The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-05-26

Finally one Of them who had vainly at
tempted to- gain a reprieve for fine
looking bottle Of McBrayer whisky;
picked up a bottle Of ginger ale and
wanted to drink it. He had the stomach
ache he said, and was sick all over be-
cause of this shameful waste.
Based on the estimates Of the as
sessments already totaled from two
townships, Soldier and Menoken. the
assessment of Shawnee county real
estate this year will be about five
times that of 1907, or a total for the
county of about $7O,OO0,00O. None of
the totals on personal property have
;yetf been conapiie eds $50 it is impossible
as yet TO make any estimates at all on
assessment of 70 millions for this
county will be a fine showing and
should cut the rate of taxation down
to the minimum. The following is
the total real estate assessment for
1908 for Menoken township: $751;
OPS. Last year it was s314.660, a gain
of $1,176, 365. The average value Of
land per acre in this township is
placed at $3.50 as against $10.76 last
year. In Soldier township the total
real estate valuation for 1908 is as
sessed at $2,s81,17S as against STA
$2,166,659. The assessment on lots
in this township is $4,000 and $780,
800 on the improvements thereon.
The assessment on. farm lands is $2,-
2S0,1 81 and $42.690 on the improve
ments.
There was an incipient race riot on
the streets of Topeka last night as
the result of a fight between a couple
of negro boys and some white boys
during the band concert at City park.
The fight was carried on up town, and
what the negroes had really done, a
mob was formed that went after every
negro on the streets hammer and
tongs. The police rescued three of
these negroes after they had been
pretty toughly handled, and finally
two stories as to how the trouble
started. One side claims that it was
all caused by the negro boys making
offensive remarks to white women at
the park. The other version is that
these negroes brushed against the
white boys as the latter were cross
ing a bridge in the park. There was
little or no trouble at the park, but
when the negroes came up town the
white boys followed them and at
Eighth and the avenue charged them
and caught Robt. Kennedy. Robert
was all in when the police came to
his assistance and gave him safe con-
crowd that had collected was worked
up to the belief that all the negroes
on the streets had done something
wrong, so they charged on every
negro in sight. They run one boy
into the Campbell drug store at Tenth
and Kansas avenue and were only
prevented from following him behind
the counter by the efforts of the pro-
prietor. They slugged another negro
just across the street and chased an
other negro who was walking up the
street with an umbrella under his
arm. This man dropped his UNI
bre1la, took off his hat and broke all
speed ordinances in getting away.
By this time the police officers sue
ceeded in breaking up the crowd, but
the ringleaders got away. Chief
Eaton stated today that all persons,
| white or black, who could be
identified with this riot would be
prosecuted. 1t is believed that while
the negroes were responsible for the
trouble at the park, that the mob
law that swept the streets clear of
negroes last night was unjustif1ed and
uncalled for. Chief Eaton said today
that from 10 o'clock to IL last night
not a negro appeared on Kansas ave-
nue..
Bessie Taylor filed suit in the dis
trict clerks Office today for divorce
from Edward Taylor. She alleges
abandonment in her plea.