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

February 12, 1910

SCHOOL CHILDREN

DRINK INTOXICANTS.

Parents Supply Liquor to

Little Ones at Meals.

BEER, WHISKY AND WINE.

Doctors Say It Explains

Nervousness -- Plan to

Stop Custom.

The physicians who are empolyed in school inspection have been endeavoring of late to find out what the children ate and drank at home. This has been done with a view to finding the reason for nervousness in so many otherwise healthy children. In one school which has a large foreign attendance the information gained from but two rooms was startling. In one room of forty children it was discovered that seventeen had either beer, wine or whisky to drink with some of their meals the previous day.

In this room the teacher was making a record of what each child had to eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner the previous day. The following has to do only with the beverages, or liquids, served them:

Water -- Two had it for breakfast, eighteen for lunch and five for dinner.
Milk -- Three for breakfast, two for lunch and nine for dinner.
Tea -- Four for breakfast, two for lunch and nine for dinner.
Coffee -- Twenty-three for breakfast, three for lunch and four for dinner.
Beer -- Three had it for lunch and nine drank it for dinner.
Wine -- Three drank wine for lunch and one for dinner.
Whisky -- One had it for dinner.

In another room, while no wine or whisky was given t he children, they showed up strong on the coffee and beer. The report follows:

Water -- One had it for breakfast, six for lunch and none for dinner.
Milk -- Eight for breakfast, three for lunch and nine for dinner.
Coffee -- Twenty for breakfast, two for lunch and ten for dinner.
Cocoa -- Five for breakfast and one for lunch.
Chocolate -- One for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Beer -- Five for breakfast, fourteen for lunch and fifteen for dinner.

"While people are buying $30,000 organs for churches here in this city," said the physician who inspected this school, "I think it would do more good to get a cheaperr organ and use the rest of the money in educating the parents of these children. The children of this generation will be the parents of the next and if they are reared on beer, wine and whisky, what kind of citizens will they make? This is a very serious matter and parents who see no wrong in poisoning a child's brain with alcohol and making it a nervous wreck before it is half grown must be taught better."

NURSES TO INSTRUCT.

On account of this startling discovery it is the intention now to go further than the inspection in the school and only in the home where disease exists. Mrs. Kate E. Pierson, a member of the board of pardons and paroles and connected also with the Associated Charities, has taken an interest in the matter. An effort will be made to secure nurses who speak the foreign languages necessary in this case, to go into the homes and instruct the mothers. They especially will be warned regarding giving intoxicants to their children.

"The nurses will have to do more," said Mrs. Pearson yesterday. "They will teach the mothers what is best for a child to eat, how and where to buy the proper food and how to prepare it. They also will be taught how to care for their babies and growing children."

"We find a great many nervous children in the schools, especially in certain districts," said one of the inspectors. "There is no doubt but that the giving of intoxicants is bad for them, but the constant drinking of coffee and tea by a child is also injurious.

"A growing child going to school needs the proper kind of nourishing food to hold up its end of the game. Much of the nervousness among the children in a certain district comes from alcoholic beverages, coffee and tea. Others are permitted to eat anything they choose and at any time, and consequently are badly nourished."

Labels: alcohol, Associated Charities, children, doctors, food, health, schools

February 11, 1910

LOSES EYE IN CLASS FIGHT.

Flapjack Thrown by William Jewell

Junior Injures a Senior.

LIBERTY, MO., Feb. 10. -- This afternoon the annual class fight between the juniors and the seniors of William Jewel college culminated in the loss of an eye by Lewis Carr, a senior, the result of a flapjack thrown by a junior. The scrap started last night when the seniors placed their colors on top of the high school building. This morning a fight was waged between the two classes on top of the high school building. In the afternoon the freshmen joined the juniors and the sophomores allield themselves with the seniors. The juniors succeeded in placing their colors on the court house, but the seniors took them down and placed theirs around the statue of Liberty. Then it was that Lewis Carr met with his accident. The juniors would not let him down until the chief of police drove them off. The condition of the young man is serious.

Labels: Liberty, schools, sports, violence

January 31, 1910

HOW JUSTICE ROSS

MADE HIS FORTUNE.

DONOR OF MONEY TO MA-

HONEY CHILDREN WAS

ONCE A LAMPLIGHTER.

Formed Partnership With

John Mahoney Twenty-

Five Years Ago.

Justice Michael Ross, of Kansas City, who in the Wyandotte county, Kansas, probate court Saturday gave the children of his dead partner, John Maloney, $50,000, was born in Cincinnati, O., December 19, 1859. His father, Alexander Ross, came to Kansas City in 1866 to aid in the erection of the first gas plant the city had. In June a year later, the family followed him, coming from St. Louis by boat.

"The Missouri was full of boats in those days," said Justice Ross last night, "and was the principal means of navigation between here and St. Louis. Kansas City had a real wharf and it was a busy one."

Two brothers, William J. and James Ross, and a younger sister constituted the children at that time. James was drowned while swimming in the Missouri river in 1872.

"We attended a little frame public school down in the East Bottoms just opposite what was known as Mensing Island," said Justice Ross. "Later we went to Washington school which still stands at Independence avenue and Cherry street. A ward school education was as high as one could go in those days unless he went away, and that was all we received."

After the erection of the gas plant Justice Ross and his brother William secured positions as lamp lighters. It required them to get up at all hours of the night, according to the condition of the weather and the fullness of the moon, both to light and turn out the street lamps. After doing this work at night Justice Ross worked all day on an ice wagon for J. E. Sales. Later on he worked in the old Davis brick yard, which stood about where the Zenith mill now stands in the East Bottoms.

Justice Ross always had in view the day when he would go into business for himself -- be his own boss. With his savings and some help from his mother he started a little grocery and general store on the levee at First and Campbell streets in 1874. After a time his brother, William, was taken into partnership, but remained but a few years. The latter for several terms was a member of the city council.

BOUGHT OTHER STORES.

As the city began to grow away from the river, Justice Ross saw better opportunities and opened a grocery store at 1401-3 East Fifth street, at Lydia avenue, and later another at 1100-2 East Fifth street, at Troost avenue. These two stores were money makers and enabled him later to branch out along other lines.

In September, 1888, Justice Ross was married to Miss Bessie Egan. All of their children, seven boys and four girls, are living, the oldest daughter being away at school near Cincinnati, and the oldest boy at St. Mary's, Kas. Six of the nine children at home attend the Woodland school.

"I knew John Mahoney from the day he came here with the C. & A. railroad," Justice Ross said. "He was doing small jobs of grading in those days and his mother went with him over the country. They used to trade with us at the little store on the levee and when in town Mahoney and his mother stopped at our home."

It was almost twenty-five years ago that Mahoney and Ross went into partnership and the latter has been a silent partner ever since, Mahoney seeing to most of the details and looking after the work. Justice Ross also had other interests, such as tree planting, and planted the trees around the finest residences and along many of the prettiest boulevards. In speaking of some of the work done by himself and Mr. Mahoney, the justice said:

"We built all of the Southwest boulevard, also Fifteenth street, doing the grading work. Roanoke boulevard is another piece of our work, as was the ill-fated Cliff drive, where poor John and his wife met such a tragic fate. We did lots of work on the country roads in Jackson county and built almost all of the roads in Wyandotte county, besides many of the brick-paved streets.

LARGE CONTRACT WORK.

