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November 27, 1908

HIS GIFT A DINNER

TO ONE THOUSAND.

HUNGRY THRONG IS FED IN CON-

VENTION HALL.

The Donor's Name Is Not Known to

One of the Hundreds of Hungry

Ones, But They Wish

Him Well.

Plenty of turkey with all of its harmonious accompaniments attracted nearly 1,000 boys and girls to Convention hall yesterday afternoon from 1 o'clock on until everybody who came was fed. More than 1,100 places had been set, but they were not all filled, showing that charity provided for some on Thanksgiving day who were able to provide for themselves.

Not only did the poor children dine, but a committee of 100 from the Associated Charities and the United Hebrew Charities sat down with them and ate the same dinner.

Some of the hungry urchins came in early and after eating their allotted meal came back again to make a secondary attack on the things to eat.

Two of the inevitable "stalwart policemen" were at the front door, and whenever any of the unfed came up, they were challenged thus:

"Had your dinner, boys (or girls, as the case happened to be)?"

"Unh-unh," was the invariable answer, with the accent on the first syllable of the negative, and the youngsters would skip gleeful over the sawdust to the tables where the waiters from the Sexton waited on them just as they do the guests of the hotel. To cap the verisimilitude, an orchestra played as the viands disappeared.

The dinner was provided by a man who formerly lived in Kansas City, and who was, perhaps, once a poor boy, hungry on Thanksgiving day. He now lives in New York city, and it is at his earnest request that the papers have not mentioned his name in connection with the dinner.

Labels: Associated Charities, charity, children, Convention Hall, food, music, thanksgiving

April 11, 1908

PUT HER OUT, MOVED HOUSE.

Poverty-Stricken Woman Will Be

Cared for by Charity.

When house movers appeared on the scene to move a large two-story frame building at 1818 Cherry street yesterday afternoon, they found one of the lower rooms occupied by a woman. As notice had been served some time ago on the occupants, the woman, with her scant belongings, was moved into the street and the work of moving went on.

The woman, Mrs. Ella Allair, 53 years old, was at once looked after by W. H. Gibbens of the Humane Society and removed to the matron's room at police headquarters. Her case will be looked after by the Associated Charities. Peter Allair, her husband, 71 years old, is at present an inmate of the general hospital. The woman said that she would have moved when the notice was given, but she had no money.

Labels: Associated Charities, Cherry street, Humane Society, Seniors

April 10, 1908

KYLE FINES WIFE

BEATERS HEAVILY.

TWO MUST SPEND YEAR EACH IN

THE WORKHOUSE.

A Pickpocket and the Assailant of a

Little Girl Are Fined $500 Each,

Also -- Lecture to Heavy-

Handed Husband.

Judge Kyle celebrated re-election yesterday by assessing four $500 fines, two of them being against wife beaters, one a pickpocket and the fourth a man who had attempted to assault a little girl. It was the judge's first day on the bench since election.

W. D. Russell, 2223 Campbell street, was fined $500 for beating his wife and putting her, with a 3-weeks-old baby in her arms, out of the house. Mrs. Russell's mother was also put out.

When Patrolman Noland was called he tried to effect a compromise. He told Mrs. Russell to go back into the house and see what Russell would do. Russell had gone to bed intoxicated, the officer said, and immediately began to curse and abuse his wife when she awakened him.

Mrs. A. Burgis of the Associated Charities said that Mrs. Russell had supported herself and baby, and husband, too, for a long time by making bed quilts, having made and sold twenty of them. When Russell insisted that he had paid the rent Mrs. Burgis said: "Not much you didn't. We paid part and your wife the rest." Russell is a big, strapping man and his wife a small woman. She was too weak and sickly to appear in court, but the officer and Mrs. Burgis did the work. His fine was $500.

The next wife beater to meet his fate was Fred Scraper of 313 East Eighteenth street. He was arrested by Patrolman McCarthy after he had raised a disturbance at his home. Mrs. Scraper and her little daughter both testified against Scraper.

