The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-07-22
Mysterious Party Out in Weeds
Near U. p. Tracks.
Police Buckled on 6-Shooters
and Dashed to Scene.
saw ONLY TRACKS IN SAND
Every Evidence That Pointed TO
Bank Bandits.
Sh.h-h! Listen! 1t Was Only
the Deputy Sheriff!

SAY, came a voice over the police
Telephone today. 81 just passed an au-
tonobile hidden out in the weeds
along the Union Pacific tracks west OF
North Topeka There were three men
with the car and they acted sus-
pfciously. It looked like they hao
box or something in the rear ana II ap-
peared to me there were guns IN tne
car 1 thought it might be the LIN
wood bank robbers"
Because of the three bank robberies
around Topeka in the last twenty DAYS
every police and peace officer In the
CITY is on his toes. He sees those
81 600 rewards He also thinks of the
satisfaction of landing real live bank
robber.
The information related above was
received at the police station like
hungry cat receives cream.
Get the car some one shouted.
In a iiffy the car was iii front OF
1hes station. all gasolined and oiled up,
ready for any emergency: Slx-shoot-
crsF were buckled on as the men ran.
The big police car shot away to the
north. It was a block down Jackson
street before the last pair of feet was
inside the doors.
Like a Rocket 1t Sped.
over the Melan bridge and through
North Topeka like a rocket sped me
car. Slower speed was made IN the
sand and over the side streets IN tile
west part of town. When the ponce
reached the place described by the
voice there wasn't an automobile nor
man in sight. They se'f%neu
through the weeds and found RACKS
a,,+omobile tracks. The dope looked
an Srisht but the tracks wound away
through weeds and sand until they
reached the hard surfaced road anu
there they were lost.
Ihouiries were made here ana there
to, h |
4 car The police were disconsoiate.
That ono, chance of landing the LIN
wood bank robbers was gone, ana It
4 ala look like a good chance when they
n started out They drove back to the
station, unloaded, unbucKleo tiieii
Guns and cursed the luck.
short time later a man VINO had
hoard the police tell of their trip was
telling about it in the sher1ffs oI1lce;
Toe Holman, deputy sheriff. listened
to the whole story, then 1eh OIL i'i0
/ 1t Was Deputy Sheriff.
..Whv. good Lord man." said Hol-
man. that was myself, Deputy Sherl1I
Hixon and negro preacher out there
In the weeds"
The police force had been trying 10
capture the sheriff's force and neither
knew it.
1--WE went over there to vacate a
pieee of of property" continued Hol-
man, land Hixon. who drives an auto
mobile like it was an ice cream freezer
or a washing machine, got us off into
the sand and weeds. We waded around
Through a cornfield and finally got out
on the high ground and beat it back
to the court house. 1 saw that fellow
come down the railroad track and stop
to take a good look at us. But 1
didn't dream that he took us for bank
robbers"
The police didn't see much of a
joke in it.
SITS good thing they got out OF
the weeds before we arrived" said
Chief Parsons. Undoubtedly, they
were armed and there might have
been a misunderstanding that would
have led to a tragedy instead of a
comedy. I didn't take much stock in
the report telephoned in, but we cant
take chances. We have to run these
things down and do it as quickly as
possible