News Items from The Kansas City Journal ~ Old News That's New to You from Vintage Kansas City.com

January 12, 1910

De JANON SUSPECTS FREE.

Girl's Love for Joke Caused Arrest

-- Reed and Miss Horton Leave

for Salt Lake City.

Harry J. Reed and Marie Horton, arrested Monday afternoon on suspicion of being the eloping Philadelphia heiress, Roberta de Janon, and Ferdinand Cohen, her waiter-sweetheart, were released from police headquarters yesterday afternoon.

The couple ordered their trunks and other baggage, which had been stored in the office of Captain Walter Whitsett, taken to the Union depot and checked to Salt Lake City. They left by an afternoon train.

Although from the time of his arrest to that of his release Reed absolutely refused to make any sort of a statement, either to Pinkertons or the police, Marie Horton was more communicative.

"It was really my own fault that we got into this trouble," she stated. "I knew that because I have a slight foreign accent, and I am dark-haired and young looking, people thought we were the eloping couple. Everywhere we excited curiosity. At first I thought it was a good joke, and used to call Mr. Reed Ferdinand, and ask him if he did not think it a shame to run away with a 17-year-old girl. I don't think it is a joke now. I was mighty glad to read in the papers this morning and find that things were straightened out. Our experiences in Kansas City have not been very pleasant, and we are going away to escape the notoriety. Where? Well, just say further West."

Answers received from the police departments of Seattle, Detroit and Chicago in regard to the antecedents of the couple were declared satisfactory by Frank F. Snow, chief of police. Chief Henry Ward of Seattle, Wash., stated that Reed had been for several years connected with a gambling establishment there, but that his record was first-class.

Labels: captian whitsett, detectives, visitors

April 27, 1909

CONFESSED ROBBER

TURNED DOWN BY "PAL."

CONVICT SAYS HE DOESN'T

KNOW WILLIAM TURNER.

Man Who Told of Robbery at

Camden Point Is Confronted

With One Serving Sen-

tence for Crime.

The horror of spending several years in the Missouri penitentiary for robbery is not going to befall William Turner, the confessed safe blower of the Camden Point bank, who says that himself and three "pals" looted the place the night of December 27, 1907. Harry O'Neal, one of the robbers who was captured the day after the robbery and who was convicted, was brought from Jefferson City yesterday and after looking at Turner declared that he had never seen him before.

Turner's story was doubted when he "confessed" to the prosecuting attorney. The confession did not conform to the facts as the county attorney or Platte, who was called in, knew. The statement of O'Neal did not correspond. That Turner was not sincere in his confession was assured when he arrived in Platte City. Although he told the officers all about the robbery and wrote a description of the ways and manners of safe blowers, he refused to plead guilty.

O'NEAL DIDN'T KNOW HIM.

As Turner was the only witness who seemed to know anything about the matter and as he had refused to plead guilty, O'Neal was the only one who could tell whether Turner took part in the robbery. Governor H. S. Hadley and the warden of the penitentiary gave consent to O'Neal's removal to Kansas City to get a glimpse of his "pal."

Soon after his removal to Platte City, Turner was brought back to Kansas City and placed in the county jail. The authorities of Platte county were afraid the jail there was not safe. He was taken from the county jail to police headquarters Saturday and O'Neal was placed in the holdover.

Yesterday afternoon the "pals" met in Captain Whitsett's office. There was not a sign of recognition on O'Neal's part when he came into the room. He had not been told why he had been brought to Kansas City. Turner, who had been taken to the captain's office from the holdover when O'Neal was brought in, did not recognize his "pal" apparently.

"Do you know that man," Turner was asked.

"I don't remember his face," he replied.

TO OKLAHOMA FOR LARCENY.

The same questions were asked O'Neal, but he did not recall Turner as an acquaintance. When he was informed that the slightly built, well-dressed young man was his supposed partner in the bank raid, O'Neal took a second look.

"That feller a 'yeg?' Not much," he said.

As he is wanted in Sapulpa, Ok., on a charge of larceny, Turner will be held until the authorities from that state can be communicated with. The charge of bank robbery will not be dismissed against him until the Oklahoma authorities arrive.

Labels: captian whitsett, crime, jail, Jefferson City, oklahoma, penitentiary