The Ottawa Herald from Ottawa, Kansas • Page 1

Society Stale His. VOL. XXV. OTTAWA KANSAS, THU RSDAY, MAY 3, 1906. NO.

20. WEEKLY UT'pip AT OUT IN THE SHORT-GRASS. ENDS IN TRAGEDY A STORM DAMAGE IT'S TICKET NAMED occurred. T. W.

Harrison's residence five miles south of Ottawa in Harrison township, was struck, doing some damage to the roof. It did not start a blaze and the loss will probably not be large. The members of the family were not injured by the shock. All the losses, so far as learned, were covered by insurance. press package indicated that he had reached San Francisco, to hear that he was himself a victim of the disaster." After going to California, Mr.

Piersol was engaged as a conductor in the Pullman service, running into San Francisco. It appears that he met Miss Robinson quite by chance while in this' service, and that the meeting developed into a strong acquaintance and attachment with the family. It appears also that Mr. Robinson was a wealthy citizen, with extraordinarily large interests, though Mr. Piersol's family declined to discuss this particular Friday.

Guy Piersol is aged about 23 years. He is the youngest son of Mr. and Mrs. S. Piersol.

Except for the last few years he has always made his home in Ottawra. lively Times in Outside Neighborhoods Friday. RUHAMAH CHURCH MOVED Building Badly Damaged by the Wind. Torrent of Rain and Hail in Southeastern Part of the County. Few Ottawa people were aware that during the time the rain occurred here late Friday afternoon that much more severe storm conditions were prevailing over a large part of the county.

Some hail fell here with the rain but not enough to do any damage. Southeast of here not only did the hail knock off fruit blossoms and riddle gardens but the wind wrought considerable havoc. In the southeast part of the county the wind took the form of a twister. John Lloyd, whose farm was directly In the path of the wind storm, says that it was a perfect baby cyclone, least looking like the pictures and answering the discriptions. From the things it did to his property it was a pretty lusty infant.

It tore the roof off of his barn, unhinged the doors and did other damage. Mr. Lloyd says the twister appeared to be moving from the northeast to the southwest when it went over his place, which is located twelve miles south of Ottawa. Some distance from there it turned and went in a northerly direction. Some idea of its force is given by the fact that it tore big trees up by the roots.

Amos Lingard's farm was also in line with the twister. Reports fro malong the Burlington "branch are to the effect that there was a tremendous rainfall all along the line. At Richmond there was a high wind and a heavy rain. John Logan's barn was lifted several inches off the foundation and a cattle shed on his place was overturned. A shed at Homer Waldo's was also overturned.

It was reported from Richmond that some trees at John Lloyd's place were torn up by the roots and some damage was done to his barn. At Osage, while there was a heavy rain the hail was small and fell for only a minute or two and did little damage. L. A. Keeler Writes of Crops and Climate in Barber county.

Fouts, Barber county, Kansas. April 190G. The Herald: Perhaps a few lines from one of your old subscribers might be of interest to you. or to my many friends in Franklin county. We arrived here March 1.

Had very bad weather nearly all that month, but no bad roads like we have in Franklin county. Have had very nice weather this month with just enough to make everything grow. I never saw a finer prospect for wheat than there Is in this and Pratt counties. Mr. Rexford, Elmer Coffey, and Morse Diven, all Ottawa families, live near us (four miles away).

They have wheat. Rexford 350 acres, Coffey 250, and all breaking sod to sow-more wheat this fall. We have a fine garden up nearly large enough to use. Potatoes up. oats and barley looking very nice, and a very fine prospect for fruit.

This may surprise some Franklin county people, as a great many think fruit cannot be raised this far west. We have about 150 large peach trees, a few cherry and pear, and an abundance of currant bushes. The currant and wild plum are very plenti ful here. Have never seen finer alfalfa grow than is growing here. Now along the streams, hundreds of acres of it.

We have fifty acres of it on our ranch and part of it is knoe-iiigh now. Pasture is very good hero now, so the people say that have lived hero for some time. It looks pretty short to an eastern Kansan, but then this is the short-grass country. With best regards to all my Franklin county friends, I am, very truly. L.

