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June 16, 1908

TWO LIVES LOST

IN BLUE RIVER.

ALFRED G. BUCHANAN AND MISS

NITA EWIN DROWNED.

THEIR CANOE STRUCK A SNAG.

YOUNG MAN TRIES TO RESCUE

HIS COMPANION.

His Efforts Rendered Futile by the

Struggles of His Companion.

They Go Down to Death

Together.

MISS NITA EWIN AND ALBERT BUCHANAN.
BLUE RIVER CLAIMS TWO MORE VICTIMS.

While boating on the Blue river in Sheffield yesterday afternoon, Alfred G. Buchanan and Miss Nita Ewin were drowned. The canoe in which they were rowing caught on a hidden snag and turned turtle. Both Mr. Buchanan and Miss Ewin lived in Independence. Each was about 20 years of age. Miss Ewin was the daughter of Mrs. Bertie Ewin, a widow, of 412 North Liberty street, while young Buchanan was the son of J. F. Buchanan, an abstracter and loan agent in Independence.

The young couple secured a canoe at the Blue River shortly after noon yesterday, saying that they would return in a short time. They immediately paddled off toward the mouth of the Blue. The accident occurred just above the Belt line bridge.

Witnesses say the boat struck a hidden snag or the limbs of a big tree that overhung the river. Both the occupants of the boat were thrown out by the shock and the boat itself capsized. The two young people struggled in the water for a short time and then went down. Mr. Buchanan was an expert swimmer but, according to those who witnessed the accident from a distance, he was hindered in his efforts to save himself and the young woman by the struggles of the latter.

Two Missouri Pacific firemen stationed with their engines near the scene of the accident saw the young people drown. They left their engines and immediately began to dive or the bodies. Their efforts were fruitless.

The police department was then notified and Lieutenant M. J. Kennedy of the Sheffield station led a rescue party consisting of Marion Bollinger, owner of the boat, and a fisherman. Both bodies were drawn from the water by hooks nearly an hour and a half later.

Mr. Bollinger found the body of the young man first and the fisherman found the body of the young woman. Lieutenant Kennedy had telephoned the father of the young man and he was present when the bodies were removed. Dr. A. C. Mulvaney and Dr. Connelly Anderson, who had been called by Lieutenant Kennedy, tried to resuscitate the two but failed. It was 6 o'clock before the bodies were sent to Independence in an ambulance.

Miss Ewin was the only daughter of Mrs. Bertie Ewin. Seven members of the family have died in the last five years. Alfred is the second son of J. F. Buchanan.

Labels: Belt line, Blue river, boats, death, doctors, drowning, Independence, police, railroad, sheffield

April 24, 1908

CAUGHT POSTOFFICE ROBBER.

Mount Washington Men Chased Him

With Guns Through the Fields.

After discovering a burglar in the postoffice at Mount Washington at 1 o'clock this morning, Orin Shaw, who runs a poolhall next door, armed himself with a Winchester rifle, and with W. H. Chitwood, a grocer, scared the man from the building and chased him across fields for nearly half a mile, finally making a capture just as the fugitive ran into a barb wire fence.

"I saw some one in the postoffice striking a match," Shaw told Sergeant James of the Sheffield station, who later took charge of the marauder. "I armed myself, and then went to Chitwood's house to get assistance. Together we went to the postoffice, but the man evidently heard us coming, for just as we got to the front door he broke from the house and ran past us. We called upon him several times to stop, but he ran on north across the fields.

"After we had chased him for about half a mile I fired at him, but missed. We had been gaining steadily, and just at that time he became tangled in a barb wire fence and we got him."

At the Sheffield station the man gave the name of William Soper. He said he was traveling from Oklahoma to his home in Illinois. A search showed that he had $2.75 in silver, and 45 cents in pennies. This money he confessed having taken from the postoffice.

Labels: billiards, crime, Mt. Washington, post office, sheffield

March 31, 1908

TOUGHS BEAT AN OFFICER.

Sheffield Policeman Is Called Into a

Restaurant and Disarmed.

