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

January 15, 1910

PARISH FOR COLORED CATHOLICS.

St. Monica's Catholic Mission

Organized by Franciscans.

A Catholic mission, known as St. Monica's Parish for Colored Catholics, has been organized by the Franciscan Fathers of the city at 2552 Locust street. The first divine services of the new mission will be held at St. John's school, 534 Tracy avenue, tomorrow. Regular services will be held at the parish headquarters on the second and fourth Sundays of each month, a Sunday school service following the services.

Labels: churches, Locust street, ministers, race, Tracy avenue

January 13, 1910

REBEL BILL NOT COUNTERFEIT.

Person Using One Can Be Tried Only

on False Pretense Charge.

To pass a worthless Confederate greenback is no violation either of the state or federal law, decided the prosecuting attorney's office yesterday, and the only charge that might be entertained is the obtaining of money under false pretenses.

A five-dollar bill, made in 1862 by the state of Georgia and issued by the Merchants and Planters' bank for the states of the Southern Confederacy, was passed a short time ago on Mrs. Max Joffey, Missouri avenue and Locust street. The woman who presented it bought 60 cents worth of goods and was given $4.60 in change. The case was presented to the United States district attorney.

"This five-dollar bill is not counterfeit, as at one time it was genuine legal tender," said Norman Woodson, assistant prosecuting attorney, yesterday. "The only charge the woman can be tried for is false pretense. No warrant has been issued."

Labels: Civil War, counterfeiters, federal court, Locust street, Missouri avenue

January 6, 1910

'WORK, NOT CHARITY,' SLOGAN.

Men Out of jobs Will Hold Noon

Meeting Today.

There will be a meeting of the unemployed today noon at 1112 Locust street, and the men out of jobs will endeavor to agree upon some plan that will better their condition. "Work, not charity," is to be the slogan of the assemblage, and several prominent citizens have been petitioned to assist in the cause.

Labels: employment, Locust street, organizations

December 6, 1909

LONG AND SHORT MEN BUSY.

Victims of Highwaymen Report to

Police the Loss of More Than

$300 on Sunday.

J. S. Hubert, a member of the United Brewery Workers of America, living at 2518 Charlotte, was felled by a blow from behind and robbed of five $20 bills, ten $10 bills and five $5 bills at Twenty-first and Locust at 9:30 o'clock last night by two men, one of whom, he says was very tall and the other extremely short. He says he saw the same men in a saloon at Nineteenth street and Grand avenue Saturday night. Hubert immediately reported the case to police and he was taken to his home by Officer Sherry. Upon examination of his head no signs of where he had been slugged could be found.

Labels: Charlotte street, Grand avenue, highway robbery, Locust street, Nineteenth street, police, saloon, Twenty-first street

November 29, 1909

JAYHAWK YELL EFFECTIVE.

Early Morning Cheer of Visiting

Collegian Scares Thieves Away.

Stripped of his Kansas colors, his voice gone, money gone, Charles Stewart, a rooter for the Jayhawkers last Thursday afternoon, headed himself to his hotel at Eighth and Locust streets. It was 2:30 a. m. Friday, when he entered the lower hallway and he stopped to cogitate. He tried to talk the defeat over with himself and found his voice weak; he felt deep into his pockets and found no consolation.

Thinking it all over, Stewart said to himself, "Well I have just one more yell left in me for Kansas, poor old defeated Kansas, and now that I am safe in the hotel and not liable to be bombarded by the Missouri bunch, I am going to give it right here in the hallway."

Bracing himself against the wall he threw back his head and let go "Rock Chalk, Jay Hawk, K. U. ---Kansas!" Then he repeated it, al a head yeller style, real fast.

Being in an inclosed hallway he was surprised at the racket he made. He liked it for it made him believe he had located his lost voice. So he gave the yell again, louder than ever, and went on to his room and to bed.

"You have come here late many times," said the proprietress, the next morning, when Stewart appeared, "both late and early, and you have made divers and sundry noises on your way to your room, but this is the first time your noise has served a valuable purpose."

"What's the matter, cause some Missouri man to have a fit in his sleep?" asked Stewart.

"No," she replied, "better than that for the house. Mr. Blank and his wife room just off the hall near where you stood. Well, your yelling awoke them. Just as Mr. Blank raised up in bed to locate the noise he saw a man entering his bed room window from the porch. Rather the man was in the act of entering, but when you cut loose the second time he turned about and made frantic efforts to get out. He did get out and there was another burglar on the porch. Mr. Blank says he and his wife sleep soundly and certainly would have been robbed of all valuables in the room if it hadn't been for you waking them and scaring away the thieves.

"That's good," replied Stewart, "glad my voice was worth something. That's all I had left after the game and that was worth anything and I nearly lost that."

"But I think your noise did more," continued the woman. "For some time before you came I had been lying half asleep and imagined I could hear some one moving furniture. You know I have just finished furnishing some rooms in the new part back there. I went back to investigate and found a window out in the bathroom and all the new furniture piled near the door. It appeared to have been the intention to make a clean-up here, but your 'Rock Hawk, Jay Chalk," or whatever it is, came at a most opportune time."

Labels: crime, Eighth street, hotels, Locust street, visitors

October 8, 1909

TO GRAVE THROUGH

LINES OF CHILDREN.

YOUNG FOLK PROMINENT FEA-

TURE OF SWOPE FUNERAL.

More Than 60,000 Take Last

Look at Man "Who Gave

Us the Park."

The head of the cortege which will follow Thomas H. Swope to his last resting place will form at the city hall at 1 o'clock this afternoon. From there the procession will march to the public library, thence to Grace Episcopal church, Thirteenth and Washington.

It has been arranged that all children attending school east of Main street will form from the library west on Ninth street and south on Grand avenue, the intention being of the cortege to pass through a line of school children as far as possible. The west of Main street school children will form on Eleventh street west from Wyandotte street and south on Broadway. The children of the Franklin institute, to whom Colonel Swope, conditionally, gave $50,000 before he died, will form on Grand avenue south of Eighteenth street, on the road to the cemetery.

PAY LAST TRIBUTE.

The library doors were opened at 9 a. m. and the waiting crowd began to file slowly by the casket. Instinctively, men removed their hats. Small boys, some of them barefoot, followed this example, keeping the hat close to the heart until the casket had been passed. When there was no rush the crowds passed the casket at the rate of forty to sixty a minute. Between the hours of noon and 2 p. m., however, there was a great increase, and Charles Anderson, one of the police guard, counted 369 in five minutes. Shortly after 3 o'clock, after the flower parade had passed along Admiral boulevard, the crowd became very dense at the library and two lines had to be formed. During that time they passed at the rate of 120 a minute, which would be 720 an hour.

THE SCHOOL CHILDREN'S TURN.

During the morning the school children were released to give them an opportunity to look upon the face of the man "who gave us the park." Some were bareheaded, some barefooted, some black, some white, but all were given the opportunity to look upon the pale, placid face of Colonel Swope.
Mothers who could not get away from home without the baby brought it along. Many a woman with a baby in arms was seen in line. The police lifted all small children up to the casket.

"Who is it, mamma?" asked one little girl, "Who is it?"

"It is Colonel Swope who gave us the big park," the mother replied.

"Out there where we had the picnic?"

"Yes."

"Did you say he gave us the park, is it ours?"

"He gave it to all the people, dear, to you and me as well as others."

"Then part of the park is mine, isn't i t?"

"Yes, part of it is yours, my child."

One white haired man limped along the line until he came to the casket. With his hat over his heart he stood so long that the policeman on guard had to remind him to pass on.

"Excuse me," he said, and his eyes were suffused with tears, "he helped me once years ago just when I needed it most. He was my friend and I never could repay him. He wouldn't let me."

BITS OF HISTORY.

The aged man passed on out of the Locust street door. Every so often during the day the police say he crept quietly into line and went by the casket again, each time having to be remembered to pause but for a moment and pass on. Who he is the police did not know.

