The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-05-09
PLEAD NOT GUILTY.
Edward Wilder Says Board Is
Not Responsible for Gage
Park Outrages.

The members of the park commission
OF Topeka do not believe that the van
dalism at Gage Park. to which Mrs.
c. G. Gage called attention in an open
letter published in the State Journal
on Tuesday, should be attributed to any
neglect on the part Of the employees
of the commission.
After the appointment of the park
commission" said Edward Wilder to-
day, Mr. Norris L. Gage called nv at
tention to the fact that the colored
man who had been in charge of the
park desired to vacate the house at an
early date. I therefore arranged with
Henry McAfee to put a good tenant
into the house to care for the property
as 1t had been cared for Heretofore.
1 was informed by Mr.. McAfee that
as a matter Of fact the colored man had
been out OF the house for a number of
weeks and was living a quarter of a
mile south OF Tenth avenue and had
been only nominaIly in charge of the
Gage house during that time
I personally drove out and impressed
upon both the tenant and his wife the
Importance of watching the property
carefully to see that no vandalism was
committed, and instructed them that If
they saw any attempt at vandalism to
let it so far enough to be an actual
commission Of an offense for which a
punishment could be inflicted upon the
report of the names and facts, which
II seemed to US would be more effective
than to warn people to desist before
any evil had been committed
1t is curious phase of human ma
ture that private ownership seems to
command a reasonable degree of re-
spect of property rights while public
/ ownership seems to inspire many peo-
pie with the feeling that they can vast g
and destroy and steal at their pleasure
Neither Mr. Gage nor his tenant were
at the south end of the tract so often
as to prevent the removal of fence
/ boards, and yet never saw one miss
/ ing until the property was transferred
/ to the city, and on my first visit early
/ in the spring I found four or five en-
/ tire sections Of fence gone.
4 Mr. McAfee put barbed wire along
Z the south line where the fence had
/ been torn down, and after putting a
paddock on the north gate and having it
{ broken, he closed that with barbed wire
also, so as to compel entrance from the
east by the tenants house. It was
/ hoped that the presence of the tenant
1 would be sufficient to restrain evil OF
: careless persons from depredatiOnS IN
til plans could be properly prepared fol-
the permanent improvements during
/ which the presence of WOTkmen would
protect the park, and after which 9
care-taker, who could devote more Of
his time than the tenant now can
l would be necessary
The park belongs to the city and Il
ought to be to the interest of every
right minded person to guard carefully
| D
a certain ownership. and if any vandaI
ism should be observed it seems to m
that the matter should be brought def
nltely to the attention Of the commits
sion or the city authorities so tina
} prosecutions might follow
4 think personally that the commits
SION should post notices offering a re
ward for information leading to a cen
r vlctlon for any destruction of parl
I property, and one or two conviction
hereunder would, think, be effective
, The making Of plans for the cit,
park and for the HuntOon and Hollida!
trlangles naturally takes precedenc
over outside parks, but the Gage plan
Will be reached as quickly as possible
Mayor Drew said he had been toll
that persons had broken through tn
: gate and ha& gone into the park an
y cut sod, and that in the absence of he
} husband the tenants wife had attempt
ed TO make them desist. but the offend
efs paid no attention to her. Mayo
Drew also understands that the tearin
: down Of the fence happened before tn
y property was turned over to the city