The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-09-03
RAILROAD NEWS.
Trouble in Santa Fe Circles
Over Death of Cat.
New Mexico Feline Incident
Causes CONSERVATION.
TO GENERAL OFFICER.
j. r. Koontz, of Topeka, Re-
ceives a Formal Complaint.
Other I TENS of General Inter-
est in Traffic World.


publicity department in Topeka it
didn't plan on giving out information
Pertaining to black cats. The road
didn't hire Frank farrell, head of the
publicity bureau, to run down the life
history of feline in New Mexico and
no thought was given to the fact that
Supervisor Koontz would receive in his
office in due form a formal complaint
relating to the troubles Of a Santa Fe
office force, an old soldier, shotgun
and an innocent black cat that had
cultivated taste for chickens.
But this was the case-and the rec
ords Of Santa Fe VS.. Black Cat ct al.
are on exhibition at the office of j. r.
Koontz. general freight agent of the
Santa Fe and supervisor Of the bureau
of publicity.
The Santa Fe in this serious case Is
represented by the division superin-
tendent, F. L. Myers, with headquaI-
tiers in Albuquerque; William Bal1our,
agent at Abajo; Charles Whiting, yard
clerk at Abajo; j. r. Galusha, special
agent of the road, and Louis Gutman'
a car clerk in Abajo. Were the black
cat alive the Santa Fe would have ad-
ditional evidence in this case that mas
caused CONSERVATION in New Mexico.
Against the Santa Fe is one A. B.
Stanton, an old soldier, man VINO
hates cats, a man who handles his gun
like the days of old and who has
daughters who become insulted at con-
versations over the telephone. Th1s Is
what the Santa Fe has to deal with
and the matter has progressed to sucn
an extent that the "brass collars are
using up stationery in its behalf
Here is the story-the story that has
been boiled down from page after page
of manuscript and from a complete re-
vision of the ideas OF others:
A Black Cat Came.
One day not long ago black cat
strolled into the Santa Fe station at
Abajo. 1t was a hungry cat with
hungry eve and even the soft purr that
| issued somewhere from its system APP
| pealed to the employees OF the station
Zach man made a rush Tor MS oinn e,.
! bucket and in a few minutes the BLACK
cat was devouring the greatest meal In
| it's history.
| But the meal was the cause of the
| cats downfall. The appetite acquired
| in the course of the banquet ruined us
| former satisfaction. Every day the
Santa Fe boys set aside part OF theil
meals for the cat-and every day tht
| cat set aside enough time to consume
| these meals.
one day the railroad men were busy
and forgot to feed their dark pet. ms
hunger put rash thoughts into it's brair
and sauntering out through the real
door 1t called upon neighborins
chicken house, leaped over the garden
gate and without ceremony or lorna
acQuaintanceship 1t ate the pest part O
a valuable hen.
| (This part of the story is doubtful
The Santa Fe claims that the cat dldn
eat any chickens. Stanton says that ]
1t didn't eat any chickens 1t wanted q
land a cats thoughts are as bad a
Its deeds.)
And He Shot the Cat.
ANYWAY, Warrior Stanton went up il
the attic and taking down his oil,
muzzle loader he busted off the barrel
| threw the gun over his shoulder an
, with a hep-hep-hep that could be hear
by the townsmen and the railroad me
, he started en- route for the chicke
, thief.
!. Two times the cannon roared an
, twice the black cat rose from tn
] ground and grinned at the soldier mar
One more shot and the grin was turne
? to q scowl of pain-and the feline drop
3 ped in its tracks.
! In three seconds the station and var
5 office were emptied. In four second
t the old man with his smoking weapo
> was surrounded. What happened ATTIC
that is hard to tell. One of the railroa
boys told the old man he would brea
the gun over his head. The old ma
demonstrated and said he would shot
them first-or something like tina
r Anyway. a charming tete-a-tete wa
h held on the company's time-with n
= one dead but the famous black cat.
\ Since this seance Stanton has threa'
ened legal proceedings. He claims tf
Santa Fe boys called him viciol
names insulted his dignity as soldie
: | butted into telephone conversations b.
tween his daughter and others ar
spooned with her. The station en-
ployees answer by saying that they d
n cali the old man names (who wouldn't
s they say that they did threaten
reference to the flirting with IL
daughter they claim they haven't tin
d