A. Keeler, Coats, Kansas. CHARTERNEWCOMPANY Mutual Insurance Company; Ready for Business. State Document Conveying Official Sanction Is Received Now Has $125,000 in Policies of Insurance Written. A handsome document trimmed up in gilt paper, with the seal of the state of Kansas upon it, has been received to show that the Franklin County-Mutual Farm Insurance company has been chartered by the state, and is officially ready to do business.

The charter gives the capital stock at $150,000, and lists the following as the incorporators: Peter Shiras, John Reynard, R. F. McCune, H. J. Dan-caster, John McKinney, 11.

O. Hawkins, W. W. Relf, J. R.

Killough, O. O. Wolf, N. Manrose, Adam Johns, J. Hale, P.

Servatius, A. N. Johns, F. E. Crane, M.

F. Spratt, C. D. Law-son, 11. F.

Sheldon, J. P. Harris, all of Ottawa; W. H. Collins of Wellsville.

W. K. Green, J. J. Greene and II.

H. Greene, of Homewood; A. L. Lingard, of Princeton, and II. N.

Merchant cf Baldwin. The officers of the company are given as ioiiows: I'resiuent, jonn Reynard; vice president, A. L. Lingard; treasurer, P. Shiras; secretary C.

M. Porter. The company now has $125,000 of insurance, its policies win be lorce June 1. HOW RAIN FELL IN APRIL TOTAL OF 2.42 INCHES, Cn A FAIR MONTH'S AVERAGE. The Maximum Temperature Was Degrees, and the Minimum 20.

The Statistics. The rainfall for April wav 2.42 inches, according to the report of Dr. W. J. Newton, the local government weather observer.

This is a vera ere April rainfall, for April docs not in for aquatics with the ugularity with which it is generally accrIited. fell in appreciable quantities on nine days while there were trac's on other davs. The showers on the 12rh and 2Cth were accompanied by The record of precipitation is: April 4, inches; hall. i 12 13 14 20 2G Of 4 .03 .01 .01 .12 .20 The maximum temperature for the month was 89 which was i ached on both the 23d and 24th. The minimum was 30 on the 13th.

The money was drawn from the county treasury Saturday to pay county teacher who has not drawn v. cent throughout the school year. lb1 has been getting $55 a month and hai let the county treasury hold it all for him. The district drew its first money from the county Saturday. Guy Piersol, Figures in a Remarkable Story.

WIFE AND HER PARENTS DEAD News of Marriage Comes Wiht Death Notice. Family Wiped Out in Frisco Romance in the Marriage. "Mr. Robinson and wife and my wife perished in San Francisco fire. Be home 29th Guy." This message from Guy Piersol to his mother, Mrs.

S. Piersol, contains for Mr. Piresol's acquaintances in Ottawa something more than the news of a terrible tragedy. It is a first intimation, also, of a romance. Among Mr.

Piersol's acquaintances none knew that he was married, or that a romance had come into his life since he went west. The foregoing telegram came Friday having been sent from Provo, Utah, Thursday. It leaves Mr. Piersol's relatives in the dark as to whether he was in Utah himself, to send the message, or whether he had it sent while he remained among the refugees in San Francisco. It seems likely, however, that Mr.

Piersol was on his way home when he sent the message. A Story of Romance. Briefly stated, the facts of the story, so briefly outlined in the telegram received Friday, are that Mr. Piersol was married some time last winter to Miss Alice Robinson, of Pasadena, California, the only daughter of Mr. and Mrs.

Robinson, the former of whom appears to have been one of the wealthy men of the Pacific coast. The marriage explains the extended ocean trip on which Mr. Piersol has lately been. In company with Mr. Robinson, his wife and daughter, Mr.

Piersol left San Francisco last February for Australia and South Africa. Mr. Robinson's business destination was Australia. He proposed going on to South Africa to visit relatives. It appears that a return was made to San Francisco in time for the family to be wiped out in the earthquake or the fire which followed, Mr.

Piersol alone escaping. Knew of the Marriage. "We had known of my son's intended marriage to Miss Robinson for some months," said Mrs. S. Piersol Friday, "he having told us of it and mentioned it from time to time in his correspondence.

The particulars of the marriage had, we supposed, been written in a letter that was miscarried, since in subsequent letters Guy seemed to assume that we knew all about it. In the absence of the information which for some reason did not reach us, I had concluded that the marriage preceded the departure of the party for Australia, which was in February. Guy had been critically i)'. for some time before the party ieft, having contracted a very severe cold. Mr.

