The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-05-29
Career of Ensign c. w. II. Wells
in Topeka.
Detroit Young Man of Good
Family Leaves Suddenly.
DID STRANGE THINGS.
Started to Kansas City to Get
Married.
Got Off Train at Lawrence and
Did Foolish Things.

ensign c. w. II. wells has 1eft To-
peka- He made a stir during his brief
sojourn in the capital city of Kansas.
but there are few who viii take the
trouble to inquire where he has gone
He was formerly an ensign in the Uni
ted States navy.
Ensign Wells came to Topeka about
the first of May. He secured a position
in a Fifth street architects Office as a
draughtsman Ensign Wells is Of an
exceptionally good family. his father
having been dean of the Law University
at Ann Arbor at the time of his death
ten years ago. Several of his relatives
are now living at Detroit. Mich. An
uncle, Henry Russell is general attor
ney for the Michigan Central railroad.
He has another uncle. a Mr. Campbell
who is an attorney for the Wabash.
After his arrival in Topeka he was not
long in looking uD a lawyer who had
attended Ann Arbor and who had been
under the instruction of his father. Into
the sympathetic ear of this lawyer he
poured a tale of woe-he had neither
money nor friends. And for the sake of
his father whom the lawyer knew and
respected the young man asked for a
helping hand.
Wells is perhaps % or % years old and
thousand dollars. Part of this money
was squandered before his fathers death
and part of 1t afterward. At the time
of his fathers death in 1891 the sum of
$4,000 was placed to his credit with the
Union Trust company of Detroit, for TEN
years This money it is claimed how
ever was not to be available unless he
reformed The money has earned "a, 600
in interest during the ten years and be-
comes payable some time this summer.
eerv7 all f-f~ v4-,rr
ton and has Travelled nearly all over the
world In the course of his travels he
has acquired habits of the orieQtals.
One of these and one which is partly
responsible for his depraved condition
is the use of drugs and OpiateS- He
never smokes a cigarette without drop
ping some hasheesh into it before roll
ing. Hasheesh is a narcotic which is
produced from the resin of the COM
mon hemp plant of India and has long
been used for its intoxicating effect.
The continue use of hasheesh has the
effect of weakening ones mind well
as body. It numbs the brain and the
user Of it may sit through a sad or har-
rowing tale and grin in a foolish sort Of
way just as though he were lis
tening to a ludicirous story. and this is
one of Wells characteristics.
The lawyer took young Wells to a
roorning house on the east side, totally
unaware of the history of the young
to the landlady and promised to pay the
room rent if the young man did not.
Soon after he became installed in the
rooming house he made the acquaint-
ance of young woman who was also
rooming at the house He at once fell
violently in love with her.
Within a week after the first time
Wells met the woman he had asked her
to marry him and was accepted.
They We're to go to Kansas City the
next day for the ceremony. They took
the train at noon for Kansas City
When they reached Lawrence, Wells
got off the train. He failed to get on
again before it pulled out of the sta
ton, and he was left at Lawrence. He
says he fell in with some of the uni
versity students. and ended by telling
the students part of his troubles.
He went to the city marshal and Sc
cured permission to carry weapons on
the plea that ne was United States
naval officer who was looking for some
recruits who had passed an examination
and who had skipped out Immediately
after. The permission was given with
out his having to show any credentials.
and he Immediately started out on a
roundup. He went into one store and
at the point of a revolver ordered one
of the clerks to get out and march. He
then went to another store and went
through the same proceeding. He knew
neither of the clerks but that made no
difference. He made them march
through the streets aneaQ OF nun and
the police Finally it was suggested to
him that ne get out of town. and he
did so. In writing about the Lawrence
episode to his friend the lawyer, he
says
Il have at last succeeded while under
the influence of a jag in getting my
self in trouble. I only got as far as
Lawrence. and missed the plug I met
some college students and got to drink
ing. and when I drink do things for
which I am not responsible. and I hope
God may strike me dead if I ever touch
another glass of liquor Of any kind
again.
IT remember of having talk with
the police and of the chief giving me
permission to carry a loaded gun and of
flashing it before somebody. Tele-
graphed my aunt, Mrs. Russell, last
night. VIII get money enough to set
tie ny debts and leave here, but for
Gods sake don't let them send me to
prison COR for my fathers sake).
can guarantee you money to pay all
your expenses, because all my rela tives
are rich I am on good terms with
them and besides I have money in the
Union Trust company. But I'll never
go TO prison: III put bullet through
myself first.
please help me from getting into
trouble and you won't lose a cent I
am certainly the biggest fool alive
Very respectfully-
&C. W. II. WELLS"
Wells returned to Topeka One
night soon after, while bordering on the
verge of delirium tremens. he went to
the room of the woman with whom he
had becOne infatuated. She did every
thing in her power to relieve the suf-
fering of the young man. During the
evening Wells decided that he wanted
to give his money to the woman to
whom he was engaged. and an order
was written out to the Trust compa-v
for the transfer of the money to MS
credit from his name to her name.
The document was an unusual speci-
men of originality it being filed with
legal phrases of all kinds and contain
ing numerous repetitions.
The next morning after this incident