The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-07-17

knew him. We learned from the in
spector that he had been only ten days
out of the penirentiary where he
served three years for breaking into
a postoffice in Leavenworth county
Well. we bluffed him into believing
we were holding him for the Coffey-
VILE robbery. In the meantime we
obtained evidence that he was re-
sponsible for the Marysville burglary.
On His Honeymoon
And by the way, Estell was on his
He married a school teacher-an in
nocent girl-at Coffeyville- He got
acquainted with her before he was
sent to the pen for the Leavenworth
robbery
While he was in prison he hal
1t fixed with a partner to write to
| her in his name from Texas. The
letters she got from the partner
stated that EsteIl-supposedly the
writer-was improving a ranch in
Texas. When he was released from the
pen they were married. Instead of
going to Texas he took her to Kansas
City 1t was there that he told her
that he was going to St Joe on
business and went to Marysville and
robbed a postoffice safe of $1,70O
The girl would not give up her faith
IN him and it was not until he shot
a deputy sheriff in Usage county that
she could be induced to leave him.
She visited him at this Jail several
times a day.
''Estell was taken back to Marys-
vile, where he made an agreement 70
plead guilty if they would give him
only IT months sentence. The sent
ence was agreed to by Marysville Of
ficia1s
The night before he was to have
been taken to the penitentiary, he
escaped from the Marysvillc Jail, and
stole horse, on which to make his
escape The horse was found the
a blacksmith shop was broken into at
ST. Marys. EsteIl took a shotgun. n
belt of shells and tools to rob a house,
which was entered the next night.
At Council Grove Next.
THE next word we heard from him
he was at Council Grove where he
was seen with a compa MON who
escaped with him from the Jail We
were so hot on his trail that he had
to abandon the horse and buggy he
was using for a conveyance. With his
companion, he hid in a grove which
was surrounded by a small army of
men until daylight. A deputy sheriff
OF Lyon county got lost from the posse |
and ran onto two men sitting near a
culvert over small ravine running
the grove. SupposIng it was
some of his own men he approached |
and said: Hello, I've been looking |
for you
One of the men by the culvert |
WhirIed and fired. The deputy died |
the following day. EstelI had added |
a murder to a long list of crimes in |
the fight with the posse that followed |
the sound of the shot, the man with |
EStell was wounded and taken pris- |
oner- Esten himself was slightly |
but escaped The next dav,
the man was discovered in an oats |
field and was captured.
All the state had come to know
Esteli by this time and we were afraid |
or MN being lynched if we locked |
him in the Usage Jail so we brought |
him to Topeka. Later the case
against him at Marysville was sus-
pended and he was prosecuted for |
MURDER IN the county where he shot |
the deputy. He pleaded guilty and |
was sent to Lansing. After he had |
been in the prison a little more than |
three months the mind of the master
criminal began to plan escape. He |
obtained a knife while working in the |
mines He shaped from wood three !
mutation revolvers which he covered |
with tnfoil. In the wood he placed |
wires to make a clicking sound.
He took a horsethief and a Taur-
derer into his confidence. The three /
with the imitation revolvers bluffed |
a mine guard to take them out of the
the prison gates. Then they dubbed
the guard, obtained his rifle and fled.
One of the three men was shot by a
guard on the wall, but Estel and one
companion escaped. They Wee
traced to southern Kansas.
Turns Up In Illinois.
For long time no one heard of
Estell, until several months later a
tram was robbed on the Illinois Cen
trai railroad. One morning about . !
CLOCK, Esten and companions were
discovered in a Memphis restaurant.
me Memphis chief of police, with
posse of men disguised as loafers,
street car conductors, farmers and Ia
oorers, entered the restaurant and
gathered about the counter. When
Esten and his companions went to
pay their bill the posse overwhelmed
them All were found to be ileeIe
with two guns each. Estell is now in
he Illinois penitentiary for robbinC
The Illinois Central train"
me detective paused and applied
another match to the end of his cigar.
Then he continued: so you sec.
did happen-once. EsteH,"
ne rumlnated, was a name in Kan
saS- He was the Arsene Lupin Of his
lime and place. and in my opinion he
vas the greatest master crook that
ever hit Topeka"