Robinson's family physician attended Guy, and warned him against remaining in California. The wedding, as Guy had told us, would probably have occurred in June. I think probably it occurred in February instead, and that the family started on the voyage together. "From later letters it seems that the two ladies decided to remain at Honolulu, while Mr. Robinson and Guy went on.

Our last letter was mail ed at Aukland, New Zealand, March 24, and Mr. Robinson had not then decided whether he would go on to South Africa. I presume that busi- nt ss must have called him home at once. Guy wrote that the ladies were waiting in Honolulu to join them on the' return. I think very likely Guy had planned to bring his wife here and surprise us upon his return." A Package from the Grand Hotel It appears, as neaily as the facts can be pieced together here, that the party reached San Francisco on the return only a few days before the earthquake.

Mrs. Piersol received last week from her son an express package which left the Grand hotel, San Francisco, on Monday, the 16th. This was two days before the earthquake. The supposition is that the family was caught here or in some neighboring structure, and wiped out. There was no child except the daughter Mr.

Piersol married. Whether or not Mr. Piersol has been injured, cannot be told. The Chance Acquaintance. Mr.

Piersol's relatives do not discuss the story, so far as they are familiar with it, of the young man's romantic courtship and marriage. "The telegram shows that terrible tragedy has befallen Guy," said Mrs. Piersol Friday "and I do no: want to talk of his story. I think he should tell it, if it is told. I have been dreading continually, since theex The State Democracy Concludes Its Work.

REAFFIRM ALL PLATFORMS Delegates are for Everything from 1906 Down. Free Silver, Gold Standard, Bryan and Parker "Go" in the Resolutions. Topeka, Kansas. The democratic state convention concluded its session with the nomination of the following ticket: Governor William A. Harris, Leavenworth county.

Lieutenant Governor Hugh P. Far relly, Neosho county. Secretary of State Hugh C. Ahl born, Smith county. State Auditor W.

F. Bowman, At chison county. State Treasurer Patrick Gorman, Bourbon county. Attorney General David Overmy-er, Shawnee county. State Superintendent of Public Instruction A.

B. Carney, Cloud county. Associate Justices (for six year term) A. M. Jackson, Cowley county; D.

M. Dale, Sedgwick county; (for four year terms) W. S. Glass, Marshall county; Lorenz Hawn, Leavenworth county. Railroad commissioners Harry McMillan, Ottawa county; C.

A. Cooper, Rice county; James Humphrey, Geary county. Insurance commissioner J. W. Mor-phy, Russell county.

State Printer W. F. Feder, Barton county. With Harris at the head of the ticket there was no difficulty in getting Farrelly and Overmyer to consent to run. Their consent to go before the convention was virtually the acceptance of the nominations, for there was absolutely no opposition to either Harris, Farrelly or Overmyer.

With these three men on the ticket the balance was easy. There were contests for several places on the ticket and it was necessary to take a vote by ballot in these cases, but a majority 'of the nominations were made by acclamation. The delegates with a few exceptions were for a harmonious convention and tried to stifle everything that verged onto a fight. When a man was placed in nomination and found that there was considerable opposition to him ho promptly withdrew. The resolutions committee delayed the afternoon session of the convention with a row over the insertion of a prohibition plank in the platform.

Instead of the plank declaring for the enforcement of the prohibitory law as it now stands J. W. Orr, of Atchison tried to substitute a plank of local option. There was a lively fight over this feature ironed out with the result that the prohibition plank in the platform stands as it was prepared by the committee. The Platform.

The platform endorses and reaffirms the platforms of 1S9C, 1900 and'lOOi; declares for equal rights to all; demands strict adherence to the constitution: claims that democratic prophecy has been fulfilled; points with pride to the vindication of democratic theories on finance; asserts that Mc-Kinley was preparing to abandon protection, and demands tariff for revenue only; insists in a general way for railroad control; demands the abolition of the free pass, and insists upon a two-cent passenger fare; urges that trust magnates be placed "in felon's" cells;" pledges democratic nominees to a rigid adherence to the old soldier preference law; arraigns the republican stand on prohibition without prom ising specific action from the parr except to declare the party's stand for the enforcement of all laws; declares in favor of the initiative and referen dum; demands that corporations pay their just share of taxes; condemns in a general way "larceny from the state treasury," and finally concludes with a demand that all laws be enforced, "not only those prohibiting the sale of liquor." Mrs. Womic, Mrs. Fogle, Mrs. Sims and Mrs. Sylvester, of Williamsburg; were shopping in Ottawa Tuesday.

