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July 8, 1908 HE TRAINED CROKER'S HORSES.
John C. Curry Dies While on a Visit to This City.
John C. Curry, who ten years ago trained Richard Croker's trotting horses, died at St. Joseph's hospital yesterday after a long illness. He was 50 years old and unmarried, and had been here visiting his sister, Miss May Curry, at the Washington hotel since last October. He was one of the best known drivers and trainers of trotting horses in America, and until last September conducted a training stable in New York.
Mr. Curry leaves three sisters and a brother -- Miss May Curry, manager of the Emery, Bird, Thayer dressmaking department; Miss Sarah Curry, a designer at Emery, Bird, Thayer's; Mrs J. A. Lehman of Chicago, and Gil Curry of San Franscisco.Labels: death, hospitals, hotels, retailers, visitor May 12, 1908 THE ART OF BREAD MAKING.
With the "Universal" It's No Longer Hard to Make.
Many a woman has uttered the plaint that while making cake is easy, she just can't make bread, but she need never say it again, according to Miss Bishop, who is demostrating the Universal Bread Mixing Machine at the store of the Bunting-Stone Hardware Company, 814-6 Walnut street.
All las week tiny sample loaves, hot, crispy and fragrant, were given free to every lady who called. The bread was mixed and kneaded in the Universal machine in less than three minutes. Many a woman who knew only too well the drudgery of bread making by the old hand way, rejoiced to learn how quickly the machine would perform the labor, and how light and delicious the bread really was. The demonstration has been so popular that it was decided yesterday to continue it for the balance of the week.Labels: food, retailers, Walnut Street May 9, 1908 FLOOR WALKER KISSED HER.
C. Kennedy Is Fined $50 on Com- plaint of Miss May Irwin.
C. Kennedy, a floor walker in a 10-cent store near Eleventh and Main streets, was fined $50 in police court yesterday on a charge of disturbing the peace of Miss May Irwin, a clerk in the store. The fine was paid by the manager of the store. Miss Irwin lives in Kansas City, Kas.
A week ago, the young woman testified, she was sent to the hosiery department in the basement. It was dark down there and she turned on the lights. Miss Irwin alleged that Kennedy then appeared on the scene and grabbed her, hugging and kissing her against her protest. Last Wednesday Miss Irwin was discharged and she ascribed a reason for it. Previous to that she said she feared to make a complaint against Kennedy as she wished to hold her job. After she was discharged she filed complaint with the city attorney and Kennedy was arrested.
Kennedy admitted most of the charges the girl made, but said that she had given him cause to make advances by flirting with him. This Miss Irwin denied.
"I have worked in many stores in Kansas City," said Miss Irwin, "and in every one I have been insulted in some manner by a head man. I also could name lots of other girls who have received the same treatment. Why don't they complain? That's easily explained. They are all poor girls and have to work, and such a complaint would not only lose them one job, but might black ball them at other places."Labels: Eleventh street, employment, Kansas City Kas, Main street, police court, retailers, women May 6, 1908 BITTEN BY BIG TARANTULA.
Independence Boy Was Cutting Ba- nana When It Jumped on Him.
George Foster, Jr., 17 years old, was bitten by a large tarantula yesterday afternoon while he was attempting to cut a banana from a bunch which was hanging in his father's confectionery store at Independence. Young Foster had just pulled one banana from the bunch when the tarantula jumped from its nest near the stem and bit him between the thumb and first finger on the right hand.
While the wound was not large the pain was intense, and soon the poison from the bite began to take effect, and the arm began to swell and turn blue. Dr. N. P. Woods was called, and young Foster was resting easily last night with every prospect of recovery. The tarantula is said to have measured six inches from tip to tip. In the nest were found several hundred eggs. The tarantula was killed.Labels: doctors, food, Independence, retailers May 5, 1908 BURGLARS USED A LONG POLE.
Broke Window and Fished Out Suits of Clothes.
Burglars, armed with a long pole, broke the window in the rear of J. M. Lerche's store in Independence Sunday night and pulled several suits of clothes, hats, and one umbrella out through the hole. Before the robbers had time to bring a wagon to haul away their plunder a policeman came on the scene and saw the goods in the alley. His presence there kept the thieves from returning.Labels: clothing, crime, Independence, retailers April 24, 1908
FORMER FRIENDS BITTER ENEMIES.
E. J. RICHARDS SEEKS BIG DAM- AGES OF J. C. HUMES.
President of Ginger Club Asks $100,000 for Alleged Alienation of Affections -- "Contemp- tible, Says Humes.
Ms. Emma Richards, wife of E. J. Richards, a hatter and president of the Ginger Club in the "300" block on Twelfth street, yesterday forenoon sued for divorce and a restraining order to prevent her husband from selling their household goods or disposing of his property. The Richardses live at 3910 Walrond avenue.
In the afternoon Mr. Richards brought suit against John C. Humes, president of the J. C. Humes Crockery Company, 1009 Walnut street, for $100,000 on a charge of alienating the affections of Mrs. Richards.
Enough charges and counter charges are made to fill a book. John T. Harding, Mrs. Richards's attorney in the first suit, also represents Humes in the second. Mrs. Richards charges that her husband has abandoned her many times and as many times has begged to be taken back. He has often accused her of improper conduct, she says, and has always later denied the truth of such charges. She also alleges cruelty. Three times, in his fits of suspicion that she wanted to talk to someone he did not wish her to talk to, she charges, he has torn the telephone from the wall of their house.
PARTNERS IN BUSINESS.
According to Richards's petition Humes and Mrs. Richards became acquainted April 25, 1907. Humes loaned Richards $6,000 and became a partner in the hat store. Last summer Mr. and Mrs. Humes spent in Europe. Richards alleges that Humes wrote a letter or a postcard daily to Mrs. Richards, in which he called her by pet names, and that Mrs. Richards answered daily.