"We also did much work away from here, such as government work on the levee at New Orleans, county roads in Southern Indiana and railroad grading in Kansas, Oklahoma, Nebraska and Colorado. Mahoney was a man who made friends wherever he went. I just received a letter from Indiana asking if he and McGuire were the same men who were there asking for all particulars."

As Justice Ross's business ventures thrived he found it impossible to give the time required to his two grocery stores, and a few years ago he disposed of them. Previous to that, however, he had established the Missouri Carriage and Wagon works at 308-10 Broadway, which he still operates.

For many years he has been buying property and erecting modern flats thereon. He does not build flats to sell, but he keeps them for what they bring in. When Admiral boulevard was cut through at Virginia avenue, Justice Ross owned a big row of old flats immediately in the right of way. They are brick and their moving back was the biggest job of that kind ever done in this city. He made them modern and is erecting more flats near them.

The prettiest and most costly structure erected by Justice Ross is a flat building at Benton boulevard and St. John avenue, on a promontory overlooking the entire city. He owns forty or more pieces of improved property in the city.

In the fall of 1898 Michael Ross ran for justice of the peace on the Democratic ticket and was elected. Since then he has held the office for three terms, twelve years, winning each time with ease. He said last night, however, that he would not seek the office again. He intends to build a big home in the southern part of the city and he and Mrs. Ross will devote their time to their children. He now lives at 626 Troost avenue.

"John Mahoney almost decided to go to Jacksonville, Fla., with our party," said the Justice. "The ground was frozen and he could not work. But he was such a home-loving man he hated to leave his family, even for a day. I had a premonition when I left that something would happen. When I got the wire the first thing I thought of was his automobile. We did not get the particulars, however, until we got a paper at Memphis, and did not get full particulars and learn that McGuire was killed and the others hurt until we got The Journal at Paola, Kas.

Labels: business, Campbell street, East bottoms, grocers, history, Independence avenue, Justice Ross, New Orleans, politics, public works, real estate, schools, St Louis, Troost avenue, Utilities

January 19, 1910

LIVED IN ABDUL'S HOUSEHOLD.

Kullujian Will Disclose Some Bloody

Secrets of Yildiz Kiosk.

Thomas H. Kullujian, the Armenian exile, who is said to be the greatest living authority on Oriental rugs, will lecture to 1,600 pupils of Central high school, in the school auditorium, at 10 o'clock Friday morning. The lecture is not open to the public.

Mr. Kullujian will tell something of the history of the Oriental rug, its beautiful romance, the somber tragedies recorded in the wonderful figures. He will tell of the slow and painful years, centuries, sometimes, that go into the weaving of a real Oriental rug.

Mr. Kullujian will lecture in Convention hall on the night of Tuesday, January 22, exposing the world-wide swindle practiced on dealers and the general public alike, by makers of fake Oriental rugs. In his Convention hall lecture he will also tell some of the terrible, bloody secrets of the Yildiz Kiosk, the palace of the sultan of Turkey.

Mr. Kullujian lived in the household of the Sultan Abdul Hamid many years, from childhood to youth, until a plot against his life made it necessary for him to escape from the country.

Labels: Convention Hall, immigrants, schools

January 7, 1910

CURED OF ILLS

OVER THE PHONE?

ABSENT TREATMENT PUT MRS.

MOSTOW UNDER SPELL,

WITNESSES SAY.

Spiritualist Seeks to Prevent

Heirs From Depriving

Him of Bequests.

That by giving her absent treatment over the telephone for rheumatism and in other ways, John H. Lee, said to be a spiritualist, won the confidence of wealthy Mrs. Victoria Mostow, 71 years old, and thus influenced her to bequeath him property worth $35,000, was the substance of testimony given yesterday in Judge J. G. Park's division of the circuit court.

The occasion was the trial of a suit by which Lee seeks to have set aside deeds transferring to James P. Richardson, principal of the Prosso school, and nephew of Mrs. Mostow, the property left to Lee by will. The heirs have a suit pending to set aside the will.

The story told by witnesses in substance follows:

Mrs. Mostow was the wife of the late Randolph Mostow, and a sister of the late Dr. De Estaing Dickerson. From the latter she inherited a large amount of property. Mr. Mostow died in the summer of 1908. During his last illness, he summoned Lee and was given treatment. In this way Mrs. Mostow became acquainted with the spiritualist.

TREATED BY PHONE.

After her husband's death, Mrs. Mostow became a believer in spiritualism. Through the medium of spirits and mesmeric powers Lee claimed that he could cure every known ill. Mrs. Mostow put in a telephone at her home, at Thirty-fourth and Wyandotte streets, and when she became troubled with rheumatism, Lee would give her absent treatment over the phone. At this time he lived near 4800 East Eighth street, several miles across the city from his patient.

In January, 1908, Mrs. Mostow made deeds to property at 817 Main street, and her home on Wyandotte, to her only surviving heir in Kansas City, James P. Richardson, owner of the Prosso Preparatory school. This was done to escape the payment of the collateral inheritance tax, and to prevent the heirs in Chicago from securing any of her property. The deeds were not to be recorded until after her death.

LIVED WITH HER.

In the summer of 1908, it is charged, Lee secured so great an influence over Mrs. Mostow that he secured permission to move himself and family into her home. Here they have lived since. The taxes are said to have been paid by the Mostow estate, and during her lifetime all the household expenses were met by Mrs. Mostow.

After Lee had been living in the Mostow home a few months, it is charged, it was seen that he gained an influence over the aged woman, and she began deeding small pieces of property to him.

Mr. Richardson, seeing the trend of affairs and fearing that he might lose the property that was to be his at the death of his aunt, immediately recorded the two deeds. When Mrs. Mostow died, it was found that she had bequeathed the same two pieces of property to Lee.

Suit was brought in the circuit court by Lee to set aside the deeds, charging undue influence. A similar suit was also brought by Richardson and the Chicago heirs to set aside the will.

The evidence was all submitted yesterday in Judge Park's court. The final arguments will be heard some time next week.

Labels: Chicago, con artist, Eighth street, illness, probate, real estate, schools, telephone, Thirty-fourth street, women, Wyandotte street

December 24, 1909

PUBLIC SCHOOLS CLOSED.

Will Not Reopen Until Monday Fol-

lowing New Year's Day.

The public schools of Kansas City closed yesterday for the Christmas vacation and will not re-open until the Monday following New Year's day. In the kindergarten schools and in some of the other grades of the various schools, Christmas exercises were held yesterday and as a rule the kindergarten pupils were given little remembrances by their teaches and each other and were presented with small sacks of candy.

Labels: children, holidays, schools

December 23, 1909

CENTRAL HIGH STUDENTS

PRESENT "THE RIVALS."

Large Audience Enjoys Comedy as

Staged by Dramatic Club -- Cast

Scores Distinct Success.

With "The Rivals," by Richard Brinsley Sheridan, as a vehicle, the members of the Dramatic Club of the Central high school trod the boards behind the footlights last evening with a good deal of ease and a large degree of success. The play was well staged, well costumed, the youthful Thespians well trained for their parts and the assembly hall of the high school building well filled for the occasion. The high school orchestra, under the direction of Professor Thomas of the musical department of the schools, deserves special mention.

"The Rivals" is well adapted to the work of amateurs and sparkles with humor and wit from beginning to end. The young people didn't lose much, if any, of this and sometimes in true professional style not only emphasized the points of the jokes in the play but saw to it that the lines immediately following were not lost.

