Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1920-12-02
MADE CONFESSION TO ROBBERY


sengeA-, not TO have been able to secure
nights lodging, to have wandered
about the streets and the depot in the
chill and cold of the night, to have
broken into a store and taken a few
articles of clothing, having held a
Colts revolver pointed at the had of
the agency at the Union Pacific depot
demanding five dollars and a ticket
to Kansas City, receiving them and
then resisting arrest until he could
get onto the train and leave town, re-
sisting arrest by the officers at Ellis,
to have finally been overcome and
placed under arrest by the sheriff of
Ellis county, to have been brought
back to this county, arraigned before
justice of the peace, being bound
over to district court, arraigned be-
fore the judge and entering a plea of
guilty and landing in the state reform
school at Hutchinson, Kansas, all
within four days was the experience
of Henry Carston, a young man who
landed in WaKeeney Wednesday
night November oath.
Mention was made in the last issue
of The World of this robbery and hold
up and the escape OF the criminal but
the story OF the life OF the young man
which led up to the crime was not.
known at that time. Carstor- was
making determined effort to get
back to to his home in Chicago. Sher-
if Alex Weftz, Of Hays, had been in
formed of his desparado style and en-
tered the train as passenger and not
as an officer. Carstonz was carrying
the Colts revolver in his hand and it
was an easy matter to detect him
He was also showing no signs Of soci-
ability and it was not an easy matter
for Sheriff Weltz to engage him In
conversation. He finally succeeded
and landed a good, tight grip on the
hand which held the gun and choIl-
ing pressure with his left elbow
against the young mans throat The
gun was discharged in the struggle.
but no one was hurt. The sheriff had
the most wind and succeeded in COM
ing out victorious. getting possession
of the gun and landing handouts on
the gun man He was taken from the
train at Salina and brought back to
WaKeeney Friday. In the absence of
both Justice Acre and Justice Court
right he was arraigned for hearing
before Justice Nixon at Ogallah and
was bound over to district court
At the preliminary hearing Carston
made no attempt to deny having COM
mitted the crimes and as Judge /. T.
Purcell was here Saturday and the de-
fendant was willing he was arranged
in district court for trial He waived
trial, making the same clear cut, hon
est confession before the Judge that
he had made in justice court. He was
not old enough to be sent to the pen
itentiary but was given a sentence of
from five to ten years in the reform
school at Hutchinson. He was taken
| to Hutchinson Sunday morning by
Sheriff DeBoer and is now serving his
| time.
While Henry Carston committed a
| serious offense against the law and
order, yet his story is not without a
pathetic side. He is not much more
than large overgrown boy. He gives
| his age as sixteen but most of those
| who saw him closely think he is near
| er twenty He was raised in Chicago
and not long ago was shipped out to
| Casper, Wyoming, for work with a
| construction gang with the railroad
company. He claims to have lost his
suit. case and all his extra clothing
through the carelessness of the rail-
road company. He worked with the
construction gang for two months
| but says he could not make much
more than expenses at it. He got lone
some and wanted to go home. He
quit work and had only ten dollars
coming to him. Why he did not tak<
the shortest way home to Chicago is
not explained excepting that he is :
haH-brother Of the former Mrs. Harry
Bryant and came this way expecting
| to find her here He admitted having
broken into hardware store at Love
land, Colorado, where he stole ths
| Colts revolver with which he did hi:
Jesse James work He stole rides and
| bummed rides until he arrived here
He had money and did not know
that Mrs Harry Bryant was not herr
until he inquired He tried to trade
postage stamps for nights lodging.
| but they were not accepted He wan
4 -h he Sfr nd oS h,