The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-01-02
PRIZE MEAN MAN.
He Fleeced a Topeka Chamber
maid Out of $50.
Told Sad Story With Tears
Streaming Down Cheeks.
APPEALS TO POLICE
They Are Trying Hard to Locate
the Man.
Money Represented Savings of
Many Months.
APPEALS TO POLICE

City detectives are looking for the
meanest man in the world. True he
cried when he did it but that doesn' t
find SIS and a gold watch for the
woman who trusted him. Joe Barton
has gone with the money to prosecute
a railroad somewhere and the woman
who loaned the cash is hoping against
hope that he will return to Topeka
for she would like to see him again
the meanest man she ever saw
Miss Virgie Dobbins now at the
Glenwood had saved up a sum of
money working over the state at
Salina, Sabetha and other towns and
had worked in Topeka hotels She
returned to Topeka in December in
tending to get work at the National
for the winter For some reason she
did not land and went to the To-
peka employment agency several
times to get a job as chambermaid.
She was staying at the Chesterfield al
the time One morning the agent
called her on the phone to come
up, that he had a good thing for her
where she could make more money
and easier than she had ever done.
She hurried to the office and there
met NJ Christianson who offered ler
q job which would pay her $3.50 per
day. She jumped at the chance but
he explained later that she must work
312 days before she could draw any
money. Still it looked good and she
high and she called every day on
Christensen at the National hotel
where he met prospective agents and
he called about twice u day at her
vast sums of money she was going to
count. Finally said Christianson,
'fVirgie loan me a five. / am broke
until my grip and your outfit arrives
-I1@ =
piled but got his watch as security as
he offered it to her. AT last the out
fit came. She paid for it. it was
book selling outfit, also she paid $40 to
Christianson for the job which was
to forever ward off poverty and in
cidently the employment agent got
$3.50 instead of the customary one
dollar because it was an exceptionally
fine job.
Miss Dobbins was assigned to work
the people of Saline first. Cheerily
she packed her belongings and pre-
pared for the trip. She would leave
in the morning. Morning came, Vir-
gle had finished breakfast when she
what a voice on the telephone said:
You wouldn't go without seeing me
first would you. Virgie, can't you come
up to see me? You surely will; not
60. YOU will not be SO cruel but"
she replied, "if I do I'll miss my
train" "Oh, well you can go at six
this evening When she got to his
room there was another man there.
''What did you want?" asked the wo-
man. ST wanted you to meet this
man." he said, whereupon he intro
duced Joe Barton and disappeared
from the room.
Joe plunged with great dips into her
confidence and soon had her story of
gIadness. But what about the 312
days without any pay?" he asked.
''You must have a mint already" She
was dumfounded, her fond hope was
blighted. you had better give it up"
Joe advised, and that is what she did
Joe had the inside track now, and Of
3ered to find her something easy.
Joe is a big curly headed fellow
with his left hand missing. He called
on her several times and finally broke
the sad news that he had lost the
hand while an engineer, and that he
had a suit for damages to come up
that week somewhere, she did not ask
where, but he was broke and could
not think of a way to pay the expen-
sea unless some one was kind enough
to lend money without security. He
asked her If she could spare any mon
ey for awhile.
Miss Dobbins then counted out the
SS6 and also gave him her watch.
Barton promised to pay her SIS inter
est on the loan for week.
During the week Virgie went to
Sabetha where she could live cheap
@r. While there she got a letter &'om