Tulloss brothers of Rantoul have purchased the William Russell farm of fifty-five acres for $40 an acre. The land is located a mile north of Rantoul. The sale was made by the O'Neil real estate agency. PROGRAM OUTLINED. Preliminary Plans Made for Ottawa League Convention.

A preliminary announcement for the Epworth League convention of the Ottawa district to be held here June 6, 7 and 8, has just been issued. Dr. Bernard Kelly, Prof. O. G.

Markham, of Baldwin, Miss Florence L. Snow, of Neosho Falls, Miss Lillian Scott, of Baldwin and Rev. H. A. Church, of Yates Center, compose the program committee.

The convention will be composed of five delegates from each local chapter for each fifty members or major fraction thereof. With as strong a program as is being prepared it is expected that a full attendance will be drawn. In addition to competent workers from the chapters throughout the district there will be special addresses by President L. H. Murlin of Baker university, Miss Emma Robinson, Junior League secretary, and Dr.

E. M. Randall, general secretary of the Epworth League. The results of the recent clerk and carrier civil service examination held here have been received at the post-office. Formerly the grades of all the candidates were made public, but a ruling made some time ago does away with this.

Even the candidates themselves are not advised of the grades they made. PRINCETON BURGLARY The Smith General Store is Robbed of Jewelry. Hole Cut Through the Back Door and the Protecting Bar Raised Drug Store and Meat Market Entered. The general store of B. C.

Smith at Princeton, was robbed of merchandise and some cash to the total value of $150 Friday night. Similar entrance was also made in the meat market and the new drug store of the village, but so far as reports went Saturday, nothing was stolen from either of these latter places. The merchandise stolen from the Smith store consisted almost entirely of jewelry. A large number of rings, watch charms, breastpins arid shirt waist sets were taken. The watch charms were described as having been principally the emblems of fraternal orders.

The cash drawer was robbed of about five dollars in small coins. Entrance was made to the Smith store by boring an augur hole through the back door, splitting away a portion of the panel from the hole thus made, and through the enlarged hole lifting the bar that held the door. A similar means was used in each of the -other buildings. It appears that in both the drug store and the meat market search was made of the cash drawers, without finding anything. No merchandise was taken.

Sheriff Cody issued cards Saturday offering twenty-five dollars reward for the arrest of the burglar. Some suspicion attaches to a stranger who has been around Princeton, but there is no definite clew. IS PURSUEDJBY DISASTER BEN PETERSON'S SECOND HOUSE WAS DESTROYED. After Moving Out of the Ruins of the First He Caught Another "Trembler." Frank Peterson is in receipt of a letter from his brother, Ben Peter son, who lives in San Jose, California, telling of the destruction of his home by the earthquake. As told in the Herald several davs aeo the Peterson family escaped personal injury but a woman who roomed in the house was crushed to death.

The house into which the Petersons moved alter their home was destroyed was itself wrecked by one of the lesser shocks which followed and they were forced to acrain move. PROPERTY INCREASE. Pottawatomie Township Furnishes a Prosperity Statement. Josh Hendrix, aljpssor of Fctta-watomie township, was in to make his report Tuesday. Mr.

Hendrix finds about $3,000 more in personal property than the township showed last year. The increase is mainly in livestock and grain. LOST EVERTHINGr. Family of Rev. Mr.

McKinney Suffered in the Earthquake. Mrs. L. N. Crawford has received a letter from her daughter, Miss Mabel, who has been in California for some time.

Miss Crawford writes that the family of Rev. Mr. McKinney, formerly of Ottawa, is now at Berkley, and that Rev. McKinney himself is in the hospital there. It is not clear whether or not his ailments result from accident in connection with the earthquake.

