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

January 12, 1910

FINED FOR ASSAULT ON BOYS.

Milkman Brody Had Trouble With

Two Sons of Judge Ross.

On a charge of having assaulted the two small sons of Justice Michael D. Ross, Philip Brody, a milkman, was fined $15 in the municipal court yesterday morning.

Justice Ross lives at 626 Troost avenue and Brody lives in a house to the rear of the premises. The two Ross boys, it is alleged, threw stones at the Brody home and the milkman climbed over a fence and went into the Ross kitchen to chastise them. He was in the act of administering a spanking, it is claimed, when William Ross, the judge's eldest son, appeared on the scene, and after throwing Brody out, called a policeman.

Labels: Judges, Justice Ross, municipal court, Troost avenue, violence

December 11, 1909

SPENT $7.50 ON HER

SAYS PARDONED WOMAN.

Fined $500, Mrs. Cross Agrees to Go

With Brother to Ohio and Leave

Aged Admirer of McLouth, Kas.,

Alone.

Mrs. Ada Cross, 40 years old, who is alleged to have been in a plot to swindle an old man named Kenyon, 85 years of age, of McLouth, Kas., and who was fined $500 in the municipal court December 4 on a technical charge of vagrancy, was paroled yesterday by the board of pardons and paroles. She left last night with her younger brother, Fred A. Spray, for Kirkland, Ind., where he told the board he would make a home for her. She never had been arrested here before.

About last August, so the testimony ran in court, the aged man told a friend that he would give $1,000 for a "nice, good wife." The word reached a real estate dealer here, it was said, and Mrs. Cross went to McLouth, where she met Mr. Kenyon.

After being requested to leave the hotel there, the woman went to Lawrence, where a letter to the aged would-be Benedict soon took him. While there the two became engaged, he paying all the bills. From Lawrence the woman is alleged to have gone to Indiana, where she wrote that she had raised the money on a mortgage. After that she was heard from in three cities in Old Mexico, where she is said to have tried to get Mr. Kenyon to invest in land, later trying to get him to sign notes with her in the purchase of a $2,500 hotel in Kansas City.

All of this caused the old man to investigate through the police, and the woman was taken into custody. Mrs. Cross said that $7.50 paid for her hotel bill at Lawrence was all that the aged Lothario had spent on her. Kenyon's son arrived on the scene and assured the authorities that he would take his father home and have a guardian appointed for him.

Mrs. Cross, thoroughly repented, assured the board yesterday that she would go home with her brother, who has a wife and three children on a farm near Kirkland, Ind., and remain there.

Labels: Lawrence, municipal court, parole board, vagrancy

October 17, 1909

JUDGE PUTS BAN ON BEGGING.

Cripples Will Be Sent to Hospital

and Others to Workhouse.

"Mooching" on the streets is not to be tolerated in the future. Cripples, who are not able to work, will be sent to the General hospital and those who are begging and are able-bodied will be sent to the workhouse.

That is the substance of an ultimatum delivered by the judge of the municipal court yesterday morning, when a crippled man was brought into court for begging at Eighth and Main streets. In the opinion of the court, Kansas City is able to take care of its needy without its streets being infested with beggars.

Labels: general hospital, municipal court

September 13, 1909

CLOTHES HELP HIM IN COURT.

Judge Discharges Man Charged

With Picking Pockets.

Because Joseph Roland, who was arrested on a charge of picking pockets Saturday night on a Twelfth street car, wore old clothes when he faced the judge in the municipal court yesterday morning, he was discharged. The man's story was also convincing.

"I am a paper-hanger in Salt Lake City," said the man. "When work ran out in that town I sent my wife and child to her father's home in Houston, Tex., and started to beat my way East.

"When they accused me of taking that pocket-book Saturday night I ran because I didn't think I would have any chance in the court where I was a stranger."

"Pickpockets generally wear good clothes," said the judge, "and I'm going to let you go."

Labels: crime, municipal court, visitors

August 28, 1909

HALTED A NEGRO PARADE.

Laundry Wagon Driver Was Rough-

ly Handled by Negroes.

During the parade of the negro Knights of Pythias yesterday morning at Twelfth and Central streets a small race riot took place when W. S. Jarboe, a driver for the Fern Laundry Company, accompanied by his wife, tried to drive his wagon in the direction that the procession was marching. His horse was seized by several negroes and others drew the wagon to one side. The excitement subsided of its own accord before the arrival of police from headquarters. Sergeant Robert Smith, in command of the squad, decided that the trouble had been magnified and returned to the station without making any arrests.