Patrolman Charles Seright of the Sheffield station was beaten and robbed of his revolver and club in a restaurant at 7208 East Fifteenth street before daylight Sunday morning.

Arthur and Harvey Leopold, Jr., and Frank Clay, who brought the officer's revolver and club to the police station, said that two other men had come across the officer jollying the divorced wife of the Leopold boys's father in the restaurant and had beaten him for it.

The officers in charge of the Sheffield station and Seright insist that Seright was called into the restaurant and set upon by five men, three of whom brought the revolver and club to the station. The assault, they claim, was for the purpose of settling an old grudge. Harvey Leopold, father of the two young men, at one time ran a saloon of Fifteenth street in Sheffield, and Seright arrested Frank Clay and Arthur Leopold on a vagrancy charge. They were released in police court Saturday morning. Seright was on duty as usual last night.

George Winkler, a dishwasher, was beaten unconscious in the fight and is in the general hospital.

Labels: Fifteenth street, general hospital, police, restaurants, sheffield, violence

February 19, 1908

BROOKS DENIES THAT

HE EVER CONFESSED.

SAYS POLICE THREATENED TO

HANG HIM FROM BRIDGE.

After Giving Him Liquor, Murderer

Says They Induced Him to

Sign Confession -- Case

to Jury Today.

Denying that he ever made a confession to police that he murdered Sidney Herndon in the Navarro flats, Twelfth street and Baltimore avenue, on January 12, and claiming that he signed a confession fixed up by the police when he was intoxicated and under fear, due to threats made by the officers, Claude Brooks, negro, was on trial for the murder of Herndon or knew anything of the killing until he was placed in the county jail and the confession was in the hands of the prosecuting attorney. He denied ever owning the hammer which lay on the table in the courtroom, and which was the weapon used to kill Herndon, and also disputed all of the testimony of witnesses who claimed they saw him in the Nararro building the night of the tragedy.

Brooks claimed that while on the train, detectives who arrested him at his father's home and brought him back to Kansas City threatened to take him off the train at a bridge crossing the Missouri River and "string him up" if he did not "come through" and tell about killing Herndon. He also stated that the officers gave him whisksey in Sheffield and before they reached that place, and that he was in an intoxicated condition at the time the statement, said to be his confession, was made and signed by him.

Inspector of Detectives Ryan testified that he gave Brooks one drink of whiskey, which Brooks asked for, but that he did not have any other liquor, and no threats were made. He stated that Brooks made the confession of his own free will, and seemed perfectly willing to tell of the murder at the time of his arrest. Assistant Prosecuting Attorney John W. Hogan, testified to obtaining the confession, and stated that no one threatened Brooks. Other officers were put on the stand and bore out the statements of inspector Ryan.

The most damaging testimony against Brooks was that of Amel Jones, a negro boy, who said he saw Brooks hiding in the Navarro building late the night of the murder, and that he had a paper in his hand, which is described in Brooks's confession as containing the hammer in which he killed Herndon. Robert Webb, a negro at whose house Brooks lived, identified the hammer as exactly similar to the one he saw in Brooks's room. Charles Herndon, brother of the murdered man; Burtner Jones, negro elevator boy; Dr. O. H. Parker, deputy coroner, and others gave testimony.

The case was not finished last night, although most of the testimony, including the confession of Brooks, the night of his arrest, was introduced. It will be continued today and will probably go to the jury by noon.

Labels: alcohol, Baltimore avenue, courtroom, Deputy Coroner Parker, elevators, sheffield, Twelfth street

January 9, 1908

OPERATION TO SAVE

A YOUTH'S MIND

PART OF CLYDE TURNER'S SKULL

IS CUT AWAY.

Butted His Head Agasint the Wall

When a Child and Was

Becoming Viciously

Insane. May Be

Cured.

Clyde Turner, a 15-year-old lad, a ward of the children's court, a portion of whose skull was removed Tuesday afternoon with the idea that he might, by the operation, grow up to be a good and bright boy, was reported last night by the Post Graduate hospital, Independence avenue and Campbell street, where the operation was performed, as doing well.

