ALLEGED CHILD SLAVE’S MOTHER ALSO MAY HAVE BEEN A VICTIM
Charles Airwood, now in the county jail charged jointly with Rosa Airwood, presumably his wife, with trafficking upon the virtue of their 15 year old daughter, is suspected also of holding the woman in white slavery.
It is declared that the county officials have discovered evidence that causes them to suspect that Airwood is guilty of white slavery within white slavery. That is, that Rose Airwood is not Rose Airwood but Rose Luther and that the child is Emily Luther, daughter of the woman charged jointly with Airwood. It is said that they have told varying stories of their marriage which they state took place last September shortly prior to their removal to Gordon. It also is understood that County Attorney Steiger has an affidavit from a nephew indicating rather positively that the child is not the daughter of Airwood, but the child of a former marriage.
County Attorney Steiger and Sheriff Purcell are investigating the entire case. They will undertake to assemble sufficient evidence with the next ten days to prove or disprove their suspicions.
Charles Airwood and Rosa Airwood formally charged with using Emily Airwood as a white slave, were bound over to the district court Friday afternoon following their preliminary hearing in Justice Avery’s court. In default of $1,000 bond they were remanded to jail.
The child was given a hearing in Judge V. P. Monney’s court and she may be sent to some state institution. The evidence indicated she had no home, other than that provided by her mother and in which the state alleges she was held in bondage and forced into unspeakable conduct.
Both the mother and the child collapsed during the hearing of the probate court. It was believed the girl became merely excited. She quickly recovered. It is suspected, it is understood that the mother simulated to an extend. She suffered a similar attack in her room on the second floor of the court house Saturday morning. A physician was called. Her condition is not alarming. (Walnut Valley Times, Dec. 22, 1916)
MRS. B. T. FREEMAN WAS HURT WHEN CAR RAN INTO DEEP DITCH – DIED TUESDAY
Mrs. Ida E. Freeman, wife of B. T. Freeman, died at 3 o’clock Tuesday morning at the family home, eight miles north of El Dorado of injuries received in an automobile accident Saturday afternoon. Burial will take place in Ridgeway cemetery but the date of the funeral will await advices from relatives.
Mrs. Freeman was injured when an automobile driven by her daughter, Miss Katie Freeman ran into a ditch and turned over near the home of Charles Guinn about two miles south of the Freeman Home. At the time of the accident, Mrs. Freeman’s condition was not regarded as dangerous, but she rapidly became worse and Monday evening it became apparent she would not recover.
Mrs. Freeman was 47 years old and is survived by her husband and 11 children. The children are Mrs. Bonnie Forristall, Butler county, Mrs. Irwin Hanson, Keokuk, Ia., Mrs. John Cherryholmes, El Dorado, Katie Freeman, Frances Freeman, Edna Freeman, Grace Freeman, Lilah Freeman, Alice Freeman and Albert Freeman, all at home.
Mrs. Freeman’s death under such tragic circumstances has created a profound sympathy throughout this section. She was a member of an old and highly respected family and friends throughout Butler county extend genuine sympathy. (Walnut Valley Times, November 17, 1916)
BABY GIRL FALLS OFF HIGH BRIDGE; INJURIES SERIOUS
Lucile Morgan, aged 4, who lives with her father, J. W. Morgan, a tool dresser, and her father’s brother and wife, first house south of John Ellis on Washington street, fell from the bridge across the Walnut below the dam about noon Monday. Her condition is dangerous.
In company with Inez Lindsay, 4, and Ruth Bartlett, 5, she was playing on the bridge when the accident happened. A negro whose name was not learned, saw the child in the water and rescued her. Dr. Preston and Dr. Musick were called and took the child to the hospital, where it was found she had suffered a severe concussion of the brain and a badly fractured skull. The fracture is on top of the head.
Apparently she had plunged headfirst from the bridge. She is still unconscious and physicians say her condition is critical and recovery is doubtful.
The little Bartlett girl had been sent on an errand down town and persuaded the other little girls to go with her. The children are too small to tell just how the accident occurred. (Walnut Valley Times, December 8, 1916)
TWO WOMEN INJURED WHEN AUTOS CRASH – ONE SERIOUSLY
Mrs. C. O. Fee, was thrown from a Ford car which had collided with a Buick on the Augusta road about 5 o’clock Sunday afternoon, and suffered two fractured ribs, numerous serious bruises and possibly internal injury.
Mrs. E. E. Evans, driver of the Ford, also received serious hurts and probably sustained a fractured rib. Mrs. Trenton Elder, Mrs. Jacob Reed, and her little daughter, Gail Reed, all in the Evans car, escaped. H. B. Gardner, an Augusta contractor and driver of the Buick also was uninjured.