After the trouble had subsided and the parade had passed, Jarboe and his wife drove to police headquarters and made a complaint to Daniel V. Howell, assistant city attorney. A warrant was issued for the arrest of George Thompson, a negro lawyer who was leading the parade, and who first seized the horse which Jarboe was driving. The warrant was served last night and the case will be tried in the municipal court this morning.

"I'm not injured -- except my feelings," said Mrs. Jarboe, as she told her trouble to Attorney Howell.

Spectators, both whites and negroes, agree that Jarboe used considerable indiscretion in trying to drive his horse up the line of the parade. Even after the police had arrived and the horse had been rehitched to the wagon, Jarboe had to be restrained from whipping his horse into the mob of persons that were lined along the curbing.

There was very little excitement, considering that it was purely a racial affair, and the parade did not stop. There was no interference on the part of the "armed knights." Mrs. Jarboe was not injured, aside from her feelings, as she admitted to Mr. Howell.

Labels: animals, attorney, lodges, municipal court, parades, police headquarters, race, violence

August 28, 1909

PREACH FOR PRICE OF DRINK.

Street "Missionaries" in Court, One

Being Fined $10.

Preaching on the streets in the North End to secure the price of drinks, has fallen under the ban of municipal court. Yesterday morning two street preachers were on trial for blockading the streets. Chief Frank Snow testified that the men preached until they had a small collection, then closed the ceremonies and hunted the nearest saloon. An hour later the performance would be repeated. One fo the "missionaries" was fined $10.

Labels: alcohol, ministers, municipal court, North end, Police Chief Snow

August 18, 1909

STRUCK WIFE, CHOKED BABY.

On This Charge Judge Remley Fines

Man $500.

For swearing at his mother, striking his wife and choking his baby, J. H. Hamilton, Twenty-second and Chelsea streets, was arrested and yesterday appeared in the municipal court, where Judge Theodore Remley fined him $500, the maximum allowed by the law.

Labels: domestic violence, Judge Remley, municipal court

June 17, 1909

QUIT BRIDE BEFORE

END OF HONEYMOON.

FORMER MATRON HAS HER HUS-

BAND ARRESTED.

Married Just a Month Ago, Mrs.

Frances Rodgers Burgess Charges

Desertion, and Has Earl

Locked Up.

Just one month ago today, Mrs. Frances Rodgers, 32 years old, matron of the George H. Nettleton home, married Earl Burgess, a distinguished looking stranger from St. Paul, whom she had known a month. Last night, Burgess slept in the holdover at police headquarters and will face Judge Kyle in the municipal court this morning on a charge of vagrancy. Mrs. Burgess, who claims that he deserted her a week ago in St. Joseph, after taking her savings, came to Kansas City, and in person saw that he was safely locked up.

"I'm going to prosecute him," she declared as she stamped her foot last night at the police station. "He has taken every cent of my money, and now I'm penniless."

GIRLS' PICTURES IN POCKET.

Burgess, who is 46 years old, and who was wearing a light gray summer suit of clothes, looked extremely downcast when the jailer inspected his pockets. He colored slightly when several miniature photographs of young women were discovered.

"I met him in April," said the wife, "and he represented himself as a retired traveling man. He said that he had property in St. Paul, Oklahoma City and Omaha. In fact he was just traveling because he hated to be idle.

"I became interested at once, and accepted when he proposed marriage. I was then matron of the Nettleton home at a good salary. We went to St. Joseph, my former home, where my two children by my first marriage are in school. He then left me, but returned five days later.

DEAF TO HIS PLEADINGS.

"I forgave the first desertion, but when he again left me last Thursday I couldn't stand it any longer. He claimed that he had gone to St. Paul, but I traced him to Kansas City. I'm mighty glad to see that he is arrested, but I don't know what I'm going to do without money. I don't think he has a foot of property."

Detectives J. J. Raferty and M. J. Halvey arrested Burgess at a rooming house near Fourteenth and Broadway, where he was with a young woman. Mrs. Burgess waited for the detectives at Twelfth street and Broadway, and accompanied them to the station. Burgess implored her not to have him locked up, but his wife ignored his pleadings.

Labels: con artist, detectives, Judge Kyle, marriage, municipal court, St.Joseph, Twelfth street

May 26, 1909

MUST KEEP CHICKENS PENNED.

Or William Wright Will Have to

Pay $500 Fine.

William Wright and his wife, Mary, who live at Thirty-first and Poplar streets, were in municipal court yesterday, charged with disturbing the peace by James A. Johnson, a neighbor, who claimed that Wright had resented his complaint in regard to his chickens, which were allowed to run at large, and had attempted to stab him a knife.