Clyde's case is the first of the sort in the history of the Kansas City children's court, and the second or third in the court history of the United States. Some years ago a lad in Philadelphia was trephined to cure bad habits, and there was a somewhat similar, but not exactly parallel, case in Omaha recently. Six months ago the Kansas City children's court removed Dewey Marcuvitz's tonsils to mend his ways, but the operation was only partially successful.

PRESSED DOWN BRAIN.

The lad who now lies on a cot at the Post Graduate hospital with a piece of his skull the size of a teacup taken away, has had an unfortunate life. His parents died when he was a month old and he was adopted by George Pack, an employe of the Kansas City Bold and Nut Compnay of Sheffield, who lives at Hocker and Sea streets in Independence. The baby Clyde had a habit of butting his head against the wall whenever he was vexed. Efforts were made to break him of this, but he was not cured until he had flattened the crown of his head.

He grew up "simple," and when 12 years old was sent to the Missouri colony for the feeble-minded in Marshall, Mo. He seemed to improve there, and was released about a year ago. He did not get along very well with his foster parents, although they treated him as they would their own son. Two weeks ago, according to the story told by Mrs. Pack in the children's court, a week ago last Monday, Clyde made an attack on her husband's mother with a butcher knife, and as he is a big, strong boy, might have killed her, had it not been for interference. The lad was confined in the detention home from that time until Tuesday morning, when he was taken to the hospital.

Dr. E. G. Blair, assisted by Dr. John Punton, performed the operation. The portion of his skull, which was flattened, was sawed out and thrown away. The brain, which had been pressed down, rose to fill the cavity. The lad will remain in the hospital until nature grows a cartilage across the aperture.

When the boy awoke yesterday morning he seemed very happy. He was a sour-faced, frightened lad when he came to the place. His eyes wore that pathetic, timid, hunted expression of those who are not mentally normal. But when he awoke his eyes were bright. He smiled and said: "I feel awful good!"

THE BOY CONSENTED.

Judge H. L. McCune of the children's court said last evening in regard to the case:

"It was a question of the court's permitting the lad to become permanently insane, for his spells rising out of the sullenness into passionate outbreaks such as he made on his foster father's mother, were growing more and more frequent, or having him operated upon with a slight chance of death but a much larger chance of recovery and development into a bright and useful man. The doctors told me there was absolutely no chance for the boy to recover without the operation. The court received the consent of his foster parents and of the boy himself.

Labels: Campbell street, children, doctors, hospitals, Independence, Independence avenue, Judge McCune, mental health, sheffield

January 8, 1908

IS PURSUED BY DELUSIONS.

Dr. S. S. Landon, Former Police

Surgeon, Suffers Mental Collapse.

At the insistence of Roy Shunk, a nurse at the Sheffield hospital, Dr. S. S. Landon, former police surgeon and owner of the hospital, was taken into custody at Twelfth and Main streets yesterday afternoon by Patrolman Michael Cassady of the crossing squad. Shunk told Cassady that Dr. Landon had got beyond his control.

After he was detained in a cell in the police matron's room Dr. Landon grew violent. When no one would bring him the keys and allow him to free himself he overturned an iron bed on which he had been lying and, with superhuman strength, wrenched a leg from it as if it had been a twig. He also smashed an earthen receptacle which was in the cell and cut his hand.

It was about that time that Dr. W. C. Anderson, connected with him in the Sheffield hospital, and Amos Townsend, an attorney, arrived. They counseled with the doctor for a few moments and left the room. He reached through the bars to where a table holding a tray of dishes was standing. Mrs. Joan Moran, police matron, ran in just in time to save the tray of dishes, but Dr. Landon broke a leg from the heavy oak table before he could be prevented.

Dr. E. G. Blair, a visiting surgeon at Dr. Landon's hospital, and a close friend, arrived after a time and succeeded in getting the doctor to consent to take a hypodermic injection. Dr. Blair said he would give him a powerful sedative to quiet him for the night. Relatives and friends intend to make some disposition of the doctor's case today.

