Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-12-16

about those things, and spent more money
than | should
What games did you play at the Beta
house?'
We played football baseball, other
games, and cards.
Was there any gambling there"
Did you pay"
Not much. won s. one night and
went to bed in the room where the boys
were playing. but they made so mush
noise that / got up and went back into
the game and lost the 81 / had Won |
bet 50 on Mckinley and s. on Morrill, I
won one and lost the other We occa-
sionally played two o. three hands of
poker for the cigars after dinner at the
Chapter house and remember winning
% cents on a ball game
Was that the extent of your gambling"
The witness then told how he had met
and became acquainted with Miss Bab-
cock. They grew to be close friends dur
| ing Johns third year. He met Joe Smoth-
ers u the Beta house, where he came 10
| sing with quartette.
Did you go to Joe Smothers' house?'
Yes; l think it was the latter part of
April;
To see him about going out to Miss
Babcock's to sing with quartette.''
That was your only purpose"
Who met you at the door,"
i don't know: u colored woman"
| What did she do?''
| aiHN'u me III anu cdiltu JOt
| Then WHAT
q came in and asked him if he could
90. He said yes. and 1 asked him how
leave that TO YOU Well l said I can't
pay very much. because I'm >hard up "
| What them
| could make lot of money if you'll let me
| show YOU how He then told me that
should get one Of the niger crapshooters,' ;
as he called them. to go into deal with
| ME and make lot of money. | told him
| didn't like 10 do anything like that. He
said there Were lots OF white fellows doing
| II, both in Topeka and Lawrence. He told
| me Jess Harper was the best crapShooter
| in town. and said he lSmothers) was GO
| that he would see Harper. He could bring
HIM mp. and could meet him and then we
could make deal: l told him | wanted
| 10 do nothing OF the kind. but he said [
could meet Harper anyway. and told me
| TO stop al Turner hall and he would bring
Harper. / stopped there as l went home
| from downtown and Smothers came along.
| lie told me he could not find Harper. but
| that Harper would be at home the next
morning and that he tSmothers) would
tell Harper about il. l told Smothers l
Gid not want TO make any date of that
kind. then went home. The next even-
ing l was passing Smothers' house which
was near the Beta house. when SmOtherS
| called to me and said he wanted 10 see
me. He said he had seen Harper and he
was anxious to make a deal OF the kind
mentioned. asked Smothers If there was
no risk in losing my money. He said: on,
no: Harper is the SQuarest Niger in Law
renee and would make me some money"
What was your financial condition at
that time?"
1t was very bad for a young man. 1
owed 4 note of so at the Watkins bank
and | owed Mrs. Storrhont so and owed
$e-l think that would cover all the bills
| around town"
Something has been said about your buy
ing chatting dish at the jewelry store"
No. l bought the chafiEg dish at Mr..
Gibbs book, store and paid for It two
weeks after
Did you believe what smothers said TO
YOU"
Yes
What did You do?''
Il concluded TO go and see Harper.
went 10 his house, but he was not there
but he soon came across the street. ask
ed him II he was Harper. He said yes
and 1 presume You are The white fellow
whom Smothers told me about. l told
him / presumed I was, and then said i
came to see YOU about tEis deal, Harper
and to see II l want to DO it; asked
him If he was the best crapshooter ir
lot of money at it. We walked dowr
around the corner from his house to {
bridge over ravine. and there We talked.
He told me he wanted slD - star
with. but / told him / didn't have thai
much and couldn't raise it. He said IN,
more capital. the better the prospect fol
big winnings. He guaranteed the retur.
of the money and said he could make more
} money in Topeka | asked why he didn
} in for him and would arrest him If h,
Harper then told me to come 10 To
| peka and go to the 400 club and ash