Near the casket Mrs. Carrie W. Whitney, librarian, erected a bulletin board on which she posted a card reading: "Thomas Hunton Swope, born Lincoln county, Kentucky, October 21, 1827; died Independence, Mo., October 3, 1909."

In the center of the board is an excellent engraving of Colonel Swope and on the board are clippings giving bits of his history and enumerating his many public gifts to this city. The board was draped in evergreen and flowers.

On a portion of the board is a leaflet from a book, "History of Kansas City," which reads, referring to Colonel Swope:

SENATOR VEST'S TRIBUTE.

"When Swope park was given to Kansas City, Senator George Graham Vest said of Colonel Swope: 'I am not much of a hero worshiper, but I will take off my hat to such a man, and in this case I am the more gratified because we were classmates in college. We graduated together at Central college, Danville, Ky.

"He was a slender, delicate boy, devoted to study, and exceedingly popular. I remember his fainting in the recitation room when reading an essay and the loving solicitude of professors and students as we gathered about him. He had a great respect for the Christian religion. It has gone with him through his life, although he has never connected himself with any church. I know of many generous acts by him to good people and one of his first donations was $1,000 to repair the old Presbyterian church at Danville, where we listened to orthodox sermons when students."

Later Colonel Swope gave $25,000 to his old school at Danville for a library. Then followed his most magnificent gift, Swope park. Its value when given was more than $150,000. Today it is worth far more.

Speaking of Colonel Swope again, Senator Vest said: "In these days of greed and selfishness, where the whole world is permeated with feverish pursuit of money, it is refreshing to find a millionaire who is thinking of humanity and not of wealth. Tom Swope has made his own fortune and has been compelled to fight many unscrupulous and designing men, but he has risen above the sordid love of gain and has shown himself possessed of the best and highest motives. Intellectually he has few superiors. The public has never known his literary taste, his culture and his love of the good and beautiful. The world assumed that no man can accumulate wealth without being hard and selfish, and it is too often the case, but not so with Tom Swope. In these princely gifts he repays himself with the consciousness of a great, unselfish act."

Labels: children, funerals, history, libraries, Locust street, police, schools, Swope park, Thomas Swope

October 7, 1909

SWOPE'S BODY LIES IN STATE.

At 9 o'Clock This Morning Public

Will Be Admitted to Rotunda of

Library to Pay Last Tribute.

The body of Colonel Thomas H. Swope, Kansas City's great public benefactor, now lies in state in the rotunda of the public library building, Ninth and Locust streets. The body rests in a massive state casket with deep scroll mountings. The casket, copper lined, is made of the finest mahogany, covered with black cloth. Solid silver handles extend the full length on each side.

At 9'o'clock this morning the public will be admitted and given an opportunity to look for the last time upon the face of Kansas City's most beloved citizen. Last night the body was guarded by a cordon of police commanded by Sergeants T. S. Eubanks and John Ravenscamp. They will be relieved this morning by others. The police will be on guard until the funeral.

At 3 o'clock yesterday afternoon Mayor Crittenden accompanied by Police Commissioner R. B. Middlebrook and Aldermen O'Malley, Edwards and Wirtman from the upper house and Aldermen Morris and Gilman from the lower house of the council, went to Independence to receive Colonel Swope's body.

It was 4:10 o'clock when Mayor Llewellyn Jones of Independence, accompanied by the city council of that city, made formal delivery of the body. It was carried to the waiting hearse, by G. D. Clinton, J. Wesley Clement, H. A. Major, A. L. Anderson, J. G. Paxon and M. L. Jones, all citizens of Independence.

Ten mounted policemen, commanded by Sergent Estes of the mounted force, acted as convoy to this city. It was at first planned that the Independence officials should accompany the body as far only as their city limits. However, they came to this city and saw the casket placed in state in the library. Those who came from Independence were Mayor Jones and Aldermen E. C. Harrington, J. Wesley Clement. H. A. Major, M. L. Jones, A. L. Anderson and Walter Shimfessel.

Upon arriving at the public library six stalwart policemen removed the casket from the hearse and placed it on pedestals in the rotunda. After giving instructions to the police on guard, Mayor Crittenden and Commissioner Middlebrook left with the members of the council.

Only one relative from out of the city, Stuart S. Fleming of Columbia, Tenn., is at the Swope home in Independence. He arrived yesterday. Colonel Swope was his uncle. Last Friday night, James Moss Hunton, Mr. Fleming's cousin, died at the Swope home. A few hours after he received notice of his death, Mr. Fleming's wife passed away. Sunday night he received notice that his uncle, Colonel Swope, was dead.

"My mother, Colonel Swope's sister, is 77 years old," said Mr. Fleming yesterday. "She is prostrated and was unable to accompany me."

Labels: death, Independence, Independence city council, Kansas City council, libraries, Locust street, Mayor Crittenden, Ninth street, police, Thomas Swope

Octoberr 4, 1909

GIFTS TO CITY AND OTHERS.

Swope Park But One of His Contributions.

During his lifetime, Colonel Swope did much for the city in which he amassed his fortune. He gave to the city Swope park, 1,354 acres of land valued at $1,000 per acre. This beautiful tract of land has been converted into one of the finest natural recreation grounds in the Middle West, and it gave the donor much pleasure to see it appreciated as it is.

The land for the new city hospital at Twenty-third and Locust was given to the city by Colonel Swope.

He gave the Young Women's Christian Association $50,000 for its building fund. To the Young Men's Christian Association he gave $5,000.

He gave the ground for the Home for the Aged at Thirty-first and Locust. He recently gave the Franklin Institute, a charitable organization at 1901 McGee street, $50,000 to be used in building a new home, on the condition that the organization raise another $50,000 to add to it.

Many other smaller donations were made toward the work of extending charity to the needy and afflicted and it is said that never did he refuse to heed a plea for funds to conduct such work.

Colonel Swope devoted his time and energy almost entirely to his business. He was at his office early and late. He had been absent from his office but a few days in four or five years until he was taken ill September 2. On that day he was at his office the last time, but he directed his affairs from his sick room and took the same keen interest in the transaction of his business.

HELPED HIS OLD SCHOOL.

The first gift known to have made by the philanthropist was for the sum of $1,000 to the Presbyterian church in Danville, Ky., where he had worshiped so long as a student at Center college. Being a graduate of the famous old institution, Colonel Swope never lost interest in his alma mater, and learning that the school needed a library he made it possible for the old college to obtain one. He offered to give $25,000 to the school for the purpose if another $25,000 was raised. On March 15, 1902, the authorities of the school notified him that the required amount had been subscribed, and he sent his draft for $25,000. The name of the donor had not before been given, as he had requested that it only be given out that an alumnus had offered the money.

Labels: charity, general hospital, Locust street, Swope park, Thirty-first street, Thomas Swope, Twenty-third street, YMCA, YWCA

September 30, 1909

DYING YOUTH WANTS MOTHER.

Asks Kansas City Police to Locate

Mrs. Mattie Newberry.

A Nebraska youth on his deathbed in Ashland believes that his mother and brother live in Kansas City, and that he may see them before he dies, he induced one of his neighbors to write the following letter to the Kansas City police department, asking that his mother be found:

"Chief of Police, Kansas City, Mo.

"Dear Sir -- Will you please try to locate Mrs. Mattie Newberry in your city. Her son is dying here, and wants to see his mother before he passes away. Milton Newberry, the other son, also lives in Kansas City, but we do not know the address. Thanking you for any kindness that you may show, I am very truly yours, MRS. L. G. PETERSON. Ashland, Neb."

Though Chief Snow gets many letters of similar nature every day, and his time is generally occupied, the took a personal interest in the matter. A woman by the name of Mattie Newberry had lived at 2421 Locust street, but the patorlman who investigated found that she had moved away three weeks ago. None of the neighbors could tell her present location.

