The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-04-20
Story of a Zephyr Which Blew
Into Topeka.
Was Justice of Peace in the
Village of Paxic0.
THINKS WAS TOUCHED
Made a Bet He Could Reach
Kansas City.
Didn't Intend to Stop in To-
peka at All.

A mild and gentle Zephyr gaining its
serene placidity at the unpretentious
little town of Paxico, the fisherman's
dream, blew toward Kansas City last
evening on a IS wager that it would get
there in the same undisturbed and
quiet manner. But an obstruction was
encountered at Topeka in the shape of
Eaton's wayside inn and the wager
was lost.
Zephyr, which in its tnirety is Zefer-
jain, does not belle its possessor. zefer-
jam is the most unperturbed, fat little
German which has blown this way in
many day-and more than that he is
the justice of the peace of Wabaunsee
county. So long a resident of the idle
town of Paxico, basking in the kindly
sunlight in front of the little stores and
sitting dreamily in his gently rocking
scow a fishing just below the murmur-
ing waterfall. Zeferjahn with his innate
GERMAN competency and love of the
frothy brew, is a character to bring de-
light to the lovers of a shady stream
and soft western breezes.
But 1t was that love of the frothy
brew which led to this incident in the
life OF the erstwhile peaceful justice-he
had told Of his intended trip to the
great city and his necessary stop in
Topeka. The excitement flew along the
line of open store doors and an ex-|
| caught the rumOr.
This attorney, ex-officio is one of those
men who carry a carefully concealed
sore spot underneath their mantle
while the smile of good will plays about
their face. Shameful as it may seem,
he hunted out the gentle lover of the
brew and after fattering him about the
neatness of his jolly big front offered to
bet him IS that he couldn't get to Kan
sas City without falling by the way
side The wager was taken and the
money posted.
Now Zefer waiting on his eastern
way had to get off at Topeka-on some
business it is presumed, or else he was
spirited off, for here he was picked up
by Officers England and Gilbert while
trying to manipulate pair of round
feet and registered at the Eaton inn as
drunk. But this morning he could not
remember anything about the matter
at all and was about to be laid aside
until evening when he decided that he
had best plead guilty and get out. He
was fined a five spot which he paid tell
ing his story the while.
Upon waking up as to his where
abouts Zeferjahn only smiled and then
laughed a good deep Dutch laugh and
confidently explained that he was dead
sure it was a put up job on the part of
that ex-county attorney-but more
than that he knew not for it was
cinch he could not remember where he
had been last evening.
Al the O0Sh R1U-ZS WAS restored TO MIN
with the full round front and the jovial
old German Zephyr waiter out to con-
tinue his course toward Kansas City.
Having tried a number of the for
| hidden antics which have invaria bly,
resulted in prison term, Arthur
Coe apparently looked for a new &C.
cupation. Cartoons have depicted
| thieves stealing potato pearls and dia-
| mond dust -four from safes and per-
haps the idea took root in the mind
| of Art. Or perhaps he was hard
| pressed by his landlord and thought
| to pay up in the coin of the fields for
| he negotiated one of the boldest day
| light robberies of this vicinity when
| he. last evening, entered the Sam E.
with q sack of jewels weighing three
| bushels potatoes and carried them
directly to H. Shafer. his landlord.
In passing through the store Coe
| had addressed several of the men ask
| ing them where the potatoes were
and what kind and if they were flaw
| less His later selection was of the
| Colorado gems. The custom of the
| house is never to allow any sales to
| be made by the help nor to have it
| go out the rear door, according to the
| testimony of three of the Lux men
| this morning. so when Art was seen
| to slide out between the cars in the
allev the matter was investigated and
| the potatoes traced 10 dl Otu COdi
shed in the rear of the Shafer
| restaurant where he has been board
| ing.
Coe stated that he had made ar
rangements with one of the men
named Evans for the potatoes to be
mony that seemed a likely fact. still
as Coe did not care to go on the
stand and testify, and in consideration
of his former record at the police
station, he was fined SIS and the costs
which amounted to S2.25.
Arthur Cook arrested Saturday
night for maintaining a nuisance was
convicted on one count and fined 500
and 80 days imprisonment The tes-
specific and conviction easy, but one
witness subpoenaed on the case.
named Bill Wheat. did not get all
through and is still in Jail on a charge
of perjury Asked by the prosecuting
attorney II he had bought any liquors
in the place, Wheat answered mo"
Asked if he would tell If he had
| bought any there provided he had,
| he again answered No" and that
was the caliber of the witness so they
thought he would be good to keep on
hand.
Jim Jordan and Mabelle Jordan
were each fined S25 last evening on
| the serious charge of interfering with
an officer. Old Ben Jordan. their
| father. was wanted by the police on
an old charge so Patrolman James
went down into the jungles and
seized him AS he started to go Jim
and MabelIe attacked the officer push
| ing and beating him until old Ben
was pulled loose. James had not
| cared to shoot and suffered the loss
| of his capture. Then he turned to go
back to the station for the chiefs ad-
| vice and the negroes yelled after him
| that sit II cost some white mans life
| fore that old man goes out heah-"
| Later a squad of officers. consisting
1 of Hutton, Summers. Sauis, James and
| Fowler, got them all
| MabeIle and James Jordan both
/ R-