The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-06-22
Mary Turner of Topeka Held
Prisoner in Ft. Worth.
Believed To Be In Hand OF
Two ~White Slavers."
SMueGlED LETTER TO MOTHER
Hastily Scribbled Note Re-
ceived in Topeka Today.
Officers on Trail of Pair OF
Daring AbductOrs.

Dear Mother: / have to hurry, SO MAKE E.,.e e
out what l say the pnsd nesd S here. Seems
somebody sent them to Topeka 1or NY.
Whoever it Is lives in Galveston. neai = =
one of the resa aeIiows Bi ine got her in Fort
worth. She got off the train. HAD 10
stop over. Jack. A-L.rsaa
Listen. Tried to get OF az. ~ AZ Use
City but they had me watche0 700 U.S. -,
quit % s+eal a suit
Sraeeiet. I'll try and get to Arkansas
City where 1 can see Bessie You cosne @
down there and wait till I get there ior
TN walk it fl If have wonlan!t aT I0g get fe It.
Re at Arkansas City by Tuesday brinx M,
some OF my clothes Here he comes. "
give this to the bell hop
Mary Turner. the Topeka 16 year OLD
girl who disappeared here Thursday, IS
believed to be in the hands OF wnlte
slayers who had her confined in a
room at the Trinity hotel in Fort
Worth. Tex, when she managed to
smuggle out a letter which reached her
mother Mrs. p. Turner OF 250S Fill
more street at noon today.
telegram from Sheriff k1ene mas
set Fort Worth police on the trail OF
the girl away from home on a promise
OF work. She is believed to have been
destined for Galveston when she es-
capped fromthe train at Fort Worth ana
was hurried into a hotel room by her
captors. That the girl was taken all
the way from here to Fort Worth by two
men with whom she was seen talking
near Fourth and Monroe streets Thurs
day morning and that she suspected
the danger which she was approaching
soon after getting on the train. is fnd1-
Gated in her statement that she tried
to leave the train at Arkansas City
but was too closely watched.
Abduction Carefully Planned.
That the pretty girl has, been;
ly planned her abduction long before
1t was attempted, is the conviction of
her mother. Mrs. Turner spent this
afternoon with local and federal au-
thorities who are doing all in their
power to overtake the girls abduct-
ors. In the office of w. E. Atckison,
county attorney, she related the meet
ing of the girl with two men on
Thursday, which was reported to her
by w. G. Frazeur, a dealer IN gas
supplies. at 900 East Fourth street.
The mother and daughter had been
at work on Monroe street soliciting
orders for a local photographer dur
across the street. saw the girl en-
gagged in conversation with a man and
woman, whom the girl said had asked
about her work. She suspected them
of being representatives of rival
concern and did not show her sam
pies. which they had asked about.
After this conversation the mother
and daughter separated. the former
going into a house and leaving the
girl across the street near the Frazeu-
store. She has never seen her since.
Overheard Conversation.
Surprised at her absence. she in
quired at neighboring business houses
and was told by Mr.. Frazeur that the,
girl and two men had entered the store
where she had asked permission to
leave her bundle of pictures. They
were talking, evidently about a pros
pective position which the man had
offered and Frazeur overheard the girl
assert that her parents would not con-
sent to her leaving town. The man to
whom this remark was addressed was
OF medium size and dark complexion.
Frazeur had not particularly marked
his attire. He did not notice the other
man. Something about the dark mans
manner impressed the storekeeper un-
favOrably. he told the mother Mrs.
Turner is convinced the two men and
man and women were cooperating to
ensnare the girl.
The letter conveys the only new in
formation about the girls movements
since then. Il was scrawled with a
pencil. evidently after several inter-
ruptions. and is unsigned. 1t is writ
ten on a ,etterhead of the Trinity ho-
tel, Fort Worth.
kiene Wires Fort Worth.
Sheriff L. L. Kiene this afternoon
wired as follows to the chief of police
of the city of Fort Worth:
Chief of Police. Fort Worth, Texas:
Mary Turner. sixteen years old. kid.
In room at the Trinity hotel in your
city. Is expected to be taken to Gal
weston. Quick action necessary. Descrip-
ton. 1s wears but appears older, blonde,
good looking. blue eyes. light fluffy hair
five feet FIVE inches. 135 pounds, birth mark
on right forearm. Arrest men and
IL. L. KIENE. Sheriff"
Federal Authorities Investigate.
Fred Robertson. United States dis
trfct attorney. this afternoon started
an investigation Of the Turner case
Upon learning of the receipt of the let
ter from Fort Worth Mr.. Robertson
Immediately sought an interview with
Mrs Turner who was still in confer
ence with the county authorities.
This seems to be a case for the at
tention of the government" said Mr.
Robertson. Il have kept tab on the
affair through the newspapers as well
as possible thinking the matter might
develop some such aspect as this and
/ shall begin work Immediately"
Mother Plans to Go.
Mrs. Turner, the mother, who is q
handsome woman Of 35, has worked
continuously in her daughters case
furnishing all possible Information
about her movements on the day OF
her disappearance and rendering ma.
terial ASST stance. She had made ar.
rangements to take a train for Ar.
Kansas City In response To tha rirI',