Labels: children, Locust street, missing, Police Chief Snow

August 4, 1909

EMPLOYES OF NICKEL

SHOWS FORM A UNION.

WILL DEMAND MORE PAY AND

DAY OFF A WEEK.

Those in Charge of Movement Claim

Present Salaries Are Too Low,

Considering Work and

Long Hours.

A new labor union, new at least in this city, will spring into life full grown at a meeting of its fifty members at Labor headquarters, Locust and Twelfth streets, tomorrow night. The charter recognizing the Kansas City Nickel Show Operators' Union, which was sent for yesterday, will be read and officers elected. Things will then begin to happen to the managements of the seventy-five or more 5-cent arcades, nickelodeons and electric theaters scattered about the city.

If they do not at once accede to a demand for an immediate raise in salaries, a day off each week for recuperative purposes and shorter hours all around, lantern operators, piano players, doorkeepers and even the blonde haired women cashiers may make a general exit.

SAY THEY ARE POORLY PAID.

"We are the poorest paid employes in the city considering the skill required of us and the long hours we are forced to keep," said H. C. Bernard, Seventy-fifth street and West Prospect avenue, the president of the union, last night. "Door-keepers and operators get $12 a week while girl cashiers and piano players get only from $2 to $4. I can't remember of even having heard of a singer receiving more than $8 in this city for the repeated strain on his or her vocal cords.

"I know of one skillful operator of a lantern who got $25 a week in Chicago a month ago and is now drawing a weekly check for $4 and he often works 15 hours a day with no day off."

A business manager in the Yale 5 cent shows general offices said yesterday that he did not fear a strike and that one if it came would not seriously retard the business of his company.

CLAIMS WORK IS LIGHT.

"I will tough a wire the minute they strike and get 100 operators from Chicago in short order," said he. "The work done by the operators, doorkeepers and singers is very light, although somewhat tedious. As a rule they have the forenoons off and can use them to make money at other things. My company will fight a strike to the last, and if a union is organized will discharge every man or woman caught attending a union meeting."

The new union will be affiliated with the International Theatrical Stage Employes' union, and will have auxiliaries taking in all employes, male and female, of the 5-cent shows. Several secret meetings have been held by the union organizers in a room at labor headquarters and about fifty operators have joined. There are about 500 employes of the nickel theaters in the city.

Labels: Chicago, employment, Locust street, moving pictures, organizations, Prospect avenue, theater, Twelfth street

August 2, 1909

TO BUILD NEW GREEK CHURCH.

Priest's Ambition Is to Have Hand-

some Place of Worship.

A Greek church, the finest in the country, is the ambition of the Rev. Father Harlton Panogopoules, of Kansas City, who, with a delegation of members of his parish, departed yesterday afternoon for Topeka, where the first steps will be taken toward raising the money to this end. In the party were James Maniaties and G. Alexopoules. They act as Father Panogopoules's secretaries and interpreters.

The present church is at the corner of Fourth and Locust streets and has about 400 communicants. In a few months, however, it is said there will be more than 2,000, and perhaps twice that many, due to the coming of the Greeks who work as section hands and as laborers in mines and other places. It is with the assistance of these men that the priest expects to build his church. Father Panogopoules came to Kansas City from Athens two months ago. Since that time he has endeared himself to the local Greeks, and they are enthusiastic over his plans for a fine edifice.

To attain this end it will be necessary for him to communicate with the Greeks who are now at work in the railroad territory contiguous to Kansas City, and his first step is to go to Topeka, where there is quite a colony of Greeks, and interest them in the project.

Father Panogopules was attired in a long black cassock, with high felt turban. A great cross was suspended on a heavy chain from his neck. He and his party attracted much attention at the Union depot, where they were met by some of the Greeks who live in that section and to whom Father Panogopoules gave his blessing before he departed.

Labels: churches, Fourth street, immigrants, Locust street, ministers, Topeka, Union depot

July 3, 1909

HELPING HAND PLANS

BATH FOR NORTH END.

Public Showers From Fire Plug Will

Be Suspended Over Gutter -- Is

Superintendent Brig-

ham's Idea.

The "Brigham Bath" for North End Youngsters.

Large numbers of children living in the North End have been without necessary baths for many moons. With the approach of hot weather the demand for some place where the youngsters of Little Italy and adjoining districts can get enough water to clean and cool their skins has become an imperative, and the Helping Hand institute proposes to come to the rescue with a novel device for free public baths on the street corners.

"The old swimmin' hole is a thing of the past," said E. T. Brigham, superintendent of the institute, last night. "The river is too swift for swimming and free public baths for the North End exist only in the minds of theoretical social workers, as yet, so that some substitute must be found. I have conceived the idea of putting up a half dozen public shower baths where the little ones can get their skins soaked nightly and have a great deal of pleasure besides."

Mr. Brigham has in mind a contrivance which he hopes will answer all the purposes of a miniature Atlantic city for Little Italy. An inch iron pipe will conduct the water from a city fire plug to a point seven feet over the gutter, where a "T" will be formed, the branches containing five horseshoe-shaped showers.

One of the portable baths has already been constructed and will be tried out tonight at Fourth and Locust streets.

Bathers will be expected to wear their ordinary dress, that is, a single garment, which is the mode for children in the North End. Thus the shower will serve the double purpose of a recreation and a laundry.

For years something in the line of this free, open-air public bath has been in operation at Nineteenth and McGee streets in the vicinity of the McClure flats. Nightly during the summer the children collect when the fire plug is to be turned on to flush the gutters, and stand in the stream. The stream is too strong for them to brave it for more than a second at a time, but many of them manage to get a bath which they probably would not get any other way.

"Children are naturally cleanly," said Mr. Brigham. "Although they like to get dirt upon themselves, they also like to get it off. I think the shower bath on the street corner should prove one of the most popular institutions in the North End."

Labels: children, Fourth street, Helping Hand, Locust street, McGee street, Nineteenth street, North end

June 10, 1909

CLAIM HE HYPNOTIZED

ATHENAEUM WOMEN.

SIX MEMBERS CAUSE ARREST OF

AFFABLE BOOK AGENT.

A. W. Johnson Alleged to Have In-

duced Them to Give Up Money

and I. O. U.'s Totaling $120.

Held by Justice.

Six members of the Athenaeum Club went to the prosecutor's office yesterday and on behalf of themselves and three others declared that A. W. Johnson, a book agent, had hypnotized them into giving up money and I. O. U.'s totaling $120.75.

The women who complained to M. M. Bogie, assistant prosecuting attorney, were the following: Mrs. Anna S. Welch, wife of a physician; Mrs. E. T. Phillips, wife of a physician, residence the Lorraine; Mrs. Paul B. Chaney, 3446 Campbell street; Mrs. George S. Millard, 4331 Harrison street; Mrs. W. W. Anderson, 2705 Linwood avenue; Dr. Eliza Mitchell, 1008 Locust street.

Besides these, the following complained of Johnson, but did not appear yesterday: Mrs. Willard Q. Church, 3325 Wyandotte street; Mrs. Wilbur Bell, 200 Olive street, and Mrs. S. S. Moorehead, 3329 Forest avenue.

The women confronted Johnson in Mr. Bogie's office. It was declared that he had exercised hypnotic power. Said Mrs. M. H. Devault, 3411 Wabash avenue, prominent in the Athenaeum:

"This man sold a set of books called 'The Authors' Digest' to these members of the Athenaeum on representation that I had purchased the volumes and had recommended them. They bought largely on this recommendation."

"Yes, and we were hypnotized," said the women.

In addition to the books, Johnson sold a membership in the "American University Association." This, the women say he told them, would enable them to buy books, and especially medical works, at less than the usual price. After correspondence it was found that the lower prices could not be secured.

From all but one woman named, except Mrs. Devault, Johnson secured $5.75 and an order for $115. From Mrs. Millard he got $20 in money.

