The Topeka state journal., 1909-03-27
POLICE JOTTINGS.
The Tragedy of Mike Shannon,
Grinne1l, '8S.
Educated and Talented King
Alcohol Gets Upper Hand.
HE PROMISES OFTEN.
Makes SOrroWful Statement Re.
fore Judge Urmy.
Story of the Enchanted Coat
and Its POssessor.

Mike Shannon, Grinnen college, 'ss.
has been arrested and fined the second
time this week for drunkenness. And
these are but two of the many times
that Michael has been taken in drunk
upon his visits to Topeka
Until today, however. the police did
not know that Mike was a college
graduate. They knew only that he
had an appetite for whisky quite as
strong and as uncomfortable as that OF
the Indians from the reservation, and
they knew, too, that he worked at
sawmiu up near Silver Lake and al
ways had enough money in the bank
to pay his fines. They knew he al
ways spoke good English, talked quiet
ly and respectfully to the judge and
often promised that he would never be
seen in the police court again. And
yet he was-every time he came to To-
peka he got intoxicated and arrested
until now he is in the $40 class with a
promotion awaiting his next attend
ance at police court. Today, again, he
promised the judge faithfully that he
would never be brought to the court
again, that he would stick out at the
mill-but yesterday he had to come
after repairs and may have to again.
Mike is obviously Irish. His red
hair is sprinkled with grey, a Van
Dyke beard gives him an appearance
of dignity which wavering eyes and
slouch hat belle. His youth was spent
in Glidden, Ia. where his father was a
physician and surgeon. In that day
Grinnel1 was the first college of the
state. Unlike many boys of the time
through college. His father was well
able to send him and did so. What he
should have been to please his parents,
Mike telleth not but shortly after
graduating with the class of '88 he en-
listed in the regular army. for five
years. Mike would not say he learned
to crave liquor at college but he sure
ly did in the army. After the first term
in the service he re-enlisted at two diff
ferent times for three years each.
His last discharge came at Fort
Riley and Shannon stuck to the coun-
try. His latest employment has been
with small sawmill saving up the
walnut lumber between Silver Lake
and Valencia belonging to r. F. Hod-
gins. His sawmi1l friend and cooper
ator is a man named Whitecotton who
tries to keep Mike from coming to
town and then tries to keep him from
getting drunk. Yesterday he was do
ing his best all the time but Shannon
kept getting fuller all the time until
he leaned against the postoffice unable
and refusing to go further, There he
was taken into custody by Officer Nc
Guire.
1t is easy to sympathize with Mike
Shannon. He is greatly embarrassed
after his drunks and his remorse is
Now, Mike 7 don't want you to get
drunk any more,'' said the judge as he
let him go with a SO fine. You can't
wish that any harder than 1 do.
judge" answered Mike as he went out.
Later when he had gone to the bank
and drawn his money and paid his fine,
he turned to a corner where his sack
had been thrown last night and picked
+ 11a1f Gin II
with a draw string at the top and con-
tanning his personal property amount
ing to several pieces of clothing and
hair brush With sickly smile try
Mike Shannon, Grinnell 'SS, norvously
closed his twitching fingers in the cord
of the sack. ''The accumulation of a
lifetime" he said and walked out of
the room.
For stealing an enchanted coat
Oscar Harden, a young negro, awaits
trial this evening. The coat belonged
to Commodore Oden who with others
were playing pool at the Mexican pool
and chilli shop between Tenth and
Eleventh streets on Kansas avenue.
Oden was making some fine shots
and Oscar looked on in wonderment
Then he threw the coat off and did
not do so we'll. Better keep your
coat on" the others laughed, you've
lost your luck by taking it off, so he
got the coat again and the effect was
little short of marvelous-tflus the
coat was conceded to be a fairy for
tune mantle.
Later it was laid aside again and
the Harden boy slipped up on it and
with a half Nelson grip dragged it out
of the room and wore it to another
lower avenue pool hail and played
four games losing all of them, when
he pawned the article of clothing to
Scrinopskies for S1.5O where it was
found this morning by Detective
Sauls.
A warrant was issued for Harden F!
and he was arrested to appear this !
evening under the charge of larceny |
but spent no time in jail as he was
able to get a $50 bond signed satisfac- |
torily.
Upon complaint of DR.. D. NJ. |
Campbell, city milk inspector. war
rants have been issued for B. Winder, |
w. H Brost, W. T. Cromwell, F. |
Anderson, Perry Johnson, F. M. STALL |
smith and D. L. Stallsmith. The |
charges are that these men have failed |
to pay the licenses on their cows.
They all live out in the country !
southwest of the city. One colored