"My wife irritates me," Scraper said. "The other night I went home with the earache and the toothache. Any man might slap a woman at such times."

"There is no excuse on earth great enough to cause a husband to lay even his hand upon his wife in anger. Your fine is $500," said Judge Kyle. Scraper was fined $15 on March 10 for disturbing the peace at home and given a stay conditioned on good behavior. He has been in police court many times for the same offense. He is an upholsterer's solicitor.

When Philip Packard was arraigned on a technical charge of vagrancy Sergeant James W. Hogan testified that on election night in a crowd in front of a newspaper office he had caught Packard in the act of picking a man's pocket. Bertillon records show that Packard had served a term in the penitentiary at Pontiac, Ill., and many workhouse sentences. He did not deny it. On December 21 last, under the name of Milton Steele, Packard was sent to the workhouse for attempting to pick a man's pocket in a pool hall. He was released April 1. Judge Kyle assessed $500 against Packard.

A man giving the name of J. H. McCleary, a news agent, was the last victim. He was charged with disturbing the peace. George W. Banfield, a contractor of Twenty-ninth and Flora, told how his little girl had been insulted by McCleary. Some little girls were hunting four-leaf clovers in old Troost park. When McCleary placed his hands on Mr. Banfield's daughter the girls ran and screamed. Banfield chased McCleary several blocks, caught him and turned him over to the police. McCleary was fined $500.

All four of the men fined $500 rode to the workhouse, no attempts being made to get them out on appeal bonds. The fine means one year in the workhouse.

Labels: alcohol, Associated Charities, Campbell street, crime, domestic violence, Eighteenth street, Flora avenue, Judge Kyle, police court, Twenty-ninth street, workhouse

December 4, 1907

MRS. CROWLEY'S MISFORTUNES.

Her Husband Died, Her Home Burned, a

Child is Ill and She is Penniless.

For several days the doctors at the Emergency hospital have been caring for Mrs. Maria Crowley, and trying to find a place where she can earn enough money to support herself and three children. Three months ago Mrs. Crowley's husband died. Then about a week ago her youngest child, 6 months old, became ill with pneumonia. Saturday the house in which Mrs. Crowley lived, at Fifth and Harrison streets, burned, destroying all her clothing and furniture. The Associated Charities is caring for two of the children. The other is at the emergency hospital.

Labels: Associated Charities, emergency hospital, Fifth street, Fire, Harrison street, illness, women

September 27, 1907

CROWDED INTO ONE ROOM.

Family of Seven Persons Taken in

Charge by Authorities.

Seven persons, one a babe two days old, were found living in one room at 507 Grand avenue, yesterday morning by Edgar Warden, a deputy probation officer. Mrs. Mamie Cayton, the mother , and her infant were in the only bed in the room. On a pile of rags on the floor lay Mr. and Mrs. John Stevens and their daughter, Sadie, 13 years old. Frank Stevens, 9 years old, sat at the foot of the bed. There is another Stevens boy who was not at home. There was a gasoline stove, a kettle and a few dirty pans in the room.

Sadie and Frank Stevens were taken to the Detention home. The mother and child are being cared for by the Associated Charities. The other Stevens boy, when he is locate, will be cared for by the Detention home authorities.

Labels: Associated Charities, children, detention home, Grand avenue

August 19, 1907

FOUNT FOR ANIMALS

DEDICATORY EXERCISES FOR

FIRST OF ITS KIND HERE.

FLOW OF WORDS AND WATER

ANIMALS IMBIBE WHILE GIFTED

ORATORS EXPOUND.

Fountain Given to Kansas City by

National Humane Alliance, of

New York, Begins Career

of Mercy Under Fa-

vorable Auspices.

During the dedication of the $1,500 granite horse and dog fountain at Fourth and Broadway yesterday afternoon, thirteen teams, nine horses in single harness and three dogs stopped, dipped their faces in the flowing water and drank deep. Frank Faxon, one of the speakers, kindly said:

"I am sorry there are no more horses and dogs present. I would like to ask them all to step up and have a drink with us."

