The Topeka state journal., 1904-12-10

May 1. 1903, regular old line with
new idea book agent struck Topeka
That day and date is remembered by
scores of Topeka men because it was
the same day that President Roosevelt
laid the corner stone of the railroad
Z. M. c. A. building. Those who had
forgotten it have had their memory re-
freshed during the past few weeks by
the visit of a collector with bills Tor
$33 to be paid upon the delivery of
seven volumes of books.
When the agent was in Topeka May
1, 1903, he swept the town before him
despite the fact that the president was
here the same day. He began with the
governor, at the state house, swept
through the supreme court. the war
office, then took the lawyers, doctors
and bankers, the business men, poll
tfcians and merchants of the town and
left with contracts in his pocket
ticians, ETC., to have their short BIZ
ographies appear in a new work of
seven volumes c. o. D. $33 and the
specification in the contract that those
who had signed would not back out of
the deal
The seven volumes were to be valua-
BILE historical works of the people and
the territory embraced the Louisiana
Purchase territory and were to be
something from literary and typo
graphical standpoint that would be
handed down for generations to come
with as much reverence as the parch-
ments of Egypt and the Sanskrit of the
pyramids.
Time went on and many who had
signed the contract forgot all about it
and invested in other wonderful works
and the shelves of their libraries grOan-
ed with the weight of paper and bind
ings and no room was left for the seven
volumes C. o. D. $33.
Then, year and a half later, when
the agent with the printed volumes for
distribution and the bills for collection
appeared various things happened.
Those who had agreed under the rep
resentations of the agent who swept
the town to take the books understood
that they would have a certain literary
and historical value to say nothing of
a good appearance. Many were not
satisfied with the deal and below are
recounted a few of the things which
occurred as a result:
Mr.. Agent delivered the seven vol
umeS and the $33 bill to a very promin-
ent railroad attorney. Said attorney
was displeased with the books and told
the agent so in few words but in de-
cisive tones. The books did not meet
with his approval nor with the contract,
he claimed. There were some words
when the book agent left the office,
minus the $33 and still carrying the un-
accepted books, he was on his way to
the county attorneys Office to swear
out a warrant for the attorney and the
attorneys first assistant was on his way
to the county attorneys Office to tell the
county attorney not to issue the war
rant.
Mr.. Agent tried to deliver the set of
books to a doctor and was ready to re-
ceipt the $33 bill. The doctor was in
furiated. He began shedding and d.
vesting himself of extra clothing and
to all purposes was making ready to
thrash the agent when the agent left
with the books.
Mr.. Agent tried to deliver another set
of books to another lawyer, mild
hammered attorney. but one whose
wrath and ire arose when the agent and
the books appeared and the agent had
to leave to save further trouble.
Mr.. Agent tried to make Topeka
Judge take a set of the books, and an
attorney wrote the judge that if he
didn't take the books there would be
suits and litigation, but the judge did
not take the books.
The agent who wrote the contracts
had gone through the court house, on
the first of May, like prairie hre ana
so Mr.. Agent with the books and the
$33 bills had to go there. He went ana
he conquered some or the county OH
cials at least.
One Topeka man, who purchased
set of the books on contract but refus-
ed to take them on delivery despite the
beautiful tribute to his personal char-
acter printed in the seventh volume,
said: 1T is understood that President
Roosevelt ought to send that book
agent who wrote those contracts to the
court of ST. James or to ST. Peterspurs
for he is a diplomat. He got the names
of prominent business men signed TO
his contracts who wouldn't sign
straight business contract involving 10
cents unless they knew just how they
were going to come out but they signed
his contract without turning hair ana
they didn't take up much OF his time
for he got them faster than hot cakes
off a red hot griddle.