The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-03-18
Two Looted Trunks Found Four
Miles West of Topeka.
Diamonds and Goods Stolen
From Rock Island Station.
SAMPLES USED BY SALESMAN
Less Valuable Articles Found
Scattered in the Dust.
Trunks Belonged to c. A. Kiger
Company of Kansas City.

Two trunks full of sample jewelry,
belonging to the C. A. Kiger company,
Kansas City. and roughly valued
at 100000. were stolen early this
morning from the Rock Island depot.
The trunks were found broken open
on a road four miles west of Topeka
about 9 o'clock. The most valuable
part of their contents had been taken.
There is no clue to the robbers.
The abandoned trunks were discov-
cred shortly before 9 o'clock this
morning by d. w. Boutwell,, a young
farmer living on route s. He was
driving a truck on his way to Pages
barn. four miles west of town, where
he was working. He Immediately
called Sheriff Robert Miller. who, with
his deputies, drove to the spot and
brought the trunks to the office.
Locks Were Broken.
The locks had been broken on both
trunks and the contents were scat
tered over the road. The robbers had
taken nearly all the platinum and dia-
monds which the trunks contained,
leaving the jewelry of lesser value.
Gold watches. white gold bracelet
watches, gold knives, chains, cuff but
tons, canoes, rings and other articles
were scattered about in the dust.
The trunks and their contents be-
longed to the G. A. Kiger company,
wholesale jewelers., of Kansas City,
and were used by Horace Mckinney,
travelling salesman. They had been
consigned from Sabetha, Kan, to To-
peka. They came to Topeka on Rock
Island train No. 439 at 1880 O'Clock
last night and according to railroad
officials were checked into the bag
gage room at IL o'clock last nlght.
The baggage department missed two
pieces early this morning, it was said,
but did not know what they were
until Sheriff Miller called and asked
if two tewelry trunks had been missed.
Valuable JeweIry Taken
Mckinney was located at the Ches-
terrified hotel and came at once to the
sheriff's office. He said it would be
impossible for him to give the value
of the jewelry until invoices arrived
from the Kansas City house Local
jewelers. asserted this morning that the
Kiger company carries a very high
grade line and that the jewelry was
doubtless very valuable. Mckinney
said he carried a considerable amount
of platinum and diamonds.
Sheriff Miller called the Kiger COM
pany on long distance and was advised
that men with invoices, together with
Pinkerton detectives. would leave on
the next train for Topeka.
They've sure cleaned us out" Nc
phon7. The salesman said one of
their men had been killed by robbers
not long ago.
No Trace of Trunks.
The whereabouts of the trunks after
they were checked into the baggage
room at IL o'clock Thursday night
cannot be traced. Railroad officials
told Sheriff Miller that that was the
last they saw or knew of the trunks
until word came that they had been
found. 1t is believed that the rob-
bers must have entered the baggage
room early in the morning, carried
out the trunks. placed them in an
automobile and drove away.
Tom Hurley. marshal of the court
of Topeka, said he is sure he recog-
nized the trunks as two he saw in a
Ford truck going toward the Rock
Island depot about o'clock this
morning as he stepped off street car
at Fifth and Kansas avenues. Hur-
ley said the truck was boarded up
around the sides. but that he could
see down inside from his elevation on
the street car. One man was driving
the truck. he said.
There will be no way to estimate
the loss. it was said. until the invoices
arrive from Kansas City tonight.