The cast was selected on the merit basis. Preliminaries were held at different times during the fall term and those excelling took part in the final exhibition. Special mention should be made of the work of David Hawkins, William H. Powell, Charles H. Davis, Miss Lola Earle Eaton and Miss Gertrude Wood. However, all did good work and deserve much credit.

Labels: schools, theater

December 4, 1909

ZONES OF CONTAGION

NEAR THREE SCHOOLS.

SCARLET FEVER AND DIPH-

THERIA IN SEVERAL SECTIONS.

Tin Drinking Cup Blamed by Medi-

cal Inspectors, Especially at

Benton -- Several Parochial

Schools Involved.

The medical inspectors going the rounds of the public schools have unearthed diphtheria and scarlet fever zones within the confines of Benton, Washington and Karnes schools. They are also learning from the daily returns of practicing physicians, of the existence of the two maladies among pupils of two or three of the parochial schools, but as the authority of the inspectors does not extend to schools of this description Dr. W. S. Wheeler, sanitary commissioner, has not felt justified in taking any voluntary official notice or action.

Of the parochial schools the worst afflicted is St. John's Parochial school, 534 Tracy avenue. This school, located in a district largely inhabited by Italian children, is conducted by the Sisters of St. Joseph. Yesterday Sister Superior Monica appealed to the health authorities to make an investigation. Dr. H. Delamater, chief inspector, made a personal visit to the school and was informed that ninety of the 160 pupils are detained at home by sickness. Within the last six days cases of scarlet fever have developed among the pupils, and Dr. Delameter fears that many who are home at home may have it. He will have an examination made of the school building as to its sanitary condition, and will have class rooms fumigated.

Washington public school is at the southwest corner or Independence avenue and Cherry street, and the Karnes school is at the northwest corner of Troost avenue and Fourth street. Large numbers of the pupils have scarlet fever, the majority of victims predominating among those attending Karnes school. The diphtheria is not as epidemic as scarlet fever. The attendants of these two schools live in the territory bounded on the south by Admiral boulevard, north by the river, west by Grand avenue and east as far as Lydia avenue. The majority of the cases are north of Fifth street and scatter as far to the east as Budd park. As an assistance to the health authorities in keeping in touch with the exact location of the disease, a large map of the city has been prepared, and when a case of diphtheria develops a green-headed pin is driven into the map, designating a particular territory, and when one of scarlet fever is reported the map is perforated with a red-headed pin.

MAP RAPIDLY FILLING.

The map describing the Washington and Karnes school districts is rapidly filling up with the pin indicators, but not as noticeably as the district in which Benton school is situated. At the latter school diphtheria is the most prevalent, and is giving some alarm. The infection is spreading with rapidity. Benton school is at the southwest corner of Thirtieth street and Benton boulevard, in a fashionable and well-to-do neighborhood. There are from twenty to thirty cases of diphtheria among pupils going to this school, and it is feared that the disease got its start from the drinking cups in use there.

"The drinking cup in the public schools is a menace to health and is a communicator and spreader of disease," said Dr. Delamater yesterday. "Its frightful possibilities were fully described by Dr. W. S. Wheeler in his last annual report, and he advises that it be relegated and sanitary fountains installed in the schools. The health of no child is safe when the tin cup is in use. While I am not directly charging the appearance of diphtheria at Benton school to the drinking cup, still there is plenty of room for that suspicion as the school building is new and should be sanitary."

Labels: Benton boulevard, Cherry street, children, doctors, Fourth street, health, illness, Independence avenue, nuns, schools, Tracy avenue, Troost avenue

November 15, 1909

CONDITIONS UNIFORMLY GOOD.

Inspection of Schools Develops a

Few Cases Needing Attention.

School pupils should be taught in the open air, according to Dr. W. S. Wheeler, city health commissioner. Dr. Wheeler has in charge the inspection of school children, which was made since Wednesday in every ward school in the city by six physicians appointed by him.

"In the greater number of cases in which children in the schools were found deficient physically, the cause was lowered vitality as a result of being cooped up in rooms," Dr. Wheeler said. "The normal child should live in the open air as much as possible and sleep in it.

"The inspectors not only examined the children, but also looked into the ventilation of the various rooms, examined the water supply and inspected every external feature of housing in schools. I t was found that many pupils had weak or defective eyes, hundreds had sore throats and chronic tonsillitis and a great number were afflicted with adenoids.

"No abnormal conditions among the pupils were found. The teachers seem anxious to co-operate with the physicians in charge of the inspection. Some of them already have begun to better the ventilation in their rooms. No room can be healthful where from sixty to 100 persons remain for hours at a time unless the greatest precautions are taken with its ventilations."

The inspecting physicians will visit every ward school in the city three times a week for a short period. The inspection will be cut to twice a week in a month or six weeks and afterwards to once a week. In the fifty schools inspected, about 100 children were sent home until they can be treated by physicians for weak eyes or sore throats.

Dr. E. H. Miller, city physician of Liberty, Mo., was in Kansas City yesterday to learn the system by which the inspection here is being made. It is probable that that city will take up inspection of children in its schools. A list of rules for the inspectors has been printed and will be sent out to them and principals of schools. The rules designate the duties of school officers and the inspectors in charge of the work.

Labels: doctors, health, Liberty, schools

November 14, 1909

ARCHBISHOP GLENNON LAYS

ST. TERESA CORNER STONE.

St. Louis Prelate Puts in Two Busy

Days in Kansas City -- Enjoyed

Every Moment.

Several hundred Knights of Columbus were present at the reception given in honor of Archbishop Glennon at their new hall at Thirty-first and Main streets Friday. After renewing many old friendships the archbishop left for St. Louis at 11 o'clock that night.

"It has been a busy two days," he said last night, "but I have enjoyed every moment of my visit. I only wish that I could remain longer. I thank the Lord for the good that He has enabled me to do in Kansas City."

As the result of the prelate's appeal to the public to aid the work that is being carried on by the House of the Good Shepherd, in his lecture at Convention hall last Thursday night, over $5,000 has been collected, and more has been pledged.

Yesterday morning Archbishop Glennon went to the old St. Teresa's academy at Twelfth and Washington streets and celebrated mass. After visiting Loretto academy he returned to St. Teresa's, where a musicale was given in his honor. In the afternoon he laid the corner stone of the new St. Teresa's academy building at Fifth street and Broadway. It rained hard throughout the whole service but over 300 people stood bare headed in the mud while the archbishop put the stone in place and blessed the building.

In the evening Archbishop Glennon was the guest of honor at a dinner given at the home of Hugh Mathews, 1014 West Thirty-ninth street, and attended by Bishop Hogan, Bishop Lillis, Brother Charles and Father Walsh. The party then attended the Knights of Columbus reception.

Labels: Broadway, Main street, ministers, schools, St Louis, Thirty-first street, Thirty-ninth street, Twelfth street, Washington street

November 14, 1909

KANSAS CITY MAN THE

BUILDER OF BIG FAIR.

CHAS. J. SMITH, ITS ENGINEER,

FORMERLY LIVED HERE.

Alaska-Yukon Pacific Exposition

His Work -- Started on the Kan-

sas City, Fort Scott &

Gulf Railroad.

Charles J. Smith, formerly of Kansas City, built the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific exposition. The fair closed several weeks ago. The builder got little credit. It was his own fault. He stopped the publicity department of the fair from using his name in connection with the work.

