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July 14, 1908 IT'S ALWAYS "IN LINE."
Ex-Governor of Mississippi Talks of His Own State. "Mississippi is not only one of the 'solid South,' but it has a greater distinction," said Ex-Governor A. H. Longino at the Coates house last night. "Mississippi not only gave Judge Parker its electoral vote in 1904, but every precinct in the state was carried for the Democratic candidate for president."
The ex-governor was on the way from the Democratic convention in Denver to his home in Jackson, Miss., last night. He stopped off here yesterday to visit some friends and to get a more extensive view of the city than he has ever had before. He comes here frequently to trade at the Kansas City mule market and was a delegate to the convention here in 1900. He was also a delegate to the convention at Denver last week.Labels: Coates house, Denver, politics, visitors
July 7, 1908 IS REED TO MAKE THE NOMINATING SPEECH?
THIS WORD COMES TO THE KAN- SAS CITY MAN'S FRIENDS.
They Also Hope to See a Deadlock in Convetion and Reed's Name at the Head of the Ticket As a Result. Friends of former Mayor James A. Reed were told yesterday unofficially that Mr. Reed had been decided upon to place William J. Bryan in nomination for the presidency. The distinction , which would in a measure reflect upon Kansas City and Missouri, was enough to make the most ardent friends of the former mayor on good terms with themselves, but there were some of the most enthusiastic who looked so far as to see a deadlock and Reed's name put at the head of the ticket.
"That is how General Garfield got to be president," said one man, who was discussing the tip. "Garfield went to Chicago to place the name of John Sherman before the delegates. He did so in such a tremendous speech that when it came to balloting the convention showed it had been carried away by Garfield's presence and speech, for it nominated him. Reed can make a speech on Bryan and Democracy that can stampede that convention, if it is true that seventeen states are in caucus this afternoon trying to find somebody to stampede them.
Mr. Reed is one of the "big four" from Missouri. Governor Folk, another of the squad, is in Denver, but is not getting a word in edgeways, according to the news dispatches. But Folk is to be heard from. He has a speech of his own and it is a trick of his to have a claque organized to call for him at the psychological moment. His speech is a most temperate one. Folk is running in Missouri for the senate. To make a pro-Folk anti-Bryan speech in Denver would mean to invite certain assassination in the senatorial election in November. Folk wants to be president or senator, and his speech is cut to fit either job. It will disappoint the ultra Folkites at home.Labels: Chicago, Denver, Governor Folk, James A. Reed, politics
June 27, 1908 LANDS IN MRS. EDSON'S LAP.
Bicyclist Catapulted by Motor Car Driven by Kansas City Woman. DENVER, COL., June 26. -- (Special.) While on his bicycle at Sixteenth and Larimer streets, and trying to dodge a car yesterday afternoon, Joseph Skega, an employe of the Denver Fire Clay Comapny, had a head-on collision with the automobile of Dr. W. L. Hess, breaking the glass of the wind shield and driving completely through it into the lap of Mrs. J. E. Edson, wife of the president of the Kansas City Southern railroad, who was driving an d was sitting in the seat beside the physician.
Mr. Edson and his family had just reached the city in a private car. They are friends of Dr. Hess, who received them in his automobile at the union station. In the machine, besides Mr. and Mrs. Edson, were his daughters, Mrs. K. P. Williams, wife of the quartermaster at Fort Leavenworth, Kas, an d Miss Geraldine Edson.
The front wheel of Skega's bicycle struck the hood of the automobile, throwing the rider over the handlebars and against the glass of the wind shield. Jagged edges of the glass cut the victim's face and neck in a dozen places, while his bicycle was wrecked. Mrs. Edson's dress was bespattered with blood from his wounds. Dr. Hess placed Skega in the automobile, and after reaching the city hall assisted Police Surgeon Ackley in dressing his wounds, later conveying the injured man to his home.Labels: automobiles, Denver, Kansas City Southern
June 18, 1908 SPECIAL TRAIN FOR DEMOCRATS. Kansas City Man Named as Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms.
Kansas City Democrats have passed the special train stage for their Denver convention. Steve Sedweek, who is organizing the party, saying that up to yesterday noon 146 had signed contracts for transportation. One hundred form a train load. George Kingsley, an attorney, yesterday received notice from Thomas Taggart, chairman of the national Democratic committee, that he had been appointed an assistant sergeant-at-arms at the convention to be held in Denver next month. Labels: Denver, politics, railroad
May 4, 1908 MADE PRETTY FAIR DOLLARS OUT OF TIN.
GEORGE ELLIOT, COUNTERFEIT- ER, TELLS HOW HE DID IT.
Block Tin and Antimony Molded in Plaster of Paris and Plated With Silver -- He Was Out of a Job. George Elliot, who gave the name of George Bullene when the police arrested him and found a counterfeiting outfit in his rooms at 511 Locust street Saturday night and the woman with him, Tillie Bullene, from whom Elliot chivalrously borrowed a name, yesterday told Police Captain Walter Whitsett exactly how they make bad money.
