Newspaper Articles for Shawnee County, Kansas

SHAWNEE COUNTY, KANSAS

NEWSPAPER STORIES

ACCIDENTAL SHOOTING

Verdict of the Coroner's Jury int he McGuire Killing at Topeka

TOPEKA, Kan., April 2 - A coroner's jury spent the morning on the case of Con McGuire, killed yesterday while drunk by drunken Morris Keating and returned a verdict that McGuire came to his death by "accidental shooting, without feonious intent." It was demonstrated beyond the shadow of a doubt that both young men were intoxicated and very quarrelsome when they appeared on the scene of the "beer picnic" which a number of young Topekans were holding at a place known as Golden's red barn, about two miles east of Kansas avenue. The jury was made up of J. W. Moore, John C. Kennedy, J. A. Lord, W. W. Clemenson, A. Robinson and Fred Jewell.

Keating, who said he was a tinner by trade, single and 26 years old, told his story to the jury as follows: "I went to Sullivan's house at 12 o'clock yesterday. Tom Sullivan told me 'the boys' had gone to Mr. Miller's, a neighbor. I went to Miller's and found Con and several others. Mr. Miller went after some wine and we drank it. He told us that some of the Turnverein were over at Golden's. We went there. I played ball for a while and think I had some beer. McGuire asked me to go to Sullivan's get Tom's gun and hunt for awhile. We got the gun and McGuire loaded it, and we went back to Golden's. I asked Will Lindschmidt for some beer and he refused. Con then handed me the gun and picked up two glasses to draw beer for us. Gus Lindeschmidt told him not to do it. McGuire wanted to know who would hinder him. I said "Don't let us have a fuss, Tom," and went out and sat on a fence with the gun across my lap. The gun went off and that's all I know about it." Here he broke down and cried like a child. After the inquest he was returned to jail. (The Leon Indicator, Thursday, April 4, 1880)

A DETECTIVE'S MISTAKE

David Link of Shawnee County, Kansas Wrongly Accused of Murder

Special to the Kansas city Times

Topeka, Kan., Feb. 6 - A man calling himself Matt Knapp and representing himself to be a detective commissioned by the California branch of the Pinkerton agency, came to Topeka three weeks ago and arrested David S. Link on the charge of murder in Wichita County, Texas in 1885. The name of the murderer was Jim Jones, alias "Bill Harris' Kid." Knapp claimed Link was the man and that he had confessed the crime, secured a requisition and took the youth to Texas.

Link is the son of James K. P. Link of Auburn township, this county, and had been in Topeka but a short time when he was arrested. He had few acquaintances and no one interested himself in his behalf, and either through fright or because he was denied the privilege of communiciating with his relatives he went to Texas without his father learning of his arrest. On arriving in Texas, however, he wrote to his father telling him of his arrest and imprisonment.

The father immediately employed Wheat Chesney and curtis to secure his son's release. Several prominent and trustworthy citiznes of Auburn township made depositions that the young man had always lived in this county and that he had never been outside of the county up to and after 1885. He is only 20 years old and was therefore but 15 when the crime was committed. The depositions were forwarded to C. J. Bills a lawyer of Wichita Falls, and upon the strength of them and the weakness of the evidence and the unsatisfactory identification of the state, young Link was released upon a writ of habeas corpus. He is still in Texas, but is free and will return home as soon as his father can send him money. (Kansas City Times, February 7, 1890, page 4)

BAD NEGROES AT HOLTON

Topeka, July 18.?Three brothers Greenway, negroes, were brought to Topeka, today and placed in the county jail. Saturday night the men attempted to
hold up and rob Arthur Scott, a white boy at Holton, and fatally wounded him. The negroes were captured at Elmont The prisoners were taken back to Holton
today for their preliminary hearing. There is bitter feelings in Holton, and trouble is expected. (The Emporia Gazette [Emporia, Kansas] Monday, July 18, 1904 submitted by Candi Horton)

MRS. WEHE IMPROVING

Mrs. A. F. Wehe, who has been seriously sick for the past month, is improving. (The Emporia Gazette [Emporia, Kansas] Monday, July 18, 1904 submitted by Candi Horton)

WOMAN SUFFRAGE IN THE PLATFORM?

TOPEKA, Kansas , June 14.-the People's party state convention used the entire morning endeavoring to reach a conclusion whether to put a woman suffrage plank in the platform or leave it out. At one o'clock the convention decided to insert a woman suffrage plank by a vote of 376 two 260. The ticket nominated is as follows: for governor, L.D. Lewelling (by acclimation); lieutenant governor, D.G. Furnbeck; the secretary of state, J.W. Amis; Treasurer, W.H. Biddle; Attorney General, John Little; auditor, Van B. Prather; congressmen-at-large, W.A. Harris; associate justice of the Supreme Court, George W. Clark. (The Christian Recorder, (Philadelphia, PA, June 14, 1894, submitted by Candi Horton)

POSSE OF FOUR HUNDRED CLOSING IN ON 2 BANDITS

Topeka, Jan. 5 - Two bandits shot and almost instantly killed H. W. McCartney, principal of the Overbrook school at his home at one o'clock this morning.