"Ever since before Christmas Dr. Landon has been acting queerly and of late has grown worse," said Dr. Anderson. "Recently he has grown more and more delusional and wanted to be constantly on the go. It is our opinion that he has had a breakdown from overwork."

Labels: doctors, hospitals, Main street, mental health, police, sheffield, Twelfth street

December 7, 1908

KILLS DUCKS IN CEMETERY.

Sheffield Hunter Commits Act of Van-

dalism at Mount Washington.

Several monthsw ago one of two swans, which made their homes at Mt. Washington cemetery, was killed by a boy. A second act of vandalism was the slaughter of three ducks yesterday by a man believed to be from Sheffield. As the ducks were almost tame he had no difficulty in creeping close to them and killing three with one load of shot. The man had not time to fire again as the report of the gun aroused Louis B. Root, superintendent of the cemetery, whose arrival frightened the man away.

Labels: animals, cemetery, Mt. Washington, sheffield

December 24, 1907

LOST HIS WOMEN PATIENTS.

Dr. Chapman Declares His Wife's

Jealousy Was Disastrous.

Judge Hermann Brumbeck of the circuit court is being asked to decide whether or nt Mrs. Nettie R. Chapman has destroyed the medical practice of her husband, Dr. L. R. Chapman of Sheffield. That is the allegation in the divorce suit brought by Dr. Chapman and now being tried before Judge Brumback.

Dr. Chapman says that on the afternoon of the day he married in Eureka, Kas., his wife came to his office and stayed until closing time. That was on March 28, 1906. He says she came every day until the middle of August, when having lost all of his women patients, he moved to Kansas City.

He tried to attend medical college here last winter, he says, but as his wife insisted upon accompanying him to all clinics lest he might, unknown to her, meet a live woman student at the disinfecting table, he forsook the college.

He was carrying a newspaper route for a living, he said, and had sent his wife back to her parents in Eureka when he filed the suit.

Labels: Divorce, doctors, sheffield

December 17, 1907

PULLED HIS ARM INTO PLACE.

Hose Captain O'Sullivan's Men Per-

formed Surgical Operation.

A defective flue caused a fire in the home of Bert Liles, 1814 Newton avenue, Sheffield, last night at 9 o'clock. Liles and his family had gone to church but the neighbors saw the fire and sent in the alarm.

When the companies arrived it was discovered that a closet which was built in the wall next to the flue had caught fire. Captain James O'Sullivan of hose company No. 21 opened the door of the closet. The space which was closeted off had never been floored, and the captain, not knowing this stepped through the rafters. He fell about four feet, throwing his right arm out of place at the shoulder. He called for help and his companions, in attempting to pull him up to the floor again, caught hold of his right arm. They gave a strong pull and the dislocated joint fell back into place. O'Sullivan will be laid up for a few days.

Labels: Fire, sheffield

August 29, 1907

PURSUED BY IMAGINARY FOES.

Negro Who Believes Some One Seeks

His Life.

"Sonny" Harris, a negro North end character, believed last night that he was followed by a crowd of men who threatened his life. He starled the populace about Third and Main streets by running madly along the thoroughfare and screaming for someone to protect him. Jack Julian and B. C. Sanderson, plain clothes officers, later found the negro crouched behind a billboard in an alley near Third and Delaware streets. He had a rock in his hand and was directing dire threats toward an imaginary man in the alley. The policemen seized him and after inducing him to throw away the rock took him to police headquarters. When the trio reached the front of the station door the negro turned to the officers and asked if they saw a man shoot at him three times as they were crossing the street.

Harris, while recently in a similar frame of mind, ran all the way from Sheffield to police headquarters and there collapsed. He then imagined he was being pursued by assassins.

Labels: mental health, North end, police, sheffield

August 5, 1907

CARBOLIC ACID KILLS.

DRANK IN THE DARK BY

BECKETT FOR WHISKEY.

Second Man Who Took Swallow of

the Poison Will Recover -- Dead

Man Leaves a Widow and

Seven Children.

