The Topeka state journal., 1922-07-18
Get AUTO Thief
Topeka Police Department
Breaks Up Auto Thief Ring.
Many Were Stolen i'm Eastern
Kansas and Missouri.
AGENT UNDER ARREST HERE
A. NJ. Mcclure Admits Stealing
Ten FOrds in Topeka.
All Cars Were CamOufIaged
and Taken to Kansas City.
AGENT UNDER ARREST HERE

Thanks to the Topeka police depart
ment, one of the biggest auto theft
rings in eastern Kansas and Missouri
has been broken up. The ring had
taken toll of at least ten cars from
Topeka and vicinity. A. NJ. Mcclure,
40 Monroe street, is under arrest as
headquarters at 1917 MCGEE street,
Kansas City. Mo.
Took Ten Ford Cars.
Mcguire this morning signed an af-
fidavit confessing to the theft of ten
or eleven Ford cars. all but one of
which We're delivered to Verne Hen
derson. head of the ring in Kansas
City. On information furnished by
the local officers, Henderson has been
arrested by federal officers in Kansas
City. The stolen cars have not been
recovered, as they were stripped and
camouflaged as fast as they were de-
livered to the central office.
Mcclure was arrested at 2:S0
o'clock last Friday morning by Capt.
Jesse Hill. who, assisted by Detec-
tive Charles Holman, had been work
ing on the case for some time. Sew
eral times Mcclure evaded them by
a few minutes time. When at last he
was captured he denied all knowledge
of any stolen cars. except one found
in his possession, which he admitted
having taken in st. Joseph, Mo. But
after four days of sweating the man
signed a statement this morning con-
Tossing to the theft of ten or eleven
Topeka and vicinity the last ten weeks:
List of Stolen Autos.
Ford touring from Orpheum
theater, Emil A. Coddens, owner 800
East Sixth avenue.
Ford touring. 1922 model. H. L.
Shields, owner.
Ford coupe, ]. B. Gorbutt, of Pei
Ford coupe, Badders Motor COM
pany owner.
Ford touring, c. S. Medlock, 1214
Jackson steOt, owner.
Ford coupe, from Novelty theater'
Miss Helen Travis, 1885 Park avenue
owner.
Ford coupe. Mrs. A. NJ. Jones, own
Ford sedan. W. P. wrock. st. Marys.
owner.
cumseh, owner.
Ford touring, Leslie Haynes, Wa
karusa, owner.
AS soon as Captain Hill and Detec-
tive Holman had wrested from Nc
Guire a confession that he had turned
the cars all over to Verne Henderson,
in Kansas City, the federal officers
were notified and Henderson was ar
reste. Captain Hill stated this morn
ing that Mcguire also will be turned
face a charge of transporting stolen
cars in interstate commerce
To Make Easy Money"
Mcclure has a wife and three chill
dren. He stated that he came to To-
peka November 1, 1921, but being
''broke' and out of a job, went to
Kansas City. This was about May l.
Here me met a man who ran a tire
shop in Kansas City, Kan, and sub
met man named Jack,
who loafed around the shop. He salo
Jack told him he could make some
easy money" by handhng stole1
cars for a Kansas City man. He SAID
he saw Jack four or five days later
and that the latter told him the man
had been found dead in Kansas CITY
hotel However, Jack told MN OF
Henderson, who ran salvage shop
AZ 1917 MCGEE street on the Mis-
sour: tide.
= Mcclure said he then went to Hen
1erson and made arrangements TO de-
liver stolen Ford cars to him. he
was to receive $50 each for touring
,ars and roadsters. and $65 each for
ooIInes and sedans He said he first
went to Lawrence. stole a Ford road
ster( delivered it to Henderson ana
received his $50. He then went to
reayenworth and got his wife. who
brought her and the children to To-
,eka where they made their home
1t l2C Monroe street.
Took One From Ball Park.
Two weeks later. he said. he stole
Ford touring car from the South
western league ball park and dellv-
sred it to Henderson. The next thefr
5as a 121 touring from Eighth ave
1ue and jackson street The next
vas a new Ford coupe from Seventh
md Jackson streets. Since then, he
admitted, he has been stealing a car
every week or ten days Mcguire in
sisted that he always worked alone,
md handled nothing but Ford cars.
On the advice of Henderson, he said,
he went to ST. Joseph and stole q
curing car for his own use.
The local officers do not know how
many men Henderson had working
o- him. If there were many, how
,ver, and they did as much business
Is Mcclure admits doing. there must
lave been an immense number of cars
handled at the Kansas City headquar-
erS of the ring.