Johnson, a well dressed, affable young man, was arraigned before Justice Theodore Remley on a charge of obtaining money under false pretenses. He pleaded not guilty and was released on a bond of $500. He said he had an office in the Century building.

Labels: books, con artist, doctors, Forest avenue, Harrison street, hypnosis, Judge Remley, Linwood avenue, Locust street, Olive street, organizations, Wabash avenue, women, Wyandotte street

May 24, 1909

BATH COSTS A NICKEL NOW.

Personal Ablutions Almost Prohibi-

tive Luxury in McClure Flats.

They're bathing less in the McClure flats. Private bathtubs have always been an unknown luxury there. Personal ablutions formerly were performed by most of the residents at the bathhouse provided by the United Jewish Charities at 1820 Locust street. There a child could get a bath, including the use of a towel, for the sum of one penny. An adult might bathe for a nickel.

More aristocratic people went to a private bathhouse at 310 East Nineteenth street, where children paid a nickel and grown ups 15 cents. Each of the bathhouses had five tubs, but only the penny shop was ever crowded, for there are few in the neighborhood that can afford to pay a nickel to have their children washed.

Since the opening of the beautiful new Jewish charities building on Admiral boulevard, the bathhouse on Locust street has passed into private ownership. Free baths are furnished at the new charities building, but it is very far from McClure flats.

With the passing of communal ownership of the bathhouse passed the penny baths, and now the price is a nickel for every child, and 15 cents for adults.

Therefore is McClure flats abstaining from baths, and is likely to partake of them sparingly until the completion of the free public bathhouse in Holmes square.

Yesterday afternoon a member of the park board stated that it would be August 1 at t he earliest before the bathhouse at Holmes square is completed. Work has been delayed from unavoidable reasons.

"A few of the children more strongly imbued with the gospel of cleanliness than others make an occasional pilgrimage to the bathhouse on the Paseo when it is warm," said Mrs. J. T. Chafin, wife of the head resident at the Franklin institute. "But for most of them the walk is too long, and many who need the bath most are too young to march such a distance."

In the McClure flats district there are not half a dozen private bathtubs. An investigating committee last summer estimated that there were approximately 10,000 people in the city who had not the use of a bathtub.

Labels: Admiral boulevard, bath house, children, Franklin institute, Holmes street, Jews, Locust street, Nineteenth street, Paseo

May 14, 1909

JUDGE ROUTS CABBAGE MEN.

But Coal and Ice Men Were Heard

Near Court House.

It's "coal" and "ice" now for Judge Thomas of the circuit court. Max Berkman, who extolled the virtues of his cabbage on the Locust street side of the courthouse Wednesday and barely escaped a fine, must have passed the word along to the purveyors of other vegetables, for there were none yesterday to annoy the court.

In place of his kind, however, came the ice and coal calls. Evidently the hucksters mean for the judge to get a sample of the leather lungs of all divisions of their trade. The noise at times yesterday was almost deafening. There is a fine chance for ice and coal hucksters when the judge again sends out his sheriff.

Labels: courthouse, food, ice, Locust street

April 24, 1909

WESTPORT HIGH SCHOOL

IS FORMALLY OPENED.

3,000 PEOPLE LAST NIGHT IN-

SPECT NEW BUILDINGS.

Entire Equipment Represents Out-

lay of Nearly $500,000 -- Elabo-

rate Programme of Speeches

and Music Is Presented.

The formal house warming of the Westport high school at Thirty-ninth and Locust streets took place last night, nearly 3,000 people participating. The building was thrown open for inspection at 8 o'clock. There was no conspicuous array of decorations and festooning of school pennants and class colors, only the building was brilliantly lighted by electricity in each of its four stories. There was enough to see and appreciate in the common equipments of the school.

The patrons of the school began to arrive in automobiles and street cars at 7:30 o'clock. Before the opening time came the better part of the better part of the crowd had arrived and was strolling about the grounds admiring the strictly modern buildings which, on their completion, September 15, had cost close to $500,000.

Two features of the school equipment brought forth more comment, perhaps, than all the others combined. They were the gymnasium, said to be the finest of its kind in the West, and the domestic science department, where pretty girls in neat white aprons stood ready too tell their mothers modern ideas concerning pastry making and undiscernable patchwork.

The domestic science department has over 100 pupils. Not all of them are girls, and it is said the class record in fancy work has several times been broken by the deft fingers of boys also adept on the baseball diamond.

The art department and the chemical and zoological laboratories are also expensively fitted with the latest models and appliances. In the zoological room are thirty compound microscopes. The water color work and free hand drawing of some of the students of the art department created favorable comment among the amateur and professional painters who are patrons of the school and who were among the visitors last night.

At 9 o'clock the crowd was ushered into the auditorium, where an excellent programme was the piece de resistance of the house warming. This part of the school equipment was in perfect accord with the others, expense apparently having been overlooked in making it among the best of its kind anywhere.

The auditorium seats 1,400 people. In times of emergency, like last night, chairs can be placed int eh aisles so that 200 more can easily be accommodated and all hear.

After the "Coronation March" had been played by the high school orchestra, Frank A. Faxon, vice president of the school board, made a few remarks of welcome. Addresses were given by Judge H. H. Hawthorne and Dr. Herman E. Pearse, both of whom were instrumental in procuring the big and modern high school building for Westport.

One of the features of the programme was a bass solo by Reid Hillyard, a pupil of the school. Mr. Hillyard received his musical training at the school.

Labels: Frank Faxon, Judges, Locust street, music, schools, Thirty-ninth street, Westport

April 11, 1909

DEATH OF A PIONEER.

Dr. Thomas W. Radford Came to

Missouri in 1858.

Dr. Thomas W. Radford, 80 years old and a resident of this city since 1880, died at the home of his daughter, Mrs. George W. Matthews, 3112 Garner avenue, yesterday at noon.

Dr. Radford was born in Shelbyville, Ky. He graduated in medicine from a college in Louisville, and practiced there for several years. He was for a short time surgeon in a military school at Drenner Springs, Ky., where James G. Blaine was one of the teachers. Four years after his graduation, he decided to come West and visited Kansas City in the spring of 1858. The town didn't seem to be a good location to him then, so he moved to Fayette, Howard county, Mo., and settled there with his wife and slaves.

His practice grew, and soon he and his horse, "Physic," were well known all over the county. The war came on, but Dr. Radford did not enlist with either side, staying at home and attending to his patients, although frequently interferred with by guerillas. That Dr. Radford earned the esteem of his neighbors during these years is shown by the fact that immediately after the war he was elected three times to the office of county treasurer.

In 1880 he moved to Kansas City and opened a downtown office. He continued in practice here until fifteen years ago, when he retired. He was well known to many families in the city.

Dr. Radford attended the First Christian church for many years, but lately had been a regular communicant of the Independence Boulevard Christian church. A widow, seven children, nine grandchildren and two great-grandchildren survive. One son is T. J. Radford, a druggist at Ninth and Locust streets, and another, C. M. Radford of the Radford-Powell Shoe Company.

Funeral services will be held at 3 o'clock this afternoon from the home. Burial at Elmwood cemetery.

Labels: churches, Civil War, death, doctors, druggists, Locust street, Ninth street, pioneers

April 6, 1909

FEAST OF PASSOVER

OBSERVED BY JEWS.

ORTHODOX CHURCH WILL FAST

AND PRAY FOR SEVEN DAYS.

Local Celebration Is in Accordance

With Custom That Has Been Fol-

lowed for Thirty Centuries.

What It Means.

At sunset yesterday evening the orthodox Jews of Kansas City sat down to the tables in their respective homes to observe the anniversary of the "Feast of the Passover," a custom followed in Jewish homes for more than thirty centuries, conducted in accordance with the command as set forth in the twelfth chapter of Exodus and after the manner of the feast immortalized nineteen centuries ago when Christ and his disciples partook of the "Last Supper."