John C.Humes, when seen at his home at 4006 McGee street, talked freely and frankly, saying:
"I loaned Richards $6,000 to keep his hat store afloat. He squandered it and now owes nearly as much more to various creditors. Because I wouldn't pay his bills he brings this suit. He offered to settle the case before he filed it.
"I have known Richards for years and thought he was a nice fellow and a promising young business man. I allowed him to live in my house rent free all of last summer, while I was in Europe. He and his wife have taken Sunday dinners with me and my wife and daughter, ever Sunday almost, until two weeks ago. I can only say now that he is a contemptible cur. I am innocent of everything he charges or hints at in his suit. I could not have settled for money, but did not because I am not afraid of a trial."
MAY NOT BE TRIED
Attorney John T. Harding of Brown, Harding & Brown says:
"I don't believe that Richards's suit against Humes will ever be tried. Richards came to my office last Friday at 2 o'clock and offered not to file the case. Humes was present and refused."
Battle McCardle, Richards's attorney, comes back with a flat denial of the statements that any offer has been made to settle the case.
"I talked with Harding and Humes on two afternoons of last week," McCardle says, "and urged humes to let Richards's wife alone. Humes wouldn't talk to me at all. There was nothing said about money."
Mrs. Emma Richards is living with her mother, Mrs. Martha Pursell of Indianapolis, Ind., and her 10-year-old son in the Doris apartments. All the windows were dark last night and repeated rings on the hall bell failed to bring an answer. A knock on the door, at the head of the first flight of stairs brought the troubled face of a pretty woman of about 30 years.
"You are Mrs. Richards?"
"Yes."
"Will you testify for or against your husband in the suit he today brought against John Humes?"
"Oh, I won't talk of that. I can not believe," she began, "I can not believe that Ed would use my name for --" Sobs finished the sentence.Labels: attorney, Divorce, Ginger Club, McGee street, retailers, Twelfth street, Walnut Street, Walrond avenue April 23, 1908 ONLY FLOWERS CAN SPEAK TO STRANGER.
MAN THOUGHT TO BE BUL- GARIAN LIES IN HOSPITAL.
No One Has Been Found Who Can Talk With Him and Learn His Home -- Bouquet Brings Tears.
If any one in Kansas City can talk the Bulgarian language, he will do an act of charity if he will call upon F. H. Ream, religious director of the Helping Hand institute, and assist him in learning the identity of a Bulgarian now at the general hospital.
The unfortunate man has been tried with Polish, Slav, Russian, German and many other European tongues, but to all he is dumb. He has indicated that he can speak Bulgarian. On April 12 the man was found at the Union depot, suffering from a badly injured left hand. He was taken to the general hospital, where it was discovered that a circular saw had ploughed its way into his left hand between the second and ring fingers. It became necessary to amputate both the index and second fingers. The saw tore through almost to the man's wrist.
All day long the poor fellow sits in his ward, unable to say a thing but "Arkansas," "sawmill" and "me much sick," when spoken to.
While in the flower store of Miss J. E. Murray yesterday, Ream told the story of the melancholy Bulgarian with the injured hand.
"So far from home," he said, "badly injured, and can't speak a word of English, but the few he says all the time."
"I wonder if flowers could talk to him," Miss Murray said.
"They speak to all nations alike," said Ream, "especially to the unfortunate."
Miss Murray fixed up a bouquet f roses, bright red American Beauties, carnations of all shades and interspersed them with violets. She told Ream to take them to the injured man. He did, returning to the hospital to do so.
"It was the most pathetic scene I ever witnessed," said Ream last night. "When I went in I walked up and laid the bouquet in the man's good hand. Without looking up he said, 'Me much sick,' but when he felt the damp flowers he grasped the stems and looked up as if to say some mistake has been made. I indicated that the flower were for him and said so in Polish. His face flushed, bowed among the flowers. 'Me? Me?' he asked, excitedly, still clinging to the blossoms. I had to indicate again that they were all for him.
"Once more the poor fellow buried his face among the flowers," concluded Ream, "but when he lifted his head, big tears were streaming down his cheeks. The flowers had spoken to him."
The unfortunate is between 39 and 45 years old. From signs made by him, the nurse, who has been attending him, believes that he has two daughters somewhere. He will point to her, hold up two fingers and then pat his own breast.
It is believed that the man was injured at a sawmill somewhere in Arkansas and was sent into Kansas City to be cared for by the city.
"If I can find someone who can talk to him," said Ream, "I think we will learn where his people are."Labels: accident, flowers, general hospital, Helping Hand, immigrants, retailers, Union depot April 18, 1908 IT CUTS GRASS BORDERS.
A Machine That Every Man Who Has a Lawn Will Want.
A very practical machine for cutting grass borders and the edge of lawns is being demonstrated this week at the store of the Bunting-Stone Hardware Company, 806-808 Walnut street. It is claimed that it does what other machines cannot do, and what lawn mowers leave undone, and that with it a single person may accomplish as much work as four men.
This border grass cutter will trim and edge a lawn with remarkable speed and perfection. It has a shield in order to protect flowers from the cuttin gblades, and has demonstrated to countless users that the old-time, back-breaking day of shears, clippers, etc., is forever past.Labels: flowers, retailers, Walnut Street March 7, 1908 IS SHOT BY HIS BUSINESS RIVAL.
HARD WORDS GIVE PLACE TO BULLETS ON EAST FIFTEENTH.
FRANK W. LANDIS WOUNDED.
CHARLES SOVERN SAYS IT WAS DONE IN SELF-DEFENSE.
Shops of the Men Are Adjoining, and They Have Quarreled Frequently -- Sovern Shoots Without Warning.
Charles Sovern, a second-hand dealer at 4313-15 East Fifteenth street, shot Frank W. Landis, a neighboring second-hand, 4317 East Fifteenth street, shortly after 5 o'clock yesterday afternoon. Sovern was arrested by Patrolman H. L. Goode and locked up at No. 6 police station for investigation. Landis's wife refused to let him be taken away in a police ambulance, so he was left at his home over his store in care of Dr. W. L. Campbell, who dressed his wounds.
