The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-12-29
HE CAME
FOR BLOOD
But Two Policemen Standing By
Made Him Consider.
Amusing COnsr etemps at the
Topeka POstOffiee.
A Young Man Comes All the
Way From Minnesota
TO CRUSH HIS RIVAL.
Makes an Appointment With
Him For Today.
Ends in a General Invitation to
Dinner.

Miss Kittie Shannon. a pretty young
girl Of this city, % years old. has two
suitors. Her Topeka sweetheart is
young Mr.. c. F. Free, the other one is
Edward Hatton of Little Falls MINI.
Recently Hatton sent her $50. which he
asked her to use in the purchase of q
ticket to Little Falls there to become
his wife. She was sick at the time and
she asked Mr.. Free to write a letter to
Hatton and return the money with
thanks. Free did so. Then Hatton
wrote a letter to Free threatening to
kill him on sight, and adding that he
would be in Topeka on Christmas morn
ing. He was four days late bat sent
word he would be here today
At 9:3O O'Clock this morning Miss Kit
ty Shannon, the pretty girl who is loved
by the two yOung men, her sister. Mrs.
W. i. Sheldon of East Fourth street.
and City Detective Richard Won Zeller
walked into the postofice corridor.
They went to the window east of the
south door and waited Miss Shannon
was dressed in a stylish jacket and
dress of TAILORING cloth. Her hat was
modest and becoming. In her excite
ment she looked especially pretty Her
large brown eyes were the more brill
liant, and her pretty lips were set as if
she expected a trial Of her nerves. Her
sister was dressed in dark clothes and
she looked anxious too.
Shortly afterwards young Mr.. Free
of 1919 West Sixth street stepped nerv-
ously into the government building al,d
cast his eyes about in the corners of 1he
corridors He is a pleasant appearing
young man % years old. He is Il
trusted employe of w. s. Kale the
grocer. He was dressed in dark well
fitting clothes He walked to where the
ladies were standing and Detective Eel
Ter went to the entrance of the Dostof-
nee and looked out. Mr.. Free talked in
Whispers to the ladies. Miss Kitty
Shannon and he exchanged a few alan-
ces which meant more than words could
express
At 9:45 o'clock a tall. dark complex
ioned man, wearing a large raccoon
skin overcOat. black suit and black
crush hat walked leisureIy towards the
pOstOfhce corner. He looked closely at
everyone he met and often stopped and
looked about him
Arriving at the corner he glanced i'm
at the windows and then stood quietly
on the corner near to the entrance He
seemed to be waiting and watching
He had a clean shaven face and might
be called good looking His face wore
an expression of determination. per-
maps desperation. He was desperate
in fact. He looked east. west north
south PatrOlman PARCELS entered the
postof1ee corridor from the west and
nodded to the ladies and Mr.. Free. The
two ladies looked frightened. Miss Kit
ty Shannon's eyes flashed Detective
Zeller went outside and sized up" the
man who was causing all this uneasi-
ness
Then Young Free left his sweetheart
and also went outside He stepped llu
to the man in the coonskin oyercoat
cautiously. The latter looked up quick
~, a few inaudible words passed and
an instant afterWard the two shook
hands The officers who were stand
ing near We're surprised for IN this af-
fair they had expected little short OF
tragedy. Edward HattOn the man In
the fur Overcoat had threatened to
kill on sight" his rival Free And
hadn't he come all the way from Min
nesOta to have a settlement?
The two men walked into the pOstOf-
flee, where the two ladies' were anxious
~ waiting. Miss Kitty Shannon. the
pretty cause Of all this uneasiness. drew
aside and talked with Edward HattOn
who was her old schoolmate at Little
Falls, MINI.
After a five minutes conversation the
! other two We're called up AMI another
consultation was had.
It all ended in a general invitation to
dinner for all at the home of VIM. L.
Sheldon. Nobody would ten why the
matter was fixed up SO easily and sud
denly. but it was the fear of arrest that
restrained Hatton, beyond a doubt.
To a State Journal reporter young
Mr.. Free, the rival" said. II have
been going with Miss Shannon ever
since she came here to live, two years
ago She used to live at Little Fails
Mimi. and went to school with HattOn.
! He sent her $50 to come to Little Falls
to marry him. She was sick at the
time and asked me to write the letter
back to him and send back the $50
/ did 50. Then he wrote me letter and
/ threatened to kin me on sight He
said he would be here on Christmas
morning and that he would be in the
/ pOstoffice. He stated that / would
know him by his wearing d coonskin
/ overcoat. T got letter from him later
saying that he would be here a few
/ days after Christmas. Then yesterday
he sent me a card and told me he was
here. He is going over to eat dinner
with her. But she won't go back with
| him. I know that. When I talked
| with him this morning he said that he
| felt disappointed She invited me to
come over with them and eat dinner,
/ but didn't want to. Everything is all
right"
/ Edward Hatt0n and Miss Kitty shan
non went directly to the home of VIM
/ l. Sheldon on East Fourth street. near
! Liberty school. There they ate dinner
! together. This afternoon q reporter
\ called at the house and asked which
/ was to be the lucky man. Miss Shan
| non was reticent She said 81 have
nothing to say. I am not going back
! TO Minnesota, though" Edward Hat
! ton stood quietly by. Presently ne sald-
This has gone farther than / had IN
! tended / Wuoldnt harm cat know
/ one thing am going back to Mime
/ sofa [ can't see why he should have
called in the police to help him in this