The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-02-10

ups, many of which were committed
in this state.
Probably The most important con-
fession made by Foster confirmed the
that it was the late Eddie Adams who
robbed the mail car of Santa Fe train
No. 8, between Ottawa and Holiday
on the night of November 5, 1921.
When Adams left the train, as it was
approaching Holiday, Foster said he
and William Gentleman were waiting
at a crossing with a motor car in
which the trio made their escape. 1t
is said that the robbery netted Adams
and the gang some $4,000 in bonds
and other registered mail.
Implicated in Many Crimes.
Following a long series of crimes.
Adams was confined in the state peni-
tertiary at Lansing-but not for long.
On August z. Adams, Foster and
George Weisgarber, the latter having
been sent up from Topeka, escaped
over the wall. Guards fired on them,
but their guns were loaded with what
Former Warden Codding called thu
name shot" and the trio never hest
tated.
Then followed another series of
crimes thru Missouri, Iowa. Nebraska
and Kansas. at once suspected and
how confirmed by Foster as the work
of Adams and his gang. After rob-
bling a bank at Osceo1a, Iowa, a sher-
eff attempted to place the gang under
arrest. AS soon as he announced his
identity, Adams commenced shooting.
Members of the gang as well as two
other men who accompanied the off
Ger to the spot, scattered for cover
and ninety or one hundred shots were
! exchanged in the battle that followed.
Attracted by the sounds of guns a
farmer appeared with an old single
barreled shotgun. He was promptly
sho. down from ambush by a member
| of the gang, and killed. Both the
sheriff and a veterinarian who had
consented to take a ride on the theory
that the officer was after bootleggers
were wounded, the latter being still
| paralyzed from the waist down.
Gang Goes to Nebraska
From Iowa, the gang passed over
| into Nebraska and then swung south
| into Kansas toward Wichita Num-
erous bank and postoffice robberies
followed in quick succession. Then
came the sensational robbery of the
of the Rosehill State bank on No
vember II, and the killing of w. T.
Fitzpatrick, a Wichita policeman,
few days later. Following the muir
der. the Wichita police. department at
| tempted to round up the Adams gang
and the notorious bandit was slain in
a gun fight which followed an at
tempt to place him under arrest.
With their leader dead. the mem
bers of the gang decided to scatter.
Foster went to st. Joseph, Mo-, where
he was arrested a few days later and
| taken back to Wichita, where arrange
ments were being made to try him for
the murder of the slain policeman,
when the authorities at Osceola, Iowa,
successfully pressed their claim that
he should be tried in that state for the
murder of the farmer which occurred
during the battle near there early last
fall. The Iowa authorities revealed
| evidence by which they hope to con-
meet Foster with the crime and then
well. the penalty for murder in Iowa
is hanging.
Admits Iowa Robbery.
In making his confession Foster adj
mitted that tire Iowa robbery and
murder was performed by the Adams
gang, including himself, but denied
that he killed the farmer. Instead, he
declared that it was Gentleman who,
from under cover, fired the fatal shot
As a result, Fentleman was arrested
at Wichita this morning and +. o.
Hallack, postoffice inspector, who
has followed all the performances of
the Adams gang closely, left for that
place this afternoon to make an inves-
| tigation. Hallack is interested in the
case because Foster also implicated
Fentleman in the Santa Fe mail train
robbery.
Squeals TO Get Even.
Foster is not known as a "squealer"
Fand said the reason he was doing so
| on Fentleman was because the latter
had tipped the Wichita police to the
| fact that he was going to st. Joseph
| and could be found there. Foster said
Gentleman was the only-person who
| knew of his plans to go to St. Joseph
and in conflicting Fentleman with the
mail robbery and the Iowa murder,
| Foster thought he was getting even.
Efforts on the part of the authori-
ties to get Foster to implcate George
Weisgarber. of Topeka. in any of the
crimes Of the Adams gang following
his escape with them from the Kan
sas penitentiary last August, failed.