The Topeka state journal. [volume], December 26, 1908, LAST EDITION, Page 5, Image 5

About The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980

Image provided by: Kansas State Historical Society; Topeka, KS

                
THE TOPEKA DAILY STATE JOURNAL SATUED AY EVENING, DECEMBER 26, 1908.
UP TO THEIR EARS
Postoffice Employes Buried in
Christmas Packages.
Several Tons Are Still Awaiting
Distribution.
KEEP OPEN SUNDAY.
Owners May Get Their Presents
From 9:30 to 11:30.
Great Deal of Begistered Mail
and Money Orders.
Christmas Is past, the day has come
nd gone, but a ton or more of Christ
mas presents remain in the postoffice
et Topeka which are to be delivered.
Every available man has been pressed
into service for the Christmas rush but
eack after sack of belated presents ar
rived today and more are expected Sun- j the 19th to the 24th of December ln
tfay and Monday though it is expected elusive this department indicates re
that every package will have been de- ceipts amounting to -4.65 T"e "fv3r
livered by Monday evening portion of this money was .re.elJ ,
"This hsben the busiest season I ! through the stamp jJi.". ,S
have ever experienced." said Postmaster i ln charge of Miss Josephine Herren.
Rogers, who has seen Christmas after I Open on Sunday.
Christmas come and go, while postmas- 1 "The thing which impresses me
ter or assistant. "While we have had ! more than anything else," said Captain
more to contend with than in the past : A. -M. Fuller, assistant postmaster, is
the improvements which have been re- . the loyalty of the men to their work,
cently completed about the building! I am somewhat new in this class or
have enabled ua to take care of the 1 work, having been in railroad work
Increased work in fine shape." 1 for many years, but I never have seen
it is estimated that three carloads of
Christmas presents have been received
and distributed during the past week the carriers do.
and this means thousands and hundreds "They seem to re jrard it as Bom
of thousands of packages. The parcels ' thing of a disgrace if they get snwe
have been of every conceivable shape i under and have worked night .ana aay
oni rn, i !C nnrt tVint in the face of the fact that
- . . in ii ui iiai l Taiicu 111 n v: i it 1 1
fm a ,v. .s
four nonnris aiir.wp1 v,v th, tnp
regulations.
i.i.,.ln,:...i.
As a general thing the packages have
made their trip in good shape but now
and then one has arrived at the Topeka
omce in such shape that it has been
nir. m rptio it h.f iiv.rv ThJ
bundles are piled up in the rear of the
big building in long rows representing
the different streets of the city and
these are again divided into city blocks.
Clerks have been kept busily en
gaged at this work night and day for
a week past and as fast as the car
riers diminished the piles of Christ
mas packages other packages were re
ceived. The receipts increased steadi
ly from the early part of the week un
til this morning and since that time
there has been a slight diminution in
the number of pouches of mail mat
ter received.
There are 3 carriers working from
the Topeka office and upon these men
and five sub carriers who are allowed
for a few days during the Christmas
rush has fallen this tremendous task
of delivering Christmas presents. E
ery man has done his part and a lit
tle more, for each carrier takes a per
sonal pride in seeing that he is not
'snowed under" during the holiday
rush.
They are supposed to work but
eight hours a day and receive their
pay on this basis though the hour
-has been disregarded duringthe..pres
"ent week and many of the men have
worked many hours overtime, though
they well know that they will not re
ceive compensation for their labor.
"I don't think that there is a carrier
at work in Topeka who does not get
enough satisfaction out of the, joy of
doing the work to more than repay
him for the extra work," said one of
the carriers'. "You see at this season
of the year in particular we are uni
formed Santa Clauses, and while we
are always welcomed by the house
wives, for they generally receive the
mail in the resident sections of the
city we are doubly welcome at this
season of the year."
During all the rush the work of
keeping the incoming and outgoing
first class mall matter has been doub
ly hard for many letters to the recip
ients of the packages. There has been
no conjestion in the departments af
fected though it has been a strenu
ous week on those in charge of these
departments. The work in the regis
try department has been extremely
heavy. This department is in charge
of Charles Pyle who has been assisted
by Charles Goings.
Tons andtons ot registered man nave
been handled through this department, I
but work has never ceased at night
until every registered parcel was
cared for. The delivery from this de
partment has in no way been inter
fered with by the rush, though the
men employed In the wire cage which
separates this department from all
others have worked night and day.
Eighty pouches of registered mail
were handled this week, representing
thousands and thousands . of dollars
which have been exchanged as Christ
mas presents. The registered mail
which has been received has been ap
proximately as large as that which
ha? been sent from the Topeka office
and has doubled the work of the
force in this department.