Landis was shot twice, both times in the back. One bullet entered the neck just at the base of the skull, and one penetrated the back below the left shoulder blade. Dr. Campbell said last night that his only danger was in blood poisoning.
F. W. Frick, an assistant prosecutor, went to No. 6 police station and took Sovern's statement. Sovern said that he and Landis, being neighbors and in the same business, had been spatting back and forth a long time. When he returned from town late yesterday afternoon Sovern said he saw Landis standing in his east door, 4315 East Fifteenth, talking to another man.
"I told him to get off my premises," said Sovern. "He made some reply and made a bluff for a gun. Then I heard a shot, but don't know where it went. I entered my store by the west door, 4313. My gun was on my desk on the west side of the room . I don't know how I got to it, but I shot him three times. I believed I was defending myself."
Patrolman H. L. Goode was standing only one block away when the shooting took place. He said that Landis was lying wounded in his own doorway, 4317, when he arrived in less than a half minute. He had been shot in the back and was bleeding freely, Goode said.
"Just as I came up," said the officer, "a man whom I took to be Sovern left the Landis store and entered Sovern's place. There he came out and went across the street, where he spoke to some one."
These men were witnesses to the shooting: G. W. Ellis of Centropolis; J. M. Parrish, 5705 East Twelfth street; E. L. Adams, 1235 Lawndale; and Fred Link, 4304 East Fifteenth street.
When seen at his home last night Landis made the following statement:
"There has never been any bad blood between Sovern and me, for I have left him more or less alone. True, there have been several altercations between us, but they were merely of a business nature. I have no idea why he tried to kill me, as we have never quarreled to such an extent as to bring about a fight. At most there has been only an exchange of uncomplimentary names between us. His attack upon me was entirely unexpected. I have never had any intimation that Sovern meant to fight with me."
Landis was in a cheery mood last night and did not seem to be in much pain. He talked and laughed over the shooting affair with visitors in his room.Labels: Centropolis, doctors, No 6 police station, retailers, Twelfth street, violence March 4, 1908
THOUGHT THEY HELD BOMBS.
Shopkeeper Summons Police to Take Away Brakeman's Battered Grips.
Anarchist activities recently in Chicago inspired the household of Barbara Bapp, a confectioner at 2309 Holmes street, yesterday, to believe they were harboring bombs in two grips left there. Some unknown man asked to leave a disreputable looking suit case and satchel, and at dusk he hadn't come back. The more the Bapps thought about those prize packages the more firmly they became convinced that there were infernal machines inside. Touch them they would not, and the part of the store where they sat was deserted.
No. 4 police station was appealed to and Lieutenant Heydon sent out Patrolman Klusman to see about it. What he carried back to the station was a lot of wearing apparel belonging to a Missouri Pacific brakeman, including a cap, a large collection of slightly used decks of cards, presumably left on trains by players, and a personal supply of medicines and nostrums, none of them suggestive of any power to explode. From the letters it appears that the owner's name must be Will Nash.Labels: Holmes street, No 4 police station, railroad, retailers February 20, 1908 HONOR FOR "GINGER" PEARSON.
He Is Newest Member and Mascot of the Ginger Club.
A mascot in the shape of a wee baby boy is the latest addition to the Ginger Club. Somtime in the night, between Saturday and Sunday, the exact time is not known, the stork entered the home of Robert Pearson. As the Pearsons live in the "300" block on East Twelfth street, the home of the Ginger Club, the parents of the infant decided to name it "Ginger." Thus a distinctly honorary member was taken into the Ginger Club.
The merchants in the block are preparing to give a handsome present to the little one. Exactly what it will be has not yet been decided. The Ginger Club announced yesterday that its large "300" signs will be up and in working order Saturday. These signs consist of the figure "300" done in incandescent lamps, and each figure will be about two and a half feet high and about one and a half feet tall. There will be two of the signs.
On Saturday the members of the Ginger Club will pllace two or three barrels of ginger snaps, their insignia, around in their block. They promise that these snaps will be entirely edible and the bet brand which can be bought. This is their treat to the public in honor of their infant mascot.Labels: children, food, Ginger Club, retailers, Twelfth street February 16, 1908 SNUG FITTING COATS WITHOUT COLLARS NOW.
New Style of Garment to be Seen in Kansas City.
Coats without collars! We have come to be familiar with telgraphy without wires, we have read of wireless cook stoves, and some of us were even purueaded this season to wear hats almost without brims -- but teh time-honored prerogative of sovereign man to tur up his coat collar has never before been jeopardized.
A remarkable and very attractive window in the ain street store of the Grand Pants Company shows a new coat for men. Its snug shoulder-hugging lines curve artistically about the neck, but there is absolutely nothing which could be termed a "collar," or part of one. In effect it is very striking, but Samuel Gretzer, owner and manager of the Grand Pants stores, asserts that this style will be positively seen on the streets this coming season.
Mr. Gretzer is the originator of the Grand Pants idea, a plan of selling which has become justly famous, and has been copied all over the United States -- that of selling trousers at "$1.75 a leg, seats free!" In the ten years which he has been associated with mercantile Kansas City, he has built up one of the most remarkable businesses of its kind in the country. His success, Mr. Gretzer attributes very largely to the constant promulgation of new ideas and his untiring effort not to cheapen the output of his establishment in order to make larger profit, but to increase the value and style put into every garment. The splendid stores at 921 Main street and 12 East Twelfth street attest to the soundness of this policy, and the fact that more journeyman tailors are employed by his firm than any other in Kansas City proves that people appreciate meritorious work, however low the price.Labels: clothing, Main street, retailers, Twelfth street January 25, 1908 WILL SEARCH FOR GOLD.
