The sun., 1903-10-18
CALLED THE "OOMPAULPLATS"
AN ECHO OF THE BOER WAR IN
KANSAS CITY. a
webster Davis's Growth in wealth Aftge
His Return From South A1rica-Ho
Book Did 1t. He Says-Another versis0
OF His Interview With Krue0BL

Book Did 1t. He Says-Another versiso
OF His Interview With Krueaga
KANSAS CITY. Mo-, Oct. l7.--Out on ~
Paseo, the finest Of the drives and bculos
wards In Kansas City's park system, stands
a handsome block Of flats with the mans
"New York. chiselled in white granite ovsp
the massive doors. No one in Kanaao
City ever thinks Of referring to them - tho
New York fats. They are spoken OK -
the Dom Paul fats Their owner is Webstse
Davis. formerly Assistant Secretary Of tho
Interior.
The town home of Webster Davis win 10
in these flats The two lower floors Of To
south flat have been arranged for his ~
and contain large billiard room and Q
library Of special design. The cost Of ia
building alone Is $4,000.
A little further up the Paseo are .tho
Maryland fats, erected by Mr.. Davis and ~
younger brother, Walter. They are .as16s
mated as worth $4,000. 4
However rapidly the WS6A
ster Davis disappeared from the national
horizon, it must be said that financially -
prospered. After his flop in the oonvsntip0I
hall here at the Democratic national oons!
vention, he gradually dropped out OF dghA,
Now the only things that recall him -
mind here are the two big blockA,of haA0
that he owns and the dozens of*smallaP
houses and vacant lots.
Mr.. Davis has put most Of his ibualneoO
affairs In the hands OF his brother Waltss,
who, shortly after the famous boil, ,wssdis-
missed as Assistant Postmaster in Kansa0
ho n t~1,N M -
ter had was hardly missed, a. Webster wAA
ready to begin building fats and anassa
ing land property. Jw +
Webster Davis was poor man whon ~
was elected Mayor Of Kansas City, noe tsAT
years ago. He lived with his parents oub
at the end Of the East Twelfth strees cahlo
line. in little yellow cottage that stood onA
high bank. .,s-.:- s.,.f .iS /.
When Webster Davis grew too big for tAo
Kansas City political field and vas oarr3sd
of to Warrington to be the Orator Of tho
Administration" and the Assistant Score.
tary Of the Interior, he still lived In The
little yellow cottage. That was in May
1907. The Washington job paid $4,000 .
year. \ s
Then came the announcement that .
vacation had been granted to the AssistanS
Secretary, and that he was going to South
with England. Upon his return he, rs-
signed his Office and announced that he was
going upon the lecture platform for the
Beers. tS g.
Then came the magic change. The H.
tie yellow house at the end Of the Twelfth
street line was abandoned. Mr.. Davis's
wealth was 'piling up, and he began to
buy real estate. A note in the papers
that Webster Davis had just bought
lot worth $4,000 or $50 900 ceased to b
news.
Business lots and lots for homes and Aats
went to the Davises, frequently Walter
Davis being the purchaser. It is estimated
that at this time the Davises hold land
in Kansas City alone worth close TO $780,
600.
The people marvelled and Webster. Davis
kindly explained. This was shortly e9ter
the flop in Kansas City at the Democratio
convention, when Davis's support was
pledged to William j. Bryan. The explana-
tion was that Mr.. Davis's book on tho Bosr
Republic ha id him we'll and that profit
able investments had done the rest.
In fact, the story went the rounds that .
New York publisher had paid Davis $50 900
for the book. The publishers laughed and
the lucky purchaser couldn't remember
such a great amount Of money. Corre-
spondents said that Mr.. Davis's royalties
were nearer $3.50 than s1sO,OC0..
But before the book story was told the
London Daily Mail printed an article quot-
Ing Douglas Story. friend OF ex-President
Kruger, as saying that Webster Davis
was paid 3l25,O by Mr.. Kruger to 1stir
up America in favor Of the Beers.
Webster Davis is now spending his time
in Kansas City and on his big farm that hs
bought year ago near Shawnee mission,
Kan, only few miles from this city. He
paid $40 900 for the first 100 acres, high
price for Kansas land. Since then he has
added several tracts, and his farm now has
800 acres.
1t has some fine barns and handsome
home upon it, Altogether Mr.. Davis ID
rather a well-to-do farmer. In fact, tho
ex-Assistant Secretary is able to farm
for the pleasure in it, while his trips to
Kansas City in the summer months to COLI
lect his rents are made in rubber tired
buggy behind pair of fast steppers.
Events that have occurred since Mr..
Davis decided to leave the political arena,
together with bits of information that have
been gathered, have caused some Mis-
sourians to believe in an explanation Of
Daviss riches similar to that printed in
the London Daily Mail. In this version
a young and energetic Kansas City man
plays q most important part. This young
man ia Eugene EaSton formerly Kansas
City newspaper man, now in Washington.
When Davis went to Washington, Eas.
ton, as secretary, went along. When the
Boer war broke out Easton had a chance
to be a war correspondent, and took 1t.
He was captured by the Beers and had
an interview with President Kruger. -
Easton saw how anxious Kruger was
for American support. He saw chance
to offer it to him. Kruger was informed
that Easton could put his hand upon the
"Orator Of the Mckinley Administration,
and that that orator would do the rest.
Easton owed much to Davis and had
helped him, as his private secretary, in
nearly alp of his campaigns letter went
to America. Mr.. Davis knew how shrewd
was Mr.. Easton. Mr.. Davis took a vaca.
ton and went to Pretoria, and President
Kruger sent special train to the coast for
him.
He came back and resigned Then he
Topped and did his best to swing America
for Mr.. Kruger.