While the increase of work has been
felt in every department the carriers'
department, the stamn window, the
registered mail department and the
money order department have received
the brunt of the work. The money
order department is In charge of Wil
liam Tinker and for three weeks three
hundred orders a day have been is
sued. Much Money Paid Out.
Three or four times as many orders
are paid each day at the Topeka office
4nHMnml
' r
Uhe "Crotvn"
jRrczcfice
ClasOier
The keyboard of the "Crown" Piano
may be utilized for a perfect Practice
Clavier, OQ Which the Student Can
get finger practice with the regular
and perfect piano touch, and without
any tone from the instrument, or, if
desired, with only the very slightest
tone. This unique but very simple
patented arrangement absolutely pre
serves the hammers from wear and
also saves the nerves of those who
often suffer while finger practice Is
going on. Very few players possess I
a Correct touch; it is almost an lm- '
i
possibility to acquire it by practicing
on a piano when the tone Is beard.
EMAinZJEIi A SPIELSIAN
FURNITURJB COMPANY.
17-B19 Kan. Ave. Botb Phones S53
as are issued as many of the 'smaller
town as well as the country depend
on Topeka annually for Christmas
presents. The paid business of the de
partment shows an increase of 20 per
cent or more over last year and an in
crease of 70 per cent over 1905. One
hundred and forty thousand money or
ders have been paid during the past
year representing a payment of $140,000
by the Topeka money order depart
ment. From forty to forty-five thousand,
money orders have been issued by this
department and many of them were of
the international classification showing
that considerable money is sent to for
eign countries each year as Christmas
presents. These orders amount to
three hundred thousand dollars. Some
Of them are purchased by people who
are afraid of banks and who wish a
secure depository for their surplus
cash.
Only this week a woman purchased
eleven one hundred dollar orders, say
ing that she wanted to let the govern
ment keep her money until she wants
to use it. Two or three weeks before
this a Topeka man purchased $3,000
worth of money orders at one time in
place of depositing his money in a
bank.
The receipts of Cashier R. C. Cald
well's department, through whose hands
all postoffice money must pass, indi
cates a wonderful increase in receipts.
Th average dailv recelDts of the post-
offlf for stamca is about $500. From
a Class or men wnu km f
l getting out their work on time that
1 ; - - . . .
r:thpv do not receive a cent extra for
! this work. They are devoted to their
I wfirt- rinrt
work and their patrons. We nave ar
ranged to keep the delivery windows
open from 9:30 to 11:30 Sunday, two
i instead or one nour as tne i ui w
V";.V , . . .llf. .y,,,,
I would suggest that those
who
! have been notified that they -may .ex-
hours unless they are willing to wait
until the Monday morning deliveries.
The rush is about over now and we
expect to get every Christmas package
out of the office by Monday evening
and perhaps before that time."
LOOKING UP RECORDS.
Every Act of Pittsburg Councils for
Two Tears Under Investigation.
Pittsburg, Pa., Dec. 26. An air of
expectancy prevails here today as to
the nature of the next steps to be
taken in the investigation of the
graft scandal by the Voters league
and whether the intimations made by
the prosecutors that sensational de
velopments would occur today will
materialize. It is believed the inves
tigation will be thorough and wide
spread and that every person impli
cated will be in custody by the first
of the year. It is reported today that
Sfeveral . men connected with the
charges of corruption have decided to
make a full confession as to the ex
tent of their culpability, together with
what they know concerning the guilt
of others.
While the United States authorities
refuse absolutely to discuss the scan
dal, insofar as it deals with the na
tional banks, it is persistently report
ed that a searching examination of a
number of Pittsburg financial institu
tions is underway for the purpose of
ascertaining the truth of a report that
S17.6.000 had been given to certain
persons in return for the privilege of
being a depository for the city s funds.
Every ordinance passed by the
councilmen within two years is being
closely scrutinized for evidence of ir
regularities. DE.VN PECK IS COMIXG.
Will Sponk at Majestic in Y. M. C. A.
Sleeting Sunday.
The third of the series of great men's
meetings will be held at the Majestic
t h i n ti t- t nr-n nrrna' nftpmnnn at 3
o'clock. The speaker this week is Dean
A. C. Peck, of Denver, Colo. His eub-
Dean A. C. Peck, Who Will Speak at
tne .Majestic xomorrow.
ject will be "Many Traps." Dean Peck
' is castor of a ereat institutional church
in Denver known as the City Temple,
tt Vi i i-. Vi ln i A i t i rn 1 1-1 tta rofrnlan Vi,ii-rVl
work, runs a hospital, a training school
for girls, a nursery and a kindergarten.