Block tin, purchased from any tinner, and antimony are melted together and cast into plaster of paris moulds by the Elliot process. The imitation coins are then plated with nitrate of silver by the very ordinary process of electrolysis, known to every school boy. A file is used to trim off the rough edges and make the milling uniform.
Sixty-six of the alloy dollars were taken from Elliot's room. They have the ring of a real silver dollar, are very little under weight and look like good money. One has to take the Elliot brand of coin between the fingers and feel its smoothness before one would detect that it is not the genuine article. Elliot used three real dollars to make his plaster of paris molds. They are of the years 1899, 1900 and 1901. The original coins, molds, alloy, metal, electric batteries and all were found by the police.
Eliot, in his confession says he learned how to make this money from an old counterfeiter in Denver seventeen years ago, but never made use of his secret until two months ago, when he was t hrown out of employment at the Kansas City Nut and Bolt works and Tillie Bullene lost her position at the Loose-Wiles Cracker and Candy factory. Elliot's picture is in the police rogues' gallery, and he was fined $25 for vagrancy about six months ago. He is 32 years old and has spent most of his life in Kansas City. Tillie Bullene met him about a year ago.
Captain Whitsett has notified United States secret service men, Edward J. McHugh of St. Louis and J. A. Adams of Kansas City.
John G. Ritter of 325 Park avenue, a driver for the United States Express Company, yesterday identified Tillie Bullene as the woman who, a few days ago, gave him a counterfeit dollar. He had whittled the coin in two, but brought half of it to Captain Whitsett.Labels: Captain Whitsett, crime, Denver, Locust street, Park avenue
April 22, 1908 MRS. SCOTT FINDS HER LOST DAUGHTER.
SHE IS MARRIED AND LIVES IN SALT LAKE CITY.
W. W. Williams, Husband of the Young Woman, Calls on the Mother and Sets Her Yearnings at Rest. One woman was made happy in Kansas City yesterday. That woman was Mrs. Florence Scott, 1303 Wabash avenue, who for ten years has made a fruitless search for her daughter, Susie, given away in 1898. If all goes well she will in a few days see her daughter, now 17 years old, alive, well and happily married.
W. W. Williams, a mining engineer of Salt Lake City, called to see Mrs. Scott yesterday. He said that he had seen in The Journal where Mrs. Scott was looking for her daughter, Susie, who had been given to Mr. and Mrs. R. L Martin, then supposed to be from Maryville, Mo.
"As soon as I read the story," said Mr. Williams, "I figured out that your lost daughter was y wife. I married her in Denver fourteen months ago. She was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. R. L . Martin."
Mrs. Scott was beside herself with joy at the news. Williams told her that the Martins had given Susie a good education and had always been kind to her. He said his wife, who was 7 years old when given to the Martins, recalled her mother, often spoke of her, but could not recall her name. This, it is presumed, her foster parents kept from her.
Williams also told Mrs. Scott that he had a good home in Salt Lake City and that he and his wife were happy. He is on his way to Chicago to attend to some business, but expects to return here soon. He wired his wife last night to come on here and meet him. He intends to surprise her by introducing her to her own mother. Williams told Mrs. Scott that he wanted her to get ready to go back and live with them. At present Mrs. Scott is working as nurse at the home of J. Baker, 1303 Wabash avenue.
It was by mere chance that Williams saw the story of Mrs. Scott's search for her daughter. Sitting in his hotel yesterday he picked up a week-old paper which contained the story. The name of R. L. Martin attracted his eye and he read the story through. He at once came to the conclusion that Susie Martin had once been Susie Scott, so he sought the distressed mother and broke the news to her. Mrs. Scott called up Mrs. Lizzie Burns, police matron, who has been assisting her, and told her the good news, saying: "I guess the long search is over." Mrs. Scott says no adoption papers were ever made out for her child.Labels: Chicago, custody, Denver, police matron, The Journal, visitors, Wabash avenue
September 13, 1907
SHOT DEAD BY BOY
TRAGIC DEATH OF EDNA CALLAWAY OF KANSAS CITY.
WAS VISITING IN DENVER.
WITTE ELLIS WAS "FOOLING WITH THE PISTOL."
In a Spirit of Playfulness He Pulled Trigger and Bullet Passed Through Miss Callaway's Brain. Mother Accompanying Body Home for Burial.  MISS EDNA CALLAWAY, A KANAS CITY GIRL, WHO WAS ACCIDENT- ALLY SHOT AND KILLED IN DENVER BY WITTE ELLIS, A FRIEND. Death at the hands of a cousin of her fiance was the tragic ending of a summer vacation to Miss Edna Callaway, a young Kansas City society woman, at Denver, Col., Wednesday night. Witte Ellis, formerly of Kansas City, accidentally shot and killed her with an automatic pistol at the home of his mother in the presence of her sweetheart, W. Lysle Alderson, who with his mother and Miss Callaway were visiting at the Ellis home. The tragedy occurred on the evening Miss Callaway was to start upon her return trip to Kansas City.