It was many years ago that "Charlie" Smith ran about the hillsides of Kansas City, up and down the ravine that was converted into Delaware street, and raced his brothers to their home on what is now Wyandotte street. The family came from Kentucky to Kansas City just before the close of the Civil war. Being strangers and moreover Smiths -- both not uncommon in the growing town -- they passed unnoticed.

WENT TO SCHOOL HERE.

"Charley" Smith went to the schools of Kansas City. After he got older and became ambitious, a friend got him a place in the offices of the Kansas City, Fort Scott & Gulf railroad, now a part of the Frisco system. Smith became a civil engineer. When the Kansas Pacific railroad was being built, the road needed Smith. Smith needed the job and took it. He remained several years. Then he was placed in charge of a large and difficult but of engineering on the Oregon Short Line.

The Smiths left Kansas City. Smith's father also entered the employ of the Oregon Short Line and removed nearer the work. Smith gathered fame as an engineer by doing many difficult jobs. He also became wealthy.

FAIR NEEDED HIM.

When Seattle needed an engineer with big ideas and experience, it asked Smith to undertake the work. But he got little personal advertising out of it. He chose the plans, erected the buildings, beautified the grounds and had the work done on schedule time, the first time a big exposition was ever completed by its opening day.

The reason why Smith got no advertising was that he went to the publicity committee after he was appointed to build the fair and said:

"I am Charles J. Smith. I have been put in charge of building the fair. You can write about it and puff it any way you see fit, but if any of you connect me with the work by using my name, you will be fired in a way that you won't forget."

That's why it was necessary now to give out, at this distance from Seattle, that Charles J. Smith built the fair. All Seattle and the Northwest, or course, could not help but know who built the fair.

Young Smith attended the Humbolt school when the institution was on Eighth and May streets.

"He is the son of a man the old-timers will remember as "Deacon Smith," a pillar of the Second Presbyterian church in the early days," said Colonel E. S. Jewett yesterday afternoon. "He came here when he was about 5 years of age, and went to school with my sons and Jim McGowan and that crowd. The old Humboldt school boys will recollect little Charlie Smith well. When he got out of school, young Smith started railroading. The Memphis ran all the way to Paola in those days, and Smith got a job in the general offices. T. F. Oakes and C. H. Prescott, both with the Fort Scott road, left it to go to Portland, and they induced Smith to go with them. They also took the roadmaster and one or two others. I had lost sight and memory of the boy till now. I see he has a page in the Evening Post. As he has made his million, built the Alaska-Yukon fair and established a national reputation we might as well recollect him.

Labels: history, railroad, schools

November 12, 1909

JAPANESE COMMISSIONERS

COME TO TOWN TODAY.

COMMERCIAL CLUB ROOMS DEC-

ORATED FOR RECEPTION.

Five Women Members of Party Will

Be Guests of Honor at Country

Club Luncheon -- Omaha

the Next Stop.

Kansas City will be the host today to the Honorary Commissioners of Japan, consisting of forty-three of the leading business men and educators of the Oriental empire, who, together with five Japanese women, are touring the United States. No efforts will be spared to entertain the foreign guests during their stay here, which will be from 9 o'clock in the morning until 11 o'clock at night.

Following the arrival here the party will breakfast in their special train. At 9:30 the men of the party will be met in automobiles by the members of the Commercial Club and the next hour and a half will be spent in a reception in the club rooms. The club rooms have been decorated with palms and ferns, the stars and stripes, the Japanese national flag, the mikado's coat of arms, and the Japanese man-of-war emblem. Judge W. T. Bland, president of the club, will head the receiving line, and in it will be the forty-three Japanese commissioners, the officers off the Commercial Club and all former presidents of the club.

WILL VISIT HIGH SCHOOL.

At 11 o'clock the party will be taken to the Westport high school, where Baron Kanda, head of the school of the nobility in Tokio, will make a short speech. Baron Kanda speaks English fluently and is a graduate of Amherst college. The address will be followed by a drive through Swope park and a stop at the Evanston Golf Club for a buffet luncheon.

After the luncheon the party will be driven through the city, up and down the principal streets, over the boulevards and through the leading parks.

The first place of interest to be visited will be the Bank of Commerce. This will be followed by an inspection of the Burnham-Munger overall factory. A drive to Kansas City, Kas., is next in order, where the party will be shown through the plant of the Kingman-Moore Implement Company. These will be the only places visited during the day.

While the men are being entertained by the members of the Commercial Club the five women in the party, Baroness Shibusawa, Baroness Kanda, Madame Midzuno, Madame Horikoshi and Madame Toki will not be forgotten. A committee composed of the wives of the Commercial Club directors and Mr. and Mrs. E. M. Clendening will entertain them. A visit to the Westport high school, a noon lunch at the Country Club and a tea at the home of Mrs. W. R. Nelson will be the events of the day which have been mapped out for the women.

DINNER AT THE BALTIMORE.

At 6:30 o'clock in the evening a dinner will be served to the men in the banquet room at the Baltimore hotel. At the same time a dinner will be given for the women in the Japanese room of the hotel. At the conclusion of their dinner the women will repair to the banquet room, where the entire party will listen to the addresses by David R. Frances, Senator William Warner, Baron Shibusawa and Baron Kanda. Judge Bland will act as toastmaster.

This will conclude the events of the day. The visitors will be taken back to their train, and will leave for Omaha, from where they will work west to San Francisco, from which port they will sail for Japan, November 30.

LEADING FINANCIER.

The Japanese arrived in Seattle from Japan September 1, and when they leave will have spent eighty-eight days in America, visited fifty-two cities, and traveled more than 11,000 miles. During this time they have visited plants and institutions representing nearly every American industry. Many of Kansas City's leading industries will not be visited, as the party has been to similar ones in other cities.

Baron Elighi Shibusawa, who is the head of the commission, is one of the leading men of Japan, being both a statesman and a financier. His individual efforts have raised the status of business men in this country. In 1873, Baron Shibusawa organized the first national bank in Japan under the capital stock system, and has been connected since with all leading banking institutions in Japan.

One Pullman dynamo car, a baggage car, a Pullman dining car, four ten-compartment sleepers, one twelve-section drawing room car and a six-compartment observation car comprise the equipment of the special train that will bring the Japanese to Kansas City over the Burlington railroad. The train will be in charge of W. A. Lalor, assistant general passenger agent for the Burlington at St. Louis.

Labels: banking, business, California, Commercial Club, Edwin Clendening, Evanston Golf Club, Hotel Baltimore, Judges, Kansas City Kas, Omaha, railroad, schools, Swope park, visitors, Westport

November 12, 1909

SENTENCES FORMER

SCHOOLMATE TO JAIL.

"I Remember You Well," Said Judge

Latshaw -- "You Were the Class-

mate Picked to Become President."

"Do you remember the first time we met?" Judge Ralph S. Latshaw asked John Conners, tried in the criminal court yesterday on the charge of petty larceny. Conners had stolen junk iron valued at $2.50.

"It was when we were both boys," the judge continued, "we were nearly the same age, and were in the same class in the old Lathrop school. It must have been over thirty years ago.

"I can remember you well. You were the one who his classmates had picked to become president. You were the best in spelling and arithmetic. The teacher considered you her model pupil. Your penmanship was the roundest and the letters the most perfect. Everything came easy to you, while the rest of us had to study hard to get our lessons. You never have found out what real work is.