The church is the outgrowth of a
series of great meetings held in the
Haymarket theater which lasted with
out intermission for seven years, at
which thousands of men and women
professed conversion.
I Dean Peck is a master In the busi-
a 1 1 . 1 ! .i Vi-A 1..' n. .MAnla n.AAl'-
insrs. He is always in demand. He
was so well liked in Kansas City last
year that they recalled hlra for a sec
ond address and his second address was
a third larger than his first.
The music tomorrow will be" in
charge of the Modocs again. The doors
will open at 10 minutes of three.
Tickets are free and can be obtained
at the Central Y. M. C. A. or at the
Majestic tomorrow or at the Cremerie
restaurant.
Oongresman Davey Is Dead.
New Orleans, La., Dec. 28 Congress
man Robert C. Davey of Louisiana,
died here today, after an il mess ot sev-
. l . I. n Tlnn . Vi 1.-11 a rfno Tn f fOTTl
f I rt 1 niUUUia. " ' - '
plication of diseases. He was born in
New Orleans in 18o3, and was first
elected to the Fifty-third congress as a
Democrat.
Hear Dean Peck at Majestic Sunday.
USED HIS FISTS.
H. C. EUctt Pummels Man He Sajs!tne meeting. According to reports in
... .,- ! circulation in the financial district the
H. C. Ellett, proprietor of a shoe
store, will be the defendant in an as
sault case to be tried in the court of
Topeka within the next few days.
The only details ot .his assauit case,
come from George T. Burns, a travel
ing man about bO years of age, who
was marooned -in Topeka oil Christ
mas. Here is the Eurriss story, as he told
it toaay. Mr. Ellett may tell his
story later, and the complexion may be
ehanged-but it may b said f oo,e
old traveling man that he tells a I
straight story, makes a good appear-
flnro n i ,-j ,i .1 i . . . i i . i - .-.
"Johnnv" ' -
i "iili - IlUk Al&G Or
On the night before Christmas. I
was caught ln Topeka. I am an old
man, with a family of my own, and
ieu extremely lonesome. I walked up
and down the street, watching the
people, and looking into the shop win
dows like the veriest countryman. I
smoked an oldLpipe and moseyed along,
trying to pick up the Christmas spirit
dispiayed by others.
"Finally I walked into the moving
picture theater on Eighth avenue. My
pipe was s.ill lighted, and as there was
no place to dump the tobacco, I cov
ered it with my hand to try to smother
the smoke and avoid detection by the
usher. I had been there but a few
minutes when a man walked over to
me. I have been a traveling man for
half a long life time I was in Topeka
twenty-five years ago in that capacity
and, naturally, I have met hundreds
of fellow travelers. I looked up with
a smile, expecting to recognize some
old friend. Instead, I was struck
twice in the face, while I had my
hands in my pockets, and was wedged
in a narrow seat. An usher rushed up
and led the belligerent man away. My
face was bleeding from the blows I
had received, and I called the usher:
"What is the matter with that man,"
I demanded. "Is he crazy?"
" 'He is a prominent merchant, an
swered the usher, ' and he seems to
think you insulted some of his friends.'
"While I was talking to the usher
and wiping the blood from my face,
the man who had assaulted me re
turned with two policemen, and point
ing to me, shouted: 'There is the
; arrest him.' The officers
took me to the police station. The
chief of police talked to me, and I
was released." .
Burriss says he knows only one man
in Topeka, and , that is Frank Cope.
He also knows Cope's wife and daugh
ter. "While walking up and down the
street," says Buriss, "X may have
stared at some woman. I am near-
sighted and cannot see anything ex-
cept through my glasses.
sses. I was lone-
some and in hopes that I might see
Mrs. or Miss Cope In the crowd of
shoppers. I am too old to sport.' Per
haps I did pass this Mrs. Ellett, whom
he says I tried to flirt with, but I
never thought of flirting, and would
not know the woman should I meet
her now."
HE HAS A WIFE.
RadcIlfTo Lee, Clerk of City Court,
Treats i-rieiuls to a Surprise.