The shooting occurred after the return of the party, composed of Mrs. J. M. Ellis, of Denver, the hostess; Mrs. D. P. Alderson, of Kansas City; W. Lysle Alderson, Miss Callaway, and young Ellis, from a dinner at the Shirley hotel.
MOTHERS PLAY PRANKS ON BOYS. It seems that for a prank the two women had gone into their sons' bedrooms and concealed some of their night clothing. When the boys discovered the joke they decided upon a reprisal which would turn the laugh the other way. Accordingly young Alderson produced an automatic pistol with which it was proposed to scare Miss Callaway, whom they believed responsible for the original joke.
The pistol was arranged to be loaded by placing a "clip" full of cartridges in a place provided for the insertion so that the top shell would be in position for firing. Ellis took the pistol and removed the "clip" containing the bullets.
Then the two ran into a hallway, where their mothers were awaiting the outcome of the joke. Miss Callaway,, hearing the commotion and knowing some prank was on, peeped from her door and then came out. They flourished the pistol some moments, Ellis exclaiming,
"Where's the fellow who stole my clothes? I want my clothes!"
He turned from his mother to Mrs. Alderson and then back again to his mother. At that moment Miss Callaway came out, laughing, and asked what the trouble was. Ellis told her that someone had gone into his room and stolen his night-clothes.
"HANDS UP!" CRIED ELLIS. Then he turned to the young woman, accused her of stealing his clothes and ordered her to put up her hands. She was standing beside Mrs. Alderson, at the time, and both women raised their hands in mock terror. Ellis pulled the trigger and sent a bullet crushing into the young girl's brain. One shell had caught when the clip was removed and remained in position for its work of destruction.
Miss Callaway sank back in the arms of her sweetheart's mother. Death was instantaneous. Mrs. Alderson eased the body gently to the floor and then fainted. Mrs. Ellis also fainted, while her son stood for a moment dumbfounded. When the realization of what he had done came to him, he became frantic, sobbing and crying that he would kill himself. He was prevented from this by friends who heard the noise of the gunshot and went into the house.
ALDERSON RAN TO SWEETHEART. When his sweetheart fell, young Alderson ran to her, took her into his arms and placed her upon a bed. It was some moments before he realized the awful truth, but when he discovered Miss Callaway was dead, his grief was pitiful In a few moments he became hysterican and had to be led away from his fiance's bedside.
Added sorrow in the tragedy comes from the fact that young Ellis' father, former Judge J. M. Ellis, perished in a hotel fire in Goldfield, Nev., less than a year ago. Mrs. Ellis' health was undermined by that occurrence and she came to Kansas City several months ago for rest and a change of climate. The visit of the party of Kansas City people to her home at this time was in return for the one Mrs. Ellis had made in Kansas City. Witte Ellis accompanied his mother while she was here in this city.
FIRST REPORT BLAMED FIANCE. Immediately after the shooting word of the unfortunate affair was sent to Kansas City by telegraph. The first reports were badly garbled, one account having it that the shooting had been done by W. Lysle Alderson, fiance of Miss Callaway. The news created a profound sensation in social circles where both the young woman and Mr. Alderson are well known.
The body of the unfortunate young woman will be brought to Kansas City this morning, accompanied by Mrs. Alderson and her son. Mrs Robert Stone, the girl's mother, who had been spending the summer at Excelsior Springs, returned to her home at the Elsmere hotel last night. She was completely prostrated at the news of her daughter's death.
The first report was that young Alderson himself held the revolver which ended Miss Callaway's life in such a tragic manner. This report almost completely prostrated D. P. Alderson, the father of the young man, a member of the firm of Bradley-Alderson Company, but a private dispatch from young Alderson later stated that the revolver was held by Witte Ellis, the son of Mrs. J. M. Ellis, whom Mrs. Alderson and her son and Miss Callaway were visiting at the time. The knowledge that his son was not responsible for the death of his fiancee was a great relief to Mr. Alderson, and mitigated to some extent the circumstances surrounding the unfortunate affair.
Mrs. F. P. Neal, of 318 Walrond avenue, is an aunt of Miss Callaway. Mr. Neal, vice president of the Union National bank, received several telegrams during the day, one of which was from young Alderson, stating that the body of Miss Callaway would be brought to Kansas City at once. The entire party will leave Denver this morning, arriving tomorrow morning.
Mrs. L. F. Rieger, of 426 Gladstone boulevard, is a distant cousin of Miss Callaway.
Miss Callaway was the daughter of Mrs. Robert Stone, who was, before her marriage to Mr. Stone, Mrs. R. P. Callaway. The girl was 19 years old and was a graduate of the Central high school two years ago. She lived at the Elsmere hotel with her mother and stepfather, who were in Excelsior Springs yesterday when the affair occurred. Miss Callaway went to Denver last summer to visit her aunt, Mrs. J. M. Ellis. Two weeks ago young Alderson, to whom she was engaged, went to Denver with his mother to spend his vacation with his fiancee. Young Alderson is also 19 years of age and a graduate of the Central high school in the class of 1905. The two have been sweethearts for years and had been engaged for some time, though no definite time for their marriage had been set.