"But Connors, do you remember the next time I saw you? It was ten years ago. You came to my office to have me write a letter to the governor to have your citizenship restored. You had served a term in the penitentiary for grand larceny.

"What was the cause of your downfall?"

"Whisky."

Connors was sentenced to sixty days in jail, then paroled on condition he would leave whisky alone.

Labels: criminal court, Judge Latshaw, schools

November 9, 1909

DOCTORS' VISITS TO

SCHOOLS BEGIN TODAY.

Especial Attention Will Be Given

to Throat and Eye Diseases and

Examinations Will Be Made

in Teacher's Presence.

Eight doctors will visit the public schools today to arrange with the principals suitable hours for the medical examination of pupils, the long-cherished project of Dr. W. S. Wheeler, health commissioner. Dr. Wheeler hopes to have the system in perfect working order by the end of the week.

In his office at Twelfth street and Grand avenue last night, Dr. Wheeler read his instructions to his assistants and furnished each with blanks and other material. The schools are to be visited at least three days a week and those in the North End and river wards every day.

TO HAVE SPECIAL ROOM.

The examiners are to make arrangements with the principal for a room where the pupils can be examined. Not all the pupils in each school are to be brought before the physician. Those who are suspected of having contagious diseases or who have been absent from school are to be called into the room and placed in charge of the medical examiner.

If it is found that the pupil is suffering from a contagious disease, he is at once sent home by the teacher, and can not return until he has again been examined by the physician, and his condition pronounced improved.

Especial attention will be paid to the diseases of the eye and teeth. The dental colleges have agreed to do work free for all pupils who present the proper credentials.

SPECIALISTS' WORK FREE.

Several specialists on eye diseases have agreed to make medical examinations free of charge for all pupils whose parents are not able to consult oculists of recognized standing.

"Remember," said Dr. Wheeler, "that you are not to make an examination unless in the presence of the teacher or principal. No pupil is to be vaccinated unless with permission of the parents. The office of medical examiner is not to be used as a means to solicit personal business."

Dr. Wheeler has spent more than a year studying the systems in use in other cities of the country. He not only has the advantage of the ideas of other cities, but also his personal experience for several years in Kansas City. By the end of the year he hopes to see the high schools in the list.

Labels: board of health, children, doctors, Grand avenue, schools, Twelfth street

November 4, 1909

PEGASUS AIDS EDUCATION.

Rosedale Boy Who Expects to Pay

Way in College Writing Poetry.

JAMES P. CANNON.

James Cannon, a member of the junior class of the Rosedale high school, hopes to win his way through the Kansas university next year by writing verse and short stories for the magazines. Some of his work has already been published and found favor, especially with the faculty of the school where he is known as "the judge."

The boy is 19 years old and when considerable younger developed a remarkable aptness in getting up short sketches of Kansas life, stories of the legal profession and essays on serious subjects. One poem entitled "The Day of Judgment," written a year ago, brought many favorable comments to the youthful author. It follows:

There shall be exact fulfillment
Of the prophecies of old.
Every act of simple kindness
Shall be paid a hundredfold;
Every stranger that we've sheltered
From the cold, and wind, and rain,
Shall become our intercessor
After we have plead in vain;
And the foods wherewith the beggars
In our charity we've fed
Shall be offered in atonement
As the Sacred Wine and Bread;
And the poor shall be exalted
O'er the lords of greed and gold --
There shall be exact fulfillment
Of the prophecies of old.

Cannon became known as "the judge" in rather a peculiar manner. Last winter three boys who became acquainted with him while he was working in a restaurant at 920 Southwest boulevard were arrested for gambling with dice and thrown into the Rosedale holdover. They had no money to employ counsel for their trial in police court and as a last resort sent for Cannon who, with a very limited knowledge of law, won the case over the city attorney. "The judge" has stuck with him since and bids fair to remain his permanent sobriquet. He says that if he ever becomes known in the literary field it will be his nom de plume and that he intends to make it famous.

Last Friday night when consternation reigned in the High school over the non-appearance of Juvenile Judge Ben B. Lindsey, of Denver, to fill a Chautauqua date with an assembled audience of about 600 patrons of the school, Cannon was elected by the principal to take his place. His knowledge of current events made this possible and when he at last sat down after a half hour's discourse on the delinquent magistrate he was greeted with a demonstration that would have been complimentary to any orator.

James Cannon is the son of John Cannon, a real estate agent of 1709 Kansas City avenue, Rosedale. At the death of his mother several years ago he left his home with the object of making his way in the world and incidentally in literature.

Labels: Denver, Rosedale, schools, Southwest boulevard

October 31, 1909

TWO DEAD AS RESULT

OF FIRE AT LORETTO.

MISS MIMIE TIERNAN SUCCUM-

BED YESTERDAY MORNING.

She Had a Presentiment That Some-

thing Would Happen Before

the Programme Was

Finished.

MISS MARY MALEY.

Of the five young women injured in the fire at the Loretto academy on Friday night, two are dead and Miss Mary Maley has but a slight chance of recovery. Miss Ruth Mahoney and Miss Agnes Campion, the latter of Omaha, were but slightly burned and will recover.

Miss Mimie Tiernan, the 16-year-old daughter of Mrs. Elizabeth F. Tiernan of 3525 Broadway, one of the victims, died at 7:30 o'clock yesterday morning. Miss Tiernan had a strong presentiment that something was going to happen before the evening had passed. To several of her friends she kept repeating: "Girls, I don't feel right. I am sure that something awful will happen before we get through with the programme."

Miss Tiernan was a daughter of the late Peter H. Tiernan, president of the Tiernan-Havens Printing Company, now known as the Tiernan-Dart Printing Company, in which Mrs. Tiernan holds a large interest. Mr. Tiernan was for many years president of the upper house of the council.

Miss Tiernan is survived by a brother, Peter H. Tiernan, who is taking a course in engineering at Rolla, Mo. He was advised of his sister's death and arrived in the city last evening. Another brother, Curtis and two elder sisters, Josephine and Marie Isabella, are traveling in Europe. funeral services will be held in the academy at 9:30 o'clock this morning after which the body will be sent to St. Louis for burial.

Mrs. Tiernan, who was slightly burned in an automobile accident about a month ago, had rented her apartment at 3525 Broadway and had intended to go to her ranch near Joplin, Mo., in a few months.

Miss Virginia Owens, the second victim of the fire, never fully recovered consciousness. Miss Owens was the daughter of Joseph J. Owens, a real estate dealer of 404 South Spring street, Independence. Miss Owens willingly sacrificed her life in order to save the lives of those in danger as she was in the rear hall of the academy when the fire started and rushed forward and tried to extinguish the flames which enveloped the other girls. In this manner she was burned.

The burial of Miss Owens will take place Tuesday morning at 10 o'clock. The funeral will be from St. Mary's Catholic church, of which the deceased was a communicant. Miss Owens was the youngest child and for the past two years had been attending the Lorreto academy in Kansas City. Mrs. Owens, mother of the girl, was informed yesterday morning of the accident and told of the death of her daughter.

While Mrs. Owens was aware that her daughter had been burned, the fatal ending was not made known to her until yesterday morning, owing to her ill health. the shock of the news prostrated her, and for this reason the funeral of the unfortunate girl was placed for Tuesday, in the hope that the bereaved mother might be able to attend.