RadclifCe M. Lee, better known as
"Rad" Lee, clerk of the court of To
peka by appointment, and candidate
for election at the spring election, hi
married. The fact leaked out last
night. "Rad" Lee was married, ac
cording to the documents to Meriam
Maybell, of Hymer, Kan., on August
13 of this year. The wedding was held
at Newton, Kan. Lee, a young law
clerk and student in the office of Har
ry Larimer, was accused of some
deep, dark crime by his teacher. His
preoccupation and frequent myster
ious trips roused the suspicion of Mr.
Larimer, but the right question was
not asked therefore it was not nec
essary for him to prevaricate. "Rad's"
mother observed that his mind was
not always with his home or the law
office where he worked, and he con
fessed to her five weka ago. Mrs. Lee
preserved the secret until Christmas
day.
There was no use of holding it long
er, as the fact leaked out that "Rad"
had rented a house at 107 Huntington
avenue (the Sixteenth street now un
der consideration by the city council.)
This spoiled the mystery and Lee
cheerfully admitted his guilt today.
"I was a student of law, and not
able to show my hand," says Lee.
"Now, that I have been appointed by
the governor to fill the vacancy caused
by Mr. O'Neil's election as county
commissioner, I can 'show up.' My
wife will be here today, and we will
establish a home at once."
IN FINANCIAL STRAITS.
Publisher of Poor's Manual Is Forced
to Slake Assignment.
New York, Dec. 26. Henry W. Poor,
who assigned today, for many years
has been a prominent figure in financial
and social circles in this city and Bos
ton. He lives in the magnificent resi
dence at Lexington avenue and Gram
mercy park, north, which was erected
bv the late Cyrus W. Field. One of the
finest private collections of books in the
world, which Mr. Poor had gathered in
his home was placed on sale a few
months ago and a large number of the
choicest works have been disposed of.
Mr. Poor has had extensive interests
outside of his banking and brokerage
business.
He is president of the company which
publishes Poor's Railway Manual, a di
rector of the Missouri. Kansas & Texas
railroad and president of the Postal
Telegraph company of Texas. He is a
native of Bangor, Me., 64 years of age
and was a member of . the class of '65
at Harvard. He is a member of many
clubs.
Creditors of Mr. Poor and all the
'Vi1f M I'
FREE LECTURE
ON
t
-
Z
Old Mexico
Mr. Geo. Almond, formerly
of Kansas City, Mo., will deliv
era free lecture on Mexico at
Exchange Hall, No. 119 West
Sixth St., .on Monday evening,
Dec. 28. at 8 o'clock. Mr. Al
mond has lived in Tropical
Mexico for ten years and has
been very successful in grow
ing the .fruits and products of
that locality and is prepared to
give an interesting and instruc
tive lecture. . -;
-l-l -l'l
lawyers in the:: case were in confer
ence today and it was said that no of
ficial information tf- any kind would
be given out until the conclusion of
liabilities will approxmate $3,000,000
None of the attorneys would discuss
the liabilities or assets however.
UP TO JACKSON.
Attorney General Will Decide If Col
11 ns Pardon Is Legal.
I mitll A7. ,''LaX , Y ' Ai
: h,e fSSLS
Jackson. The latter while he has not
as yet given an official opinion on the
" xiittii.:i, ja not mcuiieu to- inins mat tne
' . . . , . ,. . , , , , . . ,
l""-
that Collins had not quite served ten
years when he received the. commuta
tion amounts to anything.
The law provides that the governor
can commute the sentence of a life pris
oner after the latter has served ten
years of his sentence. Collins had serv
ed nine years and nine months when he
was released last week. There is a
doubt in the attorney general's mind as
to whether or not a life or "hang" pris
oner is entitled to "good" time or not,
which Is to say the allowance of time
given by law to a prisoner who has a
good record.
The governor wants to make Collins
pardon legal and will accept the attor-
ney general's opinion as to whether or
not Collins' pardon is in legal form and
if not he will take the necessary steps
to make it so before he leaves the gov
ernor's office.
KNIFE IN HER COAT.
Woman Is Stabbed by It in a Subway
Train.
New York, Dec. 26. Mrs. Frederick E.
Belcher, wife of the secretary of a music
publishing company of this city, has
been seriously injured while seated in a
subway train in one of the most pe
culiar accidents on record. Mrs. Belch
er was seated by her husband when she
screamed suddenly and grasped her left
leg. As passengers stared she cried
faintly: "I am bleeding; it is In my
coat.
Then she fainted. The train was
stopped at the next- station and the un
conscious woman was accried to a bench
on the platform, leaving a trail of blood
behind her. Mr. Belcher frightened and
mystified as to the cause of the acci
dent, bent over his wife and found i
six inch cut In the calf of the leg.
bandaging the wound hastily, he sum
! monea a pnysician o
but before the doC'
tor arrived the wound continued to
bleed so freely that a policeman found
it necessary to take his night stick by
means of which he hastily improved a
tourniquet.
