The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-06-08
LETTERS CLUES
Develop Feud Existed Between
Kidnaper Suspects.
keet Baby Not FOund-Parents
All but Give Up Hope.

Springfield, Mo, June s.-Two let
tiers, one written by Claude ]. Piersol,
according to his own admission, but
signed by &c. C. Piersol' on May %.
regarding a very important matter.
and another anonymous letter threat
ching Taylor B. Adams and his family
are the clues to the kidnapping of Baby
Lloyd keet which are being followed
most tenaciously today by the men
who are trying to unearth the kid
naping plot. A man believed to be
la German sympathizer, if not more
closely connected with the German
government, is under surveillance, and
the Piersol letter was addressed to
him. Confessions of the imprisoned
suspects implicaUe "a German or Rus
sian preacher" about 80 years old.
The man under guard answers this
description fully.
Baby Keet has not been found, ii
was stated at the Keet home early this
morning. No new word has been re
ceived by the father. it was stated, and
no more trips are being made by MI
Keet to get into communication with
them.
Members of the family were much
disappointed this morning when adj
vised that the four persons arrested IN
the east had not been connected with
! the case. 1t is now expected, how
ever. that each day will bring some
/
fore the real abductors of the baby
are in custody.
| Family Ready to Flee.
| The letter threatening the adams
| family was received by them. 1t was
stated. on the same day the keet baby
I was kidnapped. This is now believed
| to have been the cause of the decision
| of the family to move to Kansas City
hurrjedly after having lived in one
| home here for nearly three years. The
| household goods were partially packed
! for moving when the entire family
with the exception of the aged mother
| of Mrs. Adams were thrown into jail
They have consulted a Springfield at
| torney and habeas corpus proceedings
! have been discussed to secure their
release. Feeling, however, is so high
that it is likely that the members of
! the family will be advised to make no
such steps until after there are fur
Their developments in the police in
vestigation.
I'VE will get you in one month"
was the scrubbed warning or threat
| on plain card contained in the letter
| to Adams The information of the re-
ceipt of the letter by the Adams fam
/ lily was first given the police in the
statement of George Walker which
was made Wednesday afternoon
Walker stated that he had been told
| by Claud Piersol the morning follow
ing the kidnapping of the receipt OF
the letter at both the Adams and the
! keet homes. PierSol. now under ar
rest. confessed plotter in the plan to
kidnap C A. Clement. and suspected
| of possessing knowledge of the kid
mapping of the Keet baby, appeared on
/ the square early the morning otter
| the appearance of the child from
| the keet home.
In the statement of Walker to the
: police he stated that he had been told
| by Piersol of the receipt of the two
| letters, but said Piersol did not say
! where he had obtained his informa :
ton.
Arrest Much Sought Suspect.
! Chicago, June s.-The arrest OF
| John (Scarface) Riley, wanted in
connection with the Keet baby kid
uaping in Springfield, Mo. was an
nounced at police headquarters here
today. The man was arrested in a
/ garage in Austin, a west side district
according to the police.
Riley. in talking with officers who
made the arrest, denied any knowl-
edge of the kidnapping. He is a chauf-
feur and said to be a business agent
of the chauffeurs' union. He was
taken when he returned as usual tC
! the garage to store his car during the
| luncheon hour.
Riley 1.-The Boss" Kidnaper.
| Springfield. Mo, June s.-John Ri
| ley came mere as a guard Tor the Ioca
| street railway company, which is now
| involved in a strike.
Il The men under arrest as suspects
/ in the keet case refer TO Riley as 'sthe
boss" He is supposed by the author
| tiles to be the leader of the gang and
to have betrayed them. that is, by
slipping away from them. None Of
the suspects admits that Riley or any
of them were implicated in the Kee
case, but say that Riley planned the
scheme, which was never carried out
to kidnap c. A. Clement, a wealthy
jeweler.