The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1893-02-21
BAZOO CHAT.
How J. j. Frey Coerced the
"Fiddlers"-A Reminis.
cence of Bill Has.
singer.

TOW IOe L0tS ~ " 0SUSOV
Swindied Poor Giris-Sam
Rose and Judge Shirk.
Deputy Recorder Sam Rose Is an
unfaltering believer in a rabbits foot,
and constantly carries one in his vest
pocket.
INV confidence in the efficacy OF
this peculiar kind of charm was great
" strengthened by certain incident, "
recently remarked Sam to the Chat
ter.
.'Hanley Pilkington and ! were
hunting ducks, and ran onto a fine
lot of them in lake. Hanley Is also
superstitious, and just before starting
to get a good shot, he stole the rab-
bits foot out of my pocket without me
noticing it.
.'Strange to relate, | couldn't kill Il
duck the whole day long. Luck was
dead against me, while Hanley
brought down a dozen or more fine
ones. not because he is surer shot
or had better chances than me, but
for the reason that he carried that
stolen charm"
An amusing incident is related in
connection with the trial of the Potter
land cases that were tried in the cir
cui. court in Versailles last week.
Judge Shirk. of Selslia, was engaged
nv the other side to fight Uncle Jabe
Potter's claims. After the jury brought
in verdict for his client, on the first
case, Judge Shirk met Uncle Jabe
and with accustomed suavity grasped
his right hand, placed his left upon
his shoulder and remarked: Its a
horse on you, Uncle Jabe.
Uncle Jabe said nothing and''sawed
wood"
The second case came to trial and
Judge Shirk concluded his argument
Just in time to catch his train for Sc
dalia. The jury was out oRly short
time and returned q verdict for Mr..
Potter. 1t was Uncle Jabe's turn
now, and he improved it. He sent
this greeting by wire: ats horse and
horse, nov, Judge.
A few days ago q dispatch vas sent
from Albuquerque, New Mexico, to
the world that one, A. j. Benson, had
committed suicide there. He was
formerly Of Sedalia.
Sometime in the summer of 1889,
there appeared in the Sedalia news
papers a flaming advertisement, sdver-
Using the missouri Book House"
with A. J. Benson as general mana
ger. They rented a house on West
Fourth street, east Of Grand avenue,
and threw open their doors for busi-
mes. advertising for young ladies, to
apply there for positions, as book
agents. Quite q number applied for
the situation that was temptingly Of
fered. 1t was made a condition when
Benson employed them, that they
were to make deposit Of $50 cash.
as q guarantee Of good faith, and hon
esty of purpose. The company Sc
cured some seven or eight agents, all
young ladies, but two. Most of the
girls. also the men engaged, were
poor and could i'll afford to put up
the necessary money required. They
did so, however, and went to work.
Benson was the boss.
He issued an order to his agents
that they must meet mornings at his
place of business, when family prayer
would be held before commencing ON
their days labor; that was something
of reflection ON the book agents,
however. prayer for the assistance of
Divine power is always in order.
The young ladies and gentlemen
solicited this city over and over, also
the surrounding country, and visited
many neighboring towns. and the re-
suit was that a very fair business was
done. This was kept up for several
months. La the meantime, Benson
married one of the girls. who WIS
working for the company, daughter
of Mr.. Long, of johnson county, who
was onej of the officers OF
the book concern. There arose
disagreement among the officers. and
there was y general breaking mp Of
the concern. 1t Hattenei out leaving
nothing, and the poor girls that were
employed. not only lost their labor
but were swindled out of their deposits
that were put in the hands Of Benson.
Nothing has ever heen heard from
Benson, directly since he left, until it
was learned that he had taken his
case to higher court, by his own
hand. He was a bad man and the