Newspaper Articles for Bourbon County, Kansas

BOURBON COUNTY

NEWSPAPER ARTICLES

BIG JAIL DELIVERY

Eight Fort Scott Prisoners, Including Murderer Finch, Escape

Fort Scott, Kan., Feb. 1 - Eight desperate prisoners, including Chas. Robinson, the notorious bank and post office robber of Missouri and Geo. W. Finch of Paola, the murderer of Frank Swafford, who was under sentence to be hung, broke jail here today by assaulting Deputy Sheriff Jas. Bales with clubs as he entered the cages and robbing him of his keys and pistol. They were in the combination county and federal prison. John Wilson, counterfeiter and Jas. Cadiff, post office robber, also escaped. Wilson was caught at Fulton tonight. Robinson had been hunted for years and was caught here only a few weeks ago. (Kansas Semi-Weekly Capital, February 4, 1898)

THOMAS O'TOOLE

The state authorities here were to-day notified by the Texas officers that the grave in which Thomas O'Toole, the Fort Scott man who was reported to have died in Texas last month, was supposed to have been burled had been opened and that it had been found to contain nothing but stones wrapped In a blanket. O'Toole carried $3,100 life insurance in the Modern Woodmen, the Royal Neighbors and the Woodmen of the World.

A warrant charging attempted fraud has. been sworn out for O' Toole'a arrest. He was a patent medicine manufacturer.

His whereabouts are unknown. His wife and two children left here last night and have not been heard from. Several weeks

ago Mrs. O'Toole returned from Texas, announced that her husband had died from smallpox while they were sojourning; near the Mexican border and attempted to collect the insurance. Insurance officials then began an Investigation of the case. (Fort Scott, Kansas, May 13, submitted by Barbara Ziegenmeyer)

HIGHEST TEMPERATURES

The highest temperature Tuesday was 100 degrees, and there was very little breeze. Four heat prostrations were reported, none fatal. A number of horses died on the street. The prospect is for continued hot weather. The highest official temperatures in the United States Tuesday were reported from Kansas. Hays City, 104, Fort Scott and McPherson 103 degrees. (Newark Advocate, July 3, 1901, Kansas City, submitted by Linda D)

AN AUTHOR SUED FOR DIVORCE (Minnie & Albert Paine)

FORT SCOTT, Kan., March 30 - Mrs. Minnie F. Paine began suit here to-day to secure a divorce from her husband, Albert Bigelow Paine, a well-known author and poet, who is now a resident of New York city, where he is engaged as manager of a news and literary bureau. She charges gross neglect, extreme cruelty and adultery, though no correspondent is named. The complainant recites particularly that since her husband's removal to New York he has re-fused to allow her to come to him. She also asks for a division of Mr. Paine's extensive properly in Fort Scott, Illinois and New York. The Paine's were married in 1885. (The Indiana State Journal, (Indianapolis, IN) Wednesday, April 1, 1896; pg. 5, submitted by Candi Horton)