Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1892-03-24
HOPES HAPLgss HooDoo,
Or the Adventures Of Safe and an
Alliance Coroner.

Hope over the W. Z. Robinson safe.
In truth, nothing has afforded them so
much amusement since the advent Of
the famous keg Of beer last summer
which got some OF the citizens drunk,
some of them into jail and a few into
court. 1t is easy to understand how
keg Of beer could be stolen and toyed
with generally but when II comes TO a
great, big, black, iron safe one would
imagine that they could not do much
more than look at II. However, years
Of observation have convinced most
people that nothing is incredible in
Hope. Now that matter in regard 70
the goat could not have happened any
where else, and what town In Kansas
could get up full fledged prize fight
with leading professional man as
refereep These are simply some OF
the more important matters which are
known generally.
This safe though has proved verit-
hDlb uOOuOOs ~ IN bhlh thhb WYNN
women and little children wake up
with horrible Nightmares imagining
the great, big, black thing to be crush
ing them. Strong men on dark nights
have been known to go home on the
opposite side OF the street. Even
Sheriff Smith and Under Sheriff Kieffer
have had horrible dreams about II and
now cannot speak Of II but with bated
breath. To-day II issaid that the days
OF our alliance coroner who has spent
a long life in prayer ard the sale of
diluted cider have probably been
shortened At least he wishes that
either he or the safe had never been
born.
Along about the eth day Of January,
after Robinson had been gone four
days, some Of the deposit0rs OF the
bank became worried. TO have the
bank closed three days was an ordinary
affair but on the fourth day there was
no sign, 80 attachments were issued
and the grief began. Sheriff Smith
levied on the safe, the same being out of
sight in the vault. a day or two later
other creditors undertook to break into
the vault and take the safe on other
attachments. The sheriff was tee.
graphcd 10 and he went down late that
night, found a mob digging into the
stone wall, "shooed" them away and
went to bed. When he awoke the next
morning the safe was gone. The next
time he levies upon safe he Will
crawl inside of 1t aud lock himself In
80 there will be no question about
possession.
Since that eventful night the safe
has been mystery. Some claim to
have seen II going toward Oklahoma
Que dark night aud others have had
visions, but they were baseless. How
ever II was taken under Kansas writ
and had TO be sold in Kansas, so the
sheriff laid low aud waited. Day
before yesterday he began an action in
replevin in his own name and Of course
tho coroner had to serve the writ.
Now Alliance Coroner Shepherd is Il
good man and when II comes to sitting
In state over corpse he is right in It,
but with writ Of replcyin he is not
more familiar than an alliance county
attorney Is with the criminal code
However, he went to Hope last Wed
nesday and his family and the sheriff
are still worrying about him. lie
found the safe and the parties inter
ested concluded to give 1t up after
consulting on-resident counsel and
discovering that reployin writ means
just what II says. The coroner hired
a man and team to bring II to Abilene
and left for home yesterday afternoon
by way of lleringtOn. Just M he was
about 10 take the train Mt Harrington
for Abilene he received a telegram
from Hope stating that in the endeayor
to move the safe from the house where
II was stored 1t hadbroken through the
door into the cellar from which the
owner would not permit 1t to be re.
moved until the damages were settled.
Since then neither the coroner nor the
safe has been heard from.
Such ia our history up to date aud If
that safe is not hoodoo, we do not
know what hoodoo is. 1t ought
never to be brought out of that cellar.
Bury 1t and sprinkle over It's grave the
feet of rabbit shot in grave yard in
the dark Of the moon.