The Feast of Passover is a celebration in remembrance of the exodus of the Jews from Egypt. It symbolizes their freedom form the oppression of those old days. The ceremony lasts seven days, beginning at sundown on the Monday preceding Easter Sunday and ending at sundown on Easter day.

The feast which begins at sundown is called the "seter" and is observed the first and second days of the Passover. At this time all of the good things in the Jewish culinary category are brought to the table. The supper is preceded, anteceded and interspersed with prayers which, according to custom, recall the slavery days in Egypt. The unleavened bread and wine of the Christian communion are a part of the ceremony of this feast.

According to the ancient Jewish calendar the days began and ended with the sinking of the sun and all rites and feasts commenced just as the sun disappeared below the horizon. During the entire seven days the Jews eat only unleavened bread.

At 10 o'clock this morning services will be held at Bnai Judah temple, Flora avenue and Linwood boulevard, when Rabbi Harry H. Mayer will preach the sermon, taking for his subject "The Festive Symbols."

The Festive Symbols, as explained by Rev. Mayer, are the egg, which symbolizes immortality and the rebirth of year or spring, according to the ancient Jewish folk lore; bitter herbs, the reminder of the servitude and oppression of the Jews in Egypt and the unleavened bread, symbolizing the hurried departure of the Jews from the hated country, they having had not time to put leavening in the bread for the feast. The first and last days of the Passover are holy days.

Services will begin at Keneseth Israel temple, 1425 Locust street, at 8:30 o'clock this morning and will continue until noon, Rabbi Max Lieberman presiding.

Labels: churches, Flora avenue, food, holidays, Jews, Linwood boulevard, Locust street, ministers, Rabbi Lieberman

March 28, 1909

BRIDE OF 16 SEEKS

TO ANNUL MARRIAGE .

Nellie Walker, Who Eloped Last

Wednesday, Says Boy Husband

Can't Support Her.

Nellie Walker, 16 years old, who went to Olathe on the Strang line last Wednesday with Frederick R. Walker, 18, and was married, brought suit in the circuit court yesterday to annul the marriage. The elopers were arrested the evening they returned from Olathe and given into the custody of their parents. Walker is the son of James Walker of 2405 Locust street, and Mrs. Michael Kellcher of 2053 Holmes street is the mother of the girl. She brings the su it for the daughter.

The wife alleges, in her petition, that she was less than lgal age when the marriage license was secured and that she had the consent of neither father nor mother. She adds that her husband is unable to support her.

The story of two weeks of married life is told in the petition of Daisy Tryon against L. Jay Tryon. She alleges that her husband pouted.

Other divorce suits filed were the following:

Laura Belle against Elija P. Sharp.
R. N against Myrtle B. Kennedy.
Christina against Henry Douser.
Mary against Luther Howard.
Nellie M. against Thomas B. Johnson.
Walter R. against Alice L. Gillaspie.
Pearl against Harry McHutt.
Gertrude against John H.Parshall

Labels: circuit court, Divorce, Holmes street, Locust street, Olathe

March 28, 1909

PURSE SNATCHER REAPPEARS.

Mrs. Arthur Hunt Robbed by Well

Dressed Youth.

The purse snatcher was again in evidence last night when Mrs. Arthur Hunt of 1317 Locust street was robbed in front of Teck's restaurant at Eighth and Main streets. Mrs. Hunt was waiting for her husband, who had crossed the street, when she noticed a young man pass her. A moment later he approached, and grabbing the purse, ran north on Main street. The woman screamed, but none of the spectators chased the thief. Mrs. Hunt says the purse snatcher did not appear to be more than 19 years old and that he was well dressed. The purse contained $3 in cash.

Labels: crime, Eighth street, Locust street, Main street, resturants

March 24, 1909

EPPERSON'S AUTO HITS BOY.

Chauffeur, 17 Years Old, Was

Making Trial Trip With New

Touring Car.

The trial trip of U. S. Epperson's new touring car yesterday afternoon resulted in the serious injury of Jesse Bridgeman, 13 years old, who was run over at Eleventh and Holmes streets. J. C. Collins, 17 years old, the chauffeur, was arrested. He was released at police headquarters, Mr. Epperson signing his bond.

The Bridgeman boy, who lives with his mother, Mrs. Gertrude Bridgeman, 1416 Locust street, came out of the Humbolt school, put on his roller skates and coasted down Eleventh street. A moment later, as he attempted to cross the street, he was struck by the car and hurled to the pavement. The machine passed over him, although he was untouched by the wheels.

Collins, who had thrown on the emergency brake, stopped the car and ran back. It was almost impossible for J. M. Maloney, a patrolman, to break through the hundreds of excited pupils to the spot where the child lay. Collins offered to take the boy in the motor car to the emergency hospital, but Maloney called the ambulance, which hurried to the scene. Dr. Fred B. Kryger found the child's left leg fractured in two places. He was also bruised about the head and body. He was sent to Dr. H. B. McCall's private sanitarium at 1424 Holmes street, where his condition was little improved last night.

The boy chauffeur has been in Mr. Epperson's employ about three weeks. He says the accident was unavoidable.

Mr. Epperson hurried to the emergency hospital as soon as he heard of the accident, and listened to the child's story. He said he did not believe Collins was exceeding the speed limit.

Labels: accident, automobiles, children, doctors, Eleventh street, Holmes street, Locust street, police headquarters, skating

January 22, 1909

FOUGHT JACK GALLAGHER.

Captain Whitsett Hears Hack Driv-

er's Story and Releases Him.

"Well, Ed, guess I will have to take you down," Patrolman Mastin said to Edward Bennett, 607 Locust street, yesterday afternoon.

"Guess you better guess again," Bennett replied, believing the patrolman was joking with him.

But the patrol wagon was summoned. Bennett, a hackdriver, was sent to Central station and booked on a charge of vagrancy.

Bennett said that he had a fight with Jack Gallagher at the Star hotel about a month ago. The situation was explained to Captain Walter Whitsett. He called the prisoner, who told a straightforward story and was released.

Labels: Captain Whitsett, Central station, Jack Gallagher, Locust street, police, vagrancy

January 2, 1909

TEAMSTER CRUSHED BY WAGON.

Denver Speery Is Killed at the Help-

ing Hand Quarry.

While driving a wagon loaded with rock from the rock quarry of the Helping Hand institute, Highland and Lexington avenue, at 5 o'clock yesterday afternoon, Denver Speery, 19 years old, 711 Locust street, fell from the wagon and was killed by the wheels running over him. He dropped the reins and leaned forward to pick them up, and lost his balance. He was killed instantly.

Labels: accident, death, Helping Hand, Highland avenue, Lexington avenue, Locust street, teamsters

November 25, 1907

DINNER FOR POOR CHILDREN.

Unknown Ex-Kansas Cityan Will

Feed 1,000 in Convention Hall.

Someone -- no one is supposed to know who -- will furnish a free Thanksgiving dinner to 1,000 poor children in Convention Hall, which will also be used gratis. It is enough to say that the donor used to be a Kansas Cityan, and for that matter, is yet in spirit. He has been an exile to New York for some years and has relatives here.

He writes:

"I would like to give a Thanksgiving dinner in Kansas City to 1,000 poor children. My idea is for this to be done under the auspices of the United Hebrew charities and Gentile charities of Kansas City and Kansas City, Kas. I do not want anyone to know who is giving the dinner as I do not desire any publicity. See if you can arrange this and wire me.

In compliance with the wishes of the unknown giver, tickets to the dinner will be in charge of the Associated Charities at 1103 Charlotte street, and the United Hebrew Charities at 1702 Locust street. Poor children may have tickets by calling at either of these places. The dinner will be served between 1 and 2 o'clock tomorrow afternoon.

Labels: charity, Charlotte street, Convention Hall, food, holidays, Locust street, thanksgiving

October 20, 1908

JEWISH WORKMEN AT SCHOOL.