Two pint bottles of the same shape, one containing whisky and the other carbolic acid, caused the death of James F. Beckett in Sheffield early yesterday morning. The bottle of whisky was put into a wagon bed which also contained a bottle formerly used for whisky filled with carbolic acid. John Eveland, another laborer, who put the whisky into the wagon bed, also drank of the acid, but he will recover.

John Thomas gave a dancing party Saturday night at his home in Sheffield. About forty men and women were present, and at midnight the dancers decided to continue the party indefinitely until morning.

Beckett had been invited, and after he arrived he was prevailed upon to furnish the music. He sat in the parlor, and from 8 o'clock until midnight played waltzes and two-steps, and occasionally a tune for the Virginia reel, with scarcely a rest, while the tireless dancers encored him again and again.

About 11 o'clock Eveland, who lives only two blocks from Thomas' house, heard the music and the laughter of the young men and women, and decided to see what was going on. I had been drinking a little," said Eveland yesterday, "and I had a pint bottle of whisky, about half full, in my hip pocket. Thomas invited me to come in and dance. I didn't want to take the liquor with me on account of the women. So I slipped out to the shed back of the house and put the bottle in the bed of a wagon. Then I went in and danced until about midnight.

"When the decided to keep on dancing for an hour or two more, Beckett, who was one of my friends, said he was tired. I told him about the whiskey I had put in the shed, and asked him to go have a drink to brace himself up. We took John Burris, one of the other men with us, and all went out to the shed.

"When we got out there it was dark, and I reached into the wagon bed and got out what I supposed to be the bottle I had put there. It was a regular pint whisky bottle, and seemed to be about half full. I had some trouble getting the cork out. While I was trying to draw it, the women were calling for Beckett to play for another dance.

" 'Hurry up,' cried Beckett. 'I've got to get back to the house. '

" 'Give me the bottle,' said Burris. 'I'll get the cork out with my knife.'

"Burris pulled the cork, and raised the bottle to his lips to take a drink, when they called Beckett from the house again, and Beckett grabbed the bottle quickly. He took two long swallows. Then he ran back to the house, and Burris went with him, without waiting for a drink. I then drank a little, and put the bottle back into the wagon."

Eveland says it was about twenty minutes later before the acid pained him, so that he knew he had been poisoned. Beckett, who continued playing for the dancers after taking the acid, began to feel ill about the same time Eveland did.

Dr. R. Callaghan was sent for, and treated both men. Beckett died about 1:30 o'clock. The whisky which Eveland had drunk before he came to the dance saved his life. The reason Beckett did not feel the effect of the aid sooner is believed also to be due to whisky before he went to the shed. The whisky is thought to have counteracted the effects of the acid to a certain extent.

Thomas said yesterday that he always keeps acid in the shed for use as a disinfectant. He keeps horses and hogs there. The bottle was plainly labeled. Had the men struck a match they could not have made the mistake.

James F. Beckett was 39 years old. He lived at 410 Denver avenue, and leaves a widow and seven little children, the youngest being only two months old. The body was taken to Blackman's undertaking rooms in Sheffield, and a coroner's inquest will be held this morning.

Labels: alcohol, amusement, dancing, death, Denver, doctors, laborer, sheffield, undertakers

July 8, 1907

CAME HOME IN A GUNNYSACK.

Supposed Drowned Boy's Clothing

Taken From the River Bank.

A drowning scare occurred at the Blue river, in Sheffield, yesterday afternoon, when the clothes and a crutch of William Hess, a 12-year old, one-legged boy, who lives near Independence and Ewing avenues, in Sheffield, were found on the bank. The finding of the clothes was reported at the Sheffield police station, and a prompt search for the body was instituted.

For three hours boats plied up and down the river from Nineteenth street to the mouth of the river, and for some distance about where the clothing was found the river was dragged. The search was abandoned about 7:30 o'clock, and the clothing turned over to the boy's mother by a policeman, who broke the news to her.

A half hour later a dejected looking figure, clad in an improvised bathing suit made from an old gunnysack, appeared in the doorway of the Hess home. It was the supposedly drowned boy, who had returned from a row with two other boys up the river, and finding his clothes gone he had hobbled to his home by way of alleys and side streets.