Examination of Mrs. Belcher's coat
in the meantime revealed the point of a
sharp penknife sticking through the
silk lining. It Is supposed that some
one who had a hand in making the gar
ment which is sealskin, left the knife
by accident in the folds where it was
sewed, up unnoticed.
HEARST CONCERN SUED.
John 1. Rockefeller Jr., Brings Action
r for Criptimal Libel. - . ...
New York, Dec. 26. Hearing in a
criminal libel suit brought by John D.
Rockefeller, jr., against S. S. Carvalho,
Bradford. Merrill and E. H. Clark, re
spectively, president, treasurer and sec-retary-of
the Star Publishing company
which prints the New York American
was- postponed until next Tuesday
afternoon by Magistrate Finn in the
Toombs police court today. Mr. Rocke
feller was not in court.
The charge against the newspaper
publishers followed the publication by
the American about 10 days ago of a
storv under a Chicago date line in
which Mr. Rockefeller was accused of
being responsible for the alleged prac
tice of peonage in a labor camp near
Chicago. Mr. Rockefeller had war
rants sworn out within a few hour3
after the papers containing the story
appeared upon the street.
fillIngThe jails!
Gomez Is Having All of
Friends Arrested.
Castro's
New York, Dec. 26. A special cable
dispatch to the Tribune from Port of
Spain, Trinidad, says that passengers
arriving there from ports in Venezuela
report that Actine- President Gomez has
taken drastic steps to suppress friends
and supporters of Castro. In order to
check any possible rebellion on behalf
of the overthrown executive, Gomez,
the dispatch says, is having every
prominent sympathizer of Castro
placed under arrest. The jails are thus
being filled to overflowing with politi
cal prisoners.
The leading followers of Castro, it is
said, will be deported as further pre
caution against a revolutionary out
break. It Is believed here that the en
ergetic measures of the Gomez govern
ment w'ill prevent any possibility of an
uprising. All of the soldiers in the
"Venezuelan army who sympathize with
Castro have been discharged and the
ranks have been filled with supporters
of Gomez.
THREE SHIPS WRECKED.
During a Recent Storm Along the
Atlantic Coast.
Norfolk, Va., Dec. 26. Meager ad
vices of the wrecking of the schooner
William Larmar and the rescue of the
nine men composing her crew, by the
Austrian steamship Columbia, have
reached here by wireless from the Dia
mond Shoals lightship. The Larmar
was wrecked 20 miles east of Currituck,
N. C.
The schooner is reported to be still
afloat and a menace to navigation. It
is presumed that the ill fated vessel
came to grief during the severe north
east gale last week.
The three-masted schooner Zacchus
Sherman, wrecked by the recent storm
and abandoned by the crew, was towed
into Hampton Roads late last night by
a wrecking steamer. Wreckers have
begun their efforts to float the British
steamship Avenmore, which stranded
on the beach near Lyon Haven Inlet
during the same storm.
Man and Woman Fight.
Birmingham, Ala., Dec. 26. At
Ensley Mrs. Lavie. after scrious'y cut
ting J. W. Griffith in the b; st and
throat, was shot iri Instan'.y killed
by the man whose life she had at
tempted. Mrs. Lavie was the prprie
tress of -he Steel City hotel In which
the trouble occurred and Griffith is
an employe of the Steel mill.
HAD A JOLLY TIME.
Topeka Elks Give Little Folks Rare
Treat.
The lodge room of tha Topeka or
der of Elks was turned over to the
poor children of the city from 3 until
o'clock Christmas afternoon. For ;
tnree nours the large room was
crowded to capacity with little folks
who had learned that Santa Claus i
would bo ' present at ha gathering.
n our or nve nunared of the less fa
vored children of Topeka today are
prattling of the jood time they had
"at the Elks." ,
Many of the youngsters were ac
companied by the mothers, who too
poor tof urnish them with the Christ
mas for which they longed, accepted
the invitation issued ..by. the .Elka.
There was a lively bunch .of young
sters in the vicinity of the lodge quar
ters half an hour -before the - doors
were thrown open to them and then
there was one wild swoop . for the
mysterious interior which , none of
them had ever seen. J
There were welcoming committees
of one and two at the entrance to
meet the youngsters and start them
up the wide staircase which led to
the, to them, enchanted chamber.
