The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-05-31

intending to remain several days and
she busted herself trying to save what
she could Of Miss Lewis millinery
stock; their own was too far gone al
ready to get any great quantity. I'VE
were aroused in the night by the fire
and went over at once, not taking time
to dress carefully. The boarding house
people were strung out all along the
way between the house and the store
I went over and did what I could to
save Miss Lewis goOds-ours was SO
far gone we couldn't save anything
much. I lost my dog which have had
for years and1m sure I thought enough
Of it not to burn it up"
What was the relation between you
and Mr. Kneip?" queried the reporter.
There wasn't any relation more than
that Of friends, she answered promptly
and in a manner indicating irritation at
the question. I'VE boarded" she went
on, here and were together a good
deal. We took walks together whenever
we cared to and considered it nobody's
business with a snap that brought the
color to her face. Last winter when
Miss Lewis was sick I took the keys
and conducted her business for her and
no questions asked. Now you see the
thanks get for it. don't feel afraid
OF these charges because I know there
is nothing in them, and / expect the
case to be thrown out of court for lack
of evidence but do hate for this story
to go over the state among the many
friends that I have. So far as this COM
one you like and Z am sure my char
acter viii not suffer" Charles Kneip
was in the room while the reporter
talked to Miss O'DOnnel and farther
than agreeing with her statement would
not discuss the matter He seen ed
anxious, however, that the matter be
investigated fully, and now that the
prosecution has been started wishes it
continued until there is a complete VIM
dication. He is nearly ten years her
Junior and his reputation is good with
the tOWnspeople among whom he has
spent nearly all his life.
Miss OsDonnell is a woman perhaps
thirty-five years old, free in her man
ner and well spoken of by those who
have known her since childhood. Her
father, Frank O'Donnell, sr., came to
Carbonate 80 odd years ago when the
town was in its hey-day of business
prosperity. He opened up small store,
sold goods to the miners who at that
time were numbered by the hundreds
and remained there until he became a
well-tO-dO county merchant Several
years ago he removed to LeavenWorth
to look after interests there, leaving his
son and daughter to manage the Car
bondale store and since then trade has
held up, the O'Donnells receiving their
share of what the surrounding country
contributed to the n ercantile business
support there The father had, however,
endeavored to dispose of his Carbonate
interests, wishing that he might take
his son and daughter to Leavenworth to
reside permanently. It is this fact which
might weigh against the O'Donnells in
refuting the accusations which have
been made against them within the
last few weeks, although the young
woman says that the firm had a pro-
spective buyer, and hints that had the
fire been a. little longer delayed some
one else would have been the owner Of
the business.
Miss Lewis, the complainant. has made
her home in Carbonate since childhood,
and nothing more than some possible &c
centricitieS have been said concerning her.
She has applied herself persistently to the
erything that was possible, and the way
in which her earnings of so many years
were swept away in single night has
almost crushed her hopes It is asserted
that the fact of her close attention to
business and the brOOding consequent
upon the loss caused by the fire have
driven her to legal steps against those
whom she had always believed were her
friends. She insists that her relations
with the O'DonnellS until the recent oc-
/ currence were the most happy.
Her brothers, NJ. A. and Orvil1e Lewis,
both live in Carbonate, though the lat
| occurred The former lost stock OF
! jewelry and musical instruments in the
/ fire and among other things a Stradi-
yarius violin which he says no reasonable
sum could have bought. Not long ago
the two brothers signed over all their
part of the estate which they Inherited
I for the support of their sister and moth
er; Mrs. Lewis preferred to spend the re-
mainder of her days with her daughter
comfort. Miss Lewis invested most Of
/ this money coming from her brothers in
/ the millinery stock and that fact only
augments her Indebtedness in the con-
temptation of her reverses
The little building in which Miss Lewis
conducted her business was among those
owned by Frank O'Donneli, ST.. He says
l that her income was small and that for
year or more she had not paid him
cent Of rent for the use of the property
He however had been tardy in his col
/ lections, RAILING the situation IN which
/ she was placed. The explanation which
/ the family offers for the origin of the
flames is that the store had been looted
and then fred Other business men CON
cur in this opinion, believing that gang
Of outlaws has been operating all over
this part of Kansas on a circuit as it
were, and that the destructive fires which
I have occurred in the towns Of QuenemO.
/ Waverley and others should be charged
] to this gang.
Mrs. Lizzie MeClair, who keeps the