The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-01-05
Angry Farmers and TOwnspeO-
pie Form Big Posse.
Chase OverbrOOk Bandits
Towards Ottawa Junction.
BELIEVE ONE IS A WOMAN
HI. w. Mccartney Was Killed
by One of Gang.
He Walked Into House, Drop
ped Dead Before Wife.


townspeople led by sheriffs of four
counties are securing the south part
of Douglas county and the north half
of Franklin county to wreak ven
geance on bandits who early this
morning shot and killed II. w. Nc
Cartney, principal of the high school
at Overbrook, after robbing two
stores in the Usage county town
Every clew indicates that the banolts
protected by a heavy fog and incle-
ment weather are. hurrying SOUTH
ward across the fields towards Ottawa
Junction in Franklin county. There
numerous trains on two big trunk
lines pass daily.
The last trace of two of the bandits
was on a farm four miles north OF Ot-
tawa, where woman reported that
she saw two men running thru a
cornfield in that vicinity. They were
seen shortly after II O'Clock.
Footprints found a miles south of
Worden this morning believed to be
those of two Of the bandits, indicated
that one is a woman, probably dressed
prints clearly indicated that it had
been made by shoe no larger than
tl.at of a woman, while the other was
the large print of a mans foot.
Excitement at Worden.
Shortly after o'clock this morn
ing a small and a large man were seen
running along a road three miles
south of Worden opposite the o. A.
Vaughn farm. Frantic telephone mes
sages by the Worden central brought
the Overbrook posse to Worden in
short order and it was thought they
would be captured.
Then, shortly after IL O'Clock Mrs
Rosa Hackett, living three miles south
of Centropolis in Franklin county,
say the same two men crossing her
pasture She lives four miles north
Of Ottawa Junction ~sMrs.=-Backett
called the Centropolis operator.
.'They would run a rev yards and
then walk short distance as tho they
were almost tagged out" Mrs. Hackett
told the operator.
Bloodhounds from Concordia will
arrive at Centropolis this afternoon.
| They will take upthe scent on the
farm south of Centropolis.
The whole countryside is out in
arms. A hundred citizens of Over
brook, vowing vengeance for the death
| of the school teacher. passed thru
and clubs in their hands. A few
stopped and purchased crackers and
cheese at the Centropolis stores.
! Sheriff Barrett of Franklin county
was notified. Heading a posse in
twenty-five automobiles he is sweep
Junction to the Hackett farm where
the bandits were last seen. Deputies
| heading another posse, are guarding
| the railway tracks near Ottawa juno
ton and kilograms have been received
/ by all trainmen passing thru Ottawa
Junction to be on guard for the out
| laws.
| Topeka Officers in Search.
As Sheriff Barrett and his posse
sweep the country going north, search
ing haystacks, barns and other posi-
BILE hiding places, the Overbrook and
/ Usage and Douglas county posses led
| by Sheriff Hugh Larimer and Under
sheriff Bob Miller of Topeka and the
sheriffs of Usage and Douglas coun-
ties are pursuing similar tactics as
/ they cover a two or three mile area
| going south from Centropolis
| Centropolis is about eighteen miles
south and east of Overlook and six
miles south of Worden, where the
bandits were seen shortly after {
o'clock The time that would be con-
fight of the murderers and outlaw.
from Overlook in reaching WCrder
at o'clock and the time consumed
by the same persons on foot in reach
ing a point south of Centropoli.
about II O'Clock today dovetails nice
ly with theconviction of officers thai
they are on the right trai; of at leas
two of the bandits.
Offlcers at Baldwin We're notified
| They hurried west and from the re
ports of the telephone operator the
posse is confident that the men will h,
captured in a few hours. The exac
number of men implicated in the mur.
der and robbery is uncertain.
! Broke Into Two Stores
The bandits first entered the Ingle-
man drug store about 1:15 o'clock and
blew open the safe. They took $40
FROM the Ingleman store they went t.
the Hart general store, broke a win
dow in a door open with a bar ant
effected an entrance.
The explosion when the safe in tht
Hart store was blown open awakened
Mccartney. He called Miss Craig ant
asked her to arouse the citizens of tbs
town while he dressed. McCartnel
lived about 200 yards from the Har
store.
In about ten minutes McCartne,
again called Miss Craig and asked he
if she had called anyone.
I'm going out on the street now,
he told Miss Craig.
| Mccartney led a few frightened
citizens who had climbed out of tn
bed He walked in the middle of tn,
street with .22 rifle in his hand
One of the bandits stood in front o
the store.
Two shots were fired in rapid sue
cession, one by Mccartney, the othe
by the bandit. Mccartney turned OIL
his heel without saying a word an,
: walked towards his home. His fol
lowers Were bewildered and withdrew
| Mccartney walked into the house AM
as he stepped into a sitting room
where his wife was waiting he drop
u Continued on Page Two.)