The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-05-29
LEFT To HIS FATE
Thurman Funk, Unconscious,
Placed on Car Tracks.
Trucks Only Foot From Body
When Stopped.
BOY HAD BEEN BEATEN
Invaded Sacred Precincts of
Liberty Street to See Girl.
Warrants Have Been Secured
for the ASsaiIants.
BOY Had BEEN BEATEN

Beaten unconscious by the brutal
vicious Parkdale gang and thrown on
the street car tracks of the Sixth ave-
nue. line where it crosses Liberty
street, Thurman Funk was found by
the motorman of an incoming car who
saw the body lying across the rails in
time to stop his car within a foot of
the young man. The boy gained con-
seriousness enough to tell the conduc-
tor where he lived by the time they
got to the uptown district and was
able to go to his home at 211 East
Seventh street.
At the same time that the motor
man checked his car and avoided run
ming over the body, Mrs. Speckelmire,
who lives at 511 Liberty street. which
house Funk had just left, having
escorted Miss Nellie home from
church choir practice, was telephoning
the police to come quick as she had
heard cries Immediately after the boy
had left and suspected that he had
been killed, as her husband came in
before she had finished, saying he saw
the carmen carry the boy onto the car.
Though it was near midnight the
chief was still at the station and sur
missing that the boy would be taken
home, went directly to the address,
where he learned the story of the af-
boys who led the attack. They are
Charles Thompson of 42S Liberty and
Eugene McBroom of 435 Liberty. For
several weeks Funk has been keeping
company with Miss Nellie Speckelmire-
At his first visit to her home, he was
notified never to come again-but he
went and suffered a beating. The
next time he went. down to take her to
his chum followed along to protect
him. AS the chum crossed the Biddle
creek bridge about a hundred yards
behind Funk and Miss Nellie, he was
seized by a dozen boys and given
beating and bruising which has stop
ped his trailing as a rear guard.
Sunday night as Funk and the girl
sat in the United Brethren church at
Fourth and Leland these same DULLES
came uD by the window and shot at
them with stones from a sling shot and
asked him why he did not come out
and make them stop. thereby nearly
breaking up the meeting.
Last night the church choir prac-
ticed at the house of one of the men,
bers and Funk went down to take the
girl to her home. Then the gang laid
in wait for him and when he came out
attacked him. He had no weapons
and they used nothing but their fists.
There being several of them they
easily overpowered him and admins
tered what they will term. Our
s'preme judgment"
Complaints were sworn TO this
morning for Charles Thompson and
Eugene McBroom and the warrants
granted. Sergeant Kenney and Pa
trolman Fowler went down into Park
dale to serve them but found that the
boys had disappeared. Mr.. Speckel-
mire, father of the girl in the case,
was interviewed and said that after
hearing the cry and the placing of
the unconscious man on the car, he
went Immediately to the houses of the
two aforementioned young men and
learned that neither of them was at
home. Early this morning he said a
boy had seen Thompson hike out east
of the city while McBroom has not
been seen, both of them apparently
having been warned by the visit of
Mr.. Specklemire that they were sus-
pected. The officers returned to the
station and had just reported when
the mother of the girl called up to
say that the Thompson girl had just
left the house running east and would
probable inform her brother that the
police were after them.
Great indignation is aroused by the
actions of the gang and the police are
going to try to make this case an ex-
ample. AS they threw their victim on
the car tracks unconscious the
charge of assault with intent to kill
can be preferred against them and
men are now in the penitentiary for
just such an offence.
"Gang" Boys Are Caught.
Officers wonderly and Lawson ar
rested Chas. Thompson and Eugene
McGroom this afternoon in a pasture
east of the city where they were in
hiding. The two young men are
charged with brutally assaulting
Thurman Funk in Parkdale last night
and placing him on street car track
while he was in an unconscious con-
dition. They admit that they had
trouble with Funk who had robbed
Thompson of the affections of Nellie
Stickmeir.