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

February 9, 1910

DEAF MUTES AT DANCE.

They Feel Music, Floor Carrying

Vibrations to Their Feet.

Deaf and dumb people are "like the rest of us" except that they dwell apart in a world where there is eternal silence. Just because their language is not ours it does not mean that they do not have a good time occasionally, a truism which was demonstrated last night when seventy of them had a genuine masked ball in the A. O. U. W. hall at Ninth street and Michigan avenue.

The few visitors who attended the hop saw exactly what anyone sees at a function of this kind -- men and women gaily disporting themselves in all kinds of ludicrous costumes. There were smiles and laughter, perhaps, even, flirtations. The eyes behind the ashen mask of the clown sparked brightly through the peep holes at the lustrous orbs of the queen of spades or the kilted chorus girl. Only the hands, quick, sentient members that fluttered constantly, telling stories the tongue was intended to convey. Outside of this slight difference it was all that could be expected of a masked ball.

Miss Mary Annett was the funniest girl on the floor. The three judges decided this with a single gesticulation apiece. She was petite and pretty. An outsider would not have said "funny" but "interesting" in describing her.

She was tricked out in a blue gingham union suit of enormous proportions. As she glided easily to the tune of a waltz, her feet answering in some occult fashion the vibration of the music conducted to them by the floor boards, she was often applauded, but never laughed at. Mary got a hand-painted cracker bowl as a trophy.

Mary had two sisters present who rivaled her for grace and dress. They were Elda and Edna Arnett, both older than she and able to talk.

Leslie B. Honien, dressed as Happy Hooligan, was the funniest man. Honien is a printer. He had "pied" his costume. "Pied," by the way, is a technical term meaning "generally mixed up, presumably by accident."

Others who shared in the prizes awarded were C. O. Duffield and Leonora McGinnis. Goldie Marksbury played the piano.

The remarkable thing about the dance was that everyone knew how and followed the music, despite the fact that they were unable to hear a single note. The floor carried the vibrations to their feet.

The dance was a benefit given under the auspices of the Association of the Deaf. The returns, amounting to $60, are to go to the education of the deaf and dumb.

The judges were the Rev. J. Koehler, Charles Minor and Frank Laughlin.

Labels: dancing, hearing impaired, Michigan avenue, Ninth street

August 14, 1909

HEART FAILS WHILE SWIMMING.

John Butterly of Chicago Stricken

at Fairmount, Dies.

While swimming in the pool at Fairmount park yesterday afternon John Butterly, 22 years old, died of heart failure. Mr. Butterly lived at 83 Edgemont avenue, Chicago, Ill, and was at the park with W. F. Tobin, 2815 Michigan avenue, Kansas City. Tobin says that Butterly was an expert swimmer and an all round athlete. Dr. William Gilmore, who attended the dead man, said that his death was due to heart failure rather than drowning.

Butterly was swimming in the part of the lake where the water is twenty-two feet deep. He was seen suddenly to go under water, and even though he made no outcry it was evident he could no longer swim. Harry Leidy, the life saver at the park, plunged in after the man and within four minutes had carried him ashore. The fact that there was no water of any consequence in the man' slungs led the physician to believe death was due to heart failure.

Mr. Butterly was a clerk in a gas office in Chicago. He was unmarried. The body was taken to O'Donnell's undertaking rooms and will be sent to Chicago.

Labels: Chicago, death, doctors, drowning, fairmount park, Michigan avenue, swimming, undertakers, visitors

July 6, 1909

NOISE DIDN'T DISTURB THEM.

Deaf Mutes Enjoyed Their Outing

at Budd Park.

In one corner of Budd park yesterday were gathered about 125 men and women. Probably fifty or more children played about, shooting firecrackers and making the usual amount of noise that children make on the Fourth of July.

Not a mother said, "Be careful now," or "Don't go too close." Firecrackers, large and small, were exploded all about the grownups, but not one so much as turned a head or blinked an eye. The occasion was the Kansas City deaf mutes' picnic. Most of the children of deaf mutes have the power of speech, and those at the picnic yesterday were a happy, rollicking, talkative bunch of youngsters.

The picnic was held to arrange ways and means for building a home for aged and infirm deaf mutes somewhere in Missouri. Cash donations already have been made and subscriptions pledged.

On August 26, 27 and 28 the Missouri State Association for the Deaf will hold a convention here. H. B. Waters, 2830 Michigan avenue, is chairman of a local committee to perfect arrangements for the convention.

Labels: Budd park, children, fireworks, hearing impaired, holidays, Michigan avenue, organizations, picnics

April 12, 1909

SOLDIERS GO TO CHURCH.

Third Regiment Attends Services at

Central Methodist Episcopal.

Following its annual custom, the Third regiment of the Missouri national guard attended the morning Easter services at Central Methodist Episcopal church, south, Eleventh street and the Paseo. They turned out about 350 strong under command of Colonel Cusil Lechtman and the regimental and company officers. Dr. G. M. Gibson, president of the Central College for Young Women at Lexington, delivered the sermon.