A specially unfortunate feature of the affair was that it occurred on the eve of the departure of the Kansas City party for home. They were expected to start last night.
D. P. Alderson received a dispatch yesterday from his son which read:
Edna shot tonight; Witte held revolver; death immediate; come at once.
Mr. Alderson had intended to leave for Denver to be with his sone but it was later decided that this would be unnecessary and the arrangements were made to bring the body to Kansas City immediately.
ELLIS HELD BLAMELESS. The coroner's inquest was held over the body of Miss Calloway in Denver yesterday. W. W. Ellis testified that he held the automatic revolver when it was discharged.
The jury decided that the killing was entirely accidental and did not recommend any disposition of young Ellis. The district attorney was present at the hearing, but gave no indication of any intention to hold Ellis for trial.
Labels: accident, banking, death, Denver, Excelsior Springs, Gladstone boulevard, hotels, pranks, schools, telegraph, Walrond avenue
August 26, 1907 CAME FROM AFAR TO WEDDING.
Morris Goldasky Journeys From Africa to Sister's Marriage. A. J. Bergman and Miss Alice Goldasky, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Soloman Goldasky, of Elmdale station, were married last night at the home of the bride's sister, Mrs. Bernard Millman, 220 East Fifth street. Rabbi Lieberman officiated. A brother of the bride, Morris Goldasky, a mining expert of South Africa, who had not been home in years, came in time to attend the ceremony. His homecoming was somewhat of a surprise, as he had expressed no intentions of doing so when he wrote to his sister last, and when he appeared on the scene of the wedding no one present suspected that he was any closer to Kansas City than Cape Town. Another brother, Herman Goldasky, of Denver, was also present. Mr. and Mrs. Bergman will be at home at 2113 Olive street after September 1.Labels: Denver, Fifth street, ministers, Olive street, wedding
August 1, 1907
HE SWINDLED LONG
CAPTURE OF MAN WHO VICTIM- IZED MILLIONAIRE.
OLD HAND AT THE GAME
HAS DONE TIME IN PRISON FOR SAME TRICK.
Represented to R. A. Long That He
Would Give Him a Write-Up in a Magazine and Was Given a Check
for $750. OLIVER SMITH Brought From Denver to Answer the Charge of Victimizing R. A. Long. Oliver Smith, alias H. O. Lee, alias Benton Smith, alias O. B. Smith, alias S. H. Peabody, alias James T. Ridgeway, said to be one of the cleverst swindlers and forgers in the United States, was brought to Kansas City yesterday by Detective Thomas McAnany, after waiving extradition.
HIS VICTIMS MANY. Smith is wanted here to answer a sort of confidence game he is said to have worked upon many wealthy men all over the country. He represente dto Mr. Long that he was James T. Ridgeway, treasurer of the Ridgeway Publishing Company, publishers of Everybody's magazine. He contracted for an illustrated article, of which Mr. Long was to be the subject, to be printed in that periodical at an early date. In payment, Mr. Long gave him his check for $750 drawn on the National Bank of Commerce, which Smith indorsed as "James T. Ridgeway, Treasurer," and cashed through the Bankers' Trust Compay. Mr. Long later became suspicious fo the man and ordered the check cancelled, but not until Smith had obtained most of the money and gone to Denver.
Smith is said to have worked this game upon scores of wealthy men all over the country. His plan seems to have been to represent himself as the agent for a large publication, to which he obtains subscriptions, asking amounts that varied as the means fo the intended victim were small or great. He is supposed to have carried a list with him containing the names of the prominent men of the city he intended to work, and from these to have culledo ut the prospects that bade fair to be the best "picking." When arrested in Denver he was occupying a suxurious suite of rooms at the largest hotel there. He made no resistance to arrest when the Denver detectives found him, but quietly admitted his identity and acknowledged the transaction with Mr. Long in Kansas City. He is said also to have acknowledged to the chief of the Denver police that he had planned to swindle some of the leading capitalists of that city. TRUNK FULL OF MEMORANDA. In his trunk were found memoranda of the men he intended to victimize, forged letters of introduction bearing the signature of W. H. Moore, head of the Rock Island railroad, and George F. Baker, an Eastern banker, and letters of indorsement purporting to be written by men like John D. Rockerfeller, J. Pierpont Morgan, Elihu Root, and others. The forgeries were clever and likely to deceive even those familiar with the handwriting of the originals. In his room at the Denver hotel were found eight different kinds of ink with which he is said to have forged countless names. It seems that the man's favorite game was to enter a city, select his victims, present his bogus credentials and attempt to secure subscriptions for magazine articles. Of adroit address, and armed with his forged letters of introduction, he was able to impose upon the cleverest businessmen, and relied largely upon their reluctance to tell the story to get him out of danger. In Denver he is said to have presented himself as representing the New York Herald Publishing Association, Syndicate of Fifty Representative Newspapers, Temple H. Hamilton, treasurer, and the "Men of the Time," from "Everybody's," S. H. Peabody, secretary. In Kansas City he passed as James T. Ridgeway, treasurer of the Ridgeway Publishing Company. It was under the last title that he obtained the check from R. A. Long. SWINDLED SOME BIG ONES. Among the past victims of the man are said to be Melville E. Stone, manager of the Associated Press, General Russell A. Alger, and Jesse Seligman, the New York banker. He is said to have served time in Sing Sing and the Minnesota and Ohio state penitentiaries for forgery. After his arrest in Denver he confessed his identity to Chief of Police Delaney and freely admitted that he was the notorious swindler and forger. In the Kansas City prison yesterday, however, he repudiated his interviews in the Denver papers and declared that he was not guilty of the gorgeries named. He admitted getting the money from Mr. Long, but claimed that he had made a bona fide contract and that he had signed his own name to the check given him in payment. Asked why he had given his name as Smith both here and at denver he said he was drunk and registered at the Savoy and Albany hotels in the two cities through a prank. He contradicted himself several times in his statements ot the newspaper reporters, however, and practically admitted everything he had been charged with. An interesting light was thrown upon his method of working by a memorandum list found among his possessions, containing names of leading capitalists of Denver and remarks upon the best means of getting at them. Names only of important business men were selected and these were labeled with a running fire of comment that indicated his thorough familiarity with the personal charactaristics of each.