Mr. Owens, the father of the girl, is a retired capitalist, and was with her shortly after the accident took place, but kept from his wife the possible consequence of the accident.

Miss Mary Maley is in a serious condition, but at a late hour last night she was reported by Dr. J. A. Horigan, who is attending her, as much improved and there is a fair chance of her recovery. She was badly burned below the waist and probably will be injured for life. Miss Maley is the daughter of S. A. Maley, a contractor of 1200 West Fortieth street. She is still at the academy, as the physicians did not think it advisable to move her.

In the evening before the fatal fire the Sisters were complimenting themselves on the healthiness and fine conditions of the academy. Many of them are confined to their rooms as a result of the shock of the disaster.

The statement that Miss Ruth Mahoney, who was taking a part in the performance, had been seriously burned is a mistake. She escaped without injury. Miss Mahoney is a sister of Mrs. Phillips, wife of Captain Thomas Phillips. Mrs. Phillips was in the audience and when she realized the dangerous predicament of her sister she ran forward, removed her from the way of harm and ruined two coats in whipping out the flames that enveloped the stage.

Labels: Broadway, children, death, Independence, schools, St Louis

October 30, 1909

FOUR GIRLS HURT IN

A HALLOWE'EN FIRE.

JACK O' LANTERN CANDLE IG-

NITES THEIR COSTUMES.

Fleecy Cotton Used by Esquimaux at

Loretto Academy North Pole

Night Flashes Into

Flame.

Three girls seriously burned and a third slightly is the result of the overturning of a jack o'lantern last night during a Halloween celebration at the academy of the Sisters of Loretto, West Prospect and Thirty-ninth street, which set the costumes of the girls on fire.

The most seriously burned are:

Mimie Tiernan, 3525 Broadway.
Mary Maley, 1200 West Fortieth.
Virginia Owen, 3633 Prospect.

Slightly burned:

Ruth Mahoney, a niece of Alderman C. J. Conin.

It was stated early this morning that three of the girls were possibly fatally burned. There are little hopes of Misses Owen and Tiernan recovering. Miss Maley is reported to be in danger, though not as seriously burned as the other two. All the victims were conscious and suffering greatly. All but Miss Mahoney were burned over their bodies, and on the arms and legs.

The girls were giving a Hallowe'en entertainment in the corridor on the first floor. The stage at the end of the hall was decorated with jack o'lanterns and bunting.

They planned a "North Pole" entertainment, and were dressed as Esquimaux. They wore white trousers, covered with cotton to represent snow. Their waists also were covered with cotton. No boys had been invited.

It was 8:20 o'clock when Maley walked across the stage. She was laughing gaily and chatting with a crowd of girls walking at her side. They were all talking of the beautiful decorations and the novel decorations.

Miss Maley stumbled on a jack o'lantern. From the candle the cotton on her Esquimaux dress was ignited. The flame spread over her entire body. Misses Teirnan, Owen and Mahoney, walking at her side, rushed to their friend's help. There were screams and cries for help. Some of the girls fainted, others grew hysterical.

The flames spread from Miss Maley's costume to the three girls who had rushed to her aid. In a moment the four were a mass of flames. The clothing was burned entirely from Miss Maley's body. The cotton burned as if it were saturated in oil. The three girls, who came to her assistance, were burned from head to foot. The fire spread to the clothing of the four.

It was 8:26 o'clock when the fire department at station No. 19, Westport, received the call. Before the firemen arrived the flames were put out. The fire did not ignite the other decorations nor the building.

INFORMATION DENIED.

Captain Flahive of No. 5 police station, and Officer Wood went to the academy. Considerable persuasion was required to gain an entrance. When the mother superior was asked for the names of the injured this information was denied.

Drs. B. H. Wheeler and Horrigan were summoned. All the cotton bandages in the drug store at Thirty-ninth and Genessee were bought outright. It was necessary later to send to Westport for more medicine and bandages. The physicians remained at the bedsides of the injured girls through the night.

The school authorities refused to make any details of the accident public. To all questions as to names and the extent of the injuries, those in authority replied that there was absolutely nothing to give out.

"We have the story," the reporters told them.

"Well, if you publish anything about this, we will sue your paper for libel."

The girls at the academy had planned for a Hallowe'en dance this evening at Little's hall in Westport but because of the occurrence last night, the party has been cancelled.

Labels: Broadway, Captain Flahive, children, doctors, Fire, Fortieth street, holidays, No 5 police station, Prospect avenue, schools, Thirty-ninth street, Westport

October 22, 1909

BOY KILLED BY CAR;

MILK BOTTLE SAVED.

HE RUNS BEHIND TROLLEY AND

DIES BENEATH ANOTHER.

Stopped Work on Essay With "And

Then I Prepared to Take Some

Rest" to Go on Errand to

Grocery for Mother.

While "running" an errand for his mother, Sidney Crawford, 16 years old, son of Mr. and Mrs. L. H. Crawford, 8247 East Twenty-eighth street, met death beneath the wheels of an Indiana avenue street car, between Twenty-eighth street and Victor avenue, at 4 o'clock yesterday afternoon. Mrs. Crawford had sent Sidney with an empty bottle to a grocery store for milk.

As the boy reached a point on Twenty-eighth street where he might cross directly over to the store, a southbound car obstructed his path for a moment. When it had passed Sidney ran quickly behind it, and encountered a northbound car.

The momentum of the car carried it about thirty feet before it could be stopped and the body could be extricated from beneath the rear trucks, where it was wedged tightly.

When it was disengaged by a wrecking crew thirty minutes after the accident, the half-pint milk bottle remained unbroken.

The boy was the oldest son of the Crawford family and a junior in Manual Training high school. In the library of the home yesterday afternoon he was writing an essay when his mother sent him on the fatal trip to the store. The title of the thesis was "A Halloween Prank."

As Sidney arose to go he bent over his paper and in a thin, boyish scribble added the sentence: "And then I prepared to take some rest." In less than five minutes a neighbor came running to the Crawford doorstep with news of the accident.

Mrs. Crawford was overcome with grief too acute for tears and medical attention was necessary. Mrs. August Nuss, 3233 East Twenty-eighth street, whose husband is a partner with Mr. Crawford in a trunk store at 425-27 West Sixth street, called the latter over the telephone.

The body of the boy was examined by Deputy Coroner Harry Czarlinsky immediately after the accident. An inquest will be held this afternoon. The motorman and conductor of the Indiana avenue street car which killed him were arrested by Patrolman Joseph Morris and taken to the county prosecutor's office but later were released on their personal bonds.

Labels: accident, children, death, Dr Czarlinsky, schools, Sixth street, streetcar, Twenty-eighth street

October 19, 1909

WORKING MEN ATTEND SCHOOL.

Night School for Foreigners Is

Opened With 101 Enrolled.

The Jewish Educational Institute opened its night school for foreigners at 7 o'clock last night in its new building, Admiral boulevard and Harrison street, with 101 enrollments.

The purpose of the night school, which is open on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings of each week from 7 to 9, is to teach the foreign class of people in Kansas City the English language and to Americanize them as far as possible. Five different divisions are taught, mainly elementary English, arithmetic, civil government and architectural drawing, the latter being taught by Walter Root and Thomas Green.

The classes are composed mostly of working men and women between the ages of 20 to 45 years, most of them having a good foreign education, a few being unable to read or write a word of English.