McCartney had succeeded in getting a crowd of citizens together following two explosions which have wrecked the drug store and general store in Overbrook.
Sheriffs of three counties are at the head of a posse of 400 men who are closing in on the bandits who are declared to be hiding near Warden. (Walnut Valley Times, Saturday, January 5, 1918)

Huge Underground Lake Lies Beneath Dust Bowl

Topeka, Kansas - Western Kansas counties may be dry on the surface, but only a few feet underground is enough water to float a fleet of battleships, according to M. H. Davidson, an engineer for the state department of agriculture.

The huge underground lake is from 10 to 100 feet below the surface, Davison said, and the water could be pumped up profitably for irrigation of row feed crops that could be used for fattening cattle.

However, the cost of lifting the water would make it impossible to irrigate wheat profitably, he said. (The Kingston Daily Freeman - Kingston, New York - September 25, 1939 Transcribed and contributed by: Frances Cooley)

A Bride of Four Days Fled

Mystery Surrounds W. F. Elliott's Wedding At Abilene, Kansas

The Bride Said Her Father Was A Topeka Banker and the Manhattan Man was Happy - Now He's Deserted and Puzzled.

Topeka, September 27 - The citizens of Topeka are much interested in the case of W. F. Elliott of Manhattan, who, after many trials and much difficulty, finally succeeded in marrying a woman only to lose her by desertion after a honeymoon of four days.

He has sought for her by railroad, by mail, by telegraph and by telephone, but so far has been unable to catch up with her, and he is about ready to abandon hope. To make the situation more mysterious, the man can't identify the woman, although he has known her a year and she seems to have dropped out of sight. She gave the name of Edith Sims, but the people she claimed to be her kin repudiate her.

A year ago Elliott met Miss Sims at Lindsborg, where she was attending Bethany College. He learned from her that her home was in Topeka, or she said it was. She also said that her father was the cashier of the Bank of Topeka. She was always well supplied with money, and her story that her father was a Topeka Banker was undisputed. She also asserted that her father was at one time mayor of Topeka.

Went to Junction City

Last Sunday Miss Sims went to Junction City to visit a cousin. Mr. Elliott happened to be at Junction City at the time. He called to see her at the home of her cousin. She gave him to understand that her father was violently opposed to her meeting Mr. Elliott on the grounds that he was not her social equal. A young man of Junction City who played the role of a friend to Miss Sims appeared on the scene and began to intimate trouble. At Mr. Elliott suggestion the couple went to Abilene on Tuesday, where they were married.

Mr. and Mrs. Elliott went at once to Manhattan, where they were to live. Wednesday night she showed her husband a letter said to have just come from her father in which he asked her to come home. The letter is said to have threatened disinheritance if all was not right. She decided to come to Topeka at once.

Thursday, Mrs. Elliott telephoned to her husband over the long distance telephone from Topeka and told him that she would go to Grantville and a letter would reach her there. He sent a registered letter to Grantville. It has not been called for. Mr. Elliott called up the Grantville Postmaster from Topeka on the long distance telephone last night and made inquires concerning the letter. The postmaster informed him that it was still there.

Mystery surrounds the identity of Mrs. Elliott. Her acquaintance with the names and places in Topeka by the name of Sims who has a daughter answering the description of the girl who was married at Abilene Tuesday.

Tells Of His Troubles

Speaking of his loss and the mystery that surrounds the case Mr. Elliott said.

"I met Miss Sims a year ago at Bethany College at Lindsborg. She always dressed well and I learned from her that she was the daughter of a Topeka Banker. Se said her father was the cashier of the Bank of Topeka. She said his name was Thurston, but that his stepfather's name was Sims and that he was usually known by that name. She always had considerable money and she at one time purchased two town lots at Lindsborg and had a picture taken of the locality, which she said she sent to her father."

When we were married at Abilene Tuesday she had $54 in money in her purse. She was visiting with her cousin in Junction City and the family; I understand is one of the best of that place. She told me that she formerly lived in North Topeka next door to the residence of Congressman Charles Curtis but said her address was not 164 Kansas Avenue.

Mr. Elliott is not familiar with the streets of Topeka and for that reason did not know that 124 Kansas Avenue was a low one story shack occupied by a pawnbroker.

Said Her Father Was Opposed

Miss Sims has led me to believe that her father was opposed to her marriage with me, said Mr. Elliott, and I never had occasion to doubt her word or her story. I believe she was as she represented herself to be and I am at a loss to account for her actions now.

When she left Manhattan I supposed that she would return soon or that I would join her in Topeka. But she did not return and I am at a loss to account for her whereabouts.

Mr. Elliott visited the long distance telephone office yesterday to try to get a clue. He received no satisfaction there and went to the number on Kansas Avenue that she gave. The result as fruitlessly as the first effort. He gave up his search last night after learning the letter had not been called for at Grantville and returned to Manhattan.

Mr. Thurston, cashier of the Bank of Topeka said:

"It is strange that anyone should use my name in that manner. I have no daughter rand I never has a step father." (Kansas City Star - September 28, 1902 Transcribed and contributed by: Frances Cooley)