Labels: Blue river, children, drowning, Nineteenth street, sheffield

June 28, 1907

POLICE OPPRESSION CHARGED.

Witness Who Testified Against Pa-

trolman Ordered to Leave Town.

Mayor Beardsley yesterday informed Police Commissioner Gallagher that a witness named Lee, who had testified in the case involving Officer Park, charged with gambling while on duty, in Sheffield, had been arrested on a charge of vagrancy and had been ordered to "leave town."

"That is more than we must be asked to stand," Commissioner Gallagher declared. "I move that the matter be investigated and that all parties concerned be brought before the board. Are you sure it is true?"

"I know it is true," the mayor confirmed. "Lee testified here against a policeman, the policeman afterwards arrested him as a vagrant, hauled him down here before Judge Kyle and since then has told him he had better get out of town."

Labels: Judge Kyle, Mayor Beardsley, police board, sheffield, vagrancy

April 24, 1907

VIADUCT FRACTURES SKULL.

Boy Who Rode on a Freight Train

Probably Will Die.

John Sullivan, 13 years old, a son of Henry Sullivan, a plumber living at 2416 Mercier street, while stealing a ride yesterday on top of a Milwaukee freight train, was struck by the Brooklyn avenue viaduct, receiving injuries which will probably prove fatal. The boy, warned by a shout from a companion, wheeled just in time to meet a terrific blow on the forehead, crushing his skull. John Harvey, a companion, of the same age, who was with the Sullivan boy, held the latter on top of the train until the train crew arrived. The injured boy was treated at the Sheffield hospital.

Labels: accident, Brooklyn avenue, children, railroad, sheffield

March 28, 1907

KILLED IN SHEFFIELD WORKS.

Boy Resents Joke and Strikes
Tormentor With a Bolt.

Arthur Jackson, a young man living at 1308 1/2 East Ninth street, was hit over the head with a long bolt by G. C. Hammond, 18 years old, at the Kansas City Bolt and Nut works in Sheffield yesterday afternoon. Jackson was taken to the Sheffield hospital, where it was discovered that his skull had been badly fractured. He died at 9:30 o'clock last night without regaining consciousness. Hammond was arrested and is being held at No. 7 station for investigation.

Hammond, whose name is Grover Cleveland Hammond, lives with his parents at Tenth street and Topping avenue. Ever since he had the measles some years ago he has been regarded as weak minded. It was said that the men and other boys at the Nut and Bolt works were in the habit of bothering him. His parents came here only last fall and are poor. Yesterday afternoon, so a report says, Jackson in passing Hammond gave his truck a shove out of the way. This seemed to anger Hammond and he grabbed a long bolt, took a firm grasp on it with both hands and hit Jackson over the head with all his might. The coroner sent the body of Jackson to a Sheffield undertaker. An autopsy will be held today and an inquest later.

Labels: hospitals, murder, Ninth street, sheffield, Topping avenue

March 27, 1907

SHOT BY TWO POLICEMEN.

Were Trying to Arrest Sheffield Man

Who Flourished Pistol.

David Bostick, a roller mill hand of Sheffield, was shot and perhaps mortally wounded early this morning in that suburb by Sergeant Caskey and Patrolman Parks. Earlier in the evening Bostick had shot at Harry Bahling, a saloonkeeper of Sheffield, whom he had attempted to hold up. Then he went to the home of George Ritter, on the Blue. Returning from there he met the officers and threatened them with a revolver. Both officers shot him at the same moment. He had just left the boat in which he had come from Ritter's home.

Labels: Blue river, police, sheffield, violence

February 4, 1907

HIS STORY A FAKE.

W. DALTON, "OF NEW YORK,"

REALLY OF ARMOURDALE.

MOVED A JUDGE TO TEARS.

YOUNG ROMANCER WHO MANY

WANTED TO ADOPT.

After Court Officers Had Found Him a Good Home His Mother Tells Them They Were Taken In by a Juvenile Munchausen.

There seems to be a joke on somebody.