This work has been carried on for the past six years under the same management at 1702 Locust street. Jacob Billikopf, superintendent of the institute, expresses himself pleased with the enrollment for the opening night, that he expects to increase it considerably in the next few weeks. A fee of $1 per month entitles the scholar to all the privileges of the institute, prominent among which is the gymnasium and shower baths.

Labels: Admiral boulevard, Harrison street, immigrants, Jacob Billikopf, Jews, schools

October 12, 1909

NIGHT SCHOOL OPENS.

FIRST EVENING 119 PUPILS ARE

IN ATTENDANCE.

Commercial Arithmetic Class So

Crowded It Is Divided Into

Two Sections -- Prim-

ers Distributed.

The opening of the night high school at the high school building in Kansas City, Kas., last night, was marked by the attendance of 119 pupils, whose ages ranged from 17 to 45 years. Principal E. L. Miller and the assisting teachers divided the pupils into 12 classes. The recitation periods were made from 7:30 to 8:20, and from 8:20 to 9:10 p. m. on Monday, Wednesday and Friday nights.

The pupils were given the choice of two of the following twelve subjects: Chemistry, English, Latin, German, geometry and algebra, commercial arithmetic, grammar and spelling, penmanship, book keeping, stenography, woodwork and mechanical drawings.

The commercial arithmetic class was so crowded Mr. Miller had to make two sections of it. Book keeping, penmanship and chemistry were the next three most popular classes. A large number of graduates of the high school en rolled in the language classes to complete work they had failed to finish while in school.

NINE LEARNING TO READ.

The most interesting class of all was that of nine Polish young men, who are attending the school to learn to read and write the English language. The young men live in the neighborhood of St. Margaret's hospital, and work in the packing houses during the day. They became interested in the school through the efforts of Charles W. Szajkowski, a cabinet maker, who has lived in America nineteen years, and who received a training in English in the night schools of New York city.

A teacher had not been designated for this class and M. E. Pearson, superintendent of the schools, volunteered to start the class in their studies. He began by attempting to call the roll, but was forced to call Mr. Szajkowski to his aid.

The following were the pupils enrolled in this class: Andrzoj Kominick, Cypryan Lauter, John Pasik, Alex Mimeszkowski, Anton Catrowski, Stamstan Butklewicz, Joseph Wiskiewski, Michael Kryska, and John Balamat.

After the roll call Mr. Pearson distributed primers and prepared for foreign students, and after reading over simple sentences, had the class repeat them. Notwithstanding the fact that none of the class knew anything of English, within half a half hour they were reading such sentences as "Five cents make a nickel," and "Ten dimes make a dollar."

WRITE SIMPLE WORDS.

The class was next sent to the blackboard, and after Mr. Pearson had written simple words on the board, the class was told to copy them. It was surprising how well they wrote the words.

Mr. Pearson and Mr. Miller were gratified with the results of the first session of the school.

"I am certain the school will be a success," Mr. Miller said. "The pupils all appear earnest and I believe will improve their opportunity. At least fifteen pupils told me that they would bring another pupil with them at the next session."

Mr. Pearson was very much interested in the class of foreigners. "I am very glad, indeed, that we are enabled to take up this work," he said. "I studied night school for foreigners in the East two years ago and from what I learned there I know they pay."

BOYS ARE EARNEST.

"Our own American pupils will have to look out or the Polish boys will beat them when it comes to earnestness and ability to stick with their studies. Mr. Szajkowski told me after class tonight that he expects to have at least seventy-five Polish young men enrolled within two weeks."

All of the students attending the school pay a monthly tuition of $2. This fee will be used to pay the teachers, except Mr. Miller, who gives his services to the school. The pupils come from all over the city. One pupil enrolled from Mount Washington, a suburb of Kansas City, Mo. Several more enrolled from Kansas City, Mo., and one from Rosedale.

Labels: immigrants, Kansas City Kas, Mt. Washington, Rosedale, schools

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 8, 1909

BOOKS TEACH HIM NEWS WAYS.

Brady Richards Is Found a Prodigy

After Short Schooling.

Although reared in ignorance and taught to believe that the lives of "Nick Carter" and "Jesse James" were the only books in existence, Brady Richards, the recently adopted son of Dr. Katharine Richards, has proved a prodigy since an opportunity to attend school was given him.

About two years ago the boy was severely injured and is a cripple. He was placed in Mercy hospital for treatment. While living with his father and stepmother in Central Missouri, Brady was not allowed to attend the district school; in fact, his parent objected to "larnin'."

In the hospital, Dr. Richards came in contact with the boy and he grew fond of her. One day he told her he wanted to go to her home to live, and she took him there. The boy then learned that there were other books besides the "Nick Carter" kind, and was anxious for an education.

His physical condition deterred him from attending school regularly, but he studied alone at home. Within six months the boy, who is 14 years old, advanced so rapidly that he has made up the work usually requiring four years' time. When well enough, an attendant carries him to the Scarritt school, where a special invalid's chair has been provided for him. He is the pride of his teachers and the friend of every little child in the school.

Labels: children, doctors, Mercy hospital, schools

October 1, 1909

SCHOOL FLAGS AT HALF MAST.

Funeral Services of J. L. Norman,

Westport Presbyterian Church.

Funeral services for Joseph L. Norman, late secretary of the board of education, who died last Monday, were conducted at 2 o'clock yesterday afternoon by the Rev. George P. Baity at the Westport Presbyterian church. A large audience heard the sermon and followed the body to its burial in Forest Hill cemetery.

All the flags on the public schools were at half mast as was the one on the public library, which was closed all day.

Labels: cemetery, churches, Funeral, libraries, schools, Westport

September 28, 1909

J. L. NORMAN, SCHOOL

BOARD PIONEER, DEAD.

SERVED WITH PUBLIC EDUCAT-

ION FOR TWENTY YEARS.

Appointed Secretary Year Ago After

Retirement From the Abstract

Business -- Funeral Arrange-

ments Not Made.

THE LATE JOSEPH L. NORMAN.

Joseph Lafayette Norman, civil war veteran, compiler of the first set of abstract books in Kansas City, member of the school board for twenty years and its secretary for the last year, died at his home, 816 West Thirty-ninth street at 10:15 o'clock last night after an illness of two months. The funeral arrangements probably will be announced today, by which time a son who is in Mexico, and another who is in California can be heard from.

Joseph Lafayette Norman was born at Hickory Hill, Ill, October 21, 1841. In 1857, the year following the death of his mother, the family moved to Greeley, Kas., and took up a homestead there. A year later Mr. Norman and his father returned to Illinois. In the fall of 1859 Mr. Norman and his father came back West and located at what was Westport, Mo., one mile west of what is now Fortieth street and State Line. The deceased conducted a private school in Westport, and he had to close it at the outbreak of the civil war, August 14, 1862, the day of the battle of Independence, Mo.

ONE SON AN ARMY OFFICER.

Mr. Norman closed his school and with five of his pupils reported at Fort Union on the west side of the city and tendered their services to the government. He served for three years as a member of company A of the Twelfth regiment of Kansas volunteer infantry. At the battle of Westport on his twenty-third birthday, Mr. Norman was aide to General S. R. Curtis and carried across the field of battle an important message under an extremely dangerous fire. His first wife, Miss Martha Jane Puckett, a native of Virginia, died January 1, 1901.