Educational Alliance Enrolls Pupils

60 Years of Age -- Learning English.

Enrollment at the night school of the Jewish Educational Alliance started yesterday at headquarters, 1702 Locust street. About eighty-five enrolled. Jacob Billikopf, who is at the head of the alliance, said last night that he expected an enrollment of more than 100.

The pupils will be divided into four classes, according to their advancement in the art of speaking English. Almost all of those who have enrolled are grown men, some nearly 60 years old, and all of them are employed during the day. Few of them can speak English passably and many not at all.

The classes will be taught by Jacob Billikopf, Miss Dora Fisher, Kark Schreiber, Miss Clara Stern and one other teacher not yet appointed. All the grade school branches will be taught and special classes in English conversation will be arranged. Enrollment will be continued today and classes will begin tomorrow at 8 p. m. and continue through the winter.

Labels: immigrants, Jacob Billikopf, Jews, Locust street, schools

June 1, 1908

SUICIDE FALLS AT

FEET OF HUSBAND.

MRS. HARRY SETTLE SWALLOWS

ACID AT HER HOTEL.

HAD JUST MADE UP

QUARREL.

COUPLE WAS HERE VISITING

MR. SETTLE'S PARENTS.

All Sunday Morning He Pleaded Out-

side Her Door and at Last

Believed She For-

gave Him.

As an outcome of several months of domestic troubles, Mrs. Mildred Settle, daughter of Richard L. Long, a prominent real estate dealer of Fort Worth, Tex., 18 years of age, committed suicide in her room at the Humbolt hotel at Twelfth and Locust streets yesterday afternoon by drinking carbolic acid. Mrs. Settle and her husband, Harry Settle, had been in Kansas City since Saturday at midnight, having come here to visit Mr Settle's parents, who live at 1308 Oak street. They went immediately to the Humbolt hotel, and nothing more was seen of them until late yesterday morning.

Settle appeared in the dining room of the hotel for breakfast at a late hour without his young wife. After his breakfast he went back to their room to see why she had not come down for breakfast. He found the door locked, and to his knocking he received no reply.

He called repeatedly, and she finally told him to leave her, as she wished nothing more from him. Surprised at this treatment, he began to plead with her, but the young wife would speak to him no more.

After urging a reconciliation for some time, he left the hotel and went to his mother's home. He enlisted her services, and together they went to the hotel, and stood outside of the door, first one pleading with the girl, and then the other. At last Mrs. Settle opened the door and let them in. Mrs. Settle then left the husband with his wife, and soon it appeared that all the trouble was over between them. They left the hotel together, and appeared in a happy frame of mind.

About noon they returned and went directly to their room. Mr. Settle left and went to his mother's home. As he passed out of sight his wife walked form the hotel to Hucke's drug store at Twelfth and Oak streets, where she purchased a vial of carbolic acid.

SHE RAN THROUGH STREETS.

Soon she was seen running through the halls, out of doors and into her father-in-law's home. In the room she found her husband talking with his father and mother. She ran directly up to him, gasping out an almost inarticulate cry: "Oh Harry, Harry," and then fell to the floor at his feet.

The family physician was called and tried to revive the fast falling girl by administering vinegar. His treatment was without beneficial effect and her husbans sent in a call for the police ambulance. At the Walnut street station, the nearest one, the doctor had gone out for lunch, but the ambulance was sent nevertheless.

When it arrived at the house where the unconscious girl lay, she was hastily carried into the carriage and orders were given for a record drive to the emergency hospital, fourteen blocks away.

The girl was almost beyond medical aid before they had reached the hospital and died a few moments after having been taken in charge by the police surgeon.

Just before Mrs. Settle left the hotel she had opened her door and called to Mrs. A. D. Buyas, wife of the proprietor, asking her the date of the month. Remembering this incident, Mrs. Buyas went into the dead girl's room, expecting to find an explanatory note of some kind. As she passed through the door she noticed a leaf of charred paper in the center of the floor with a half burnt match beside it. She stooped to see if she could make out what was written on the sheet and succeeded in deciphering the last word, which was "dead."

BURNED FAREWELL NOTE.

Apparently Mrs. Settle had written a note telling of her suicidal intentions and at the last moment decided to leave it all to the imagination. Mr. Settle says that he was not greatly surprised at his wife's actions, for on the occasion of their last years' visit to Kansas City his wife had bought a bottle of laudanum and announced her intention of committing suicide. He says that he was able to persuade her not to do so at that time, but the threat had been ever ready with her since.

Mr. and Mrs. Settle had lived for two years on a ranch near Amarillo, Tex. While on the ranch his wife had developed a strange fascination, according to him, of breaking broncos. At the beginning of her riding she was thrown violently to the ground, sustaining a serious injury about the head. Her husband thinks that this fall caused her to become despondent and in constant ill health, which made her very irritable at times. This fact he believes caused her to magnify the family troubles, which have frequently arisen.

Harry Settle was well known in college football circles, having been a tackle on the University Medical school football team for three years, 1899-1901. At that time he was reputed to be one of the best tackles in the West. He is a brother of Mrs. E. J. Gump of 105 Spring street in this city.

Labels: druggists, hotels, Locust street, Oak street, sports, Spring street, Suicide, Twelfth street, visitors

May 7, 1908

PRISON FOR COUNTERFEITERS.

George Elliott and Tillie Bullene

Were Arrested Only Saturday.

Arrested last Saturday for counterfeiting, George Elliott and Tillie Bullene were started to the federal prison at Fort Leavenworth yesterday afternoon, the man to do hard labor for two and a half years and pay a fine of $5,000, and the woman to undergo eighteen months at hard labor and to pay a fine of $2,500. Both prisoners pleaded guilty and threw themselves on the mercy of the court. At 511 Locust street, where the prisoners had been caught, a complete counterfeiting outfit was captured, together with sity-five bogus dollars and enough material on hand to make many more. Assistant District Attorney Leslie J. Lyons prosecuted the case.

Labels: counterfeiters, federal court, Leavenworth, Locust street, prison

May 6, 1907

WANTED TO FEED HER RATS.

Woman Counterfeiter Begged Police

to Take Her to Them.

The cases of George Elliott and Tillie Bullene, the confessed counterfeiters, who were arrested Saturday night in their room at 511 Locust street, were taken up yesterday by the United States grand jury. Sergeant Peter McCosgrove and Patrolman Joseph Enright, the arresting officers, gave their testimony and produced one of the most complete counterfeiter's outfits ever captured here.

Miss Bullene said that poverty drove her and Elliott to counterfeiting. Elliott made the money and she passed it. The woman cliamed that a sore hand needed constant attention and medicine had to be bought for it.

As she sat in the matron's room at police headquarters last night she had but two concerns -- her hand, which was giving her much pain, and the fact that her thirty-nine pet white rats, left behind at 511 Locust street, were suffering for food.

"I will promise not to make the least effort towards getting away," she told Captain Whitsett, "if you will only send some one along with me so I can feed my white rats. No one else wil care for them and it's downright cruel to let even a rat starve -- especially a white rat."

Miss Bullene cried bitterly as she said her hand pained her so. Dr. J. P. Neal fromm the emergency hospital, who examined the hand, said that iss Bullene was suffering from cancer. He also said that her hand may have to be amputated to save her life.

Labels: animals, counterfeiters, crime, doctors, Locust street, police headquarters, police matron, women

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, counterfeiters, crime, Denver, Locust street, Park avenue

May 3, 1908

PASSED MONEY

THAT WAS BAD.

WOMAN CONFESSES PART IN

COUNTERFEITING PLOT .

WAS CAUGHT AT 511 LOCUST.

MAN ACCUSED OF MAKING THE

MONEY ALSO CAUGHT.

Plaster of Paris Molds, Melting Pots

and Other Paraphernalia for

Producing Bogus Coins Dis-

covered by Police.

In the arrest of a couple giving the name of George and Tillie Bullene at 511 Locust street last night, the police are certain they have a pair of genuine counterfeiters. Four plaster of paris molds, two of them still damp, two pots for melting metal, two batteries and a bad dollar were found in the room. All of the molds are of a dollar.