Mr. Faxon was more generous than he thought, as he learned at the close of the exercises, when he and the other speakers and the audience rushed over to the fountain to get a drink. There are no cups on the fountain. It is strictly a place for birds, and four-footed beasts. President E. R. Weeks, of the Kansas City Humane Society, who wore a Panama hat, essayed to drink out of the rim of his headgear, mountain brook fashion, but most of the water ran down his shirt front. Mr. Faxon, Police Commissioner Elliot H. Jones, Mrs. L. O. Middleton and others looked on and declined to try to use the hat which Mr. Weeks proffered them.

The humans held a meeting around the fountain and argued the question of having cups chained there, but decided adversely.

"During a busy and hot work day," John Simmons, secretary of the Teamsters' union, said, "the teams line up from all directions awaiting their turns at the fountain. There is no chance for a man to get a drink. Besides, if there were cups, children who tried to drink might be trampled by the horses which rush to the fountain."

Nearly every department of city life was represented in the dedication exercises. E. R. Weeks was chariman, Hale H. Cook appeared for the school children, Mrs. L. O. Middleton for the T. T. U. F. M. Furgason carried a Judge Jules E. Guinotte proxy, George Hoffman spoke for the city hall, Father Dalton for the church people, Harry Walmsley apeared for the birds and Frank Faxon for "Old Dobbin."

No one had a word to say in condemnation of any bird or beast. The speakers tried to outdo each other in praise. Mr. Faxon said that a horse "was always faithful and kind," and Mr. Walmsley declared that the birds are symbols of the heavenly life." But Mr. Furgason, reading Judge Guinotte's speech, went then all one better when he quoted George Elliot as saying: "The more I associate with men, the more I like dogs."

In calling attention to the fact that the fountain dedicated yesterday was the first permanent one in the city, Mrs. Middleton recited the history of attempts made by various charities in past years to erect public drinking fountains. The most successful of these schemes was the setting in place of twelve ice water casks on downtown corners by the W. C. T. U. many years ago.

The beautiful piece of granite dedicated yesterday afternoon, which Thomas Wight, secretary of the Kansas City art commission, described as "a permanent bit of art and a forerunner of a new era in municipal life," was presented by the National Humane Alliance of New York. The purchase price came from a fund bequeathed by the late Herman Lee Ensign of New York, whose name is on a bronze plate on one side of the fountain. The Kansas City Humane Society and the city council were among those most instrumental in securing the gift for this city. The society hopes that other fountains may be erected on busy corners through gifts by local philanthropists.

Labels: animals, arts, Associated Charities, Commissioner Jones, Father Dalton, fountains, Frank Faxon, Humane Society

July 27, 1907

COMPLAINS OF A 'HOME'

CHILDREN MISTREATED BY AT-

TENDANTS, IT IS ALLEGED.

Matron at Joseph's Home Denies

Charges Made by Mrs. Ambie

Russell -- Juvenile Court to

Decide Next Monday.

THE JOSEPH HOME, 2610 CLEVELAND AVENUE.

Upon a complaint of Mrs. Ambie Russell, who has had four children in Joseph's home at 2610 Cleveland avenue since last Thanksgiving day, petitions were filed in the juvenile court yesterday afternoon alleging that the children were neglected.

Two of them, Irene, 10, and Katie, 7 years old were found at the home, taken to the detention home and later to the day nursery of the Institutional church by Probation Officer Edgar Warden. The other two, Earl, 13, and Eddie, 14 years old, were not found at the home. Subpoenas were issued for Mrs. Anna Baker, manager of the home; Mrs. Nellie Shaw, who is usually in charge, and for Mrs. Leslie Lewald, an employe, to appear before Judge Goodrich of the juvenile court Monday morning.

In a signed statement which Mrs. Russell made to Humane Officer Frank McCrary yesterday afternoon she charges that Mrs. Lewald and Frances Robinson, a negro woman who was until recently employed at Joseph's home, frequently punished the children by strangling them in basins of water and by beating them in the face until their little noses bled.

