrand used in
shooting the officer were taken away
from them when they were arrested.
Miller, during an inquisition which
was conducted by Chief Jenkins and
e. r. Simon, the county attorney,
denied having taken part in the affair. |
He said Legrand did the shooting and |
that he ran away to prevent being hit |
with stray bullet. He was evasive
and the officers did not get any in
formation from him that would assist |
them. Miller related the story of the
Bonner Springs holdup about the same
as was told by Marshal Ben Milstead. |
Legrand told the entire affair while
in his cell at the county jail. He is |
shot in the arm and left side and is
weak from the loss of blood or pre-
tends to be but the officers think that |
he is shamming and do not think his
injuries are serious enough to cause
such.
The men will be charged with muir
der in the first degree in a warrant
which will be issued and served on
them some time today.
Some of the people who saw the
shooting are:
Pacific depot, SIS North Quincy street.
He told depot people he saw Matthews
coming from telephone booth holding
his side. He went to him and asked
what was the matter Matthews told
him he had been shot by two fellows
outside the depot, and motioned with
his hand toward the door
John Wilson, negro crossing night
Waterman, said he was on the street
and looked through the window when
he heard the shot He saw Matthews
stagger.
John Wilson Saw Shooting.
John Wilson of 129 North Van
Buren, street, colored night Union
Pacific crossing Waterman, was in the
depot at the time of the shooting. He
says he heard several shots and then
looking through the window, saw
Matthews fire several times.
About $50 a. m. Mr.. Matthews and
were talking in the depot" said Will