The woman confessed to Police Sergeant M. E. Ryan, the sergeant says, that for the past year she has been living with Bullene and has been passing the "queer" as fast as he made it. To reporters, however, she refused to make any statement.

Mrs. Bullene brought about the arrest herself. She entered Hudson's drug store at Fifth and Broadway early in the evening. She made a purchase which came to 15 cents, and pushed a dollar slowly along the counter.

T. H. Murphy, a drug clerk, was in the store visiting a friend. The woman's actions attracted his attention and aroused his suspicions. Taking the dollar in his hand he felt of it and said:

"This is a bum dollar. Where did you get it?"

"Well, I declare," said the woman, in apparent surprise, "Let me see who did give me that. Give it here. I think I know who gave it to me now."

With that she left the drug store. Murphy, still filled with suspicion, followed the woman at a safe distance. Many times she looked back, but he always managed to elude her vision. When she got to 511 Locust street she cast one more quick glance behind and darted hurriedly into the house.

Murphy felt that his suspicions were confirmed. He went at once to police headquarters and told his story to Sergeant M. E. Ryan, who detailed Sergeant Peter McCosgrove and Patrolman Joseph Enright on the case. They found both people at the house and placed them under arrest. In the woman's purse was found six "phony" dollars. No bad coin was found on the man.

Two of the molds show plainly that they have been recently used, and there are two which appear to have been made only a few hours, as the plaster had not set. In a match box with some small chips of copper was another "bad" dollar. It is well made, however, and has a ring almost like a good dollar. Ground glass is sometimes used to give counterfeit coins the proper ring. When Enright and Cosgrove brought the molds and metal pots to headquarters they mentioned casually that "there are two old batteries attached out there. We left them."

They were sent back to the room to bring in everything. The batteries are used to give counterfeit coins a thin coating of silver, it is said.

The woman's trunk was taken to Central station about midnight and searched. It was filled with small articles such as cheap soap, perfume, face lotions and other toilet articles which had not cost more than 5 or 10 cents each. She evidently had confined her operations largely to drug stores in passing the spurious coins.

The pair will be turned over to the federal authorities.

Labels: Central station, con artist, counterfeiters, crime, druggists, Locust street, police headquarters

April 25, 1908

WHILE HE ATE MUTTON CHOPS.

Harry Biaski Says Two Little Boys

Robbed Him of $300.

Two lads, Harry and Henry Robinson, sons of Abram Robinson of 1818 Locust street, are being held at the detention home until Harry Biaski, a huckster, living at 1712 Euclid avenue, recovers his pocketbook and $300 which he claims he lost while eating supper in Robinson's house. The father and the older son deny that Biaski was robbed while he was their guest. The $300 represents the savings of four years, Biaski says.

Labels: children, crime, detention home, Euclid avenue, Locust street

April 12, 1908

FATHER TOOK THEM BACK HOME.

Carthage Girls Came Here to Make

"Scads of Money."

After spending nearly a week in Kansas City in an effort to get jobs as stenographers -- if they failed to get on the stage -- Ethle Garretson and Ida Miller, each 18 years of age, were returned to their homes in Carthage, Mo., last night by F. D. Garretson, father of one of them. They were apprehended in the Midland flats, Seventh and Walnut streets, yesterday afternoon and placed in the care of the matron at police headquarters.

Both girls said that they had graduated as stenoraphers at a business college in Carthage. Miss Miller in April, 1907, and Miss Garretson recently. Miss Miller said she had a cousin here "who just made scads of money as a stenographer" and the two girls hoped to do likewise.

Miss Miller is the daughter of W. T. Miller, 1509 South Garrison street, and Miss Garretson a daughter a daughter of F. D. Garretson, 522 Sophia street, Carthage. For the first few days the girls stayed with Mrs. Hathcock at Independence and Locust. The police were searching for them all the time, but did not find them until they moved to the other address.

Labels: Independence avenue, Locust street, police matron, visitors

March 31, 1908

MORASCH GIRL TELLS

OF THREE DAYS' TRAMP.

WENT TO HARRISONVILLE TO

ESCAPE COUNTY ATTORNEY.

Mrs. Morasch Feared Prosecution for

Death of Hughes's Foundling.

Grieved to Hear of Ruth

Miller's Death.

In low, even tones, Blanche Morasch, 17-year-old daughter of Mrs. Sarah Morasch, now being tried in the Wyandotte county district court, Kansas City, Kas., told the jury of the flight of Mrs. Morasch and herself to Harrisonville Mo., subsequent to the poisoning of Ruth Miller. While talking, Blanche seldom withdrew her eyes from those of County Attorney Taggart, except to cast them down toward the thin, nervous fingers of her left hand, which kept continually twisting at the folds of her skirt. he turned states' evidence upon the charge against her being dismissed.

"We were three days and as many nights on the way to Harrisonville," said the girl. "The first night we were at Peculiar, Mo., the second at Belton, the third half way between Belton and Harrisonville. We went all the way afoot, except one short ride in a farm wagon. There was snow on the round.

"Mother and I left Kansas City, Mo, about the morning of February 13. Mother was worried about something and insisted we leave at once for Wichita, Kas., She wanted to stop over a few days with friends at Harrisonville, Mo. We had a little money, which I had earned working at a laundry, and I turned this all over to mother, for I knew very well she could manage the expenses of the trip much better than I could.

"If mother knew anything of the poisoning she told me nothing about it and indicated in no way any knowledge of it. When we were talking over the walk to Harrisonville, the previous night, she told me she that she had just met County Attorney Taggart near our rooms at Eighth and Locust streets. She described him as having his hat pulled down over his eyes.

" 'The county attorney is following me everywhere,' she explained as a reason for our hasty departure from Kansas City. 'I've just got to go somewhere to get away from him. He thinks I killed the baby, which I adopted from the Hughes home If we don't pack up and leave the city he's going to get me sure. I can't stand his following me all the time.

"We set out on the trip about dawn. Both of us had new shoes and the walk to Peculiar, which consumed the greater part of the day, went off nicely. We stayed at a private home that night.

"The next morning, early, we got up, dressed and started out. Both of us were very tired yet from our tramp of the day before, but by noon the stiffness disappeared. Our shoes gave out in the uppers for the slag on the railroad grade was sharp as knives The center of the railroad track was filled with water and snow.

"We did not stop long at Belton, but passed through to a farm house a few miles beyond Before we left there the following morning the farmer's wife brought out a pair of shoes for mother, old ones, which she had thrown away.

""When we got to Harrisonville our feet were very sore and we were a sorry sight. Mother was completely exhausted."

GRIEVED OVER RUTH'S DEATH.

"When did you first see the Kansas City papers and get your first information of the death of Ruth Miller?" asked County Attorney Taggart.

"At Belton," replied the witness. "Mother went into a hotel or some place there and got a paper. When she saw on the first page the account of the little girl's death she wrung her hands and said over and over again: 'Poor Ruth! Poor Ruth!"

After dismissing Blanche from the witness stand, Taggart recalled Coroner A. J. Davis. Ella Van Meter, to whom the candies were sent, was recalled. Her testimony was similar to that given on the stand a week ago and went to show that the slip of paper containing the address, now marked 'exhibit No. 1,' was the one originally on the package.

Thomas D. Taylor, superintendent of the mails in the Kansas City Mo., postoffice, and Postoffice Inspector John C. Koons, partially identified the stamp on the candy box wrapper, on exhibit, as the one used in Kansas City, Mo., at the time.

CASE TO JURY FRIDAY.

Judge Newhall of the Kansas City, Kas., south city court, who presided at the preliminary, is to testify this morning as to statements made by Blanche and Mrs. Morasch at the preliminary hearing.

According to County Attorney Taggart, last night, the state will rest its case tomorrow, but has another handwriting expert to introduce. The defense has announced that it will produce only a few witnesses and is even now willing for the case to go to the jury without argument.