After the services the regiment paraded in full dress north on the Paseo to Ninth street, west on Ninth to Grand avenue, south on Grand to Fourteenth street and east on Fourteenth street to the armory at Fourteenth street and Michigan avenue.

Labels: churches, Fourteenth street, Grand avenue, holidays, Lexington, Michigan avenue, military, Ninth street, Paseo

February 10, 1909

LATCH STRING IS OUT

TODAY AT BOYS' HOME.

FORTY BEDS INSTALLED AND

LARDER IS FULL.

Unique Schedule of Rates -- Each

Guest Will Give Half His

Earnings for His

Board Bill.

Newly furnished and equipped from kitchen to garret the Boys' hotel, 1223 Michigan avenue, will throw open its doors this morning to the boys who are without homes or friends to look after them. The hotel was due to open yesterday, but the house could not be gotten in readiness and the opening was postponed until today.

Presiding over the hotel is Mrs. Anna Ferris, the new matron, who believes that the hotel and its guests are going to prosper together.

She has succeeded in arranging the scant but comfortable furniture in a most pleasing manner and the little waifs' home looked bright and cheerful to the visitors yesterday. The pantry had been well stocked with groceries and the forty single iron beds are covered with the cleanest of linen.

Accommodations for forty boys have been made and Mrs. Ferris said yesterday that she expected the hotel to be crowded within a few days. Each boy who will live in the hotel will pay half the amount he earns each week for his board. Any deficit in the running expenses of the hotel will be paid from funds secured by private donations.

The hotel is to be conducted under the direction of the Council of Women's Clubs. Besides the matron, who will have charge of the domestic affairs of the hotel, S. R. McIntyre will live at the hotel and have supervision over the conduct of the boys. At first it is expected that the boarders will comprise a majority of the youths formerly members of the hotels society.

"The first meal to be served will be lunch today. By an early hour this morning the matron looks for quite a number of applicants for rooms in the hotel and she will then know how many to provide lunch for. Many visitors called yesterday afternoon to inspect the new quarters.

Labels: boys hotel, Michigan avenue, organizations, women

October 24, 1908

WERE WRAPPED IN BEDDING.

East Bottoms People Appeared in

Court Without Clothing.

More destitute than any family which has been in the juvenile court for months, the Akes family from the East Bottoms appeared there yesterday. So scant was the clothing for the family that some of the members of it were wrapped up in quilts and old sweaters. They told the judge that there was four feet of water in their home at Michigan and Guinotte avenues. The case was one for the Helping Hand, where the Akes were taken so that they could be fitted out with clothing.

Labels: clothing, East bottoms, Guinotte avenue, Helping Hand, juvenile court, Michigan avenue

October 6, 1907

TAFT SCORNED AT ARMORY.

3,000 Listen to Democratic Speakers.

Enthusiasm reached a high state at the opening of the Democratic campaign in Kansas City last night. Four thousand people crowded into the Armory at Fourteenth street and Michgan avenue to hear the issues and principles of the Democratic platform discussed by Ward Headley of Kentucky; Frank S. Monnett of Ohio, and James A. Reed and William P. Borland.

William T. Kemper acted as chairman of the meeting. At 8 o'clock the speakers had not arrived and he introduced William P. Borland.

"The Democratic party is the only party which is running its own candidate and he is running against two men," he said. "Taft is the proxy of Roosevelt; Higsen the proxy of Hearst. The antics of the Republican campaign would be good food for the humorists."

Ward Headley of Kentucky made good with the crowd. He is an interesting talker. He articulates well, speaks fluently and mixed just enough humor with his talk to keep the closest attention of his audience.

"There is only one great issue in this campaign," he began. "That is whether the Americans shall control their government or whether the trusts and corporations shall govern it. The Democracy is united this year for the first time in many campaigns. It isn't harmony from inactivity, but it is the desire to again gain control of our government."

Frank S. Monnett of Ohio, who led the oil fight in that state on the Standard Oil company, used many figures in his speech. He confined himself mostly to the various monopolies with which he had dealt and produced figures to show the falsity of Taft's statements in Kansas last week when Taft said that the price of corn was higher during Republican administrations than during the Democratic administrations.

The speech of James A. Reed brought cheer after cheer. The crowd had listened to other orators for two hours, but they were as eager to hear the Kansas City man as they were the first speaker. His speech was confined mostly to state politics. He also took a gentle jab at Taft's religious zeal.

"So Taft came to town Sunday and went to church three times?" he asked, beginning his talk. "And to think that he never was in a church in his life until he entered this campaign. They told us he was Unitarian and that he believed in neither hell nor heaven. Why, he hadn't been in town fifteen minutes until he began to feel the holy thrill of religion. Who knew our atmosphere affected strangers so queerly?

"Then he went to church looking for salvation. It was only the religious fervor and zeal which took him there. Nothing else could have induced him to go. Once wasn't enough so he tried it twice more in the same day. Then, in order that he could be baptized in every kind of religion he went to the church of the colored brethren to be anointed therein. Let us rise in prayer with Mr. Taft."

