The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-03-30
Hardened Old Officers Were
Shocked Last, Night.
JessieThOmas Proves She Hasn't
Forgotten Old Tricks.
SHE HAD REFORMED.
lrs. Thorpe Sent the Woman
to Della.
j. Turner, Who Used Big Gun,
Given the Limit.

While police court was well under
way Monday afternoon, a flood of the
vilest language ever heard in those
not sanctimonious precincts burst in
through the doors from the office. The
shock had only just passed when it
was followed by another and another
always more violent and old and hard
ened criminals felt that they were
even now in the A B C class of foul
ness.
And it was a woman. She came in
of her own accord with q friend,
Ovanna Sims, who had brought some
delicacies for her paramour, John
Thomas These folks are colored, but
she is white Middle aged, but we'll
dressed, Jessie Thomas, for that is her
name had returned to her old haunts
after a year of good behavior. She was
drunk-too drunk to stand alone so
the officers helped AS soon as she
realized that she was under arrest she
started her line of talk which has
made her name famous as a record
breaker in the Topeka police annals.
Formerly Jessie lived in Topeka and
did nightly stir about. She liked
stingy for she had wealthy people-tn
fact she was quite the rage in raging
lot. Finally the pace wore her out
and she listened to the kindness and
duFlCO Oh LILO pOLCC
tron, who had much to do with her
and went to Della where she is report
ed to have been a good woman. But
she had to come to Topeka last week
to do some shopping, she told Mrs.
Thorp upon her arrival and boosted
much of her new nicely. Yet somehow
the lure of the old paths came over
her too strong while here and she
slipped down into the bowery to look
up her old friends-and she never
- H.
and went sailing with her former pals
both white and black. All they did
would shock even policeman, so it
won't do to hand it around, but she
woke things up in police court when
she went with Ovanna to carry viandS
to John Thomas at the Eaton Inn.
She was fined $40 by Judge Urmy
this morning which it is hoped will
keep her in until an investigation is
made about her recent past at Della.
1t is barely possible that she is
connected with the buried baby found
by the natives up there, though the
police think she knows more about it
than she had to do with it but so far
no statement has been gotten from
her whether or no she knows anything
about the affair. at all.
1t must have been a big fight in
north town Sunday judging from the
size of the gun used by one of the
negroes concerned. A Al caliber Colts
with double action and the symptoms
of cannon shot four times-and the
other end of the debate was a shot gun
but no one was killed.
John Turner and Charles Lillard
laborers at the u. P. tie-treating plant
went over Sunday to see how the plant
was getting along, and incidentally to
see the dixie and other things. When
they went through North town they
fell in with their gang. goes the Tur-
ner story, but they lest them after
they had spent awhile ambulating
around and went to call at the house
of Mrs. Buford. While they were sit
ting a round, the story continues, two
young fellows came in visiting, too,
and didn't talk very friendly to these
men already on the ground After a
time the original callers took their
farewellS and started toward the city
"A loud noise came from behind and
they turned to see one of the young
sters run up and say things not at all
complimentary
Then the two caught up to their
gang about the time the other Black
knight appeared in defense of North
town ladies and carrying a shot gun.
Sir Turner with the young cannon
made by Colt, stepped boldly out from
the crowd and emptied four shells at
the advancing knight-and the knight
vanished. The roaring of the fusillade
attracted the attention of Patrolman
Wyatt, who fastened to the scene and
arrested Turner and .Lillard and their
firing piece. Turner said that some
one in the crowd handed him the
weapon seeing that his life was in
danger, but the officers doubt the ex-
PLANTATION and think he went over to
the North side just to see what he
could see and took the gun along to
scare it.
Both men pleaded not guilty wher
brought before the Judge Monday
morning so their trial was set fol
evening when the officers could be or
hand to help tie up their package fol
them. But in the meanwhile Turner
got busy and his attorney, Otis Hun,
gate, arranged with Prosecuting At
torney Wilson for his client to plead
guilty and accept the minimum fin,
which is SIS. They appeared befor,
the judge with their little arrange
ment but Mr.. Urmy had bunch tina
this was no case for dallying will
minimum fines-t1le gun was too biz
for that, so he refused the agreement
whereupon Mr.. Hungate severed al
connection with the case and Turne,
went to trial without lawyer.
On the stand it was drawn from
him that he went to North Topek:
with that A ArmyColts in his jean
and really did contemplate a fuss
Apparently he found his fuss and diC
not hesitate to shoot four times IL
brave and defiant self defense. A