Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-03-08
FOND OF UNIQUE TRINKETS.
CAPTAIN BRANHAM HAS AN UNSUS-
PECTED PENCHANT.
Has a Pipe That Belonged to His
Observation-Disclosures, Coins Made
Under COMMUNICATIONS
Interesting Relics.

Few Of the many people, either law-abid-
ing or criminal. who have business with
Captain John Branham, the stalwart and
stern officer in charge of Central police
station, would suspect that he had a PEN
chant for unique trinkets. 1t Is only occa-
sionally that he is in the mood to reveal
this fact.
Early yesterday morning, an hour or two
before daylight, Captain Branham sat
down in the reporters room. About mid
night the station. had been a scene Of the
greatest activity. The police ambulance
and the patrol wagon had been kept busy
bringing persons who had attempted to
commit suicide, others shot during street
brawls, .'drunks.'' and the like into the
station. and it was not until about 4 o'clock
that the last friend OF some one In trouble
had appeared to argue or give bond for
his or her release.
Captain Branham. whose four blue
stripes on his coat sleeves show him to be
one of the three oldest men, in point OF
service. on the Kansas City police force;
drew out a large meerschaum pipe. OF
quaint and old-fashioned design.
"Ihat pipe? That BELONGED to my great at
g EiaRinia h he w sa;G he LIVED efdes back sens in r,s 9ld
down the line have smoked that pipe and
it is better to-day than it ever was"
The bow of the pipe, which had been
ored and will hold as much as three or
binary pipes. The silver mounting has
been worn thin by much rubbing. The
stem of oherrywood is about a foot long
and bent in the shape of a Dutch pipe
stem.
After warming up to the subject of the
the big iron safe behind the desk and
brought out an old leather pocketbook.
First he took out cuff buttons made out
Of nickels: then watch charms cut out Of
IS gold pieces.
IT any one would use Uncle Sans
money this way nowadays. he would be
apt to get into trouble," he remarked.
Then he fingered among a number of old
coins of many descriptions and kinds.
Here's a piece of the money made under
Constantine. the first Christian Roman
The coin was not round and the edges
were rough. -
was the figure of Christ in relief and on
the other those of two Of the apostles.
Il was given that coin by a man who
captain. He came to Kansas City about
fifteen years ago with several boxes of
rare trinkets taken from some of the old
selling them to people who could afford to
the world.
HE got lost here and wandered Town into
the East bottoms one night. when he was
held up and robbed of his valuables. He
reported the matter to the police and the
cured all his trinkets for him.. He CAV
me this as a keepsake. 1 forget what he
said it was now worth. but 1t was consid-
| cradle. That hole on one side was put
there when the money was made. He said
the people those days put their none on
a string instead of carrying it in pocket
books as We do"
The captain was just starting into the
history of a silver coin about twice as
large as the American silver dollar when he
was called to his desk to book a prisoner.
The pipe, trinkets and old coins were put
to one side and he piled questions to the
prisoner as though there was no weak
SPOT in his nature.