Mrs. Evans and party were driving north from the home of E. E. Drake on the Kiser farm, three miles southwest of El Dorado. Mr. Gardner and his party were driving south. The two cars met at the cross roads, just north of the Drake home. The wreck apparently, was the result of failure in correctly estimating the speed of either car and consequent confusion. The Ford was struck about midway and hurled to its side.
Mrs. Fee was thrown from the car with great violence. She was riding in the front seat. Mrs. Evans was caught beneath the steering wheel. They were brought to town by a farmer living in the vicinity and taken to the office of Dr. J. D. Musick. They later were sent to their homes.
Both cars were badly wrecked. (Walnut Valley Times, December 1, 1916)
Stick ups Are Caught in Act; Ray Truman Returned to Jail
Police Chief Al Foster, of Augusta, arrested three stick-up men in the act at the Frisco depot in Augusta about 1 o’clock Sunday morning. They were Frank DeTienne, Ray Truman and John Riley. All are in the county jail and will be given a preliminary hearing this week. Truman displayed an astonishing degree of enterprise. He was released from the county jail Saturday afternoon by Sheriff Purcell after serving a sentence for assault. He went immediately to Augusta and assembled or became assembled with DeTienne and Riley. They concluded the railroad men who sleep in the Frisco depot would be easy pretty and began to arouse the sleepers at the point of revolvers.
Chief Foster entered the station and stopped the robbery before all the men had been searched. Only a small amount of money was secured. The three highwaymen were brought to El Dorado. (Walnut Valley Times, November 24, 1916)
Augusta, thriving, but only partially controlled oil town 13 miles southwest of El Dorado was the scene of another riot against police regulation between 12 and 1 o’clock Tuesday morning.
About 150 rioters said to have been lead by Al Foster deposed police chief, violently displayed their resentment at the city council for importing Pat Murphy of Wichita as police chief by attacking and disarming patrolmen, stoning business houses and marching and parading and firing revolvers in the principal streets of the place.
It is expected the riot will be repeated Tuesday night in that event, Police Chief Murphy and the better citizens have promised a number of funerals. It is declared that the mob spirit in Augusta will be subdued and the militia will not be asked to aid in the suppression ceremonies. It is stated, that the better class has begun to realize that possibly positive – fatally positive measures may be necessary.
According to the best obtainable advices, Chief Murphy, who assumed charge of the department Monday, left during the evening for Wichita to purchase supplies. About midnight, a band of rioters determined to rid the town of officers and attacked Ed Givens, and D. B. Munn patrolmen. The officers were relieved of their weapons and set afloat alone in the night. Officers Fitzgerald and Walden; out on a call at the time Givens and Munn were attacked, met a similar fate upon their appearance.
After disposing of the four patrolmen, the mob paraded the main street of the town, occasionally firing revolvers into the air. Upon reaching the Shultz bakery, some of the rioters, evidently in arrears, rocked the building. Stones also were thrown at the Elite dry cleaning establishment further south on the same street. The damage to the buildings was slight.
Chief Murphy arrived during the early morning. All was quiet on the surface during Tuesday but there was a threatening under current and another outbreak of lawlessness in expected tonight. Mayor Weildlein has put in no call for assistance from Sheriff Purcell but he has instructed Chief Murphy to deputize a sufficient number of citizens to maintain order. The Chief has followed instructions and Augusta will be patrolled probably by a score of armed men Tuesday night.
The present trouble apparently is the growth of the easy manner to which a mob chased the Crowe brothers, former officers and generally unpopular from the city, several weeks ago. Decent public opinion, while it deplored the method rather, sympathized with the mob and were secretly glad the supper-officious brothers had been expelled. Foster was put in charge pending a readjustment which came last week when Mayor Weidlein and the council named Pat Murphy of Wichita to succeed Foster.
It is declared that what is known as the rougher element participated in Tuesday morning’s outbreak and that the better class of citizens are staunchly supporting the officers. With this support back of him, it is pretty probable that the gangsters will conclude to be quiet, under the practically absolute assurance that some of them maybe a bevy will be killed if they become unruly. Up to date no arrests have been made as a result of the riot last midnight. (Walnut Valley Times, December 1, 1916)
It seems that a firebug is getting in his work in Augusta and vicinity with the intention of burning out the town. A corn crib was burned Friday night and Saturday night a dwelling house was destroyed by fire of incendiary origin. Thursday night someone attempted to burn a barn belonging to James Ridge of Haverhill. A man was seen sneaking away from the place and immediately after Mr. Ridge discovered the barn to be on fire. He put out the flames and the building was not damaged extensively. Yesterday afternoon about 3 o’clock, a house near the Turkey Creek Mill, about 3 miles north of Haverhill was destroyed by fire, while the family who occupied it was absent.
There have been seven fires in Augusta within the past six months, one of which destroyed three of the principal business buildings. (Walnut Valley Times, Oct. 12, 1900)
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