Labels: Armory, Congressman Borland, Fourteenth street, James A. Reed, Michigan avenue, politics, President Roosevelt, President Taft, visitors

April 4, 1908

SHE TRIES SUICIDE

AFTER THREE WEEKS.

MARRIED LIFE IS BITTER TO

16-YEAR-OLD BRIDE.

Mrs. Rowena Townsend Drinks Bi-

Chloride of Mercury at Her

Father's Bedside -- She

May Die.

Three weeks of married life, one week of separation and an attempt to commit suicide last night, ended a chapter in the life of Mrs. Rowena Townsend, 1101 Michigan avenue. Mrs. Townsend is 16 years of age and was married to Edward Townsend, who is but four years her senior, at the home of her mother on the night of March 4. Townsend is a shipping clerk in the Kansas City Elevator Company.

After the young couple were married they made their home with the bride's parents and, to outward appearances, were perfectly contented. The mother, Mrs. James Smith, said that she had never seen a happier couple and that she began to regret having made objections to the marriage. After three weeks of this apparent bliss, Townsend failed to return to his home after working hours. Mrs. Smith then asked her daughter if there had been any trouble between them and Rowena replied that she did not care to discuss the matter; that it was an affair strictly between themselves and that she would never tell anyone what the trouble was.

After Townsend's disappearance Rowena did not seem to be in particular low spirits and went about the house laughing and singing; she never mentioned her husband's name. Yesterday afternoon she went down town after having told her mother that she was going shopping, and purchased two ounces of bi-chloride of mercury. She did not return home for supper, but her mother was not disturbed, believing that the girl had gone out to dine with one of her girl friends.

Shortly after 8 o'clock Rowena returned and walked into the room where her aged father was lying, dangerously ill; looking long at him, she turned her back and drank the contents of the phial which she had purchased. Immediately she began to choke and strangle. Mr. Smith called his wife, who was in another room. She hastened to answer her husband's summons and found her daughter lying on the floor by the bed.

Mrs. Smith thought that her daughter was in a fit, and dragged her out into the hall to the front door. There she removed the girl's wraps and hat and loosened her collar. The neighbors, hearing the sound of excited voices, hurried to the assistance of Mrs. Smith, with whom Rowena was struggling violently, declaring over and again that she must die.

Dr. B. W. Green, Twelfth street and Highland avenue, was called in and took charge of the girl. In her unconscious state she grew delirious and told how she had been deceived by her husband, whose affections for her had cooled so soon after the wedding. Dr. Green was unable to pronounce his patient entirely out of danger up to a late hour this morning.

Labels: doctors, Highland avenue, marriage, Michigan avenue, Suicide, Twelfth street

February 9, 1908

HE SERENELY

DRINKS EGGNOGG.

With Friends to Help Him, Captain

Gregg Celebrates Birthday.

Captain W. H. Gregg, a deputy sheriff, who was met leaving the courthouse yesterday with a market basket full of eggs, on his way to his home at 1307 Michigan avenue, where last night he celebrated his 70th birthday, was asked how best a man might celebrate such an occasion.

"I have celebrated over fifty of them," he replied, "and it has been fifty years since I did anything which you might call having a good time. I haven't varied the programme in the past twenty years. It is this:

"I invite a dozen or so of my friends to the house and we play games, tell boyhood stories and drink eggnogg. We will play high five tonight. Those eggs I bought today for the eggnogg."

Labels: birthdays, courthouse, Michigan avenue

August 6, 1907

BROTHERS BARR IN A FIGHT.

Ejected From a Car, They Attacked

the Conductor and the Motorman.

James Barr, a building contractor, and his brother, Amos Barr, both living at 4309 Michigan avenue, engaged in two lively fights with street car men yesterday afternoon, winding up by being taken to No. 6 police station, with their opponents, a conductor and motorman.

As the story goes the Barrs boarded a Vine street car to ride down town. On the way trouble between them and the conductor arose, and at Eighteenth and Walnut streets, they were ejected from the car. A fight followed in which the crews of other cars took part. No one was seriously injured, however, and the Barrs retreated and boarded another car. They went directly to Nineteenth and Vine streets.

About 3 o'clock in the afternoon someone telephoned to Lieutenant Wofford at No. 6 station that two men were waiting at Nineteenth and Vine streets to beat up a street car crew. An officer was sent to the place, but could not find the men referred to. He walked on after looking about to pull up a call box.

Directly the car on which were John Swinehart, motorman, and N. W. Nelson, conductor, approached. As the car was being switched at the corner of Vine street the Barrs rushed out, one of them seizing the conductor, while the other grabbed hold of the motorman. A fight ensued, and H. N. Printz, another street car man, rushed in to take a hand, when Sergeant Al Ryan appeared and placed the entire five under arrest.

At the police station the personal bonds of each was taken and they were released to appear in police court this morning to answer charges of disturbing the peace.

Labels: Eighteenth street, Michigan avenue, Nineteenth street, No 6 police station, police, streetcar, Vine street, violence, Walnut Street