The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-01-31
LAST CARD PEGGED
White" Rupp Passes to Un-
known Beyond.
WIFE SENDS FOR BODY
He WAS the Pioneer Keno
King of Wichita

Night before last the body of white"
Rupp was taken through Wichita en-
route to Monmouth, Ill. for burial. He
died at Oklahoma City Monday and his
wife. who has been for years superintend-
ent of schools at Monmouth. asked that
the remains be forwarded to her for in
terment
white" was once the Keno King
of Wichita and many are the stories told
of the fabulous sums of money he made
and spent
The exact date of Whites entrance
into Wichita is in dispute. Officer Jim
Cairns says he came early in 1872, while
George Kessler says he came in 1871.
At any rate he was the first Keno"
man in town and went into partnership
with Nate Washburn and a man named
Benson. They opened up In Jim Hopes
building on the corner of Main and Doug
las avenue, where the Kansas National
bank now stands, and did q. land Office
business. Keno" was then a popular
frontier game and was not regarded as
serious gambling in the sense that rou
lette and other games are. 1t was a
disgrace for business man or church
member to set into the game and in those
days many of them did it, The place
was popular, and on many occasions as
high as three hundred cards were In the
hands of players. It was known from
Abilene, Kan, TO Abilene, Tex. and its
proprietors were men of importance.
Whether it was an early love affair or
not no one knows, but one day White
left Wichita and about a week later he
came back with wife. Old timers say
that she was a beautiful and cultured
woman and the wonder was that wo-
man OF such refinement should have
married a keno king It was said that
at the time she was married she had no
idea her husband was a gambler. Short
~ before that he filed on a claim or the
Minnesota and when they separated some
time later she came into possession of
the farm. She still owns it and it keep
ing it for her boy, who is now said to be
about 20 years of age.
Mrs. Rupp, upon separating from her
husband, went back to Monmouth, ILL.,
and secured a position there teaching
school, being a woman of very superior
ability in that respect. Several years
later she consented to live with her hus-
band and came back to Wichita, but they
could not agree and another separation
took place about a dozen years ago. Mrs.
Rupp again returned to Monmouth and
the people there, approaching her sit
nd !,
elected her to the office of superintend-
ent of public instruction. position which
she still retains.
When Oklahoma was opened to settle
ment. White left Wichita and settled
in Oklahoma City. where he has lived
ever since. following gambling As the
story goes, some time ago he quit drink
ing liquor and was getting along fairly
well until a month ago, when the cash
drawer of the house OF which he had
charge was robbed. This caused him to
return TO the drink habit and it is said
that he INDUCED immoderately until some
time last week when he ''swore Off
again. It is alleged that the reaction
killed him.
There was a time in Wichita when
White Rupp could go to any bank in
town and borrow $4,000 on his personal
note. In the early days he went broke
often. but he was always good" at
Sol Kohns bank for $500 and had a per-
sonal credit with his friends that was
always first class. It is said that he
was scrupulously honest in the matter
of paying debts or in honoring every OBJ
legation that he made. At one time he !
owned the saloon where Steele Bros.
hardware store now is.
White was also in the horse business
here and owned Little Casino. the horse
that gave Ed Corrigan his first success
ful start as a turfman. He also owned |
such well known horses as Beecher, Til |
len. Bessie Turner and Black Fly de 1
never recuperated the fortune he lost by |
spending money too freely and for the I
past ten years or so practically lived on /
the bounty of some old-time gamblers |
At Oklahoma City.
Few have ever spoken unkindly of /
White Rupp and had it not been for
he business he had a passion for he
might have been different man.
White might be called the father of /
the modern saloon system in Kansas. 1
~ iSti lAe ftvlubltlon law became erect
We the Wichita liquor men wouldn't sell I
whisky or beer under their right names
Men had to call for tea" if they wanted
whisky and lemonade" when they want
ID beer. This habit of false pretenses
was disgusting TO White and it is said
hat he is the first man in the state TO
ay down the rule that when a man de-
sired whisky in his place he would have
o call for whisky He adopted the plan
y violating the law openly. or as he
ised TO say himself. honestly" He
lid il and went broke
Mr. Rupp was about 60 years Of age.
If your stomach is disordered. bowels
Irregular. and you don't feel well. YOU
iced PriclSy Ash Bitters. II is very effec-
i've in removing this condition