Mrs. Morasch has borne up well since the opening of the hearing. While being returned to her cell at the county jail, after court adjournment she kept up a lively and childish conversation with her little daughter, Hattie, who has spent most of her time in her lap, asleep.

Labels: attorney, County Attorney Taggart, courtroom, Death of Ruth Miller, Eighth street, Harrisonville, Judges, Kansas City Kas, Locust street, murder, Wichita

March 16, 1908

LAZARUS TOSSES A TEACUP.

Because His Wife Doesn't Cook Like

"Mother Used To."

Lazarus Myerson lives at 1820 Locust street, and the No. 4 police ambulance and surgeon, Dr. Carl V. Bates, were called there about 9 o'clock last night. Mrs. Myerson said that at supper Lazarus for the first time in twenty-two years of married life, had struck her, after saying mean things about her cooking. Lazarus had fled and she was forgiving and wasn't willing that he should be hunted. She consented only that Dr. Bates should do something for her closed right eye and slight cuts.

Labels: doctors, domestic violence, Locust street, No 4 police station

March 16, 1908

MAY DIE FROM KNIFE WOUNDS.

Frank Vane Stabbed Near the Heart

by Harry Thomas.

"I went out in the back yard to learn what Harry was swearing about and he stuck a butcher knife in my side and turned the knife around. That's all."

Frank Vane, who rooms at 543 Locust street, was talking as he lay on a cot in the emergency hospital. He was later taken to the general hospital, where Dr. Paul B. Clayton discovered that the knife thrust had cut his fifth rib on the left side clean in two and missed the heart by half an inch. Vane may die.

Harry Thomas, who admits he did the cutting, was arrested by Detectives Brice and Murphy. Jay M. Lee, deputy county prosecutor, came to police headquarters and heard Thomas's story, but decided that Thomas had been drinking too heavily to allow much reliability to be placed in his statement. Thomas is being held until Vane recovers or dies. Thomas rooms at 545 Locust street. Thomas is a railway man and has never been in trouble before. Vane, according to Police Captain Whitsett, is known to the police under the name of Robert DeWain.

Labels: Captain Whitsett, general hospital, Locust street, police headquarters, violence

January 30, 1908

BABY LOST NEAR HOME.

Lela Weldon Enjoyed Her Ride to the

Police Station.

A little girl, almost a baby, pushing an empty go-cart up and down Holmes, Charlotte, and Campbell streets in the vicinity of Fifth street late yesterday afternoon attracted some attention. The little one seemed to be in search of some place, but she kept steadily on, asking no questions.

After two hours of tiresome walking the tot pulled up at a grocery store at Fifth and Holmes streets and announced that she had "lost her mamma and home." She was given a cracker box to rest upon while the police were notified. The tired little one was carried to police headquarters and place in charge of Mrs. Joan Moran, matron.

About 7 o'clock the child's mother, Mrs. J. J. Pearson, 740 Locust street, called for her. She said the baby's name is Lela Neeley Weldon.

"I sent her about a block away for the baby buggy," the mother said, "and when she came out of the house she turned the wrong way. Then she got lost and began to wander about trying to find her home."

It was said by persons who saw little Lela that she was often within a half block of her home. She has lived here but six weeks, coming here with her parents from St. Louis. Most children howl like the Indians when taken in charge by the police, but Lela said she like the ride to the station on the "treet tar."

Labels: buggy, Campbell street, Charlotte street, children, Fifth street, Holmes street, Locust street, police headquarters, police matron

January 27, 1908

AUTOMOBILE RAN OVER HIM.

After He Had Been Assaulted by

Highwayman and Robbed.

Being slugged, robbed and run over by an automobile within the space of an hour, and coming out of it all without serious injury, is what happened to John Meyer, 2425 Locust street, last night at 12:30 o'clock while he was on his way home. As he started to walk across Gillham road at Twenty-third street he was assaulted by a man who struck him over the head. This rendered Meyer unconscious and he lay in the steret for several minutes after the assault.

An automobile happened along at that time, and the driver, not seeing the fallen man, ran completely over him. He then stopped his machine, notified the police and took the unconscious man to the hospital, where his owunds were dressed. When he was able to talk he told the officers that he had been robbed of a little over $2. A pipe, a handkerchief and some matches were found lying upon the ground where he had fallen, indicating that his pockets had been rifled.

After emergency treatment at the hospital he was taken to his home. The name of the automobile driver was not learned.

Labels: accident, crime, Gillham road, Locust street, Twenty-third street

January 6, 1908

CHARIVARI STOPS CARS.

Riot Call Follows Wedding at the

Progressive Club.

When Mrs. Lena Gladstone and Julius Varshavsky set last night as the date for their marriage, they thought that none of their friends knew anything about it. But somewhere and somehow the secret had leaked out and friends of both people were waiting for the time to come so that they might have a charivari party and, perchance, some refreshments. Mrs. Gladstone lived at 221 East Nineteenth street and most of the party of rice throwers thought that the wedding would surely take place at the home of the bride. Consequently at 7 o'clock last night Nineteenth street was crowded with more than 500 noise-making individuals. The cars on Nineteenth street were lined up for more than a block away because the mob in front of the McClure flats refused to get out of the streets.

The car crews sent in a riot call to the police in order that the crowd might be dispersed.

After the cars had passed the mob began to surge back into the street and to show signs of violence. They insisted that they get a treat of some sort. Charles Gidinsky, a druggist at Nineteenth street and Grand avenue, scattered twenty pounds of candy in their midst.

Meanwhile 150 friends of the couple had found out that the wedding was taking place in the Young Men's Progressive Club rooms at Seventeenth and Locust streets, and rushed to that building. The groom walked out upon the porch to make a speech. He was greeted by a storm of rice and old shoes and his voice was drowned by the noise of horns. He hastily ran back indoors and telephoned the police. This time the police were in earnest and soon broke up the charivary party.

Labels: druggists, Grand avenue, Locust street, Nineteenth street, police, Seventeenth street, streetcar, wedding

December 28, 1907

ESCAPED CUSTER SLAUGHTER.

Only to Fall Down Elevator Shaft to

Probable Death.

By a strange perversity of fate J. W. Turner, who lives at 1216 Locust street, escaped the Custer slaughter of 1876 and passed safely through the Spanish-American war, only to fall down an elevator shaft at the Avery Manufacturing Company's building, 1000 Santa Fe street, yesterday morning to almost certain death.

When Turner was 23 years old he enlisted in the famous Seventh cavalry which was annihilated by the Indians under Chief Sitting Bull at the massacre of the Little Big Horn. Turner himself did not participate in that battle. Three days before it came about he had received a two months' furlough in order to visit his family in Indianapolis, Ind., where he was born.

When he heard of the massacre he was but fifty miles from the battlefield. He turned back, scarcely believing the report that not a single one of his comrades had escaped slaughter, and proceeded to the battlefield where he readily saw that all he had been told was true. He has said over and over again that he would have given anything in the world which he possessed if he might have only been in that battle.

Turner is 54 years of age, and at the time of his accident he was employed by the Kansas City House and Window Cleaning Company, as foreman of the window cleaning gang at the Avery Manufacturing Company, 1000 Santa Fe street.

Yesterday morning he went into the office of the shipping clerk, and seeing the elevator boy, Sullivan Thomas, standing by the elevator shaft, he asked, "Are you going to take me up?"

"Sure," replied Thomas, as he got up from his chair and walked to the door of the shaft.

Thomas was familiar with the workings of the elevator and so opened the door himself, looking back at the boy as he did so. Still looking backward, he stepped through the door where the elevator should have been and fell to the basement. Turner was taken to the emergency hospital and afterwards removed to the general hospital. The hospital authorities said last night that there was a small chance of his surviving the night.

Labels: accident, Custer, elevators, emergency hospital, general hospital, Locust street, Native Americans, Santa Fe street, Spanish-American War, veterans