There were dozens of Elks and their
wives on hand to look after the com-
fort and pleasures of the horde of lit- !
tie folks and they did their work well. j
One mother applied for admission ;
and with her she brought a family of !
i six children, the oldest scarcely more
than that many years of aee. Every
thing was new .to the little folks, ' as
well as their parents,- but the fun
commenced among the more daring
as soon as they were sure that they
were safely inside, the building. To
the credit of the mothers' of the little
folks it must be said that without an
exception the youngsters showed indi
cations of recent scourings. Though
the clothing of many of them was not
the- best, they-, were all bright and
clean and a happier bunch of little
folks would have been hard to find.
Rev. J. H. Jones, pastor of the
First Unitarian church, delivered a
brief address and Miss Helen Hoga
boom sang a solo, but that " was not
the supreme event of the afternoon to
them. Then came a recitation and
music followed, but that was not what
the youngsters were waiting for. Then
Johnnie Waters, some times called J.
C. Waters, in one of his numerous dis
guises, this time as Santa Claus. made
his appearance while an understudy
rattled a string of sleigh bells.
Santa Claus made brief talk ex
plaining tha absence of his reindeers
and administered a number of knocks
on other so called Santa Clauses who
were operating in Topeka. Then
came the distribution of fruits, can
dies and presents. The next hour or
so was taken up in comparing notes
and the boys left vowing that some
day they would join the Elks, and per
haps they will.
FOR ROBBING OLD MAN.
Otto Karr Faces Charge of Highway
Robbery.
Otto Karr was brought to; the sta
tlon Christmas night charged with
highway robbery and beating up his
victim. J. B. Robinson, a poor man
who lives with his daughter in North
Topeka.
The man, said to be Karr. robbed
the old man in a shed back of John
Peer's restaurant on lower Kansas
avenue. The old man resisted and
Karr beat him until he surrendered
his purse which contained about $6.
The floor of the shed was spattered
with blood. Karr's shoes were bloody
when taken and Robinson's pocket
knife was found on his when he was
searched. A warrant for Karr has
been issued by the county attorney.
CRIPPLES ON ROCK PILE.
Gang From St. Joe "Too
Sick to
Work" for City.
The good and kind people who do
nated to the flux of shoe string ped
dlers, cripples and street songsters dur
ing the Christmas rush may or may
not be surprised to learn that they are
all down at the city ock pile, a few
working, but most wailing that they
are loo ill to work. That illness is
what brought them here.
The whole gang, nine in number.
drifted down from St. Joe. What
they drifted on and how is not known,
but they came, full of hope and energy
for the big holiday trade. Some of
them brought a few shoe strings, but
most of them brought nothing except
an unlimited nerve and- a large voice.
Everywhere they begged aid for a poor
cripple. One fellow with about three
sheets to the wind drifted out upon the
sidewalk in front of Crosby's store.
wnere lie zioppea about like a nsh out
of water, seizing women's skirts and
hanging on until they donated. When
told to get up an oficer he said he
could not. Upon being informed that
Topeka had a patrol wagon much like
that at St. Joe, unpleasant recollec
tions rushed to his- mind, and he
obediently removed himself.
FELL DOWN ELEVATOR SILVFT.
Little Willard Nloonm of Topeka
Killed in St. Joseph.
Willard Niccum, the 3 year old son
of Mr. and Mrs. Niccum of St. Joseph,
died Thursday at the home of his par
ents in that city as the result of in-
uries received the previous Monday.
Mrs. Niccum, accompanied by her little
son, were shopping ror Christmas and
were in one of the crowded stores when
the little feHow became separated from
his mother.
The elevator door had been left open
and seeing what appeared to him to be
an exit, he ran to it and before he
could be stopped by the frightened spec
tators plunged to the basement two
stories below. When picked up he was
found to have suffered a fractured skull
and numerous other Injuries, and as a
result died Thursday. Mrs. Niccum is
a daughter of James Stephenson who
lives five miles southeast of Topeka and
the body of the little boy was taken
to the old homestead where the funeral
will be held Sunday afternoon at 1
o'clock, followed by Interment in the
Linn Creek cemetery.
Hear Dean Peck at Majestic Sunday.
DalzcU Out of the Race.
Pittsburg, Dec. 26. Congressman
John Dalzell. who last week at Wash
ington announced his candidacy for
election by the next Pennsylvania
legislature to succeed Senator ICnox,
when the latter resigns to enter the
Taft cabinet, today withdrew and
tendered his support to George T.
Oliver ,a newspaper publisher of
Pittsburg.
Hear Dean Peck at Majestic Sunday.
