The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-07-09
MADE NIGHT VISITS
HARRY DAVIS PROVES TO BE THE
PEEPIEG THOMAS.

There VIII Now be Peace in the First Ward
and the Voters of That Portion of the
City Can Again Attend Lodge Meetings
AS the one Who has Forced Them to
STAY at Home and Who Scared the Fe-
males of That Part of the City Out of
Several Months Growth has Been Cap
tured, Tried, Convicted and Sentenced
Harry Davis was fined 800 in the po-
lice court yesterday afternoon on the
charge Of disturbing the peace OF the
citizens OF the First ward.
Harry Is q familiar figure around the
police headquarters and in fact has
made that place his headquarters for
the past four years. and was always
10 be found there at night, he having
slept at the building almost since the
time the roof was completed.
Some years ago Harry was q timer
and Is said to have been industrious and
a good workman, but of late years ne
has had no occupation, and has done
but little aside from carrying food 10
the prisoners He was always kind and
05liging and ready al all times 70 lend
Rssts tanoe TO the officers and became
kind OF permanent fixture about the
place He was CONSIDERED perfectly
harmless, and although without any
visible means of support he kept him
self clean, was always sober and was
looked upon as good natured person
whose only fault was that ne was not al
work and did not appear TO want 70
work
About four weeks ego the police
were notified nightly Of some one who
was In the habit OF slipping up TO the
windows Of the bedrooms occupied by
females and placing his nose against
the window glass so as 70 resemble a
poorly constructed pancake would peep
into the room and watch the occupants
dis-ObA OF course when the occupant
OF the room would discover that she
was being watched there would be a
the time the men IN the neighborhood
had learned the cause of the alarm the
had iarned the cause of tn alarm the
person who had caused all Of the trou-
bic was at q safe distance and mes
eenger was sent 70 the police station
for an officer.
out and gather in the 'sPeeping Thorn
as" and with his dark lantern in one
hand he came near tramping down all
rile beautiful sunfiowers in that part OF
the city and would turn up worn out
IN body and spirit with no "Peeping
Thomas
The next night the same program
would occur, but it would be on another
street and 1t was no uncommon thing
for the husbands when they returned
home from lodge" 70 find the female
portion Of their household being famed
by the neighbors while the fumes OF
camphor would greet his nostrils before
he had reached the porch. The whole
thing ended by a fiat being issued the
next morning at the breakfast table
that the aforesaid husband should at
tend no more lodge meetings.
Things grew desperate and the alb
sence OF the voters OF the first ward
could be noticed at any nightly meet
tngs. More than one husband pur-
chased a gun and laid In wait for the
man with the big fat nose who had |
so severely scared his household. but |
the evening he was at home some other /
house would be visited.
Finally a poor half wstted man was
suspected of being the ''Peeping Tom 4
and ne was captured, tried IN the poles /
court and finally shipped out Of town 1
but still the alarms would come in and /
nightly the pleasant maps OF Night Clerk |
Martin was broken IN upon BY mes /
senger demanding that an officer be |
sent Immediately.
Sunday night Officers Wood and Cairn |
started out upon one OF their silent |
missions. and hearing a scream they |
at once answered the cry. 1t was an |
ether visit OF ''Peeping Thomas and
they put their heads together and hit |
upon plan for capturing the fellow |
and imagine their surprise when into /
the loving embrace OF Bedford Wood /
fell the plump form OF Harry Davis |
who was trying 10 dodge Jimmy Cairns. |
They had a dead sure case against /
him. He was caught III the act At 1
the trial yesterday he made no defense
and the court assessed the fine OF 800 /
against him. and suspended judgment 4
long enough for him TO leave the city, /
or take the full sentence. The only /
wonder IS that Harry was not killed |
outright Ne reason was given for his
actions and It viii probably remain a
secret with him Many viii Do sur
prised TO learn that one whom they
had 50 long respected was the cause OF
such disturbance Of the peace.
1T WAS A SAD STORY