The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-12-17

ing the money. We discussed various
phases of the scheme.
MY FRANCES were bad then for young
man. owed a note for $50, which would
be due May l, and 1 owed other debts ag-
gregating about $50. / made up my mind
to go and see Jess. The next morning
went to Harper's house and asked for Jess
He was standing across the street. A
woman at the door pointed him out.
went over to him and spoke. He said he
supposed 1 was the young white fellow
Smothers had been talking to him about.
He said he guessed he knew what want
ed. said l just came TO talk the matter
over l was OF sure 1 would go into it.
Jess said he was the best crap SHOOTER in
Lawrence and he made lots of money at it.
I asked him why he didn't go into crap
shooting as a regular business. He said
he spent all his money running around
Jess said the prospects were not so good
for winning big money in Lawrence as in
Topeka. He told me there was big 400
club in Topeka, where big gambling went
on. He said that was the place to gam
BILE 1 asked him why he didn't go there,
then. He said he did not dare to go him
self because the chief of police had run
him out. But he suggested that 1 paw
for telegram and he would wire to john
son Jordan to come down from Topeka and
see me- He said Jordan was a famous
crap shooter.
by that time they had got me in
frame of mind where their scheme looked
very plausible I gave Harper 80 cents to
~ 1oto in
the day and he said he had wired Jordan
and had received an answer that Jordan
would be own on the fast mail. Harper
told me to be in front of the Eldridge
House that night to meet Jordan. He said
I could go down to his house and talk to
Jordan there. He said his folks would be
away and we could talk without being
overheard there. That night 1 did go to
the Eldridge House.
after the train came UP Harper came
to the Eldrdge House corner and said that
Jordan had cmoe and was down to his
house. I went down there with Harper
and went into the back room and was in
PRODUCED TO Jordan. There was a bar of
light coming from beneath the door to the
next room. I gave Jordan and Harper
the next room and talk to the fellow who
was in there. Harper did go into the next
room and shut the door. Jordan and
sat there and talked. Jordan said Jess had
told me about him. ] said / wanted to taxi
matters over anyhow. l said / had heard
he was the best crap shooter in Topeka
He said he was. / asked him how much
he would require me to put up. He said
500. I told him I thought ] could not get
hold of that much. Harper returned to
the room during the conversation. and we
al talked together. We talked things pro
and con. They told me could make lots
of money and could pay off my debts. We
agreed that I was to give them SO. and
Jordan was TO gamble with it and return
me the principal and half the winnings.
II went the next day and borrowed the
s75 from Mr. Broadhead. Mr.. Broadhead
told the truth about that transaction, with
the exception that he says I told him my
allowance was $40 month. / gave the
SO to Jess Harper and told him 10 take it
TO Jordan. A day or two passed and I did
not hear from Jordan. 1 went two or three
times to Smothers house 10 see il he had
heard from Jordan. ] wrote a letter TO Jor-
don Sunday. May l. 1t was addressed to
the 400 club. 1t was very brief and asked
him why he did not send my money at
once, and if he had succeeded in getting
up a game. 1 got no answer 1 sent Jess
Harper up 10 Topeka TO see Jordan. He
came back and reported that Jordan was
in Alma
81 came to Topeka myself May T. went
IL, I'D
him at the door, Crook Wright showed me
into private room and we had a drink
of whiskey together. After Jordan came
in we had another round of drinks.
asked Jordan why he had not done as he
agreed. He said he had been pinched for
fighting and had to put up $40 of my money
10 get out of jail The first time 1 heard
that word pinched Harper had used IT.
told Jordan he had not right TO use my
money to pay his fines. He said If he had
anything worth pawning he would get the
$40 back and gamble. There were pros
poets Of a big game that night. He said If
he had a watch to pawn it would be good
thing. When Crook Wright came in with
drinks he asked Wright to pawn his
watch. Wright said it was not worth Is
watch. 1 said it was given me by my
father and besides il had my initials in
it. Jordan said he knew where to pawn
it 50 that no one would find it out. We
took five or six drinks. 1 took out my
watch and with the point OF my knife took
out the photograph of Miss Babcock which
was pasted inside the case. 1 gave him
the watch TO pawn"
Here the court took a recess.
When court was resumed came the dra-
matte incidents Of the confession of Ella
Buchanan. After that John Collins went
on the stand again and resumed his story
He was shown the johnson Jordan letter
and examined It closely.
DO You think !; Is your handwriting? -
Mr. Hayden asked him
Il think so. / wrote a similar letter"
Look at It closely. Do you think you
wrote it,
Il wrote that. or one similar TO it
Attorney Hayden took the letter in his
hand and. standing up. read it sentence by
sentence. asking what was the meaning OF
each. MIR. Hayden read from the letter:
asked that you make me an expla-
nation AZ once why you did not keep your
promise about last night? What did you
mean by thar -
Jordan had promised 10 get up a game
and / wished to know why he did not
Mr.. Hayden read further: ct has
placed me in an exceedingly dangerous 20
sition-' What did you mean by that7''
7 meant that I was pressed FOR money
10 pay my debts
~sA;iend TO things tonight. rain OF shine.
without fail as this viii he your last
ohsnce-' What does shat -nean--.