The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-01-21
Arley Owen, IS, Admits Plan To
Make Big Haul.
MANY STORES BEEN ROBBED
Shirts, Neckties and Other Arti-
cleS Have Been Taken.
Michigan Man Convinced To-
pekan 1t Was Easy Living.

Robbery of the Arnold drug store.
523 Kansas avenue, was averted by
Officer Joe Wonderly at an early hour
this morning in the arrest of Arley
Owen, 10. $40 jefferson street, and
J. NJ. Carney, of Detroit, Mich
Wonderly caught the lads as they
were sneaking along Fifth street be-
tween Quincy street and Kansas
avenue at O'Clock. this morning
An improvised Jimmy in the pos
session of Carney led to a suspicion
that a robbery was planned Under a
grueIling questioning from Chief of
Police Harbaugh, Sergeant Jumbo"
Sturm and Detectives Ransom and
Frost, young Owen broke down at
noon and confessed that they had
planned to rob the Arnold drug store
of a quantity of drugs. In addition,
they planned to steal an automobile in
a garage in the rear of 41o Madison
street and make their escape
Actual crime as well as contem-
plated misdeeds has been perpetnated
by the pair. Owen admitted For two
weeks they have been visiting Topeka
stores and while Owen engaged the
clerks in conversation Carney nad
stolen quantities of neckties ana other
articles, owen confessed.
The articles Owen has confessed to
stealing are as follows:
One SIS electrical massage machine
from the H P. Howard Electric com
pary.
Ten of the most expensive silk neck
ties on display by the Felix clothing
Three shirts from the Palace Cloth
ing company. cone shirt is valued at
SOD
Twelve neckties from the New Tos-
gerry.
store.
Nearly all the stolen property was
recovered by officers this morning in
Carney's room at 40 Madison street.
| That was where the automobile was
) located the lads planned to steal. owen
says 1t is owned by people who are
now in Oklahoma. He didn't know
their names
owen says he has been out of work
for several weeks and has wife on
| his hands. One-day he met Carney
! in the Mission pool hall and entered
into conversation with the Fellow.
Easy to Get By?
HE commenced telling me how easy
it was to get by" said Owen ses
now 1 hadn't any brains. Finally, ht
/ coaxed me to go into the stores WITH
him and talk to the clerks while he
took the stuff. I never got thing
! out of it, excepting some nice neck
ties See, this is one 1 have on now
| Carney took it all to his room.
I'VE started out a half dozen times
| to rob the Arnold store got colo
/ feet, every time. I read too much
about such fellows getting shot. ] mus
tered up some courage last night and
we started out again. My nerve was
oozing out of me as We neared the
store, about the time Wonderly caught
/ u.s."
Owens marriage to Theresa Aldaf
| fer, formerly a pretty telephone oper
ator, was sensational. With his faith
err he went to Junction City and OBJ
tanned license to marry the girl, Civ
ing her age as 10 while her relatives
| claimed she was only Is years of age
They were married in Topeka.
/ A few days later the bride went &c
| the home Of her cousin, Mrs. Davi6
Jones, 200 East Seventeenth street. tC
get some clothes. The cousin refused
! to permit the girl to return to her hus
| band until she had obtained permits.
| sion to marry Owen from her father
who was living in Oklahoma. Over
called an attorney and threatened t
I bring habeas corpus proceedings in
| order to get his bride. Finally. Mrs
Jones was induced TO release the girl
| This incident occurred in November