The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-04-24
TRAGEDY ON TRAGEDY
PurSues the Poor Old Germ an
Farmer, WeSkey.
FIRST LOST HIS MONEY
Then Wife; Then Reason
Money May be Good.

Guthrie, o. T., April 2S.-As a pitiful
sequel to the story printed in Sunday
Eagle relating to the drowning Of Mrs.
Weskey while on her way to Arapahoe
TO corroborate her husbands account OF
some alleged counterfeit money which
the bank had rejected for deposit, comes
the news that Wesky has lost his mind
on account Of the tragis death Of his wife
and his financial troubles It appears,
also, that these unfortunate results are
due TO a horrible mistake due, probably,
TO the conservatism Of the bank cashier
at Arapahoe, it being the opinion OF
United States Attorney Horace Speed
that the money in question is not coun-
terfeit and that its suspicious character
is due to its having been buried in the
earth. The following are the latest par
ticulars Of the sad affair as obtained
from Arapahoe:
Carl Wesky is an aged, Germanfarmer,
who has been residing near AraDahoe for
several years, having emigrated from
Germany five years ago and coming al
most directly to Oklahoma. He is of the
honest type of the German farmer, some
what ignorant of the manner in the Unit
ed States by all who know him, to be in
TO manner Intentionally implicated in the
counterfeit deal
Several days ago Wesky came TO Ara
pahoe with $40, seeking some place TO
deposit He seemed to lie ignorant Of the
banking business. Among others he ap
preached County Attorney Mcknight, re-
questing him to take the money for safe
keering The old German followed Nc
knights advice and took the money to
the bank for deposit.
Charles Brewer. cashier of the bank in
counting in the money rejected $50 Of it
as counterfeit and notified the authorities
The money was all in bank notes and
had evidently been kept in some hiding
place for long time, as they appeared
and smelled musty. The $3.50 rejected were
in notes on a national bank of Baltimore,
lid: they We're numbered consecutively,
contained the necessary silk threads, and
by the great majority Of people would
have been accepted as genuine.
In unfolding the notes, however, Cash
Ter Brewer noticed the paper was very
harsh and in the creasing had cracked,
ike some brittle substance. He immedi-
ately determined them as counterfeit,
decision that has been accepted as cor
rect by all who have seen and examined
them.
Wesky's story Of how he obtained the
money is generally conceded as correct.
When he landed in New York from Ger
many five years ago he claims that he
received these notes in exchange for Ger
man specie. He has had them in his pos
cession ever since until given to Cashier
Brewer for deposit. Wesky talks very
broken ,nglish, and is with difficulty I'M
derstooi. but no one doubts his story
The matter was reported to United
States Attorney Horace Speed, who at
once dispatched Assistant United States
Attorney John w. scothorn to Arapahoe
= investigate. Mr.. Scothorn returned
yesterday from that city and relates the
circumstances given above The rejected
bank notes have been sent to Washing
ton, D. c, for examination and the mat
ter is resting until word is received from
that city. Mr.. Scothorn investigated the
matter as fully as possible while at Ara
oahoe.
As it was very difficult for Wesky to
make himself understood he told the Of
ficials to send for his wife. who could ex
plain the matter more intell gently. This
was done. but death interviewed and kept
her from completing her trip to Arapa-
hoe. a small stream. known as Barnett's
creek. run near that city and had to be
forded by Mrs. Wesky. Recent rains had
swollen the creek, and, in attempting to
ford the creek the wagon was overturned
and Mrs. Wesky was drowned.
The sudden death Of his wife and the