While in this city he was accompanied by a woman he says was his wife, who has disappeared since the news of his arrest in Denver. PINKERTONS KNOW HIM WELL. "Our agency is well acquainted with this man, whom we consider one of the cleverest criminals in the United States, said John A. Gustafson, assistant superintendent of the local Pinkerton office, "and our records are full of accounts of his misdeeds. He began his operations as an expert 'write-up man,' as we term the swindlers who use his peculiar method of operation, in New York in 1902. From there he went to Philadelphia in 1903, and pulled off one deal that netted him $10,000. From there he went to Cleveland, O., where he was caught uttering a forged check, and was given eight months in the county workhouse. In the fall of 1903 he was caught trying to work General Russel A. Alger on the write-up game in Detroit, Mich. After he got out of prison in Michigan he pulled off another little affair in New York, which got him a sentence in Sing Sing. He was liberated from there a few months ago, to turn up here in Kansas City at his old game."
That he is no ordinary swindler, the manner Smith "listed" his Denver victims is hsown in the following memoranda taken from his pocket when he was approached by the Denver police: Senator Walsh -- Telephone him to his country place and then go out. Has a secretary who is a tough one.
Senator Guggenheim -- Just elected United States senator. Will make a splurge. A. D. Parker -- Vice president Colorado & Southern. Is reputed to be worth $15,000,000, all made in mining. He has the distinciton of being the only man that grub staked a miner for twenty years, who after a number of years of hard luck finally won out. A great deal has been written about him in newspapers in this conneciton.
J. J. Hentry -- Again on his feet promoting sugar beet factories. Likes publicity.
E. J. Wilcox -- President of railroad and mining companies. Was at one time a minister and is probably worth $5,000,000. Is a good fellow and likes publicity.
John F. Campion -- Mining man' probably stands the highest of any man in the mining game in Colorado. Worth about $5,000,000. Does not care particularly about publicity, but has had several steel plates and is known to subscribe to everything. Always winters at Los Angeles, where he is a heavy investor and associates with millionaires of the East. Thomas F. Daly -- Insurance president, good fellow; has made a million in a few years in insurance and mining. Otto Mears -- Railroad and mining. Well known character in Colorado. Has the title "Pathfinder of the San Juan." Dont think he has over $500,000. J. A. Thatcher -- President of bank; a good fellow and worth about $5,000,000. Labels: banking, con artist, Denver, detectives, forgery, hotels
August 6, 1907 ROADS WERE IMPASSIBLE.
Jack Cudahy Compelled to Abandon Denver Auto Trip. J. P. Cudahy, who started on a speed run for Denver Saturday night in his Welch Touring car, failed to reach his destination in the manner contemplated. According to a telegram received at the Ettwein Motor Car Company's garage yesterday morning Mr. Cudahy was compelled by impassable roads to stop at Wamego, Kas., which is 130 miles west of Kansas City. He and Mr. C. F. Ettwein, who accompanied him on the trip, are believed to have gone on to Denver by rail. The car is to be shipped back to Kansas City this morning.Labels: automobiles, Denver
August 5, 1907 CARBOLIC ACID KILLS.
DRANK IN THE DARK BY BECKETT FOR WHISKEY.
Second Man Who Took Swallow of the Poison Will Recover -- Dead Man Leaves a Widow and Seven Children. Two pint bottles of the same shape, one containing whisky and the other carbolic acid, caused the death of James F. Beckett in Sheffield early yesterday morning. The bottle of whisky was put into a wagon bed which also contained a bottle formerly used for whisky filled with carbolic acid. John Eveland, another laborer, who put the whisky into the wagon bed, also drank of the acid, but he will recover.
John Thomas gave a dancing party Saturday night at his home in Sheffield. About forty men and women were present, and at midnight the dancers decided to continue the party indefinitely until morning.
