RUTH PAYNE GRANTED CIVILIAN AIR PILOT'S LICENSE
Miss Ruth Payne, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. W. A.
Payne, Oskaloosa, was a few days ago granted a civilian air pilot's license, after completing a 35 hour course
at the flying school in Lawrence and successfully passing the required examination. She thus became Oskaloosa's
first licensed girl flyer.
Miss Payne had several hours of flying beyond the
minimum requirement of her 35; her thirteen hours of solo flying included a trip over Oskaloosa; also flights to
Topeka and to Kansas city with a landing in each city. Her final examination included C A requirements, naviagation,
meterology, general service of aircraft. In each of these subjects she made good scores with an enviable average
of 92%.
Miss Payne is completing her sophomore year in
college of liberal arts at University of Kansas. She is a member of Delta Gamma. (The Oskaloosa Independent, Thursday,
June 1, 1945, transcribed by Jim Larid)
A DEMOCRAT 1OO YEARS
OLD
Still Well Preserved. Has Sister 102. Brothers
98 and 99
Dr. J. P. Wood of Coffeyville is 100 years old
and well preserved in physique and all the senses. His father lived to be 97 and his mother 100. One brother is
99, one 87 and one 94. Two sisters still living are aged 102 and 85 years. Major General Wood, of the Union army,
and Brigadier General Wood of the Confederate army were his brothers. He has been married three times. The first
time in 1824, the second in 1832 and the third in 1852. this last wife is still living. He is the father of eight
children, six of whom are living Dr. Wood has always affiliated with the Democrat party and daring the last presidential
campaign attended all the caucuses and rallies of his party. He cast his first vote for Andrew Jackson in 1824
and from that time to the present day has never missed an election, either state or national. He has seen all the
presidents except one from Jackson to Roosevelt He was never a member of any secret order and never belonged to
any church. He is a Universalist in belief, but often attends one of the city churches. (The Valley Falls, Jefferson
County, Friday, January 10, 1902, submitted by Barbara Ziegenmeyer)
SUIT FILED
AGAINST COWLEY COUNTY, KANSAS FOR WILTBERGER REWARD
ARKANSAS CITY—(Special) There is a good sized muddle
in Cowley county over the payment of the reward for the arrest and conviction of the murderer of C. L Wlltherger.
The county commissioners have paid the county's part, amounting to $200, over to Cal Ferguson. a citizen of Winfield.
Constable J. J. Breene, of Arkansas City, who made the arrest, claims one-half of the money. He actually arrested
both Clyde Moore, who was convicted, and Charlie Betts, who was acquitted. L. C. Brown Breene's attorney went before
the probate court and made application for a restraining order to prevent the commissioners from paying the money
over to Ferguson. The record of the county clerk was Introduced and it showed that when the reward was offered,
there was a peculiar clause in the proceedings, stating that the county commissioners should be the exclusive judges
of who Is to receive the reward. The probate judge after hearing this refused to interfere In the matter. Mr. Brown
immediately filed a suit in the district court against Cowley county for $100. which Breene claims is rightfully
his. There was altogether $900 offered for the arrest and conviction of the party or parties who killed Wiltberger.
It was divided as follows: Wiltberger heirs. $500; state of Knnsas. $200; county. $200. The Clyde Moore case will
be appealed to the supreme court and the state and heirs are not trying to pay the reward, but will wait until
the recults of the appeal Is known. (The Valley Falls, January 17, 1902, submitted by Barbara Ziegenmeyer)
ROBBERS
OF POOLROOM ARE STILL AT LARGE
THE EXACT LOSS IS NOT YET KNOWN
Detectives Have Made A Few Arrest, but Could Not
Find a Trace of the Guilty Men
Different Stories as to the Amount of Money
KANSAS CITY.—(Special.) The detective department
is at sea regarding the bold holdup of Harry Chick's pool room at 907 Baltimore avenue. Practically the entire
detective force are at work on the case, but members of the force say they have no clue whatever on which to work,
and that they are at a loss which way to turn. The robbers, after they entered the alley back of Dixon's saloon,
disappeared completely.
The detectives made some arrests. One member of
the department sent in a poor patent medicine vender who carried a valise big enough to hold the wealth of Monte
Carlo. This made him appear suspicious In the detective's eyes. Detectives O'Hare and Winstead arrested Ambrose
Baird, but he was released. Baird has been arrested charged with picking the pockets of street car conductors,
and, as be hangs about Chick's place and answers In a general way the description given of one of the robbers,
he was taken In. "Jimmie" Driscoll, who was one of the five men in the place at the time, and was slugged
by one of the rollers, went to the station to see Baird, but could not identify him. Among the local sporting fraternity,
the robbery is almost the sole topic of conversation. Gamblers as a class have more internecine troubles than a
woman's club, and the Kansas City members of the profession are no exception to the rule. There are two factions
among them, and the adherents of the faction friendly to Cal Morton were busy discussing the probability of the
robbery having been the work of the opposing faction. Cal Morton, although he is said to have, no actual interest
In Chick's pool room, or Baltimore Telegraph Company, as it is called, has lent Chick money and is a friend of
the latter.
Just how much the money the robbers succeeded In
getting the public will probably never know. Chick was such that he would he unable to tell exactly, but that he
knew it was somewhere between $1,500 and $2,500. Members of the detective department said, however, that they did
not believe Chick lost more than $600, but those who are acquainted with the business say it would he a risky thing
for a pool room to run with a margin of only $600. (The Valley Falls Jefferson County Kansas January 17, 1902 Page
2, submitted by Barbara Ziegenmeyer)
First Woman Mayor Dead
Burns Fatal to Mrs. Mary. D. Lowman of Oskaloosa, Kansas
As Executive of the Kansas Town with a Suffragist Council, She Attracted Wide Attention by Her Reforms for Social
Betterment
Oskaloosa, Kansas, June 4. - Mrs. Mary D. Lowman, who died her Sunday from burns which she sustained when her clothing
caught fire, while preparing a meal Saturday, was the first woman mayor of Kansas.
Mrs. Lowman was the first woman mayor to be elected in Kansas with a full woman council. Her ticket was elected
in 1888, and at the time of the close of the first term of her administration it was so satisfactory that the same
ticket was re-elected with only a few exceptions.
The administration of Mrs. Lowman attracted wide notice and for several months after taking office special correspondents
from all parts of the country came to Oskaloosa to write the story of the "woman mayor." The entry of
women into office marked the dividing line between the old and new Oskaloosa. Before Mrs. Lowman took office,
pigs were allowed to roam the streets, stray dogs ran loose and the sidewalks were in such bad condition that walking
over them was impossible. She passed a dog tax ordinance, prohibited the pigs from leaving their pens, and began
building walks.
Mrs. Lowman's maiden name was Mary D. McGauby. She was born in Crete, Pennsylvania, January 29, 1842, and was
married to George W. Lowman April 6, 1866.
They came to Oskaloosa soon afterwards. Mr. Lowman is a veteran of the Civil War. He was three times elected
register of deeds of Jefferson County. At present he is deputy register of deeds and city clerk.
Besides her husband, Mr. Lowman is survived b y her daughter, Mrs. Charles Decker, of Oskaloosa, and a son, Dr.
Richard Lowman of Kansas City.
Funeral services were held today. (Kansas City Star - June 4, 1912 Transcribed and contributed by: Frances Cooley)