We Are Auto
Specialists
A UTO repairing is our spe
cialty and not a side line
with us. We are not auto
mobile agents, but devote our
entire time, attention and
skill to make our repairing
the most efficient in the State.
TERRY STAFFORD
Corner Seventh
and Quincy Sts.
BACK TO NATIVE LAND.
Venezuelan Political Exiles Embark
for Return Home.
New York, Dec". ; 26. Cheers and
Venezuelan flags speeded the steamer
Maracaibo when she swung out from
her pier today bearing General Nicol
ais Roland, General Ramon Yala,
General Felix Ampard and other
exiles of the Castro regime on their
way back to Venezuela, at the special
invitation of the new head of the re
public, Juan Vincente Gomez, to assist
in the new order of things govern
mental following the overthrow of
Castro.
Both the men and women of New
York's Venezuelan colony, with a con
siderable sprinkling of Spanish-American
residents of this city and vicinity
were at the pier to bid the distin
guished exiles farewell. The greatest
enthusiasm prevailed, all believing the
incident of the return to their native
country of these leaders of the old op
position to General Castro foreshad
owed a new and brighter era for Ven
ezuela. General Rolando, the central
figure of the day, was smiling and
calm and full of confidence in the
promises of acting President Gomez.
He declared no harm would come to
himself or his lieutenants, or he would
not be taking with him practically all
the leaders of the insurrection against
Castro which had been in secret pre
paration for many months in this
city and which was on the point of be
ing launched when the revolution of
a week ago swept Castro and his ad
herents out of power.
"Juan Vicente Gomez," he said,
"happened to be the man in charge of
the Castro forces into whose hands I
fell a prisoner in a battle with the
revolutionary forces which I com
manded five years ago. We have nev
er known each other personally, but
it never has occurred to mo to ques
tion his motives in the matter of in
viting me back to Venezuela to take
part in the new government he is
forming. He has said his aim is to
carry out reforms for which I, togeth
er with other?!, have fought again and
again would fight and I believe him
to be sincere. Treachery in an affair
like this would not be tolerated in
anv country. I have no fear for my
self, nor for my followers. We expect
to do all in our power to uphold
Gomez and give him our staunchest
support."
Others ln the party were june
Bolete. brother of Nicanar Boelet,
the treasurer of the revolutionary Jun
ta that was financing General Rolan
do's proposed expedition to overthrow
Castro; J. M. Ortaga Martinez, Lino
Duarte Level and Alberto- Larazah a.
SUES THE INTERURBAN.
Treasurer of the Soldiers' Home
Wants $23,000 for Injuries.
Leavenworth. Kan.. Dec. 26. Major
W. W. Martin, treasurer of the Soldiers'
Home, has filed suit against the Kan
sas City Western Railway company for
$25,000 damages for personal Injury in
curred about a year ago. The suit is
instituted ln the circuit court of Jack
son county, Mo. The accident in which
the injuries are alleged to have occurred
happened. It is said, on January 4, 1908.
Major Martin alleges that he was a
passenger on Kansas City Western car
No.' 19, bound to Leavenworth on Jan
uary 4. He says that when , tne car
stopped at the Soldiers' Home he start
ed to alight in the customary manner
when the motorman started the car
ahead suddenly throwing him violently
down a declivity against a barbed wire
fence. He avers that the car was start
ed without warning. It is alleged that
immediately following the accident the
conditions at this point were remedied
and that the place where the accident
occurred is now much changed.
Major Martin avers that the fall, re
sulting from the sudden and unwarned
starting of the car. resulting ln the
breaking apart of his pelvic bones and
that he from being a well preserved
man of 67 years has become a cripple
and will remain so for life. He believes
that his injuries are permanent and
that his life has been shortened by the
accident.
FRUIT MEN TO MEET.
Annual Session to Be Held In Topeka
Next Week.
The progamme of the forty-second
annual meeting of the Kansas S ate
Horticultural society has been Issued.
The sessions will be held in the Su
preme court room of the capitol at To
peka. December 29, JO and 81. In its
programme announcement the society
sends greeting to the s:ate at large as
follows: - , -
"The yield of fruit has been more
bountiful this year than last, yet there
is much room for improvement in our
horticultural harvests, both ln quantity
and quality. Let us not give up striv
ing for belter results. Let us grasp
every opportunity for improvement.