Johnson testified that in the melee, Mrs. Wright had appeared in the doorway and fired several shots at him with a revolver.

Most of the neighborhood appeared and vouched for Johnson's story. The court fined each of the defendants $500 but gave them a stay of execution on the condition that the chickens be penned up.

Labels: animals, guns, municipal court, Thirty-first street

May 14, 1909

QUARRELED ON HONEYMOON.

Deaf Husband and Tongue-Tied

Bride Booked for Municipal Court.

When Ben Green, who is deaf, married Eliza Reamer, who is tongue-tied, last week at the home of his mother in Lawrence, Kas., everyone thought the match an excellent one, though the couple had known each other only a week.

With light hearts they boarded a train for Kansas City, where they intended to spend their honeymoon. Possibly the world at large wouldn't have known about the union if they had not been arrested at Independence avenue and Holmes street yesterday afternoon. They were quarreling.

Both were taken to police headquarters and charged with disturbing the peace. In default of bond they were kept at the station. Mrs. Green, in the matron's room, attempted to tell about her marriage.

She met Green in Wichita a week ago, she said. It was a case of love at first sight. Green persuaded her to go to Lawrence, where they were united. The husband was unable to find work, she said, and they quarreled. The case will be tried in the municipal court this morning.

Labels: hearing impaired, Independence avenue, Lawrence, marriage, municipal court, Wichita

February 25, 1909

WHAT! MAKE THE RAT WORK.

"Well, Say! What Sort of a Town

Do You T'ink Dis Is?"

Confined for one week in the workhouse, where he was sent on a $500 fine in the municipal court February 18, John Riley, commonly called Riley the "Rat," a well known pickpocket, is "carefully guarded," but not allowed to do any manual labor.

On Tuesday afternoon "the Rat," dressed in the garb of workhouse prisoners, sat in the lobby of the bastile, conversing with his wife. His hands were as smooth and pink as those of any young lady of society. Although the rules regulating the length of time visitors may see prisoners to fifteen minutes are posted upon the walls,, "the Rat" was allowed to sit on a bench and talk to his wife for at least an hour.

When Patrick O'Hearn, the superintendent, was asked if Riley had been put to work, he said he had not.

"It is too cold, and the mud is too deep," the superintendent remarked.

Only in pleasant weather are the inmates, with pulls, allowed to work out their fine for the day.

Labels: municipal court, Riley the Rat, workhouse

January 13, 1909

HE DIDN'T STOP ON ORDERS.

Refusal to Heed Policeman Cost

Motor Car Speeder $10.

Refusing to stop his motor car on orders given by Patrolman Jerry Callahan Monday night cost Charles Brinker $10 yesterday morning in the municipal court. The $10 was a fine assessed by Judge Harry G. Kyle after Brinker had been arraigned on a charge of speeding his automobile. The patrolman testified that Brinker was running his machine at the rate of forty miles an hour.

Labels: automobiles, Judge Kyle, municipal court, police

December 19, 1908

SAW KEY AND MADE DUPLICATE.

R. L. Adams Put His Handicraft to

a Dishonest Use.

R. L. Adams, Baltimore, Md., expert key maker by trade and vagrant and thief by occupation, appeared in the municipal court yesterday charged with vagrancy. Thursday afternoon he was standing in front of the drug store of George Eysell on Union avenue looking at the window display.

The telephone operator unlocked the Bell telephone box and took the money out while Adams was watching him. The key used in the operation is a combination lock key, but the eagle eyes of Adams took in the various cuts and he reproduced the key. That evening he entered the drug store and unlocked the box and extracted 10 cents, all of the money it held.

While he was busy with the telephone box a clerk called in two policemen, who chased Adams through the rear door and caught him. He was sent to the workhouse under a fine of $50, which was imposed on him by Judge Kyle.

Labels: crime, druggists, Judge Kyle, municipal court, telephone, Union avenue, workhouse

December 16, 1908

BUFFALOES WANT THEIR BOOZE.

Neighbors Near 47th and Troost Ob-

ject to the Club's Business.

T. W. Dodd, steward of the Benevolent Order of Buffaloes, which has quarters at 1111 East Forty-seventh street, was in the municipal court yesterday to answer a charge of selling liquor without a license.

Dodd produced the club's charter and by-laws, showing that it was of legal standing, and had the right other clubs had to sell liquor. Judge Harry G. Kyle told him that the neighbors were objecting to the club's presence, and advised that they secure rooms downtown. The case was taken under consideration until January 1.

Labels: alcohol, Forty-seventh street, Judge Kyle, lodges, municipal court