100 years ago
FEBRUARY 20, 1903 — An erratic woman started down Kansas Avenue, in Topeka, last Saturday morning, with a hatchet on a long handle, and before she was arrested by the police smashed more than a thousand dollars worth of plate glass in the windows of Topeka joints. Her personal grievance is that a brother was ruined by whisky. Of course her act was lawless and indefensible, and will do the cause she loves harm instead of good, but deep down in every heart loyal to law will be a feeling that after all the woman is not as bad as the fellows against whom she aimed her ill advised blows. There was cutting irony in her explanation that she was "just marking the joints so that the police could find them!" Law abiding people will continue to resent in their soul the alacrity with which the city authorities punish an offender like this poor heart-broken woman, while shielding the miserable rascals who were the real cause of this infraction of the peace of the city. And the spectacle of a lot of law breakers invoking the aid of the law in their own protection is not lost on the public. While condemning this deluded woman, let's not forget to condemn even more severely the law breakers whose places she "marked" and let us not forget to condemn the officials who have taken a solemn oath to enforce the laws of the state, but instead of doing this do all they can to encourage and shield law breakers.
Like begets like. Lawlessness begets lawlessness. Joints beget joint smashers. That's the order of events. The best way to stop such wild, reckless scenes as was witnessed on the principal street of the State capital last Saturday is to suppress the lawless cause of these outbreaks — the joints.
Miss Florence Saggau and Miss Birde Kline were hostesses at a delightful Valentine party, given at the home of the former, last Friday evening. The rooms were beautifully decorated in colors and designs appropriate to the occasion. Whist was the game of the evening. The following were the invited guests: Mrs. Robert Florer, Misses Mabel Downes, Angie Mansfield, Mary Mansfield, Lola Hoch, Minnie Robinson, Ethel Dean, Laura McKeal, Gertrude Bown, Maud Rouse, and Messrs. Ernest Tuckhorn, Fred Beebe, Arch Murdock, Chas. Watson, Robert Florer, Clarence Waring, Fred Wheeler, Harvey Uhl, Walter Corby, Roy Myers, Ed Hauser, David Sterling.
The ice man began putting up ice last Wednesday. The ice is six to eight inches thick.
The clerks in W.W. Loveless and Sons establishment arranged and carried out a pleasant surprise on Mr. Charles Bowron last Tuesday evening. The event was in the nature of a farewell to Mr. and Mrs. Bowron, who expect to leave for Washington in the near future. There were about twenty in the merry party of invaders who slipped in upon the unsuspecting but willing victims and a highly enjoyable evening was spent by all. Mr. Bowron has been the efficient bookkeeper and cashier in the store for several years. and the clerks took this happy way of showing their esteem and good will.
Sleighing has been excellent this week — as a great many young folks — and some not so young — can testify.
Miss Alice Marsh gave a delightful Valentine party at the home of her sister, Mrs. C.E. Wells, last Friday evening. The following were the guests of the evening: Misses Mabel McBride, Lucy Mollohan, Virgie Donaldson, Pearl Sumner, and Messrs. Albert Richardson, Cecil Scott, Charlie Wible, Frank Schmersey.
Marriage licenses have recently been issued to the following people: Charles E. Scheikofsky, Lehigh, and Lena Siemans, Hillsboro, and R.D. Buller and Mary Antz, Hillsboro.
Robert Burton's third trial for the killing of Fred Hoffman in Drake's restaurant, three years ago, resulted, as did the second trial, in a verdict of murder in the second degree. The first verdict was for murder in the first degree. Burton was a comparative stranger here. Hoffman was one of a large family living in the east part of the county. The men quarreled about a girl. This last trial lasted a week, and crowded the court house with eager listeners, including many ladies. Charley Bucher, of Newton, Henry Swan and J.S. Dean represented the defendant and Frank Grattas, of McPherson, assisted County Attorney King in the prosecution. The aged mother of the defendant came up from her Texas home and sat beside him throughout the trial. She made many friends in Marion and won the sympathy of all.
Mr. Jerry Forney has purchased the Bowron property, located one block east of the Methodist church.
Miss Carrie Watson entertained on the evening of February 12. Miss Watson is a delightful hostess and the occasion was made a most enjoyable one. Those present were Misses Angie Mansfield, Virgie Donaldson, Elizabeth Lindsay, Ethel Dean, Libbie Powers, Gertie Bown, Messrs. Clarence Waring, Ed Hauser, Chas. Wible, David Sterling, Chas. Watson, Walter Corby, Roy Myers, and Mr. and Mrs. Robert Florer.
Among the many pleasant events of last week was the Ping Pong party at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Richardson. Those present were Misses Sadie Keller, Lizzie Bryan, and Edna Yost, and Messrs. Ike and Charley Runyan and Albert Richardson.
Miss Tina Smith will go east next Monday to attend the wholesale millinery openings and buy goods. Miss Smith will have the management of Miss Martin's Marion store for another season. Miss Myrtle Hodge will be in charge of the store during the absence of Miss Smith.
This week has been the coldest of the season so far. The mercury has been playing around the 10 degrees below zero mark with heartless disregard of everybody's feelings but those of the ice man and the coal man.
(Copied by Joan Meyer from the 1903 microfilm files of the Marion Record.)