"Come to our meetings, listen to the
papers, and take part in the discus
sions. Nowhere else can you get the
practical horticultural knowledge to
GARAGE PhoneBef,3?56
be gained here. Come and give your
experience. If you have worked out
any horticultural problem, be it large
or small, tell it at our gathering and
have it recorded for the benefit of
yourself, our society and future fene
rations. "Every paper on the programme is
from one having practical knowledge
and experience on the subject present
ed. The programme has not been over
crowded, that there may be plenty of
time for discussions.
"AH who can are urged to bring or
forward fruit for exhibition."
HARGIS JURY HANGS.
Stood Nine for Acquittal and Three
for Conviction.
Irvine, Ky., Dec. 26. The Jury in the
case of Beach Hargis. charged with the
murder of his ' father. Judge James
Hargis, this afternoon reported their
inability to agree and were discharged.
The Jury stood nine for acquittal and
three for conviction.
LOCAL MENTION.
Special sale of matresses. See Gres
ser & Caton's ad.
Prof. D. II. Otis of the department
of animal nutrition of the Wisconsin
Agricultural college, is spending the
holidays with his parents, Ex-Congressman
John G. Otis and wife of this
city. Prof. Otis is an old Topeka boy
who has won honors at a distance from
the borders of his state. He left good
sleighing behind him in his northern
home, but said that the winter thus
far had been very mild in Wisconsin.
A ,poor impression is never left,
when you hand your friend a Rose
Tint cigar. They possess a greater
amount of real tobacco quality than
any other five cent cigar.
W. G. Agard distributed 32 dressed
turkeys among the employes in his
planning mill on Christmas day.
Do not expose yourself to the danger
of burglars or fire without an Inde
pendent phone in your home. It may
be worth many times the cost, some
time.
The giver of your Christmas picture
will bo disappointed if you do not
have it framed. Let us show you the
correct way. Prices very low. Coe
Bros. Cut Rate Art Co., 82 8 Kansas
avenue.
J. G. Crane, who left Topeka about
a year ago to establish a branch
agency for the Calumet Baking
Powder company at Dallas, Tex., is
here today on business. His Topeka
and Kansas friends will be pleased to
learn that he has been again pro
moted by his company to the position
of general southwestern manager,
with headquarters at Ft. Worth, Tex.,
with jurisdiction over Texas, Arkan
sas, Louisiana, New Mexico and
Arizona.
Dr. S. Tempie, Osteopath, 735 Kansas
ave. Ind. 1642. Res. 5174. Bell 1SS5.
Mr. R. W. Barker and wife, of Al
berta, Canada, who have been visiting
Mr. Barker's sister, Mrs. James Brown
of 1252 Lincoln street, left last night
for Valley, Ok. They will visit later
in New Mexico, returning to their
home in Canada about March 1.
. Judge Dana today sentenced the
following city appeal .victims; all of
them enemies of the Kansas liquor
laws, and guilty either by their own
admission or Jury decision, of selling
liquor: George Dupree, colored, two
counts, 60 days in jail and a fine of
$200. He pleaded guilty. Bee Adams,
colored, two counts, same offense,
same results. Joanna Adams, hUr wife,
one count, 30 days and $100 fine. Dick
Johnson, restaurant keeper, one count
30 days and $100. Johnson also
pleaded guilty. These convictions are
of several weeks standing, but were
deferred until after Christmas by re
quest of the defendants. Hence, four
more boarders at the Hotel de Eaton.
Special sale of matresses. See Gres
ser & Caton's ad.
DEATHS AND FUNERALS.
Word has been received in Topeka of
the death of the infant son of Dr. and
Mrs., Stanton Winters, Jr., of Port Ar
thur, Tex. The body will be brought to
Topeka for interment.
The funeral of Samuel F. Wilson,
who died at his home in Grantville
Thursday evening, was held from the
family home this afternoon followed by
interment in the Grantville cemetery.
Charles- McGee. 88 years of age. died
at his home. 612 Jackson street, Christ
mas day. The funeral services will be
held from Penwell's undertaking rooms
Sunday afternoon at 3 o'clock under
the auspices of Siloam lodge A. F. &
A. M.
Word has been received in Topeka of
the death of Tl. F Kistler. father of
Mrs. J. M. Shellabarcr, who died at
his home in Cofteyville Thursday at the
age -of 81 years. The body will be
brought to Topeka for interment which
win follow the private funeral to be
held st the home of Mrs. Shellabarzer.
122 West Fifth - street, at 9:0 Sunday
morning. .
' Siloam Lodge No. 225
Will assemble at Masonic hall at 2
p. in. Sunday to attend the funeral of
late Brother Chas. McGee. Full at
tendance requested. ,
FRANK L. STTJRGES. Master.