Ginger Club Gives Citizens a Chance to Find Money.
An order for $10 and two others for $5 each will be among the 2,000 slips of paper to be hidden in every available place no Twelfth street from McGee to Oak today by the Ginger Club, and improvement association. The orders when presented to members of the association named on the slip will be paid in gold. The hunt for the pieces of paper, which is open to everybody, will begin at 1 o'clock.
The Ginger Club is taking this novel means to advertise the "300" block on East Twelfth street, which is being improved by the club, Ginger snaps and coffee will be served to the participants in the hunt.Labels: Ginger Club, McGee street, Oak street, retailers, Twelfth street January 19, 1908 PLAN TO "GINGER UP" ALL TWELFTH STREET.
Improvement Spreads West; Baseball Club Formed.
Not satisfied with its work in gingering up the 300 block of East Twelfth street, from McGee to Oak streets, the Ginger Club has now decided to begin a campaign to improve all of Twelfth street in the downtown district, hang flaming arc lights on artistic brackets from each trolley pole, and call it "The Great White Way.
The merchants on Eleventh street, from Main to Walnut have an advantage in that they are located on Petticoat Lane, a name that everybody recognizes," said E. J. Richards, president of the Ginger Club yesterday. "We want the women to know that ours is the cleanest block on the city, and the brightest at night."
"Even the negro porters in the block are getting interested. Several of them have been to me today to know what they can do to help. 'We want to do our best,' they said."
ORGANIZE BALL CLUB.
Last night the Ginger Club organized a baseball club at the office of the secretary, L. J. Galbert, 309 East Twelfth street, and has issued a challenge to the Kansas City Athletic Club to play a game of indoor baseball on Washington's birthday. The Ginger Club has secured some of the best semi-professional baseball talent in the city, including men from Iowa and Kansas state leagues.Labels: Eleventh street, Ginger Club, organizations, Petticoat Lane, retailers, sports, Twelfth street January 17, 1908 HE LIKED MURDER STORIES.
Grant Figs Delighted in the Reading of Crimes of Blood.
Ellis Mitchell, a son of Israel Mitchell, at whose house at 2211 Lydia avenue Grant Figgs, confessed murderer of two people, lived for a while before his arrest, was examined by Deputy Prosecutor John W. Hogan yesterday afternoon and his statement was taken in short-hand, transcribed and signed. He repeated his first story, that Figs frequently asked him to read newspaper accounts of murders and other crimes. Figs seemed excited at hearing the details of killings and often sat with his eyes on the door for some time afterwards.
When the officers went to Mitchell's house yesterday they found the entire family hidden in the basement. It was only after repeated knocking that there was a response. The negroes said that they feared some of Figg's friends had come to kill them for telling on him. The police promised to protect them in the future.
Israel Mitchell told Hogan that Figs had a habit of hiding in the basement whenever anyone knocked at the door. Both the Mitchells identified the hammer found in Woodman's store, at 1112 East Eighteenth street as their hammer, which Figs had secured possession of before the murder of Woodman.
Figs was arraigned in Justice Mike Ross's court yesterday afternoon on two murder charges, one for the killing of H. O Woodman at 1112 East Eighteenth street, August 28, 1907, and one for the beating to death of Edward Landman of 1107 East Eighteenth street, on November 25. Figs declined to plead in either case, and the hearing in both was set for Saturday afternoon. James A. Dyer, George Burgman and Deputy Prosecutor Hogan escorted him from the county jail to the justice court and back.
The arraignment was held in the justice court, instead of direct in the criminal court, says John George, clerk of the justice court, because Figs wants all the time possible. Figs has no attorney yet, and no money.
Claude Brooks was taken from the county jail to police headquarters for a few minutes yesterday afternoon, photographed, measured and his fingerprints made. He will be arraigned either in the criminal court or in a justice court this afternoon for the murder of his benefactor, Sid Herndon, at the Navarro flats.Labels: courtroom, Eighteenth street, Judges, Lydia avenue, murder, retailers January 15, 1908 ORGANIZE "GINGER CLUB. "
Merchants on Twelfth Street Have Novel Advertising Scheme.
Merchants in the "300" block between Oak and McGee streets on Twelfth street, have a unique advertising scheme. They have organized what they call the Ginger Club, with a ginger snap for an emblem. Its significance is: snappy merchants with plenty of ginger in them.
At a meeting yesterday $500 was raised in order to boost their block. It is their purpose to erect a large electric sign at both entrances, bearing the number "300" in figures seven or eight feet high. Five arc lights will be secured and hung along the block on both sides of the street.
The merchants will employ a man, whom they will dress in a white suit and cap, to keep the street between Oak and McGee streets clean. This man will be kept at work every day of the week except Sunday.
Saturday afternoon at 3 o'clock beginning a week from Saturday, the members of the club will have 2,000 coupons distributed among people on the streets. One of these coupons will be worth $10 in trade, and two will be worth $5.
The officers of the Ginger Club are: E. J. Richards, chairman, Charles I. Lorber, secretary, and I. V. Hucke, treasurer. The club will hold weekly meetings.Labels: Ginger Club, McGee street, Oak street, retailers, Twelfth street December 30, 1907 MAY TELL WHO WEARS WIGS.
Human Hair Workers Threaten to Strike and Reveal Secrets.
From New York comes the startling intelligence to wigwearers that the Human Hair Workers' union is threatening to call a strike. What is worse, they say that if the strike is called, the human hair workers all over the country will appeal to bald heads for contributions to the strike fun on pain of exposure. That is, they say they will demand money for keeping quiet the fact that Mr. Smooth Head does not wear hair endowed him by nature.
"Ha!" said J. E. Vincent, a dealer in wigs. "It won't affect us at all. You see, we don't have a union organization of wigworkers in Kansas City and then -- well, did you know that the women of Kansas City don't give a continental who knows that they don't wear wigs?"
