The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-09-17
Federal Attorneys in Topeka
Preparing Interesting Case.
OUT AGAINST old OFFENDER
Linn County Town Character
Was Easy Mark, Officers Say.
Frightened, Victim Handeo
Over Money He Had Found.

IACal fe0eIal dut1lOA ASASc w
advised of the arrest. by the sherA a.
Pleasanton in Linn county,
Brooks who, for a year, mas
wanted on a charge OF writing unreal
enfnG letters. Brooks mas Doe" -" 80
flict with federal authority De, JILL:
having indictments pending ior se,nn =.
liquor without the proper ieoera'
cense. Since his disappearance i"s.
wear he has been traced
southern states but efforts 10 owe.
him failed until he returned 10 'i's wv
haunts. ,....- vr,tine was
-.io4ed TODAY by Francis M. bIAuy'
assistant UEited States distrlcI .eoo
new. who is preparing the T. a.
which will be used agalnst S;.tr;ct
MS at Fort scott in a few weeks. Inc
Cbiact Of the threats was Fiea SsaIle'..
800 character of simple ways known
Nv the name Of Ed Granam. Al 49,
easv conscience and Brooks ny r;s
edGe Of that spiritual condition OF ms tn
sSrt;,, made Graham an easy prey 20
Ne demands for money. Brooks -
ia To have obtained something line
S375. NAN named
I,ea santon. died after a prolonged ana
]averish illness, during whicn ne .an
"A ~ buried money and otner Hias :s
in which attendants al ms nr;te
placed little credence. But ms tavui ~
theme was a canful of gold wnicn ne
$rernertlv assured his wife he nao
MAIDEN in the wall Of a cellar on q
niece Of property he owned: She Pu'
the story down to fevereo mas
ZION. but it required TO ner 11.,
Moons death SO that wnen s ,,e ~ the
determined on the clearing up Q. .ns
oid building which was In rutneu
Ccrdition she told the laborers ABOUT
her husbands statement. -a
An Investigation of the spot wnere
Moon had said the goo wa No. ave
an anv further concern about IL. EFa
nam was the workman employed IN
Tearing out the old cellar waH anu =.
was he who finally found the nloins
place. 1t contained rusty . an With
fiye-dollar gold pieces. He was aione
then he found the treasure ana ne
cheved his impulse to pocket the whole
amount. There was $735 In gold com.
Gave Back Half OF 1t.
That night Grahc ms reflections per
suaded him to gi-s back part or the
money and on the following day he an
nounced to Mrs. Moon that he hao
To,,nd the hidden can and delivered 10
her half of the amount. representing
Al to be all. There was much TAX OF
the discovery IN IlcdSdhAOAA eAAAN
No one else appears to have suspected
Graham's actions. Brooks satisfied MIN M
self by watching the old man that ne
had held out some of the find. and ne
Ne. about possessing himself OF It,
II was It this stage that Brooks made
the error of using the mails to denver
his Matchmaking message, the feoeraI
ofYicers declare. He induced announcer
man TO write the letters, as anidav1ts
now held by the government show, in
which he threatened exposure to Mrs
Moon unless Graham turned over mon
ey to the writer. Graham. properly
terrified. left 800 in gold in tobacco
Jack. hanging on the knob Of certain
door on the main street Of Pleasanton.
FINDING the scheme worked well once
Brooks repeated 1t until he had bled
Graham for all he had.
In desperation the misguided Graham
dnally made a clea.l breast Of the mat
ter to Mrs. Moon. showing her the let
tiers which she promptly turned over to
federal authorities. Brooks took alarm
and disappeared before a prosecution
had been started but an Indictment re-
suited in a true bill against him which
he will be called on to answer at the
v,r~aeut term Of court.