The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-08-06
BLOT 1T OUT.
Old Soldiers Continue to Be
Beaten and Robbed
In Smoky Row by Thugs and
Murderers Who Live There.
AN AGED CRIPPLE
Cleaned Out of His Pension
Money and FearfulIy Hurt.
TOpeka's Duty to Close Up This
Plague Spot.
IN AGED CRIPPLE

Bush Paine, an old soldier who lately
came to Topeka from Texas, was rob-
bed and brutally beaten at o'clock
this morning in Smoky Row by white
man and two colored men.
He came to Topeka a few days ago
and was stopping with friends in North
Topeka. He is 81 years of age and is
crippled, the hip joint being broken, ne
cessitating his using a cane in walking
Not long ago he received a back pen
sion of some $3.50. While in Topeka he
spent his money freely and has been
around tough resorts in Smoky Row
considerably.
Last night he made preparations to
leave the city. He had a small tele-
scope grip with him and used two canes
in walking. Late in the evening after
he had crossed the river he went to
Hank VanSciver's place on the east
side OF Kansas avenue, between Crane
street and the river. This is a motor
1ouS place on account of the tOughs
who IOiter about it. VanSciver keeps
a stand and restaurant. It is known to
the police as cider joint
Paine showed the men there that he
was a good fellow by sending Adam
Harris, a fat negro musician, after a
quart OF whisky. He gave him 81 with
which to make the purchase.
They drank up the whisky and sent
for more. Paine exhibited a roll of
b1lIs- He BECAME intoxicated. About
midnight when the drunken revelry
was at its height, (that is Paine was
pretty drunk) the crowd moved out of
the place, and two of the colored men
and a tall white man caught Paine and
held him, and went through his pockets
and took the roll of bills, amounting to
SAL. They remarked at the time that
they knew he had 5000 and that it must
be concealed in his clothing. They took
two silver watches and a case of gold
rings from his grip.
Paine fought his assailants as best
he could in his crippled condition and
nnally was let go. One of the men. the
tall white man, followed him and offer
ed to let him lie down in a room near
the bridge Paine went in but staid
only short time becoming suspicious
IhaI ne would be harmed. He went
down to the river bank and from that
time until nearly 8 o'clock must have
gone to sleep He went up to Kansas
avenue and was about to cross the
bridge when the white man and two
colOred men ran up to him and one of
them dealt him a terrible blow on the
r1ght forehead with some blunt instru-
ment. Another blow was landed on his
left cheek and a third at the base of
his skull. He fell to the pavement un-
conscious. He lay there for sometime
until discovered by a policeman. He
was taken to police station and this
morning City Physician Mitchell dress
ed his wounds.
two inches long and the flesh was laid
open to the skull. The cut was in the
form of a T. The wounds on the left
cheek and back of the head We're badly
swollen but the skin not badly cut
Paine says he is positive that the white
man struck him the first blow with
either an iron tool or brass knucks' .
DR.. Mitchell says the wound on the
forehead is a serious one and NAV cause
Paine trouble. Paine suffers greatly
from this wound and the one at the
base of his skull.
Chief Strauss sent officers to investi-
gate the case and he feels confident
that he knows all three of the toughs
who took part in the robbery and as
sauIt.
Paine said of the occurrence: ct got
some whisky for the fellows and we
had a good time. They knew Il had
money, but they thought I had over
$500. hid some of the money yester-
day They got $41 from me, two silver
watches worth about SIS and a case of
rings worth $50. I am a peddler. 1 got
a back pension some time ago and I
have been having a pretty swift time
ever since. L wanted to get away to
st. LOUIS
Paine will be kept at the city prison
until he RECEIVERS from his injuries and
when the arrests are made he will be
required to remain to prosecute them
1t is the same old story of the old
soldier Just after pension day in the
slumS of Smoky Row. Chief Strauss
says there are at least Is men in Topeka
who make a living by robbing old sol
diers after each pension day.
heard to say that the next time one of
the veterans is maltreated in this man
ner, Smoky Row will be burned to the
ground.
Police authorities and the sheriff
should head off any mob violence of
this kind by arresting every suspicious
person in Smoky Row and driving them
from the city. Many of the buildings
should be condemned by the fire mar
shall and torn down. There ought not to
be any Smoky Row.
Eph Johnson, a colored boy of Is
years, was arrested by the police last
night on information from the authori-
denly, and took with him his sisters
pocketbook. He will be taken back
home today.
drunken woman yesterday after
noon in Smoky Row made things lively
for little while until Patrolman Maze
arrived and took her in charge. 1t was
Mrs. Hank VanSciver, whose maiden
name was Deever. She used to get on
terrible drunken SpreeS but has been
rather quiet of late. Yesterday, how
ever, she felt the heat and drank some
of Hanks hard cider. She is but ~
years of age. Once she took poison
with suicidal intent. but recovered fully
from the effects of it.
H. Howard was found with a revolver
in his pocket and PatrOlman Smlth
preferred the charge against him OF
posted SO and left the revolver. Now
the police have both the money and the
revolver on a forfeit.
South Topeka colored tough, was fined
SIS in police court for assault. He