Beckett had been invited, and after he arrived he was prevailed upon to furnish the music. He sat in the parlor, and from 8 o'clock until midnight played waltzes and two-steps, and occasionally a tune for the Virginia reel, with scarcely a rest, while the tireless dancers encored him again and again.
About 11 o'clock Eveland, who lives only two blocks from Thomas' house, heard the music and the laughter of the young men and women, and decided to see what was going on. I had been drinking a little," said Eveland yesterday, "and I had a pint bottle of whisky, about half full, in my hip pocket. Thomas invited me to come in and dance. I didn't want to take the liquor with me on account of the women. So I slipped out to the shed back of the house and put the bottle in the bed of a wagon. Then I went in and danced until about midnight.
"When the decided to keep on dancing for an hour or two more, Beckett, who was one of my friends, said he was tired. I told him about the whiskey I had put in the shed, and asked him to go have a drink to brace himself up. We took John Burris, one of the other men with us, and all went out to the shed.
"When we got out there it was dark, and I reached into the wagon bed and got out what I supposed to be the bottle I had put there. It was a regular pint whisky bottle, and seemed to be about half full. I had some trouble getting the cork out. While I was trying to draw it, the women were calling for Beckett to play for another dance.
" 'Hurry up,' cried Beckett. 'I've got to get back to the house. '
" 'Give me the bottle,' said Burris. 'I'll get the cork out with my knife.'
"Burris pulled the cork, and raised the bottle to his lips to take a drink, when they called Beckett from the house again, and Beckett grabbed the bottle quickly. He took two long swallows. Then he ran back to the house, and Burris went with him, without waiting for a drink. I then drank a little, and put the bottle back into the wagon."
Eveland says it was about twenty minutes later before the acid pained him, so that he knew he had been poisoned. Beckett, who continued playing for the dancers after taking the acid, began to feel ill about the same time Eveland did.
Dr. R. Callaghan was sent for, and treated both men. Beckett died about 1:30 o'clock. The whisky which Eveland had drunk before he came to the dance saved his life. The reason Beckett did not feel the effect of the aid sooner is believed also to be due to whisky before he went to the shed. The whisky is thought to have counteracted the effects of the acid to a certain extent.
Thomas said yesterday that he always keeps acid in the shed for use as a disinfectant. He keeps horses and hogs there. The bottle was plainly labeled. Had the men struck a match they could not have made the mistake.
James F. Beckett was 39 years old. He lived at 410 Denver avenue, and leaves a widow and seven little children, the youngest being only two months old. The body was taken to Blackman's undertaking rooms in Sheffield, and a coroner's inquest will be held this morning.Labels: alcohol, amusement, dancing, death, Denver, doctors, laborer, sheffield, undertakers
August 4, 1907
BY AUTO TO DENVER.
"JACK" CUDAHY WILL TRY TO ESTABLISH RECORD.
MADE THE START LAST NIGHT
HOPES TO TRAVEL 813 MILES IN ESTABLISHED RECORD. Crossed the Kansas State Line at 10:30 p. m. in Fifty-Horse Power Welch Touring Car, Accompanied by C. E. Ettwain and Two Chauffers. "Jack" Cudahy, manager of the Cudahy interests in Kansas City, and a motor car enthusiast, started at 10:30 o'clock last night on a trial run to Denver, a distance of 813 miles. He was accompnaied by C. E. Ettwein of the Ettwein Motor Car Company and two chauffers.
The effort o J. P. Cudahy to set a new record for the distance, following closely after the proposed speed trial to be made by J. A. Whitman, who was scheduled to start yesterday morning, will create some surprise in local automobile circles, as Mr. Cudahy's run was arranged for and the start made without the knowledge of many of his closest personal friends. At exactly 10:30 o'clock the big fifty-horse-power Welch touring car quietly left the state line at Southwest boulevard near Bell street. The only witnesses to the start were W. W. Cowen, president of the Kansas City Automobile Club, and L. R. Moore. Mr. Cowan drove his car to the state line and started the party officially. The car carries extra tires, fifty gallons of gasoline and provisions. Three acetylene lamps were placed in front to insure safe travel at night. Mr. Cudahy and Mr. Ettwein will eat on the car and the only stops made will be for gasoline and perhaps for repairs. Mr. Ettwein was at the wheel on the start and expected to reach Lawrence, Kas., at 12:15 this morning. When Mr. Cudahy heard that Whitman had declared he could make the run in twenty-seven hours, he made that statement that if Whitman could do it so could he. "I expected to go to Denver by rail tomorrow night," said Mr. Cudahy, "but after thinking over the matter I decided to try out my car on a long run. Denver looked as good to me as anywhere else and having great confidence in the speed and durability of my machine I saw no reason why I could not make the run in as good time as anyone else." With good weather, which means fairly good roads, and no bad luck the party expects to reach Denver some time early tomorrow morning. There is no speed record between Kansas City and Denver and if the Cudahy party succeeds in showing even creditable time it will be up to someother Western enthusiast to come forth and show something better. The best time is expected to be made in Western Kansas where the roads are level and there is little travel. Friends of Mr. Cudahy will be informed at every opportunity as to the progress being made by the party while enroute. Mr. Cowen yesterday wired to many of the principal points along the route in search of information about the condition of the roads and the weather outlook. With the exception of probable rain storms in Western Kansas the outlook for fair weather and passable roads is especially good. Labels: automobiles, Bell street, Denver, Lawrence, Southwest boulevard
July 28, 1907 KANSAS CITY, THE ICE BOX.
