The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-11-24

rying about any debts which might be
about to fall due, as was suggested by
the statement of Mrs. Della Skidmore
AT the inquest Wednesday after
noon, Thomas Eby was placed on the
stand. The county attorney said
You transacted business for Mrs.
Nickum 2"
II loaned money for her, short loans
on personal property.
Give US a history of transactions 90
81 went to a Mr.. Kellogg, who lived
at Mrs. Nickum's hotel, and who un-
derstood wanted to loan some money.
I had party who wanted S1OO. When
I went down to tell Kellogg about 1T,
he did not have the money, but Mrs.
Nickum overheard US talking and said
that she had $l0o she could loan. That
was the beginning of our transactions.
took her $100, and later on she gave
me another hundred. From that time
one, whenever she had some money to
loan, she would call me up, and either
bring it up to me, or have me call and
get it,
How much of Mrs. Nickum's money
did you have loaned out at the time of
her death?'
about $780,
did she ever say anything to you
about being afraid to keep money in
her house?"
Yes, she said she was afraid to keep
money around there. She was afraid
her papers in Col. Hughes safe"
Where did she get the money when
you called for it?''
"she got it usually in her room, out
of her desk or some place. She would
give it to me in cash. Sometimes it
was $25, sometimes more
Agnes Radford, a colored girl who
cooked for Mrs. Nickum, was called.
She lives at Seventeenth and Kansas
avenue. She only stayed with Mrs.
Nickum one day, because it was too
far from her home, and she wanted to
go home at night. She never had any
trouble with Mrs. Nickum.
Mrs. Clara Bunce, of $50 Jefferson.
was called to the stand, but it proved
to be a mistake, as she was not needed.
She had never worked for Mrs Nickum.
TeSSie McKenna, who had worked for
Mrs. Nickum three different times dur
ing the past three years, testified that
she had never had any trouble with
Mrs. Nickum, and had never been dis
charged by her. She worked for Mrs.
Nickum three days as cook about two
weeks ago.
Solomon Frank, 19-year-oId boy
employed at the Santa Fe machine
shops, was called. He has recently
come from Jerusalem and talks very
house at the theater all Sat
urday evening, and did not wake up
during the excitement of the murder.
Francis NJ. F1aherty, a Santa Fe
with Mrs. Nickum. On the Saturday
night of the murder he went to a
party at the Fleming home, and it
was I o'clock when he got back to
Mrs. Nickum's. He was with six other
young men who had been to the
party. He tried the front door of the
Nickum house and it was locked. He
then rejoined his companions and
went home to stay all night with a
young man named Muchnek, who
lives on Madison street.
Did you see Mrs. Nickum ?" was
asked.
II did not
DID d, you meet anyone near the
Were there any lights in the
hotel?"
1.-The only one I saw was the one
in the hall, which was turned rather
low
How did you approach the hotel?"
1--WE came up Fifth street from the
Santa Fe depot
Mrs. Skidmore on the Stand.
Mrs. Della Skidmore, whose state~
ment was printed fully in Wednes-
days State Journal, was placed on the
witness stand about o'clock Wednes-
Her testimony under oath
was practically identical with that pub
lished in the State Journal
She stated that she had separated
from her husband. and that she be-
lieved him to be living now at Jewell
City. She came to Topeka from
When she asked Mrs. Nickum why
she was afraid to go up into the attic
for sugar, Mrs. Nickum said:
"Oh, I'm afraid of spooks."
81 didn't know you were superst1-
tious," replied Mrs. Skidmore.
I'm not generally" was Mrs. Nick
um's reply.
County Attorney Hungate asked
Mrs. Skidmore if she knew where Mrs.
Nickum kept her correspondence.
81 do not said the witness.
WAS it usual for her to make such
inquiries about her mail?''
mo, she only did it during the last
week 1 was there"
''Who was this Gruber who rented
an attic bed of Mrs. Nickum ?"
81 understood that he was a plaster
ar who had had some trouble at home,
and was staying there until he could
get it fixed up
How long was he there ?"
about a week"
do you know of any of the hired
girls having trouble with Mrs. Nick
lm?"
''I do not
''Any of them discharged?' 90
Mrs. Haines and Sadie Fields were