The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-01-19
Grocers Learn Where Honey
Sent Them Came From.
PAID TO $50 PERSONS.
Request of J. P. O'Neil, For
merly in Vinegar Business.
Ms Sister Sent Amounts from
Estate Of Deceased.
Supposed to Have Owed These
Merchants Small Sums.

Argentine. Kas., Jan. 19.-An explana-
tinn of the mysterious letters containing
stamps or small amounts of paper
Eaoney received by scores of people here
ard other near towns in the two Kan
cas- Citys has been obtained by a. CORE
spondent in Oklahoma, and it is learned
Shat they had been sent at the dying
kehest OF J. p. Omen. formerly well
own citizen of Kansas City, Kas. Mr..
4'lVeil died in Perry, okla. last May OF
tuberculosis and shortly before his last
Illness he went over some old account
socks and learned that while he had
been in the vinegar and pickle business
in this city ten years ago through
errors in bookkeeping, many of the
firms customers had not received small
Amounts of money due them.
Mr.. O'Ven left a request among his
papers that If he should die his sister,
AIRS. Thomas H. Doyle. of Perry. Okla,
should see that the sums were restored
20 their rightful owners, numbering 2e0
persons and firms. After his death at
Ferry his estate. worth about 10000,
was probated in Noble county. Okla
hpma. and among his papers the
strange request was found. In Decem-
Der Mrs Doyle went to KirksVille. Mo.
TO visit her sister. Miss Margaret O'Neil.
g student at the American School OF
OsteODathy Mrs Doyle told her sister
OF the request made by their brother
From q tabulated list found with the
request they learned the total amount
due. about S50O and the names Of all
those to whom the money was directed
to be sent The two sisters carried out
the behest OF their dead brother even
70 the last detail and penny. but they
omitted to give any explanation with
the sums they sent.
O'Neii was a clerk Of the district court
In Kansas City, kas.. quite number
Of years ago After he left that posi-
ton he formed a partnership with
AdOlph Zaiss now of $50 Lydia avenue,
in the vinegar business. That was in
4eSs-'sO and under the company name
OF the Kansas City Vinegar and Pickle
company they opened their business a t
COS West Fifth street. After carrying
on the business for nearly two years
Mr.. 0'Neiis health began to fail and
shortly after that the business was
given Up. because of his i'll health Both
MI O'Neil and Mr. Zaiss aided in keep
ing the books. The company was on a
sound financial basis. When seen at his
home last night Mr.. Zaiss said:
IT Is very surprising TO me. for 1 an
sure tnere We're no errors in the bookkeep-
ing. In all these years this is the first
mixing have had Of such thing and Mr.
Neil never even limited at the possibility
Of errors in our bookkeeping
The matter is so strange that any ex.
PLANTATION seems hard TO find. Perhaps the
real explanation is that the fancied errors
were discovered by Mr. O'Neil during his
last Illness. perhaps when his mind was
right man. and may be he thought the
bookkeeping showed these small amounts
to bn due.
Others who spoke of Mr.. Omen yester-
DAY said that he was scrupuiOusly honest
ia al business transactions.
The sums directed to be paid ranged
from cents TO 50. Fearing the laborious
task Of writing letter OF explanation TO
each Of the 30 supposed creditors Mrs.
Doyle and Miss O'Nef simply inclosed the
amounts as tabulated in plain envelopes
and sent them out TO the gTocers and
others from the kirksville postOffice. The
letters containing the small amounts kept
coming over a period Of several weeks,
and created genuine mystery among the
recipients
The facts as stated were oil corroborated
yesterday by Thomas H. Doyle Of Perry,
husband Of one OF the sisters Mr.. Doyle
also said. ITO avoid the trouble of writ
ten explanations no letters were Enclosed
with the money The newspapers spoke Of
Miss O'Neils presenting a watch to a
boarder at the hotel. This also is true. A
little crippled girl charity patient at the
school, wanted santa Claus to bring her a
watch. When Miss O'Nefl went to Kan
sss City just before Christmas she bought
the little girl a gold watch and gave it to
her,