The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-12-05
FOR MRS. BROWN.
Neighbors Give Former Nickum
Hotel Cook Good Character.
Say That the Family In Highly
Respectable.
BELONGS TO CHURCH.
Member i'm Good Standing of
LOwman Chapel.
Has Always Conducted Herself
in Worthy Manner.
BELONGS TO CHURCH

Mrs. Stella Browns connection with
the Nickum case has given her a good
deal of unpleasant notoriety, and
number of her friends have brought to
the State Journal office some certifi-
Gates as to her good character, with the
request that they be published.
Mrs. Brown was the cook at the
Nickum hotel. She was the one who
was first awakened by Mrs. Nickum's
means, and went to her aid. In helping
Mrs Nickum to sit up, Mrs. Brown got
blood on her hands. Mrs. Brown went
back to bed, and stayed there, after
waking her roommate, Grace MacLain.
MIS- Brown claimed that she was sub
Ject to heart trouble, and that the ex-
cltement had caused her strength and
nerves to collapse. Suspicious were of
course first directed to the occupants
or the house, and MIS-. Brown probably
got rather more than her share. All
the evidence tended to show however
that she was entirely innocent, and the
county officials, who were at first in
clined to regard her with great suspfc-
ion, finally came to the conclusion that
she knew nothing whatever concerning
the murder except what she had told.
Mrs Brown is now staying with her
mother, Mrs. Elizabeth Garner about
three-quarterS of a mile west of the
end of the Lowman Hill car line. Dan
lei Bates, who is next neighbor to Mrs
Garner, says:
Mrs. Garner and her daughter. Mrs.
Brown, together with Mrs Browns two
children, twin girls about years old,
nave lived where they do now for the
past two years. They came here from
Illinois. 1 have known the family since
March, 1904. They are members of the
1Owman Hill Methodist church. Mrs
Garner supports herself by selling eggs,
butter and garden produce Mrs. Brown
works out whenever she has place.
Mrs. Gamers brother is a presiding
elder of the Methodist church at En-
porfa. L believe the family is perfectly
straight and honest. They have the
best OF references from their old home
back In Illinois The people who live
out IN that neighbOrhOOd have nothing
but words of approval for the family
since they moved out there. Mrs Gar
ner has two sons by a former marriage;
Henry JamiSon, a son who lives next
door to her, and does hucksterfng; Gill
pert Jamlson, who works for the LUX
Commission company Both are very
good young men, so far as I have seen.
Mrs Brown is Very much grieved at the
way she was treated by the county Of
hcials, and her mother is almost heart
broken. They want to be set right with
the public"
Rev. J. r. Madison. pastor Of the
LoWman Hill M. E. church, says in a
signed statement:
Mrs Stella Brown is a member in
good standing of the Lowman Hill
Methodist church, of which 1 am pastor
anu from my acquaintance with her /
believe her to be a woman who is up
right in character and trustworthy in |
every particular.
REV. J. r. MADISON"
The following comes from Mr.. and !
Mrs. A Washburn. who live at the end |
of the LOwman Hill car line:
Topeka, Dec. ?, 1904
1T has been strongly intimated in |
knew more about the Nickum murder |
case than she was willing to divuIge |
Implying thereby that she is not a |
person to be believed under OATH |
Knowing Mrs. Brown as well as we do /
she having worked for u.s. doing house !
work. thereby giving US a good chance i
to form a pretty good and correct epin- |
ion of her, as an honest, respectable |
hesitation in recommending her to an
impartial community as one perfectly |
worthy of confidence.
AVERY WASHBURN.
MRS. A. WASHBURN''
A Topeka woman who lives on West !
Tenth street who says she is very
friendly with Mrs. Brown, but who will |
not allow her name to be used, says:
Mrs Brown worked for me about a |
month. She left last October of her |
own free will. 1 don't believe it posi- /
BILE that Mrs. Brown killed Mrs. Nick |
UNI, for Mrs. Niekum was a stronger
woman than Mrs Brown. I knew that /
Mrs. Brown had heart trouble; she
never could stand any excitement while |
she worked for me. She did not go out |
at night and no men came to see her |
while she lived with me. 1 consider |
Mrs. Brown a very nice woman, and |
there is no foundation for these suspic- |
ions which have been directed against |
her. |
H a. Decamp of South Brentwood |
addition, near where Mrs. Brown lives |
says:
ITO whom this may concern: T. the |
know Stella Brown and her /
mother, and have known them for two |
years. I can say that Stella Brown is /
a hard working woman, honest, and a |
perfect lady in every respect"
Ta Uapfad RI Re Saved