Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1916-07-01
Breaking
The Law
BY EDWARD T. STEWART


selves But 1 once became a law
breaker A young woman was held In
the adjoining state under duress, and
L was sent there to find a way to get
possession of her.
Miss Lucy Schenck. who was but
twenty years old, had no one to look
to but her stepmother's second hus-
band. Shepard. and he availed himself
of the opportunity of her confidence In
him TO get her fortune into the hands
of those from whom he could have 1t
transferred to himself
Lucy, finally suspecting that matters
were not as they should be, employed
a lawyer to look into the case. Shepard.
learning OF the fact, ran her or into
another state and kept her in hiding
Her lawyer found out where she was
and / was selected to go there and
report some method of taking her a way
from Shepard
1 found that he was keeping her un-
der the pretense that she was mentally
incompetent If her lawyer attempted
TO fight him by the law he would likely
run her on to some other place and
even If he did not he had the police
force In the town with him and a
shyster lawyer who would take any
method TO evade the law I therefore
reported that the best way was to fight
the devil with fire; that is to take an
Illegal course and kidnap the young
lady
Miss Schenck had lover, who had
succeeded In getting into communica-
ton with her by letter-that Is, she had
written him giving him the place where
she was held captive l asked that
this young man, Hastings, should be
sent to help me- He was naturally
very much interested. and together we
laid our plans The automobile has
proved an excellent means of effecting
such purposes, and we concluded to use
one.
Since Miss Schenck was not permit
ted to go out of the house, but was kept
In it under the care of a middle aged
woman. We were obliged to take the
captive from her dwelling prison by
force So far as I could learn she was
guarded only by the woman-her name
was Saunders-but there was a man on
the premises. supposed to be butler.
and fancied he, too, was in the pay of |
Shepard, whose place of abode was In |
house two or three numbers away |
from the one in question
L dare not take any one except Has |
dngs into my confidence. SO L must
needs rely ON him alone for an assist
ant Fortunately he was a good driver |
Of an auto. and this was a great help.
Our plan was a very simple one. We |
were to take the auto to the house. L |
was to ring the bell and when the door /
was opened was to push In, followed /
Dy Hastings We were both to be /
armed and play burglar. going through |
the house as IL looking for plumber, but /
really looking for the girl. As soon as
Hastings saw her he was to make him
self known and take her down and out
to the auto, 1 joining him there.
We wished to do the job before the
prisoner went to bed We had learned
which was her room and after dark
for light to appear in it
This occurred about 9 O'Clock Run
ming the car up to the house. we began |
operations The butler came to the
1oor- 1 showed a revolver against his
breast, while Hastings dashed past us
both and upstairs, throwing open Miss
Schenck's door Her duenna was with
her, but Hastings frightened her by
shaking revolver in her face and.
hold of his astonished sweet
hearts arm ran her down to the auto.
Meanwhile 1 had taken the kew out
If the front door and put it on the out
'ide- followed the couple, locking the
ioor behind me, so that the butler
would be kept within, but gained moth
ng by this, for the woman upstairs
brew up sash and shouted for help
While she was doing 50 the three of US
we're getting into the auto. Hastings
tarted it, and we wheeled away. the
ries OF the duenna dying in the dis
ance.
As bad luck would have 1t, Shepard
vas just going into the house in which
he lived when the woman began her
houts- Seeing us get into the auto,
he took In the situation. and as we
iashed or he ran to US and jumped
m to the footboard- / gave him a
hove that tumbled him In a bean. but
saw him get up and follow us on a
un- he kept 1t up till he came to an
Iuto standing by the sidewalk, got
INTO 1t and followed U.S.
1 waited till we came to a narrow
treet and a house that was being
'uilt on one side OF 1t. then Hastings
lowed up just enough to enable me to
Jump out without being killed 1 sefz-
plank or a board pile and, resting
ne end on the pile. blocked the way
Or the coming auto When Shepard
OF out to remove the plank 1 seized |
i'm. downed him and putting a re-
oliver against his nose, held him till
card others coming. then jumped up
nd ran for it