The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-04-26
Sippy Brothers, Who Net Tragic
Death in Topeka, Popular.
Lawrence Students Talk of Moth.
ing But Loss of Friends.
BOYS WERE ORPHANS
Three Belle PLANE Boys Have
Net Violent Deaths.
Faculty and Students Send Rep
resentatives to Topeka.

Lawrence. Kan, April 26-Benjamin
Shippey who lost his life in the fire
which destroyed the Central hotel at
Topeka early Saturday morning, was
sophomore in the pharmacy class at
the university here and roomed at the
home of Mrs. NJ f. Black, 1900 New
Hampshire street. He went to Topeka
Friday evening to spend Sunday with
his brother. He was only seventeen
years of age. His brother, Walter, who
too, met his death in the fire graduated
from the pharmacy school at K. U. last
year. Up to Christmas he had been
living here with his brother at the
Black residence, but at Christmas he
went to Topeka to take position as
chemist for the Santa Fe, which place
he occupied until he met his death
While here Walter was engaged as wa
ter analyst by the state to examine
samples of water sent to the university
from all over the state. He was TWEEN
ty-three years of age.
The news of the death of the two
boys caused an awful shock In univer-
sity circles. OF course Benjamin is bet
ter known to the boys and girls in
school now. but Walter, too had many
friends here.
To the members of the pharmacy
class. Of course the news of the death
of their schoolmate was a double
shock, for 1t was with these fellows
that Sippey was the most intimate
Il can't believe it," said one class
mate. why, he was the best kind OF
a fellow. He was the smartest fellow
by all means, in the pharmacy school
and everyone liked him. He was just
a young fellow, seventeen years or age,
and he had scores of friends. 1t is aw-
full"
The pharmics will hold a meeting to-
day at which resolutions will be drawn
expressing the sympathy of the entire
class over the death of the Slppey
brothers. From the university, too, a
message of coincidence will be extended.
This is probably the second saddest
loss of the university students in re-
cent years and by a strange coincl-
dence the first one was that of boy
who came from the same town, Belle
PLANE. as did the Sippey brothers
This was Urban Angney who COM
mitted suicide by jumping from the top
of Frazer Hall and whose death at
tracked such wide attention. The
Angney and Sippey families were
friends. too, the boys having ATTENDED
the Sumner county high school at
wellington at the same time. Walter
and Urban Angney were friends and 1t
Is very strange indeed that they all
should have met death in such an IN
usual manner.
Instructors at the university, who
knew the Sippey boys, were grief
stricken. too. 1t was so hard to real
ize and they were loud in their praises
of the boys as students.
What makes it hardest" remarked
one instructor. lis to think that sucn
young boys have been stricken. Why,
/ saw Benjamin Friday, and l cannot
think that il is really he"
There was probably no more thor
ouehly popular fellow in the phar-
macy school than Sippey. He was
studfously inclined and had great am
billions for his work. He never paid
much attention to the things that in
terest some of the students, but was
here for work. Everyone who heard
the news was overcome by the an
nouncement.
This was really Sippey's first year
in school here. although he would
really be classed as sophomore in
school.
The pharmics will send a represen-
tative to Topeka to see what can be
done to show their feeling for their
schoolmate.
1t seems that a strange fate follow
ed in the manner in which the young
men were killed. 1t took the elder
brother some time to decide whether
he would go to Topeka or not or
whether it would not be preferable to
keep on with his work here. He con-
suited with his brother a long time
about it and the boys wanted to stay
together. If Walter went to Topeka
ated. and they did not want that to
happen. Finally Walter took the
place with the Santa Fe as he thought
II was near Lawrence and BENJAMIN
could get to Topeka as often as he de-
sired.