This Place Led Country in Coolness Yesterday. Kansas City yesterday was cooler than any summer resort in the United States. The maximum temperature here was 70, the lowest in the country excepting Huron, S. D. Only two places had a lower minimum -- Dodge City, Kas., and Denver, Col., in both of which it rained. When it cleared up in both places it got hotter trhan it was in this city. On the Northern lakes and at other summer resorts, excepting Colorado, it was decidedly hot.Labels: Denver, ice, weather
May 10, 1907 STILL IN RUINS
SEARCH FOR MISS WITTEBART'S BODY MAY BEGIN TODAY HER FIANCEE NEARLY CRAZED.
CONVENTION HALL OFFERED FOR A BENEFIT CONCERT. The body of Miss Aurora Wittebart, who met death in the University building fire, is yet lying somewhere in the mass of debris of the burned building. No real attempt has been made to recover it, as the ruins were too hot yesterday to permit the firemen to work to any advantage, although streams of water were kept playing on them a great part of the day. It is thought that a search will be made today.
Miss Wittebart perished in the wing of the building where the fire was most severe. This part of the ruins was one of the first to fall, and the unfortunate woman was doubtless buried beneath a great mass of brick, broken irona nd timbers. As soon as the men can get into the building, the tottering walls will be braced and a determined effort will be made to find her body.
Early in the morning, Miss Wittebart's fiancee, George Jackson, wento to the scene of the fire to assist in the search, and was greatly affected when told of the unavoidable delay that would be necessary before the body could be recovered. Mr. Jackson told a pitiful tale of the efforts of his betrothed to reach him by telephone when she realized that escape was hopeless. He is an employe of the Missouri and Kansas Telephone Company and was in his office at the company's headquarters when the fire began. One of the central girls told him that a woman was calling him from the Pepper building, and that she was evidently in great distress. Just before he reached an instrument to answer his sweetheart's call, she was heard to cry out in despair, and it is thought she fell to the floor, overcome by the smoke and the heat.
JACKSON NEARLY PROSTRATED Mr. Jackson immediately called the fire heaquarters to learn of the fire, and then he ran to the burning building. Of course, he was powerless to aid her in any w3ay. The shock of her death, and the agony of suspense he has u ndergone in the realization that his fincee's body is still lying in the debris, unnerved him and last night he was almost completely prostrated.
Wr. and Mrs. Wittebart, father and mother of the dead girll, arrived in the city last night, and are registered at the Densmore hotel. Both of them were almost prostrated with grief and had not a great deal to say about the calamaty that has befallen them.
'We were at the our home in Coffeeville when the news reached us yesterday evening, said Mrs. Wittebart. "It was a terrific shock to us. We had recently had a letter from our daughter, and of course we never dreamed of any such horrible thing as this. We should have come to the city last night, but Mr. Wittebart, who is not in the best of health, was utterly prostrated at the news and we could not come.
"We have made arrangements as to what we shall do when we find the body. We hardly expect to take it back with us. We shall probably have a funeral here in Kansas City. It is so terrible we do not know just what we shall do.
The remains of Professor Georges de Mare, the other victim of the disaster, were left at Stines during the day. It was announced that no arrangements for the funeral will be made until the arrival of Professor de Mare's mother from Denver. She is expected to reach here this morning.Labels: death, Denver, Fire, romance
May 9, 1907
LOST HIS LIFE IN THE FIRE 
GEORGES DE MARE.
PROFESSOR GEORGES DE MARE, who was at the head of the art department in Central high school, occupied studio 508, in the southeast corner. He made his way to the fourth floor, and, finding his way blocked with smoke, he jumped to the ground and was almost instantly killed. The remains were taken to Stine's undertaking rooms and later to the home of Mr. and Mrs. Craig Hunter, 1202 East Thirty-fourth street, to whose daughter Miss Adeline Hunter, Professor de Mare was married December 26 of last year. He was 38 years of age. The tragic death of Professor de Mare shocked a wide circle of friends. He had been at the head of the art department of Central high school for the past two years, ever since coming to the city. He was universally liked by the pupils, and his death cast a gloom over the entire school.
Professor de Mare came of a family more than noted in the art world. His maternal grandfather was G. P. A. Healey, one of the greatest of American painters, who had painted portraits of Clay, Lincoln, and other notables. His father, who was a noted painter in Paris, died in that city a few years ago. The professor himself was born in this country, but was educated and lived in Paris until a few years ago. He held various responsible positions in leading art institutions of the country, especially in Chicago. His mother and two sisters live in Denver, another sister is in Paris, and two aunts, Mrs. Judge Hill and Mrs. Besley, live in Chicago.
