The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-04-11
IN FEDERAL COURT
Two Face. Charge of Stealing
Checks From Penitentiary.
Three Members of the Ring
Have Plead Guilty.

T. II Van Meter and a. c. Cox,
charged with conspiracy in connection
with the theft of a large number of
checks from Warden Biddle's office
at the federal penitentiary. last Sep
TENDER, are being tried before jury
in federal court here today.
Clyde Martindale, Earl E. Hull and
Harold K. HALEY. who completed the
conspiracy ring according to the evil
dence gathered by the prison author
tiles and the United States attorney.
plead guilty to the charge late Monday
afternoon while Van Meter and Cox
demanded trial.
1t is alleged that Cox. Martindale
and Hull, prisoners. obtained the
checks early in September and sue
ceeded in getting them into the hands
of Van Meter and HALEY, who it is
charged cashed a number of the
checks before the plot was discovered.
Van Meter had been acting as an at
torney for some of the others named
in the indictment. and the checks were
passed to him with some legal papers.
it is said.
Act As own Attorneys.
Van Meter and Cox are acting as
their own attorneys. While never ad-
mitted to the bar. it is said that the
the practice of law thru study and
experience gained during six terms he
has spent in prison. Van Meter framed
the conspiracy to have the. checks
stolen, it is charged, and joined Cox in
a plea. of not guilty in a, last hope that !
an acQuittal will prevent his prosecu- |
ton by some of the banks on which |
he is supposed to have passed the !
checks All of the checks were passed !
on banks it is said, individuals refus- !
ing to accept them.
To Complete Trial Wednesday.
government property in connection |
with the same case, is pending against |
Van Meter separately, but the trial !
of both cases should be completed by |
noon Wednesday, according to W W.
Harvey, first assistant United States |
attorney. This will practically COM |
plete the criminal docket unless some |
new cases result from the indictments
which the grand jury is expected to
return tomorrow.
In addition to Cox, who is on trial
with Van Meter, today, eight other
prisoners from the federal penitentiary |
have been brought to Topeka to testify |
in the case. Six of them were brought |
here this morning under heavy guard
and handcuffed and shackled in pairs.
This precaution was taken by Warden
Biddle when it was reported that one
of the number had boosted that he
The six are William L. Closhaw, Roy
Collins, Roscoe Mcdowell, Joseph
Vetetcer, S. J. Dawson and Roy Nc
Coy.
johnson Pleads Guilty.
Frank johnson, who was arrested
charge of passing raised currency,
pleaded guilty in federal court this
morning on twelve counts He was
fined 800 and sentenced TO five years
run concurrently. -Johnson's offenses
OF raising and passing currency were
committed at Topeka, Kansas City
and Wichita. Only recently some SIM
liar work at Joplin was charged to
Johnson. Dibble's grocery and the
United Cigar store were among John
sons victims here.
Thomas Williams, colored. pleaded
guilty this morning to charge of
forging a money order on the Topeka |
postoffice and drew a fine of 500.
it is claimed, obtained the
money order when he asked for mail
for another Thomas Will |
Jams Robert Caldwell, a clerk in
he Topeka office, had to make good
he money order, which amounted to
1892, but it was shown in court this
morning that more than half the sum
lad been returned by Williams.
A jail sentence Of ninety days was
Who pleaded guilty to stealing q valu-
tble microscope from the government
n July, 1920, on the day he was dis
from the army. The micro
cope was sold to two Leavenwort1
loctors. who pleaded guilty in Janu- !
ny to receiving stolen property.
Welsh Pleads Guilty.
When court convened this after
loon at 2 o'clock, w. J. Welsh entered
plea of guilty on two counts to a
barge of robbing the safe in the
ostoffice at Hamlin, Kan, the night
f August 81. 1921. He was fined (
100 and sentenced to three years in