The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-01-22
HOLDUP ESCAPES
Continued from Page one.)

Continued from Page Onel
and agree on virtually one detail The
witnesses were certain that the bandit
wore a mustache of a style made pop
ular by a motion picture comedian
Other points in the description led TO
a statement by Nicholas Hunt, chief
of the detective bureau, that his men
were searching for William La Trasse.
who escaped from the Kansas state
penitentiary in. 1915. Rewards have
been offered for the capture and con-
viction of the MURDER.
According to stories told by the wit
neSseS the bandit entered the office or
the agency, which is located on jack
son street near State, one of the bust
| est sections in the down town district,
shortly before 5 o'clock. At the point
! Of a revolver he drove the four en-
ployees into the wall safe. closed the
door and turned the combination, lock-
ing them in. When Walsh attempted
to resist the bandit fired. inflicting
/ n slight flesh wound A special Off
Ger later released the employees.
After locking up the clerks the ban
dit took all the money in sight in the
cashiers cage and left the agency. At
the door he met Policeman Johnson
and shot him dead. Outside the wom-
an waited in a taMcab. The bandit
Ieaped in and pointed the revolver at
the driver who refused to start. Then
both the man and woman fled down an
alley.
Big Reward Offered.
Aroused by the murder of Traffic
Officer johnson by the bandit in a
daring hOldup within the loop, the
police department planned to secure
81 500 reward by contributions of fifty
cents from each patrolman and larger
sums from the officers. Police Chief
HaaIcy offered $500 personally and
the governor offered $500.
Aged Mother Defends Ia Trasse.
Kansas City, Mo, Jan. 22.-"He
didn't do it; the police are trying tc
frame on Billy again. exclaimed Mrs
Belle La Trasse, as she rushed into the
office of the superintendent of the
Wyandotte county poor farm today
Mrs. La Trasse, who is so years old
had just read the morning papers
saying her son William was suspected
of having held up the tourist agency
of Thomas Cook & Son, in Chicago
yesterday.
Mrs. La Trasse is a paid attendan
at the institution. She has spen
much of her life and all the none!
she possessed in trying to keep he
son William out of trouble. At on
/ time she owned several houses in Ar
mourdaIe, Kan, a suburb, but she SOLE
5 these to obtain money to help the al
I legged bandit.
Mrs La Trasse, herself, is great,
t respected and four years ago, whel
Y she was in need of help she was givel
I q position at the WyandOtte county in
2 stitution. Her salary is twenty-five
4 dollars a month. Most of this ha
. gone to help her son keep out o
= prison.
e Little Rock, Ark. AIN "a
d "Blackie" Williams, said to be a for
1 mer member of the William l.
Trasse gang, was one of the twenty
= four men who escaped from the stat
s convict farm at Cummins, Wednes
g day night.
i Officials have started an investiga
= ton to learn whether the deliver
d was planned through an outsid
d agency. They state it is their belle
IL that Williams was aware of his chief
,. whereabouts and that he will attemI
/ to join La Trasse.
y Williams was considered by prise
) officials to be the most desperate ma
l. at the farm. 1t is reported that Wi
n liams is well supplied with arms an
70 ammunition.
l. The officials are confident this
Is Williams capture will mean a de:
i perate fight