"How many women wear wigs?" he was asked.
"Better ask me how many don't!" exclaimed Mr. Vincent.
"I tell you there's a mighty small per cent of the women in Kansas City who don't wear false hair in some form or another. The married men know it, but not one young chap out of a hundred knows that his best girl is wearing a false roll or pompadour as big as a sweet potato under those lovely tresses of hers.
"But it's different with the men. When a man comes in here to buy a wig or something along that line, he acts as if he was about to commit a crime. Not very long ago a man almost scared the life out of the girls in the store. From 10 o'clock in the morning he paced back and forth in front of the store, peering through the windows. Finally I stepped outside and asked him what he wanted. He looked all around to see if anybody was listening and then whispered in my ear, 'I want a wig!'"
"Wouldn't it be an easy matter to get money out of a man like that for keeping his secret?" Mr. Vincent was asked.
"I wouldn't want to be the man to tell him he was wearing a wig," he replied, shrugging his shoulders.Labels: retailers December 23, 1907 COULDN'T WAIT FOR SLOW DEATH.
HEALTH FAILED RILEY AND HE SWALLOWED POISON.
WIFE FOUND HIM TOO LATE.
HAD JUST RETURNED FROM A TRIP FOR HIS HEALTH.
For Many Years Charles C. Riley Was a Department Manager for Emery, Bird, Thayer -- Broke Down From Overwork.
Charles C. Riley, a former department manager for the Emery, bird, Thayer Dry Goods Company, who a year ago next New Year's day went to live in Paloma, La., to regain his failing health, returned with his wife to their home at 3911 East Tenth street at 10 o'clock yesterday morning to await death within a few weeks.
His strength was barely sufficient. Upon his reaching home, for him to climb one flight of stairs to the bath room. He had been in the room but a minute or two when his wife called to him.
"I am all right," he said, but his voice sounded strange.
She pushed open the door and found him lying on the floor. He was holding in his hand an empty vial which had contained carbolic acid. As she stooped to speak to him, he smiled and whispered:
"Goodby, dear!"
There were several friends in the house, who had met the Rileys at the depot and escorted them to their home, and upon Mrs. Riley's giving the alarm, someone telephoned for a physician. Dr. W. A. Armour, who lives at 3401 East Twelfth street, reached the house within ten minutes, but Mr. Riley was already dead.
Coroner G. B. Thompson said that an inquest was unnecessary where the cause of death was so plain. The label on the acid bottle showed that Mr. Riley had purchased it in Paloma, and that he had likely many days ago planned to end the hopeless struggle to regain his health.
Three years ago, while Mr. Riley was serving his thirteenth year as manager of the woolen dress goods department of Emery, Bird, Thayer's, his health failed. He kept on working and a year later took upon himself additional work. During the holidays last year he suffered nervous prostration and never returned to his work. His nervous system seemed to be utterly shattered, and the trip to the South, which was his last hope for recovery, failed to build him up.
The only relatives in Kansas City are the widow and one daughter. Mr. Riley's parents, who live in Farmington, N. J., have been notified. The funeral services will be held from the residence after their arrival.Labels: doctors, retailers, Suicide, Tenth street, Twelfth street November 15, 1907 DEATH RATHER THAN BLINDNESS.
Probable Cause of the Suicide of Leo Mainhardt.
"I believe I am going blind. I can't see to read the paper at night at all."
Before Leo Mainhardt, the cigar dealer, left his store at 601 Delaware street Tuesday night that was a remark he made to one of his clerks. It is the belief of his business associates that he may have wandered about the streets until 12:00 when he went to the Centropolis hotel, engaged a room, then committed suicide.
Mr. Mainhardt's eyesight was rapidly failing and he was constantly worrying about his inability to see.
Constant worry over his ailment," Mrs. Mainhardt said this morning, "is the only cause to which I can attribute his act. He has never said anything that would indicate that he intended to commit suicide, however."
The funeral will be held this afternoon at the house, 1322 Euclid avenue.Labels: Centropolis, cigars, Delaware street, Euclid avenue, retailers, Suicide October 20, 1907 ONCE, ANYWAY, THEY WORKED.
County Employes, at Varying Sal- aries, Answered Telephones.
Inquiries from shopkeepers who wanted to know what they might do and what commodities they might sell today without laying themselves liable to arrest, flooding in over the telephones in the criminal court building yesterday, kept four employes of the county busy all day. Two men sat by the telephones in the county prosecutor's office and two in the city marshal's office answering or trying to answer questions. They are men who draw salaaries from the county of from $75 to $150 a month. Questions of all sorts were asked.
"I run a barber shop. I won't shave anybody tomorrow, but may I turn the water on in the bathtubs?" inquired one voice.
"I pass that," replied Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Kimbrell, who was on the telephone. "Cleanliness in next to Godliness, as I have heard, but I don't know what Judge Wallace will say about your selling a bath on Sunday."
"I am an undertaker and there is a man in my office now who wants me to furnish a hearse and carriages for his wife's funeral tomorrow. Will I be arrested if I do so?"
"When did the lady die?" replied Jimmy Moran, for this question floated into the county marshal's office.
"Friday, " replied the undertaker.
"That's a very unlucky day to die on," Jimmy said. "Especially since the lid is on. If you think the body won't keep until Monday, go ahead with the funeral Sunday."
The afternoon papers had not been on the street more than five minutes when the four county officers who served as telephone boys got into real trouble. The earlier instructions of Judge Wallace exempted the sellers of candies, bread, ice, milk, and other necessities of life from arrest. But the grand jury told police to report all kinds of business transacted excepting the sales of drugs and service of meals.
Candy store keepers, florists, and bakers, who thought they were exempt, began calling in to find out whether they should obey Judge Wallace or the grand jury. The men on the answer ends of the telephones were up against it and said so frankly.
