The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-10-24

i'm 1SS7-What Managers Walden, OIL
yer and Others have to Say ConcerDin,
His Career in this City-He was a Coos
Ball PLAYER, but To-day a Jabberin,
| : Idiot On Account of Strong Drink
Wild Scene in the Court Room.
Suspended between heaven and earth
well-known and former resident o.
Wichita, will pay the death penalty a
Decatur, ILL.,, on November %.
The crime for which the man, Charlie:
n. Smith. will pay the extreme penalty
of the law is for the murder of his OWL
child and also of a sister-in-law. The
sentenced was passed upon the
man last Monady by the judge
Of the THE district court and ht
was sentenced to be hung on the day
above stated and the judgment of the
court Will be executed unless a respite
is granted by the supreme court or the
governor Of Illinois, which it is not
thought will be done, as no effort is be-
ing made in that direction.
In 1887 Wichita had a base bail team
"-ASh was hAdl4dS,Cd pN IL i. w
the present fire marshal of this city
Frank Oliver and Charley Mosbacher
were members of the executive COM
mitnee Of the association. The club was
in need Of pitcher, and considerable
effort was being made to secure the
right man. About this time Willis
Berring, who was chief bookkeeper for
the Citizens Land company, of which
A. q. Lee was then the mana ger, re-
turned to the city from Bloomington,
Ill. Berring was a great admirer of the
national game and during his absence
from the city had witnessed several
contests between clubs. He was favor
ably impressed with the work done in
the box by Smith. and having a person.
al acquaintance with the man, he men,
toned the fact to the manager and ex-
ecutive committee of the Wichita club
that he believed arrangements could be
made whereby the services of PAGER"
Smith, as he was called, could be OBJ
tanned. This Lead to a correspondence
and finally the boys were greatly re-
Jolced by being able to state through the
columns of the Eagle that the baseball
club of the Peerless Princess had Sc
cured the services of PAGER Smith.
The sum agreed upon as compensa-
ton was 800 per month and expenses.
Smith was met at the depot by the en-
tire club in full uniform, and headed
by band the boys marched through
the streets, the band playing and re-
peating, Hail to Our Chief
The next day the game was called and
people by the hundreds turned out to
see the performance of the renowned
twfrller in tie box
There was no fault to be found with
the mans playing. He was cheeTed for
the puZzlerS he sent with lightning
speed to the bat. Man after man laid
down the club in disgust, swearing that
the quiet man in the box was too much
for them. The Wichita club was vic
torious and congratulations were re-
ceived by the boys from every hand.
That night banquet was given the
club by their admirers in the city and
PAGER Smith was given a seat of hon.
or. ToaSts were drank in his honor and
too much could not be said in his favor.
Time passed on and still the man who
is to die upon the scaffold for the muir
der of his own child gave satisfaction
to the managers, when in the right
mood for playing. Outside of the game
he was sullen and unpleasant and given
time became unreliable. He knew how
10 play ball, and when at himself vic
tory was sure to perch upon the banner
Of the Wichita club. After three months
association with the Wichita nine he
was released by Manager Walden, and
left Wichita. He had been received
with honor, but his habit of drink, and
sullen disposition was too much for
even THE good ratured manager and ex-
ecutive committee.
When the dispatch was shown Frank
Oliver yesterday, announcing the fact
that PAGER Smith had been sentenced
to death and would be hanged on Nov.
20, Frank stopped and thought for a
moment when he said:
Il remember that man we'll. / can see
him now sliding TO a base with that
peculiar pace of his. He was no trot-
ter but genuine natural PAGER He
was a good ball player and but for his
and Sullen disposition would
have become a hero of the diamond. 1t
was his peculiar gait that gave him the
name of PAGER. Few men in Wichita
will be better remembered than him,
because he was pointed out by every
body as the mascot of the club. / am
sorry TO learn the sad news. but then
when we stop to reflect it is not TO be
wondered at
The Bloomington Eye has the follow
ing to say Of the history of the man, his
crime, scene in the court room and the
history which will be read with inter
est by the readers of the Eagle:
PAGER" Smith is we'll known in Bloom
ngton, says the Eye. of that city. where
he often played ball with local teams
and with visiting mines. He has burn
I'd his very soul with Scorching dram.
He is physical and mental wreck. and
S little better than gibbering idiot
Charles y. Smith was born in Pen
1leton. Ind, being the son of John a.
and Bebecca Smith. He was the fourth
II the family OF ten children, seven
girls and three boys.
Charlie was always considered a very
bright boy. He went TO school a num-
per OF years and secured the rudiments
# fair education.
The mother has been Frustrated since
he tragedy and could not discuss fami- |
Y affairs. and Smith himself refuses |
% do 50 and will not even tell his own |
ige. but is supposed TO be about 50 |
ears.
PAGERS" BASEBALL RECORD.
PAGER Smith was a prime favoritet
n Decatur, where he first attracted at |
ention as baseball player. In 1855 !
le came here from Indiana TO reside /
With his mother. In the spring OF 1856 /
- joined the Decatur club at a salary 1
r $50 per month The club thus organ /
zed was popularity known as the ''Yei- /
ow Hammers" or Decatur White Stock 4
ngs. the name being afterwards chang /
d 70 the Maroors. During the season i
4 1856 the Decatur team made 8 tour OF 4
minnesota. Wisconsin, Indiana and 4
Illinois defeating the champion teams i
I the Northwestern league and cover
ag themselves with glory.
In September they Went TO St Louis
nd played their famous game with the
tricky Ash club OF that city. defeat
ne them by a score OF 70 / This game !
as also for 800 side money. During
his tour the battery for Deca tur most
I the time was Calender and Smith
Il "a -,-har h-as-,r- N71Na-, .-afr.-..s.- 1