The family lost all household effects in the fire. Rev. Mr. McKinney was formerly pastor of the Presbyterian church here. The pension of Frederick Dye, of Waver) has been increased from $8 to $12 a month, notice to that effect having been just received by the Stinebaugh agency.

ORPHANTHROUGHCRIME Little Ollie Owens, of Ottawa, Loses Both Parents After Bringing the Boy Here from Coffeyville, John Owens Killed --'His Wife and Himself Made Dramatic Scene of Killing Living at the norne of his uncle, Phillip Owens, at 120 North Cedar street, is Ollie Owens, a bright little youngster of eight years who has been made an orphan by the act of his father, John Owens, in killing his wife and himself at Coffeyville, Tuesday of last week. Three months ago John Owens and his wife separated and he fearing that she would sue for divorce and the custody of the child brought Ollie to Ottawa and placed him in the home of the boy's uncle, where the lad has since been living and going to school. Sunday a week ago. only two days before the tragedy, John Owens returned to his home in Coffeyville after spending three or four days here with his little boy. Phillip Owens was not at home at the time.

Mrs. Owens feared that there would be trouble if John Owens returned to Coffeyville in his then frame of mind and she tried to persuade him to remain here but he was determined to go. Even then he must have had in mind some such culmination of his unhappy domestic affairs as did occur. He seemed greatly affected when bidding his son good bye. Two or three times after starting away he turned back to again kiss and caress the little chap.

A few days later come the word from Coffeyville that John Owens had killed his wife and ended his own life. According to the story of the tragedy printed in the Coffeyville Journal, Owens went to the home of his daughter, Mrs. Will Baker, where he had been staying since their separation. After some interchange of words between the disagreeing husband and wife, Mrs. Owens started out the-back door when Owens called her back.

She went back and more words follow ed. He drew a gun from his pocket and she, alarmed by his action, picked up a board to defend herself. As she did so her husband fired and the bullet struck her forehead but she was able to run some distance before falling. Owens followed her, shooting all the time. He walked a block away reloading his gun as he went.

He then returned to the scene of the crime. The twenty or thirty people who had gathered around started away when he approached. He told them no one would be hurt but himself and kneeling by the body of his wife, he shot himself in the forehead. This bullet did not accomplish its purpose and a few moments later, laying his head on the body of his wife, fired a shot into his ear, ending his life. The little boy, Ollie, will be given a home for the time by Mr.

and Mrs. Phillip Owens and possibly will be kept permanently. Mrs. Joseph A. Huff, of 425 South Oak street Is a sister of Mr.

Owens. The unfortunate man had visited here frequently and was known by a number of Ottawa people. He was 57 years of age at the time of his death and was a veteran of the Civil war. The rainfall at Wellsville was heavy but there was not wind or hail enough to do any damage. East of town there was more hail.

At Peoria a little, twister passed at the south end of town and did some minor damage. Imes got a rainfall which was estimated at two inches, bringing up all the small streams around there at a rapid rate. There was no hail damage. At Pomona there was little hail and not very high wind. Amos Lingard says the storm at his place was particularly severe.

The wind did considerable damage, and the rainfall will make work in the fields impossible for three or four days. At Rantoul there was considerable damage done by wind. Two residences were moved slightly from their foundations. A third one was unroofed. Trees were torn up by the roots and there was a general overturning of out buildings.

The Ruhamah Baptist church, three miles southeast or Rantoul, a frame structure was blown off the foundation, was unroofed ana the windows broken. Lineman Gibson, of the Santa Fo, was called to Princeton last evening to superintend replacing eight of the company's telegraph poles which were blown dovm: Communication was interrupted for some time on account of this damage. One of the strongest demonstrations was in the C. W. Embry neighborhood, six miles south of Ottawa.

Hail covered the ground thickly, and in sheltered places the hail stones piled in great drifts. All the branches and small streams were out of their banks in an instant, almost, and trash was swept along in the lowlands. Perhaps a dozen panes of glass were broken from the Embry house. One or two top buggies standing outdoors in the neighborhood had the tons completely demolished by the coxnbin- ed efforts of the wind and hail. Water swept through the Embry house after the windows were riddled by hail, and deluged the lower floors.

Harrison Home Struck. c--siiornri? o'ectri; stcrrn which accompanied ic Zlz: and. wind yesterday only one case of damage by lightning.