Walter Dalton, the "friendless orphan" boy who told Judge McCune in the juvenile court last Friday of his many and superlative vicissitudes after the death of his father and mother in New York and his abuse by a stepfather, how he slept in doorways there and finally beat his way to Kansas City on 9-cents because he wanted to come West where he could make a good man of himself, really lives in Armourdale and has never even seen New York. His mother, who lives there also, called at the Detention home yesterday to see this young Munchausen.

When he told his tear-stained story to Judge McCune Friday the judge and the spectators wiped their streaming eyes and sent out their hearts to give poor motherless Walter comfort.

"You look like a good boy," said Judge McCune out of the fullness of his heart (as he blew his nose suspiciously, as is proper under such stress), "but you haven't had much of a chance. We'll find you a good home and a good job where you won't have anything to do but work and nothing to eat but food and no place to sleep but in a feather bed."

"Thank you kindly, sir," sobbed Walter. "I will indeed be grateful. That's all I've been looking for and your generosity moves me. I shall do all in my power to show you how I appreciate it."

A court official led Walter away weeping and the court dried its judicial eyes and blowing its judicial nose again, called the next case.

Then the newspaper reporters wrote the story and splashed it liberally with salty tears and the next day twenty yearning philanthropists, looking for a husky boy who in turn was yearning to do a man's work for his board and clothes and a few kind words, besieged the office of the probation officer where Walter was wallowing in the fat of the county, and one of them took him triumphantly away in the face of the deep throated clamorings of the others.

When Dalton left the Detention building for his new home he was fitted out by loving hands with new clothing throughout, including a nice warm overcoat.

So much for the first installment.

Yesterday a frail, thinly clad dim-eyed woman accompanied by an ill-clothed boy of 7 appeared at the Detention home.

"Have you got a boy here named Water Dalton?" she asked.

"Yes, ma'am," replied one of the officers, "but I am sorry to say, you are too late, much as we appreciate your sympathy in favor of the friendless orphan. We have already found him a good home."

"Home," replied the woman. "Home? He already had a home and I'm his mother."

"But my dear madam," returned the astonished officer, "his mother is dead."

"I don't look very dead, do I? Well I'm his mother all right and he lives with me in Armourdale -- that is, when he isn't running away. I ought to know whether I'm his mother or not, oughtn't I?"

"Y-yes. But he said he came here from New York."

"New York, fiddlesticks. I've known him pretty well for sixteen years, which is as old as he is, and if he was ever farther East than Sheffield I never heard of it."

"But his father --"

"Father, nuthin'. Dalton skinned out years ago and left me to support this boy and that 'waif' you picked up from New York and found a good home for. But he won't be there long. As soon as he gets enough to eat and the weather gets warmer he'll be gone again. I know him.. He's no good."

"But, Judge ----" "Yes, I know what the judge said. The truth of the matter is that boy can outlie a press agent. I'm his mother and I know. New York! The only other town that boy ever lived in was Omaha, and he was in jail there three times for stealing that I know of -- and maybe more. Did he keep his eyes on the floor sort of solemn like while he was telling the judge the magazine story?"

The officer remembered that he did.

"That was Walter, all right," said the woman. "He always keeps his eyes on the floor and talks low when he's drilling for tears."

"But his stepfather beat--"

"Stepfather! He never had a stepfather. I know when I've had enough. The only person I've ever expected to help me along since Dalton left was Walter, and instead of that I've had to support him. Oh, yes, he would work occasionally, but it didn't do me much good.

"The last time I saw him was Friday morning a week ago. I put up his lunch for him and started him to work. The next I heard of him I read in the papers what a good boy he was and what a good man he was going to make and --and the rest of it. It was news to me.

"Well," she added in leaving, "I'm glad Walter is a good boy and has a good home and is going to be a good and great man. It relieves me of a good deal."

Walter Dalton is 16 years old. He was arrested by the police one night last week begging on the streets. He told a pitiful story of having been left an orphan in New York city and told it in such a plausible way that he made more friends in ten minutes than an honest boy could get together in a lifetime of uprightness. His new home is on a farm a few miles from Kansas City.

Labels: Armourdale, con artist, detention home, Judge McCune, juvenile court, sheffield