The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-07-18
Mysterious Death of Miss Mabel
Level.
Supposed to Be Due to Criminal
Operation.
A MAN IN THE CASE.
Name Is Perry Taylor and He
Has Another Wife.
Level Girl Also Claimed to Be
Wife of Taylor.

Miss Mabel Level, or Mrs. Perry Tay-
lor, as she was known to her friends,
died this morning at an early hour un-
der mysterious circumstances. Her
death occurred at her home, 713 Mon
roe street, Just to the rear of the fire
station. The circumstances which sur
rounded her death point to gangrene
poisoning which is one of the after eff
fects of a criminal operation, as the
cause of her death. No arrests have
been made.
The girl was sick before this time
for a few days and since the operation
was performed life had been despaired
OF.
Miss Level was an innocent looking
young girl of Is years of age. She was
born near Reading, Kan, February,
1889. At the age of years her mother
died and since that time she has had to
shift for herself. A few years ago she
came to Topeka to seek employment
and worked at n local restaurant in this
city for several months. Later she Sc
cured employment with Mrs. C. r.
Meese who runs a large rooming and
boarding house at the northeast corner
Of Eighth and Monroe streets. and since
that time has made that her home.
About year ago she made the ac-
quaintance through a friend of Perry
Taylor, a young man about her age to
whom she became greatly attached. |
For several months the two were seen
together great deal. Along in April, Miss |
Level and Taylor confided story to |
their friends that they were married. |
This report was generally credited al |
though Taylor has at times |
been reported of boasting to
his friends that he was liv- |
married. However. the girl strongly adj |
hered to the story of their marriage and |
insisted that it had taken place several /
months previous to their announcement /
vi the event This now appears to have /
been done on account of the young girls /
fears over the approaching crisis. The |
marriage was alleged to have been per- |
formed in Topeka and must have been
as the young girl has not been out of
town for several months. According to |
the records at the office of the probate
judge no license was ever issued to the
couple and they probably were led to
make their friends believe they were
married in order to shield themselves
from blame.
Since the alleged wedding took place
the two have been living together at
the place where the victim died this morn
ing at 713 Monroe street. However, the
girl was forced to work for her own liv-
ing by waiting on the table at the Meese
residence just the same as before the
was alleged to have taken place.
Young Taylor has never borne a
from n good family in Topeka but
seems to be a black sheep. His father,
Theodore Taylor, lives in Topeka and
is travelling salesman. The boy has
had several jobs in Topeka but has al
ways been discharged from every one
of them for one reason or another.
He drove a wagon at one time for the
undertaking establishment
but was discharged on account of his
practices. He also ran grocery
VA orOn for the WhiftIoSev Mercantile
company and was discharged by this
firm. Afterwards he went to work for
the Davis Mercantile company and
here also met his discharge because, it
temptation of taking things which did
not belong to him. He also met a
similar fate while working on a wagon
for a local laundry. At the present
time he and his father are said to
have the concessions at Garfield Park
where the Chautauqua is now being
held.
He was married a couple of years
ago to girl and his first wife is now
living although they do not live to- |
gether. They have never been di-
vorced and this is probably one reason
he and Miss Level were never mar
ried. A child was born to them
through his marriage who is still liV-
ing with its mother.
Taylor is very we'll acquainted in
Topeka where he has lived nearly all |
MS life. The first intimation that any,
hing was wrong which was received
BY any of his friends outside of a few
who were on the inside of the story
rom the very first. was caused by I
lis strange actions when seen early
his morning. AS soon as he was in
formed of the death of his alleged
wife he went downtown where he was !
seen by several acquaintance and was I
n very perturbed state of mind His I
ace was as white as death and his I
lotions were very strange. Inquiry {
'evealed the cause of his alarm. {
Nothing is known as yet as to the !
physician who performed the opera s
ion. DR.. w. T. Taylor says he was l
,alled in after the operation was per- I
'ormed in order to save her life which
vas fast ebbing away. He says he s
vas not aware that an operation had s
been performed. DIR. MCGUIRE was {
,alled in to consult with DIR. Taylor :
Those In whose care the unfortunate [
girl spent her last days have been very '
Jealous in their efforts to cover up the '
,ase. and to keep the details from get I
ing out One lady who has had par
ocular interest In the girls case told
.ome friends this morning that the
ieath was caused by a severe case of /
The last hours in the girls life were
pathetic ones. An old faith
r Is the only living relative of the girl Z
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