The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-07-15
Mr.. ,HENNG, TR|JSTY
Is Considered a Great Man by
Ottawa, Illinois.
He KEPT A BUCKETSHOP
But Turned MineraIogist While
Doing His Time.

ever happened in Chicago, Is serving his
jail senence In Ottawa with almost
equal brilliancy. He came here sever
months ago yesterday as a prisoner Of
the federal government. Today he is the
best known and probably the most pop
ular man in thecapitol of La Sale county
He has two months more to serve. bu
that does not worr y him, for Sheriff
Coulson is not a hard man to get along
with.
The sheriff's consideration for the
bucket shop king has eliminated therigor.
Of Jail life so nearly that risoner Hennit
reports at the jail only three times a day
Wherever he goes about the town how
ever, he is accompanied by Deputy Sher
If Miller, unless it should happen tina
Deputy Sheriff Miller has other bushes.
to attend to. This arrangement has en-
abled Mr.. Hennig to make himself regard
ed as one of the most important resident:
in Ottawa.
Since his coming he had added much life
to the town, and now that he has an
nounced his determination to make Otta.
wa his permanent home the people are
happy. IF there is any sort Of a public
enterprise under consideration the strong
eest hand in pushing it along is that OF
the distinguished prisoner. In fact things
have come almost to the point where II
is regarded as doubtful IL any of these un-
dertakings would succeed II 1t were not
for Mr.. Hennig.
Sheriff Coulson has made him a
"trusty," and the people generally are in-
inclined to compliment the wisdom and
.a-fk =
ing 1t. If Mr.. Hennig had been kept lock-
ed In a narrow and windowless cell, they
say, he never would have become curious
about the formation of the hills and bluffs
hereabouts. But the sheriff exercised his
discretion, and Mr.. Hennig was given a
chance to while away his time sitting on
the banks of theriver watching the dis
tant hills.
One day theprisoner hired some men to
go to the hills and bring him some speci-
mems Of all of the minerals that composed
them. Then. being a chemist, he assayed
and analysed them, and the result was
that Mrs. Hennig has baught 500 acres of
hills that were then considered worthless
except for scenery. The chemist prisoner
discovered that the hills were composed
cement Is made. and the remainder Of the
land he purchased is, said to be fun Of
silicate, 50 per cent pure.
Now 1t would seem Ottawa is likely To
become one of thegreatest manufacturing
and glass making towns in the state,
and the celebrated prisoner says he Is
going to stay here and invest his wealth
and induce others to come IN on q good
thting, and some day Ottawa may be q
big city
These are some of the reasons why
every body knows the prisoner. and why
his coming here in the custody OF a Unit
ed States marshal Is considered one of fhe
good things that has happened to the
town.
eff want to make trusty of any pris-
oner IN the JAIL" said Sheriff Coulson,
ait is nobody's business but mine. will
be responsible for his custody. 1 am a
servant of the people. Do you hear any
body say ought to put Henning in dun
geon? Well, guess not. He Is treated
Just as the peoplewant him treated, and
that's all thre is to It."
The town has been full Of trap and wing
shots from seven counties today and yes
terday. and big meet Of these sports Is
going on in the ball park. When the citi-
zens were getting 1t up they wanted a
cup for the big prize. Hennirg heard
about II and the cup was there. They
wanted other things done to make it a
success. but funds were lacking. The
prisoner heard Of these things being want
ed, and there they were. The big trotting
meet to begin on July Is might have been
provided for successfully. but there are
many who say they doubt It II It had not
been for the liberal handed "trusty."
One Of the contest little cottages over
looking the Fox river from behind and
the more majestically sweeping Illinois
river in front was recently purchased by
Mrs. Hennig. and there are few houses In
Ottawa that have more or better visitors.
People Of ottawa do not hesitate TO say
they believe Hennig is the victim Of
persecution. He himself declares with
emphasis that he was treated with small
consideration before he came here.
"I had on hand more than s7O0.OOo of my
customers money" he said. Eat the time
of my arrest. and I turned over every cent
of It. pleaded guilty TO keeping a buck
ct shop because my partners did and on
thtat plea was sentenced to jail for us
ing the mails in that business. I am the
first man in the United States to he con-
victed OF keeqing a bucket shop. II had
been more polite and less Of fighter I
suppose I could have avoided this stigma.
1 am a money-maker. however, and Just
wait tin my term is up and see how I
will make II again. But I am through
It 4 49, 1r,l
ct the market reports now"
There Is a strong movement to have
Hennig pardoned before the end OF his
term. not so much TO relieve him Of the
hardships OF being a "trusty." but 70
take of the stigma Of the sentence, and
that concerns him more than reporting at
the fail three times a day to prove that he
Is still in the town.