"Judge Wallace last night wouldn't discuss the change which the grand jury made during his absence from the city, other than to say that he would look into the matter Monday morning. Men who know him, though, believe that promises which he made to bakers and others, many by personal word, will not be violated. If the jury should decide to go beyond the judge's instructions and close everything in the city excepting drug stores and restaurants, however, the judge will, perhaps, back it in enforcing the rules after today.Labels: barbers, Judge Wallace, Prosecutor Kimbrell, retailers, telephone, undertakers August 30, 1907 WOODMAN IS DEAD.
Man Assaulted and Robbed in Store Dies From Injury.
H. A. Woodman, the furniture dealer, who was found unconscious in his store at 1112-14 East Eighteenth street Wednesday afternoon, the result of a blow over the head from a hammer used by a robber, died about 2 o'clock yesterday afternoon at the German hospital. From the time he was found until his death Mr. Woodman never regained consciousness. The police have no clue to the murderer, and it is probably this will be added to the list of mysterious murders the police have been unable to run down.Labels: Eighteenth street, German hospital, murder, retailers July 21, 1907
THE HOTTEST PLACE
ELEVENTH AND WALNUT SET THE RECORD YESTERDAY. THERMOMETER 106 THERE
Petticoat Lane a Sizzling
Pathway for Shoppers
Petticoat Lane is the hottest place in town. Petticoat Lane is one block in length, running east and west, between Main and Walnut streets -- or, more plainly put it is the main thoroughfare between several of the large department stores of the retail downtown Kansas City.
At 4:45 o'clock yesterday afternoon the mercury registered 106 at the northeast corner of Eleventh and Walnut streets. This intense heat was general in Petticoat Lane. Just around the corner in Walnut street at Eleventh, on the west side of the street, it was a trifle over 3 degrees cooler.
The regular afternoon crush of women shoppers was on yesterday afternoon in Petticoat Lane, to and from the various department stores in that district. P. Connor, the United States weather forecaster at the Scarritt building at Ninth street and Grand avenue, remarked:
"The sun's rays beat down on Petticoat lane all day long. The pavement is smooth and reflects the heat. Then the summer southwest breeze picks up the heat and hurls it against the buildings on the east side of the street. That accounts for the cooler temperature on the west side of Walnut street, just off Eleventh street."
And while the sun's rays beat down upon the pavement in Eleventh street, better known as Petticoat Lane, thousands of shoppers walked and rewalked through the block all the long, hot afternoon. The women carried fans and liberally patronized the soda fountains which are located alluringly near the open doors of the drug stores -- and all thought yesterday was the hottest day ever.Labels: Eleventh street, Grand avenue, Main street, Ninth street, Petticoat Lane, retailers, Scarritt building, Walnut Street, weather May 31, 1907 DOOR YIELDED TO A PUSH.
Now Warren Lancaster Faces a Charge of Burglary.
The dry goods store of A. Newman, 1327 Grand avenue, was entered on May 20 by breaking in a rear door. Silk waists and skirts to the value of about $200 were stolen. W. B. Clark and James Downey, plain clothes men from No. 2 station, noticed some silk waists in pawn in the West bottoms. Then they arrested Warran Lancaster, alias "Hayseed," who held out firmly that he knew nothing about the robbery. Yesterday, however, he made a full confession, detailing how the robbery was committed and telling where most of the stolen goods had been sold or pawned.
"No one was implicated with me," he said. "I went into the alley, placed my back against the door, gave it a shove and in it went. I got nine silk waists and four shirts."Labels: crime, Grand avenue, pawn brokers, police, retailers May 29, 1907
BOUGHT BY JONES
TAKE OVER MAIL ORDER BUSINESS OF KEMPER-PAXTON.
TWO BUSINESSES SEPARATE.
THE CAPITAL STOCK INCREASED TO $300,000. Plans Contemplate One of the Largest Mail Order Concerns in Amer- ica -- Establish Buying Stations All Over the World.
The Jones Dry Goods Company had purchased the mail order business of Kemper-Paxton Mercantile Company, increasing the capital stock of the former company form $150,000 to $300,000. W. T. Kemper retains part of the preferred stock in the company.
In the evolution of the commercial world within recent years the buying of goods by mail from catalogue houses by the people of all sections of the country has grown to such proportions, so states one of the Jones brothers, and has proved such a satisfactory way to trade that it must be recognized as an advanced step in the retail distribution of merchandise. In view of the fact that the people are buying largely from mail order houses, it was decided by the Jones company that it would be better to keep this trade in Kansas City than to have it go to the markets further east. Some of the fundamental principles on which the Jones Bros. will conduct the new branch of their business are stated as follows:
Their purpose shall be to get the goods from the maker to the user at the smallest expenditure of time and money. "The greatest good to the greatest number," is to be the motto of the new department. The present quarters of the Kemper-Paxton company, which will be occupied by the new firm, consist of a seven-story and basement building at Ninth and Liberty streets. As it becomes necessary these quarters will be enlarged.
The new business will be run distinctly separate from the business at Twelfth, Thirteenth, and Main and Walnut streets, but the two will operate in the closest harmony and out-of-town customers will be accommodated at either store.
The Jones Bros. are planning to make of the new business one of the greatest mail order concerns in the United States. Buying stations have already been established all over the world, and merchandise will be shipped direct to Kansas City from those places.
"Our trade territory for the present will be the great Southwest," said J. L. Jones, yesterday. "But as rapidly as is deemed expedient the whole United States will become our market. There is no reason why this catalogue business should not reach from Maine to California and from Winnepeg to Galveston in the course of a few years.
"It is believed that with the re-establishment of navigation on the Missouri river a certain and tremendous increase in the output of Kansas City factories will result, because of the outlet furnished by this distributing agency and others of its kind, and because of better freight rates resulting from river navigation."
