Newspaper Articles for Morris county, Kansas

Morris County, Kansas
Newspaper Articles

ESTELLE CAUGHT

Slayer of Deputy Marshal Roberts Behind Bars

Jail Breaker Adds to His Numerous Crimes that of Murder – Desperate Race for Liberty

E. F. Estelle, the Marshall county safe-blower who shot and killed Deputy Marshall Roberts of Dunlap, Sunday morning while resisting arrest, was captured five miles southeast of Hartford last night. When captured, Estelle and his accomplice, James Murphy, were asleep in the woods. Murphy at once surrendered, but Estelle started to run, and was shot through one of his legs. The men were taken to the Lyon county jail at Emporia, where they were at once threatened by mob violence. A large number of Morris county people who were friends of the murdered deputy, were anxious to avenge his death.

Estelle was located in the woods in the vicinity of Dunlap in Morris county, early Sunday morning. Some of the officers attempted to arrest him, when he discharged a shot gun at the party, the shot passing through the heart of Deputy Roberts. The other officers fled, not knowing how well the fugitives might be armed.

Estelle and his companion then started in a southerly direction, pursued by a posse of hundreds of farmers and others. Yesterday afternoon they were surrounded in some woods between Burlington and Emporia and after some hours of waiting on the part of the officers, they were captured.

The posse making the capture was in command of Sheriff O’Connor, of Emporia, and was composed of citizens and officers from various places, among whom were Patrolman Carpenter, of Topeka and Sheriff Guthrie of Marshall County.

Estelle escaped from jail in Marshall county on May 9, and Sheriff Guthrie immediately undertook his recapture. The sheriff followed him over 150 miles at some times not being more than twenty minutes behind him. During the time Estelle and his companion were trying to escape they stole two horses. Murphy his companion, escaped from the jail at the same time as Estelle. He was not an accomplice in the crime for which Estelle was confined in the jail, however, Estelle will now have to face the charges of safe-blowing, horse-stealing, resisting an officer and murder.

ARRESTED IN THIS CITY

Estelle was arrested in this city January 29, on the charge of breaking a safe at Irving, Kan. In 1896 he blew open a safe in the postoffice at Altamont, Kan., for which crime he served a sentence of twenty-seven months in the Federal Penitentiary at Leavenworth. Previous to the time of his imprisonment he had formed the acquaintance of Miss Nora Lowman of Lafontaine, Kan., and wishing to marry her, he kept up a correspondence with her all the time he was in prison. He sent the letters to some friends in Dennison, Tex., who forwarded them to the girl. She was ignorant of the fact that he was in prison, and in his letters he represented to her that he was in the book business in Dennison and was doing well. He told her that one of the books he was selling was a Life of Christ, and to confirm his statement he sent her a copy of the book.

After his release from prison Estelle went to the farm of the girl’s father and proposed that they be married. Miss Lowman consented and they went to Iola on January 18, where the ceremony was performed. From Iola they came to Topeka and took lodging at a local hotel. On January 25 he told his wife he was going to Kansas City but instead went to Irving, where he robbed the safe on January 26. He came back to this city and began to place in circulation some of the money taken from the safe. The money was battered and gave the suspicion that something was wrong. On the night of January 29 he was arrested by Sergeant Donovan and a force of policemen.

Detective Gilmore and Chief Ramsey then started out on a tour of investigation. Estelle claimed that he had not been in Irving on the day of the robbery, but the officers named visited a number of towns and traced Estelle from Topeka to Irving and from there back to this city.

The fact was quite well established that he had committed the robbery and he was turned over to Sheriff Guthrie of Marshall county, from whom he escaped on May 9.

MADE A FULL CONFESSION

A few days after Estelle was taken to the Marshall county jail, Detective Gilmore visited him for the purpose of trying to obtain a confession. After two days work, Estelle made a full confession to Gilmore in which he said that he had committed the crime for which he was arrested. He took the detective to the place where he had hidden some of the things taken from the safe. He gave a history of all his actions in connection with the affair including the manner in which he was married.

Estelle is an innocent appearing man, but his photograph is in the Pinkerton collection of criminals and in every rogue’s gallery west of Chicago. He is an accomplished criminal and has escaped from prison many times. (Kansas Semi-Weekly Capital, May 15, 1900)