The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-05-18
PLUCkY WOMAN
Mrs. L. Nj. Plank Hits Agent
With Water Bottle.
Was Attempting to Force Her to
Keep Goods.
POLICE CALLED ON.
But the Persistent Installment
Man Had Flown.
Pie Jordan, Converted, Writes
to Chief Eaton.

There is a rug agent in town. name
unknown, still alive and operating
| only by virtue of his alertness in dodg-
| ing a heavy water bottle in the hands
| of Mrs. l.. NJ. Plank of 412 Lime street
which grazed his head and broke into a
| thousand fragments on his shoulder as
he insulted her alone with her baby at
her door this morning
/ This agent Is one of those who stick
like Ieeches until they have sold some
Ething no one wants. He works with
| the Domestic Mercantile company of
Kansas City and sells on the INSTALL
ment plan. A few days ago he made
| his first visit to the Plank home and
| produced his array Of rugs, telling of
| how they beautify the home and make
the world seem brighter, insisting upon
leaving a couple. The Planks allowed
two be left and paid the first Install
| ment of $1.50.
| Mrs Plank saw the man coming this
morning for another installment and
| promptly rolled the rugs up to hand
him as soon as he knocked for she and
| her husband had decided that they did
not want the goods. But Mr.. Agent
| had his eyes open also and saw her
| coming to the screen door so he block
| ed with his foot, refusing to take the
rugs OF to let her get them outside the
door. Instead he began hurting in
| vectives severe and vile at her and her
husband and a great quarrel was on
which grew warmer until the agent
! threatened to garnishee the wages of
| Mr.. Plank who is employed at the state
printery, adding that he would collec.
! the money all right from the little -
i - This was more than the
devoted wife would stand for and
| seizing a half gallon water bottle, such
| as sterilized water comes in, she broke
| open the door and struck with all her
| might at her tormentor. He ducked his
head, receiving the force of the blow on
| the shoulder. Pieces of the bottle flew
! over the front porch and the agent for
| got his rugs in his sudden exit, quite
likely in search of a physician.
At the time of the agents call Mrs.
Plank was alone except for her baby.
! She stood her ground bravely until
| after she had struck the man and she
| had escaped further insult when she
broke down and wept. She was still
weeping when she telephoned the police
| to come and investigate. She tele-
phoned her husband also and he was
at the house to talk, to the officers
when they arrived.aI The family. were
afraid that the agentswould swear out
a complaint but the police are inclined
to think he had enough to. hold him
| from further action.
Ed Hollis sat in the police court
room this morning with a big bandage
over his head and a look of utter de-
| lection on his ebony face. He had
made complaint and Jim Moore sat
opposite him charged with swatting
| him on the noodle with a glass kero-
sene lamp, thereby ending a consid-
| cradle word battle which they had
| last night down in their rooming place
| in the bottoms.
| The stories they told could not be
made to fit together for the reason
| that they began each item and left it
| without any reference to sequence of
time but it would seem that they were
both in someone else's room and that
Hollis and his wife had lived there
year ago when she lived where he did.
Last night Hollis began conjuring up
gone spirits and got Moore in fit of
ghostly fear. Then he began telling
of how in that very room he used to
beat his wife until she bled and he
pointed to the blood stains on the
floor, striking terror into the heart of
his listener. But somehow the recital
ended in a quarrel-perhaps Moore
had known the woman-at any rate
hard words and still harder names
were passed between the two. Moore
struck out with his fist without sue
cess and then swung the lamp he held
in the other hand, landing full blow
on the forehead which sent Hollis to
According to the Judges under
standing of the case Moore was guilty
of assault and he fined him SO, which
Moore's boss paid to get him to come
to work.
What is it if man gives another
SIS to go get him some whisky and the
man goes but never returns? Is it
EN- bezzlement and is it the same If a
Mexican gives the money to a negro?
rf III
before the police judge this morning
with Augustin Alba, the chilli man, as
Mexican interpreter furnishing the
facts drawn from countryman less
fortunate in linguistic accomplish
ment.
Acencion Rio, the young Mexican,
felt great thirst last night as he
passed along Crane street. Soon he
saw Lee Lewis, colored, and approach
ed him with a five dollar bill signify
ing that he wanted whisky. Lee hest
! tated not to take the money but his
reluctance to return finally got onto
the Mexican's nerves and he followed
in a search of the man. He seemed to
know where to go for he soon found
him in a house not his own and asked
| him for the money. Lewis refused the
money with emphasis and showed the
Mex. where to head in, but Mex. no
stir away so Lewis whipped out a long
knife and sIashed the atmosphere in
so violent a manner that Mex. took
the trail for the police station and had
the negro arrested for investigation.
/ The chief thought that if it was
| found that the charge was true it
would be handled as a county case
and out of the jurisdiction of the po-
| lice court being no mere misdemeanor
| but felony of some sort. The county
attorney, however, sent the case back
| to the police court and Judge -Urmy
| thought hard to make it one of his
| type of cases but still it looked like
| highway robbery or at least embezzle-
ment AT any rate there was some