Both of the Jones brothers have been country merchants in past years and have felt the country merchants' antagonism toward the mail order houses. They state, however, that so long as millions of people are buying goods from catalogue, there is no reason why Kansas City should not get in the fight and keep the business that rightfully belongs to her. For this reason the Kemper-Paxton Mercantile Company launched its mail order business in Kansas City and for the same reason the Jones Bros. have absorbed it with the determination to make it one of the greatest institutions of its kind in the United States.Labels: Jones Dry Goods, Main street, Missouri river, Ninth street, retailers, Thirteenth street, Twelfth street, Walnut Street May 9, 1907
ONLY ONE KNOWN DEAD IN UNIVERSITY FIRE, THOUGH IT IS BELIEVED RUINS HOLDS ANOTHER BODY
GROPING HIS WAY THROUGH SMOKE FILLED HALLWAYS, GEORGES DeMARE BECAME CONFUSED AND LEAPED OR FELL TO HIS DEATH
WOMAN CANNOT BE FOUND.
Miss Aurora Wittebart Believed To Have Perished in the Doomed Structure
WOMAN FALLS FROM LADDER.
Through Blinding Smoke Fight for Life Waged.
The University building, at the northtwest corner of Ninth and Locust streets, was totally destroyed by fire yesterday afternoon, causing a loss of $125,000 on the building and resulting in the death of Professor Georges De Mare, head of the art department in Central high school, who jumped or fell from a window on the fourth floor of the burning building.
The body of Miss Aurora Wittebart is supposed to be still in the ruins.
The loss to the various tenants cannot be known with any degree of definiteness for some time. With the exception of Montgomery Ward & Co., who occupied the first two floors, most of the occupants of the building were musicians and artists. The Radford pharmacy occupied the room at the corner of Ninth and Locust, and the Kindergarten Supply Company occupied the room immediately to the west of the pharmacy.
The fire caused more excitement than any which has occurred in Kansas City in years, owing to the ancient architecture of the building and the large number of women who had studios in the building, and the fact that several hundred girls were employed by Montgomery Ward & Co. There were many sensational escapes and displays of heroism, the most notable being the rescue of Miss S. Ellen Barnes, a music teacher, by Fireman Charles Braun.
She Died of Suffocation?
Death by suffocation is thought to have been the fate of Miss Aurora Wittebart, and artist who had an office in the fifth floor of the building, and was there when the fire started. She was last seen by Miss Barnes just as Professor de Mare jumped to his death. She is thought to be the woman Mr. Farrel saw with de Mare, as he groped his way through the smoke to safety. De Mare leaped to death from a window leading out of her studio.
Miss Wittebart is the daughter of a glass manufacturer who lives at Coffeyville, Kas. She was only 22 years of age, and had been studying art and painting in Kansas City for several months, and was to have been married to George Jackson, an employe of the Missouri-Kansas Telephone Company.
Last to See Miss Wittebart.
"Just before I learned that the building was on fire Professor de Mare was in my studio," said Miss Helen Barnes last night. "We were talking about music and art, and finally he arose to go, saying that he was expecting a visitor in his studio. He walked to the door and opened it. A gust of black smoke burst through the open door, and it was then we realized that the building was on fire. Professor de Mare called to me to get out of the building immediately and started down the hall. I started to follow, but soon realized that I could not find my way through the dense smoke. I went to a window from where I saw Miss Wittebart standing at a window on the floor below. She was near the rear fire escape and I supposed she had descended. Professor de Mare had opened a window and was preparing, I thought, to mount the landing of a fire escape. I returned immediately to my studio and, raising a window, made a feeble attempt to call for help. the smoke strangled me, and I threw my purse out to attract the people below. That was needless, though, for I had been seen by the firemen, and at that time ladders were being rapidly placed to reach me. I saw the fireman who rescued me climbing upward. There was determination in his manner, and I seemed to realize when I looked upon his smoke-begrimed, upturned face that he would surely reach me. It was his determined look that strengthened me and seemed to give me new courage."
Cleveland Laid Cornerstone.
The building was constructed nearly twenty years ago for the Y. M. C. A., Grover Cleveland laying the cornerstone in 1887 during his first term as president. It cost $112,000, and after the Y. M. C. A. was compelled to relinquish it the building passed into the possession of the Pepper estate, being in turn sold to the Sunny Slope Realty Company. There was an insurance of $72,000 on the structure.
The first alarm was turned in a few minutes before 3 o'clock by O. W. Hoover, proprietor of the Kindergarten Supply House, next door west from the drug store on the corner. Mr. Hoover heard the girls employed by Montgomery Ward & Co. hurrying down the stairs and out of the building and soon afterwards smelled the smoke. He called up the fire department and was informed that no alarm of fire had yet been turned in. Mr. Hoover thereupon turned in the alarm.
Dr. William West, formerly a fireman and later a police surgeon, who ha an office in the Rialto building, saw the smoke pouring form the building and was one of the first physicians to reach the scene of the fire. He attended Fireman Braun, who rescued Miss Barnes, and did valiant and effective service throughout the fire in extending first aid to the injured.
300 Girls in a Panic. The fire started in a pile of 8,000 pounds of hemp rope, which was stored in the pit of the building. Until recently the Kansas City Athletic Club had occupied the premises and it had made the basement and main floor a single room. Around this room ran a balcony. Montgomery Ward & Co. were occupying the room and in it they had a pile of hemp stored for immediate use. Without any warning whatever smoke began issuing from it and a crackling sound was heard. There were some of the 300 girls the mail order house employed in the Kansas City general offices, within two feet of the rope, and scores of them within sight. Immediately on hearing the sound of the crackling and seeing the little jets of smoke at the same moment, the girls began to tell each other there was a fire, and precipitously prepared to leave the place. O. Q. Massey and J. M. Miller, clerks, at the same time made a rush for the starting fire and tried to trample it out. Despite their efforts the fire gained on them, jets coming from twenty parts of the pile. A rumor that someone had stepped on a match, igniting it, is completely discredited by the evidence given by a dozen or more clerks who were sitting in the pit where the hemp blazed.