ARE NEGLECTED, WOMAN SAYS.

"There are about thirty children in the home and they are not properly clothed and fed," Mrs. Russell says in her statement. "I have bought clothes during the last eight weeks for my children and upon one occasion when I visited the home I saw a dress I had taken out for Katie on another child and Katie was dressed in rags.

"One one occasion during my stay Mrs. Shaw, an assistant to Mrs. Baker, struck Earl with a stick and then hit him on the nose with her hand and dragged him off to bed. I went to his room and found his pillow saturated with blood."

Mrs. Russell was deserted by her husband four years ago in Herrin, Ill. she has lived in Kansas City several months and when she became ill went with her children to the Joseph home. Several weeks ago she left the home by request because it was said that she had spoken disparagingly of the place to prospective contributors to its support. Mrs. Russell is now employed at the Hotel Kupper.

WHAT AN OFFICER FOUND.

Edgard Warden, who brought the Russell girls to the detention home yesterday, reported that he had found Mrs. Shaw to be a very pleasant woman, and that the children seem to like her. He also said that the home has solicitors working in nineteen states. There are about thirty children there.

The two little Russell girls were neatly dressed when brought to the detention home. They said they and the other children at Joseph's home attended the Greenwood school, Twenty-seventh and Cleveland streets. They looked bashful and would not answer when asked if they had had enough to eat and were well treated.

The Associated Charities, through G. F. Damon, secretary, issued a circular December 5, 1906, containing what purports to be a history of Mrs. Baker.

Mrs. Nellie Shaw, the matron in charge of Joseph's home, emphatically denies the charges made by Mrs. Russell. Mrs. Shaw was formerly assistant matron at the Institutional church.

"There is no truth in any of the charges made against this home," said Mrs. Shaw yesterday. "I came here to take the management of the children in February, and since I have been here I can answer that there has been no cruelty of any kind. I have two children of my own who live here, and I treat them just as I do the others. The only punishment which children ever receive is a spanking. It is necessary where there are so many children that discipline be kept. But no one ever punishes the little ones but myself, and I only spank them whenever it is necessary, with my open hand."

CHILDREN LIKE MRS. SHAW.

The little boys and girls in the home do not seem to be afraid of Mrs. Shaw, but play about her in what seems to be the most affectionate manner.

"I think the boys and girls love me, and I have always wanted them to," said she.

Mrs. Shaw says that Mrs. Russell, who was an inmate of the home with her four children for months without cost, became angry at her because she suggested that some of the money which Mrs. Russell earned after she finally secured a position at the Kupper hotel be spent on the children.

" 'My money is my own,' she said, and seemed angry at the suggestion. 'I'll spend it as I please.' "

Eddie, Mrs. Russell's 14-year-son, was placed by the home on a farm at Arthur, Kas., and his 13-year-old brother Earl is on another farm a few miles from there. Mrs. Shaw says that the boys were not placed in adoption, but were simply put on the farms for a summer's outing. She says that is the custom of the Institution church and other charitable institutions in Kansas City to place children with private families, sometimes for adoption, unless a part at least of their board is paid. Mrs. Russell consented that her two boys be sent to Kansas for the summer, she says.

FOUNDED FOUR YEARS AGO.

St. Joseph's home was founded four years ago by Mrs. Annie Baker, who had run a similar institution for two years in Joplin, Mo. Mrs. Shaw says the home was founded by Mrs. Baker after being left destitute with two children, in order to help mothers where were in a similar condition. It is supported by public subscription.

"The whole trouble is that we do not give an accounting of our finances to the Associated Charities," said Mrs. Shaw. "They have been trying to get us to do this for a long time, and when we consistently refused to make regular financial reports to them they became angry and have been trying to do the home harm ever since.

"We cannot see why we should give up the management of our enterprise to the Associated Charities, who had nothing to do with its beginning or its development."