Mr. and Mrs. Hunter were notified of the accident and Mr. Hunter and his daughter left the house for the scene of the fire without knowing at the time that Professor de Mare was dead. The tragic event prostrated the members of the entire household. Labels: death, Denver, Fire, schools, Thirty-fourth street
April 16, 1907 MAY BE A DENVER MAN.
Body Found in River Now in an Independence Morgue. The body of a man was taken from the Missouri river yesterday afternoon north of Independence. Papers found on the body indicate it to be that of Leon Cohen. A letter was found in the coat addressed to Leon Cohen from Louis Cohen, and was dated Denver, December 7, 1906. The letter contained a short account of a concert, and ended, "Whistle while you wait, from your brother Louis."
The man was middle aged, five foot seven inches in height, wore blue serge clothes, two vests and a blue shirt. The body will be kept at Ott's undertaking establishment until Denver is heard from. The body seems to have been in the water for ten days.Labels: death, Denver, Independence, Missouri river, undertakers
April 7, 1907
2 RUN-AWAY WIVES
SISTERS FLEEING FROM HUS- BANDS SEEK REFUGE HERE.
ONE OF THEM UNDER ARREST.
SHE IS ACCUSED OF SELLING MORTGAGED PROPERTY Mrs. Jennie D. Smith, of Denver, and Mrs. Narcissus Smith Tell Their Troubles to the Police -- "Plot to Get Me to Denver," Says Jennie D. There must have been all kinds of discord in the Smith family when two Mrs. Smiths, sisters, made up their minds to run away. Both are now in the matron's room at police headquarters. Both are pretty, brown eyed and auburn haired.
One of them is being held a prisoner. Her name is Mrs. Jennie D. Smith from Denver, Col. An officer from there will be here after her this afternoon. A wire to the chief here said that a charge of welling mortgaged property had been placed against her.
Mrs. Jennie D. Smith said that she left her husband in Denver three months ago, going to her sister, Mrs. Narcissus Smith, in Memphis, Tenn.
"My husband threatened to kill me more than once," said Mrs. J. D. Smith. "My sister was there at the time and heard him do so many times. When we separated he gave me all the furniture and told me to keep the roomers or do what I pleased. He said he would make the payments for it. When I got ready to go to Memphis with my sister I sold the furniture, $350 worth of it, for $115. The auction house to which it was sold lost it afterwards to the instalment house. My husband simply wants to get me back there, and into trouble, with the idea that I will go back to him -- but I won't. Not much."
The two sisters went on to Memphis, where two weeks ago, Mrs. Narcissus Smith concluded that life with George Smith, a machinist, could not be endured any longer. So they both "up and left," taking the Memphis woman's 3-year-old baby, Ruth, along with them. Mrs. George Smith was preparing to go back to Denver with her sisters.
Yesterday morning a small, bald, stockily built man went into the office of Chief Hayes and announced that he had come to town to "kidnap me child." After a short talk it was learned that he was after "Baby Ruth," a golden haired beauty.
"I am going to take that kid away from my wife and take it to the home of my sister," he announced. Chief Hayes, however, told Smith that he would walk into all sorts of trouble if he attempted anything of the sort in Kansas City. He was referred to Colonel J. C. Greenman, Humane agent.
It was the order of the colonel that an officer be sent out with Smith, and that all three, husband, wife and baby appear at his office. While Smith and Detective William Bates were scouting in the vicinity of Hasbrook place, Twelfth and Washington streets, where the Mrs. Smiths had resided, Mrs. George Smith appeared at the matron's room to see her sister. When she was told that her husband was here after the child she was more than frantic.
"He'll steal it. He'll steal it, just as sure as fate," she said, hysterically. "I never did him but one mean trick and that was to use his last month's pay check with which to get away. He was just preparing to leave me and go to Panama, and I knew it. Now he wants the baby just for spite."
She was going right home to protect her baby, but was told that Smith was with an officer,and would not dare to do such a thing. On her way downstairs to see Chief Hays and ask his protection, which Colonel Greenman advised, after hearing her story, she encountered "George" right face to face in a narrow hallway.
"Don't you touch me! Don't you speak to me!" she exclaimed, as she sought protection behind a big policeman. Smith wilted when the policeman said, "Phat ye tryin' to do here, hit a lady? G'wan wid ye, er Oi'll drive ye into th' flure like a tack."
Chief Hayes sent Holly Jarboe with Mrs. Smith No. 2 to her rooms at Hasbrook place, where the child was found with a neighbor. She moved right then and there, bag, baggage and baby, to the matron's room at police headquarters, where the chief said she could remain until her sister left for Denver. This afternoon an officer will accompany her to the train to see that no trouble occurs in the Smith family.
"If Smith wants to steal his baby let him go to Denver," said the chief. "We don't allow that here when we know it."Labels: children, Col. J. C. Greenman, custody, Denver, detectives, domestic violence, Police Chief Hayes, police headquarters, Twelfth street, Washington street
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