While Henderson, Massey and Miller were trying to stamp the fire out, Mrs. Lucille Baker, in charge of the squad in that particular room, began getting her forty subordinates out of the place. Manager W. P. Walker had 200 girls at work in what once was the swimming pool. Their only avenue of escape was to walk toward the burning hemp and up a temporary staircase. In the most amazing manner, the manager succeeded in getting the clerks to stand perfectly still until they could march out of the place in twos, and in that manner he got every one of the 200 out of the pit and to the street level without the slightest confusion. There was every possibility of a jam at the staircase, which could only have resulted in a great loss of life.Labels: death, doctors, Fire, Kansas City Athletic Club, Locust street, Ninth street, retailers, Rialto building, YMCA April 29, 1907
IN MEMORY OF A SON.
Mrs. Henry E. Lantry Will Add a Dormitory to St Anthony's Home.
Mrs. Henry E. Lantry, of 318 West Armour boulevard, has announced to the directors of the St. Anthony's Hospital and Infants' home that she intended to fit up a dormitory of twenty beds in the new building in memory of her son, Henry Jordan Lantry, who died about four months ago. The cost of establishing the memorial room will be about $500.
The women in charge of the home are planning to open the new building in memory of her son, Henry Jordan Lantry, who died about four months ago. The cost of establishing the memorial room will be about $500.
The women in charge of the home are planning to open the new building formally about May 15. Already enough rooms have been fitted through the generosity of friends of the institution to warrant the regular opening. John Long recently furnished an entire suite of eight rooms, and a ward large enough to accommodate fifteen beds. Duff and Repp Furniture Company and the Peck Dry Goods Company have each furnished a reception room in cozy fashion, and the Jones Dry Goods Company are donating the furnishings for a private bed room.
It is planned to make the opening an elaborate affair, in the form of a "pound party," and the management will be assisted by the Elks and the Knights of Columbus lodges. A musical programme will be arranged for the occasion.
St. Anthony's home is a maternal hospital, an infants' home and a day nursery. It is located on Twenty-third street between Walrond and College avenues. The building movement, of which the present commodious structure was the result, was launched several months ago at a meeting addressed by Archbishop Ireland. Donations of from 50 cents to hundreds of dollars were received by the committee in charge until enough money was raised to warrant the building.Labels: Armour boulevard, College avenue, hospitals, Jones Dry Goods, lodges, retailers, St Anthonys Home, Twenty-third street, Walrond avenue, women April 20, 1907 RING IN CATCHER'S GLOVE.
Young Man Who Tried It On Left the Ornament Behind.
"For an unusual loss and an unusual find, this is about the limit in this establishment," said Herman Schmelzer, yesterday. Mr. Schmelzer was showing a gold signet ring, with three initials in the cipher. The ornament had been lost and found by strangers.
"A young man came in here today to look at catchers' gloves," said Mr. Schmelzer, "and on ramming his fingers home struck this ring. It was not hard to guess that somebody who had last previously tried the same glove on had slipped the ring off when pulling his hand out. The clerk took charge of the ring and here it is. Now the job is to find the fellow who lost it. There will be no storage charges."Labels: retailers April 1, 1907
W. B. THAYER DEAD 
WELL KNOWN BUSINESS MAN
SUCCUMBS TO PNEUMONIA. HAD BEEN ILL THREE WEEKS.
CAME TO KANSAS CITY THIRTY-
SIX YEARS AGO. Was Secretary and Treasurer of the
Emery, Bird, Thayer Dry Goods
Company -- Leaves Widow and One Son --
Funeral Not Arranged. William B. Thayer, secretary and treasurer of the Emery, Bird, Thayer Dry Goods Company, died of pneumonia last night at 8:20 o'clock at the Thayer home, Forty-sixth street and Warwick boulevard. He had been ill for several weeks and for the past few days his friends and relatives had abandoned hope for his recovery. The end came peacefully.
Mr. Thayer had rested fairly well during the day, but those who have been constantly at his bedside realized that the end was only a matter of a short time. The illness which terminated in his death was contracted by him about three weeks ago. It first started from a slight cold which developed into pneumonia, necessitating an operation on his lungs for congestion. After the operation he seemed to temporarily improve and hope was entertained for his ultimate recovery. However, about a week ago he suffered a relapse and from that time he gradually became weaker. He was surrounded by his wife and son, a brother and a number of other relatives and friends at the time of his death. Mr. Thayer was prominent in business circles in Kansas City. In 1901-1902 he was president of the Commercial Club. Prior to that, for two terms, he was vice president of that organization, and for two terms was president of the Kansas City Club. He was 56 years old, and came to Kansas City thirty-six years ago from Kentucky. He secured a position in the mercantile establishment of Bullene, Moore & Emery, then at Seventh, Main, and Deleware streets. In 1884 he was taken into the firm becoming the junior member, the firm then being known as Bullene, Moore, Emery & Co. On November 1, 1895 the title became Emery, Bird, Thayer Dry Goods Company. Much of the success of this firm is credited to the sound business judgement of Mr. Thayer. Aside from his gigantic buisness cares and responsibilities, Mr. Thayer had found time to attend to the duties of citizenship and always took an interest in education and the progress of Kansas City. He was a director and treasurer of Convention hall during the period of its reconstruction. Mr. Thayer was born in Louisville, Ky., but with his paernts later moved to Danville, Ky., where he received his early education. He took the acedemic course at Central college and was graduated with honors. About twenty-five years ago he married Miss Sallie Casey of Louisville, Ky., who, with a son, William B. Thayer, Jr. survives him. Mr. Thayer was a thirty-third degree Mason, Scottish Rite. Funeral arrangements have not yet been completed. Labels: business, Convention Hall, death, Delaware street, lodges, Main street, retailers, Seventh street |
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