The Topeka state journal., 1897-12-11
SOME TOPEKA SKETCHES.

/ to be given to the public Ihe judge
| has never mentioned it but he forgot to
| swear the others who knew about it
/ to secrecy. Judge Quinton was stop
I ping al the National hotel in Abilene
and after supper he and several mem
berS of the party went around town
! They returned about O'Clock and went
to the coat room and got their valiSes
and retired to their rooms. The gas
in the hotel was out of order and not
enough lights were to be had to go the
rounds. The judge gallantly gave his
up to young lady and went to his
room in darkness He proceeded to re-
tire and when the proper time arrived
he opened his valise to extract his robe
de mutt. The contents of the valise
seemed to be mixed up and the judge
wondered what some of the things were
that felt so strangely in the dark The
contents wer badly tumbled around be
fore the desired robe was found. He
finally got it out and attempted to put
it on. Horrors, it must have shrunk;
it would not go on. The judge lighted
a match and, great heavens, it was not
his valise. In the morning the judge
did his best to get the pink face powder
off of his face and to remove it from
the white articles of clothing he found
in the valise. He could not separate
the brush from the open bottle of face
cream and a pair of hair curriers' were
mixed UP with a switch. After break
fast the judges grip was rescued from
the young lady and she was given
her own wearing apparel but the judge
was not present when the exchange
was made
L want warrant for grand lar
ceny' cried a Topeka lawyer to a JUS
tice of the peace, as he rushed into the
room where justice is meted out over
a high pine bar.
For grand larceny did you say?''
oueried the judge.
Yes I said for grand larceny and
I want it quick cried the man who
was jumping around with excitement
like a jack on a string.
steal your watch?" asked the judge
as he got his fountain pen thawed cut
No he didn't steal my watch. I
don't carry one
Take your money!" asked the judge
as if the frantic gestures of the excited
man made no impression on him.
mo. had my money with me. The
fellow broke into my room.''
Broke into your roOm!" The judge
looked over his glasses in astonisn-
ment. The constable snored and woke
up.
Yes broke into my room. broke right
in By this time the little colOred
constable with side burns a bald head
and an inquisitive air came out from
behind the stove and stepped up to the
side of the speaker as if he might need
support.
How many do you want arrested
asked the judge.
Just one. make it out for John Doe"
The judge wiped his glasses on the
corner of his coat, ran his fingers
through his hair to get his brain in
working order, and commenced to
write. Meantime the wrathy LAWYER
was walking up and down the room
like william in a play. III fix the
fellow, confound his impudent hide.
I'll see if the law will have any effect
on such wholesale thieVing as is going
on. I'll, yes I'll" and for want of anv-
thing more expressive he brought his
closed fist down on the top of the bar
with q resOunding thud.
Inc ink bottle was turned over and
the little coIOred constable made frant-
lc enortS to catch the stream of ink
that ran from the bottle to the floor
in coal shovel. Get out of nv road
cried the enraged eXpOunder of the law
and the constable retired to his chair
behlnd the stove where he could watch
the ink and wonder if the floor did not
need painting to save a good scrubbing |
Ihe enraged lawyer continued to rant
What did John steal?'' asked the
judge. John who-who said anything
about John?' queried the lawyer |
why you did" said the judge mo
did not 1t is warrant want"
well. what did the fellow do, what
did he take?" asked the Judge.
What did he take4 what did he tal1el
Why he took a half pint of the finest |
old bourbon that ever came to the town.
1t was % years old
The fire in the stove went out and so |
dld the lawyer with the right foot of
the judge following close after him as
he started down the stairs
What are you laughing att cried the |
judge as he came back and found the |
constable convulsed. Nothing said |
the man behind the stove with a !
jerk. The judge resumed his seat and |
Let's attach the whisky said the
constable by way of relief
Slut up cried the judge. ct have |
tasted that whisky and if the thief
drinks it it will be punishment enough |
without his being arrested"
A Topeka man who attended the trial |
Of Mrs. Minnie Wallace Walkup Ketch- !
am at EmpOria when she was charged |
with poisoning her husband, James r. |
Walkup describes her appearance dur !
ing the trial as altogether gfrlish
Never during the trial did she lose
her self possession. During the most |
damning testimony she sat in the pris- |
oner's box neatly attired and always |
with a half incredulous smile upon her |
lips. She is described IS being inclined /
to Stoutness. Her features were reg
ular and her eyes were of the large |
brown dreamy kind. While she woIIId |
not be called beautiful no one denied |
that there was a subtle attractiveness |
IN heF race her voice was mellow |
and she spoke very slowly. Her be |
havior was more like that of an inno- |
cent school girl during the trial than
anything else and when the iuI~v
brought in a verdict declaring her nor !
guilty Of murder her only comment /
was: 4 felt like hugging every man on /
the jury
The trial was the sensation of EN- !
poria's history. The court room was |
crowded daily. and a large proportion /
OF the spectators were women While |
''CA many sIHlOHS the women /
who hoped to see the youthful widow |
declared guilty of murder the verdict |
of the jury met with almost general |
satisfaction
United States District Attorney L E. |
Lambert was then county attorney and |
conducted the prosecution
There is a disposition on the part of /
some people to do away with the old |
custom of hanging crepe on the door
TO announce the fact that death has /
summoned an occupant of the house. |