Labels: architects, Armourdale, Associated Charities, charity, children, Cleveland avenue, detention home, Institutional church, Judge Goodrich

April 19, 1907

FROM ROSEDALE, NOT SEDALIA.

Police Cast Doubt Upon Mrs.

Henderson's Story of Hardships

The police and the authorities at the Helping Hand institute have grave doubts of the story told by Mrs. Mable Henderson, who, with her blind baby, insists that she walked all the way from Sedalia, Mo., to this city, a distance of ninety miles, in three days. She says that she left there at sunup Monday morning , and arrived here at about 5:30 o'clock Wednesday evening, having had only 25 cents for expenses.

Mrs. Henderson was found by the police in the bottoms late Wednesday night, and sent to headquarters and then to the Helping Hand. She said she was not tired when she came in, refused food, saying she was not hungry, and neither her dress nor shoes were at all worn as they would have been from such a long tramp.

Early yesterday morning a man called Captain Weber at police headquarters and said: "I know the Mrs. Henderson with the blind baby mentioned in the papers this morning. She has lived with several others in a tent on the outskirts of Rosedale all winter. The men named in the paper as brothers-in-law, for whom she is now looking, lived there also. They all left recently and I don't know where they went."

The man refused to give his name. An official from the Helping Hand went to Rosedale and found the report to be true. He was also informed that Mrs. Henderson has two other children somewhere else. This she denied later. The investigation will be carried on further today.
"We have had at least twenty-five calls today offering to take both the woman and her baby," said Superintendent E. T. Bringham. "Several called in person and offered to assist in any manner desired. She was being cared for, however, and a specialist was secured for the baby, so all was being done what was necessary. The eye specialist, after a close examination, said that there was no hope for the baby ever regaining its sight, it having been blind from birth."

Mrs. Henderson said that she could get no place to work on account of her blind baby, the mother herself being blind in one eye. On this account it was said yesterday that an effort would be made to take the blind baby from its mother and place it in a blind institute, where it could be educated with others similarly afflicted. Left as it is, it would have little chance to make a living. The mother, when placing the child even in the nursery was mentioned, objected strenuously, and said that wherever the baby went she would go also.

"The woman is known to the Associated Charities," said Colonel Greenman, Humane agent, "and has been for some time. Agents from there are investigation the case now. Mrs. Henderson weighs only ninety pounds and her baby seventeen pounds. To reach here in three days she would have to walk at least thirty miles a day. That seems an impossible task for one so frail as she appears to be."

Labels: Associated Charities, charity, children, Col. J. C. Greenman, con artist, Helping Hand, police headquarters, Rosedale, Sedalia

February 23, 1907

ADOPTED A NINTH CHILD.

Mrs. Fanny Savage, Highwayman's

Wife, Accused of Neglect.

When Mike Savage, alias O'Brien, was arrested by Detectives Kenny and Ghent on a charge of highway robbery, at his home, 417 East Eighteenth street, the night of February 14, those officers reported to Colonel J. C. Greenman, Humane agent, that a little 5-month old baby was being kept there in squalor, wretchedness and misery.

Yesterday morning Dr. E. L. Matthias, of the juvenile court and Mrs. Kate Pearson, of the Associated Charities, went to the Eighteenth street house, while Mrs. Fanny Savage, the baby's foster mother, was away and took the little one to Mercy hospital, Fifth street and Highland avenue, where it is said to be in precarious condition.

When Mrs. Savage returned home she was taken before Colonel Greenman for investigation and asked why she had adopted a child of such a tender age and then had neglected it. She said her husband saw it at St. Anthony's home and "took pity on it" and for that reason she adopted it -- "just because my husband wanted me to," she said. "I have eight of my own now and five of them are at home."

Savage, James Severwright, Samuel Hite and Herman, alias "Dutch" Gall, are all confessed highwaymen now in the county jail awaiting trial.

Labels: Associated Charities, Col. J. C. Greenman, crime, custody, Eighteenth street, Highland avenue, highway robbery, jail, juvenile court, Mercy hospital, St Anthonys Home