They had five children, the oldest of whom, Captain Trabor Norman, is at present in the infantry, in Southern California. Another son, Joseph L, Jr., is in Mexico. Fred, Frank and Miss Jennie Norman are the other children.

OF A MILITARY FAMILY.

On June 25, 1903 Mr. Norman married Miss Katherine Gent of Kansas City. A son, Howard, was born of this union. Mr. Norman was a member of Farragu-Thomas Post, G. A. R. No. 8, and was also a Mason. H e was the first quartermaster of the Third Regiment N. G. M. In politics he was a Republican.

All of his ancestors were inclined to the military life. His brother, Calvin M., his father, Jones, and his wife's father, William E. Plunkett, all served in the civil war.

His paternal grandfather, Joseph Norman, served in the war of 1812, and his great-grandfather served in the revolutionary war, enlisting from North Carolina.

Mr. Norman commenced the work of getting up a set of abstract books at Independence, Mo. In October, 1865, and in the spring of 18657, with Lafayette Trabor he opened an abstract office. Later the Trabor interests were sold to Richard Robertson. Mr. Norman retired from this business a year ago.

Labels: books, Civil War, death, history, Independence, military, pioneers, schools, veterans, Westport

September 26, 1909

FATHER O'DONNELL'S

SILVER SACERDOTAL.

LONG SERVICE IN THE PRIEST-

HOOD IN KANSAS CITY.

Friends to Commemorate the Event

on November 1 -- Came From

Tipperary to the West on

Advice of a Friend.

Roman Catholic Priest Father Patrick J. O'Donnell.

FATHER PATRICK J. O'DONNELL,
FOR 25 YEARS A PRIEST HERE.

In 1885 St. Joseph's hospital was an unpretentious structure, a building which now forms a small wing to the greater buildings constructed adjoining it. In one corner of the hospital grounds there stood a little frame building which was used by the druggist attached to the hospital.

In addition to the hospital buildings the grounds now contain a finely appointed church. The priest is the Rev. Father Patrick J. O'Donnell. He has been there twenty-four years. The church building has succeeded a modest chapel in which Father O'Donnell first celebrated mass when he was given charge of the chapel. It was his second charge in the priesthood.

On November 1, Father O'Donnell will celebrate his silver sacerdotal. At least, his friends have advised him that they will celebrate it for him. They have arranged a reception with Father O'Donnell as honor guest in the chapel hall at Eighth and Penn streets for the night of the day which will mark his twenty-fifth anniversary as a priest of the Roman Catholic church.

Father O'Donnell was born in Tipperary in May, 1862. He left Ireland when 14 years old and lived for four years with an aunt in New York. In 1880, he returned to Ireland and attended St. John's Theological seminary at Wexford. He completed the course of religious instruction there in 1884 and came direct to Kansas City.

The reason for his choosing Kansas City as a field for religious work was that a classmate in the Irish school had been ordered to the St. Joseph diocese and had written Father O'Donnell of what a fine country the Western part of the United States is. Kansas City at that time was a part of the St. Joseph diocese. The Right Reverend John J. Hogan, now bishop of Kansas City, was bishop of the St. Joseph diocese. Afterward, when the Kansas City diocese was created, Bishop Hogan became spiritual head of the Kansas City diocese and administrator for St. Joseph.

Father O'Donnell's first religious work in Kansas City was as an instructor in the parochial school of the Cathedral near Eleventh street and Broadway. He taught in the school for several months. In November, 1884, he was ordained as a priest in the Cathedral.

The first charge given Father O'Donnell was in Norborne, Mo. At the time of his ordination, Father O'Donnell was too young to be admitted to the priesthood, but a papal dispensation was granted. He remained in Norborne, Mo., until 1885, when he was appointed chaplain to St. Joseph's hospital and celebrated mass each alternate Sunday at Lee's Summit. He retained the Lee's Summit charge for two years.

Father O'Donnell was asked to build a church in Sheffield. He worked for several years to bring it about. After the church was built he celebrated mass in it. Two years ago it was made a separate charge. In the meantime, the new church at the hospital building was erected. It now serves many parishioners in addition to the convalescents at the hospital.

Father O'Donnell is of genial disposition. He is known as "a man's priest" because of the strong interest he invariably has held in athletics and his liking for the society of men. He is a member of the Kansas City lodge of the Elks, being the only member of the order among the priests of Missouri.

Father O'Donnell's family lives in Kansas City, they having removed from Ireland several years after he was assigned to the charge at Norborne. His various charges in Jackson county have given him a wide acquaintance here, while he is one of the few priests ordained at the Cathedral who has retained a parish in the city. As a result of his long residence here, the reception planned for him is to be made notable by his friends.

Labels: Broadway, churches, Eleventh street, history, hospitals, immigrants, Lee's Summit, ministers, schools, sheffield

September 21, 1909

BOGUSLAWSKI RECITAL.

Brilliant Pianist Who Has Made

Kansas City His Home.

An artist of the first rank played his first recital in Kansas City last night in the auditorium of Central high school. He is Moses Boguslawsky, the new head of the conservatory of music piano department and his formal introduction to local musical circles last night was more than auspicious. The impression which he made was instantaneously favorable and he was given a demonstrative welcome solely upon his merits as a player, for he came unheralded and unknown to Western music lovers. Kansas City is well equipped with good women players but there is ample room here for a man of Mr. Boguslawski's gifts. This young player, not yet 30, has unquestionably a brilliant future before him. He played a very musicianly programme last night with a verve, sureness, brilliancy and emotionality which stamped him a real artist. A man of slight physique, Boguslawski's repertoire is an extensive one and from it he selected last night a series of illustrative tone pictures which displayed the scope of his artistic acquirements.

Francois Boucher, violinist, assisted and his contributions were, as always, interesting musical features. He played several Weiniawsky numbers very effectively.

Labels: arts, music, schools

September 18, 1909

MARRIES A MILLIONAIRE.

Miss Florence Oakley Received Stage

Training in Kansas City.

A romance which began over a year ago in the Auditorium theater, Los Angeles, Cal., culminated Thursday at San Rafael, just out of San Francisco, when Miss Florence Oakley, leading woman at the Liberty theater, Oakland, was married to Percival Pryor.

Miss Oakley is a Kansas City girl, and off the stage was known as Miss Florence McKim. Mr. Pryor is the only son of Judge J. H. Pryor, a millionaire of Pasadena, Cal.

While the engagement has been announced for some time, the young couple slipped away form the theater in Oakland in the afternoon and drove to San Rafael in a motor car where they were married. Mr. Pryor is 24 years old and his bride 20.

When Florence McKim, now Mrs. Pryor, was but 10 years old she appeared here in "A Midsummer Night's Dream" and made such a hit that she attracted the attention of Miss Georgia Brown, who has a dramatic school. From that time until her first engagement with the Carlton Macy stock company of Cleveland, O., she was a protege of Miss Brown. The young woman had talent and her rise was rapid. While under contract with David Belasco in New York and waiting to be placed, Miss Oakley received an offer of $225 a week from the Blackwood Stock company of Los Angeles to become a leading woman and accepted. It was her guiding star that sent her there, as through that engagement she met, loved, became engaged to and now has married the only son of a millionaire, and "Father" is said to be very fond of her.

"Florence was a dear little girl and a born actress," said Miss Georgia Brown, her instructor, last night.

Labels: California, New York, romance, schools, theater, wedding, women