The Wichita daily eagle., 1894-02-03
STOLE HIS SHIRT
EXCITING AND AMUSING CASE IN
THE DISTRICT COURT.
Oscar Felix Says it Takes a Coon to
Catch a CoOn-A Grea. Contest
Over a Red Flannel Under
shirt--It Was a RegG.
lar Legal Matinee

"Felix" means happy, but happiness and
Oscar Felix parted company some time
ago, when Nellie Stewart stole his under
shirt.
This same alleged theft was the bone of
contention in hard-fought and intensely
amusing law suit in the district court yes
terday.
The shirt in question was not the
"bloody Shirt" but for all that it was
a flaming red, and, by the way, the very
best uudershirt Oscar Felix had in his
wardrobe.
Oscar and Nellie, both, are COL
ored-saddle colored. He is man
with peculiar head, and if his story is
true Nellie is girl with a peculiar heart,
No hat in town will fi5 Oscar. who suffers
terribly from elongation of the Uranium,
as the doctors say. Besides being long it
is sway-backed. but for all tina. Oscar
knows thing or two when it comes to
telling the story of the crime.
The ninth of November was the event.
full day when Oscar and his undershirt
parted company. The winter was just
coming in with Il roar, and losing red
woolen undershirt at the end of three
months financial panic was no light mat
ter.
That morning Mrs. Felix went out to a
neighbors to wash and Oscar being a
righteous man stayed at home and did his
part towards Goodness by washing his
own clothes. When the water in the tub
betokened that the clothes had been wash
ed to the proper tone ne hung them out on
the clothes line to dry aud then took his
Bible and sat near the back window to
finish the exciting story of how Moses
crossed the Red sea. While thus engaged
shadow passed the window and he look
ed out and saw Nellie Stewart
stepping over ditch of three feet and
half wide and whipping the shirt of the
line. He remained cool and did not offer
to interfere with her, but concluded right
then and there, as he said, to put the
law on her." He did not dare to accuse
her of the theft right there for, he alleges,
Nellie has caustic tongue and she might
scold him. He went in haste to where his
wife was and informed her Of the exciting
events at home The wife returned with
him, and thus protected he went to the
stewards mansion, few doors away, and
accosting Nellie, said:
Nellie, you's done stole my shert."
at is a le." said Nelly, Il never did no
snch thing"
That settled Felix He would invoke
the right arm of the law, and in order to
have a good story to tell in court, he
made map of the premises and found
and described every track Nellie made.
Willard Boone prosecuted and City At
torney Myatt defended. The entire Felix
family were present and four lusty pic
annies sat in the front row of seats,
and with excited faces watched
their dad grappled IN mental combat with
the attorney general for the great Peerless
Princess.
"What did you track her for ?" said the
city attorney"
II done tracked her, sab, so that could
tell his honor. the judge and the gentle
mems of dis ere jury, how Nellie done stole
my shirt. Dis ere chile knows dat it takes
a coon to catch a COON"
why didn't you say to her, Nellie,
drop that shirt when you saw her taking
it ?''
You don't done understan' the nature
OBJ de culled folks, sab. She has a tongue,
she has, sab. You could tell her dat, sab.
because you's white and de culled folks is
inferior to you, sab. Dat is some of de m
is, but law me, sab, can't do notin with
'em."
The court. attorneys and jurors had
picnic with the case all day aud the funny
answers of Felix kept 'em all in roars of
laughter