Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1910-01-27
REcAUsE ERAIN WAS E.ATE.
Herington Business Men Saved $1,000
BY the Fact.

more because the trains on the Roc
Island are late occasionally. III
\ fact that Rock Island train was lat
Z 40 minutes the other day saved til,
business men Of Herington owe
$4,000.
II this train had not lost 40 min
utes down the fine between wichitl
and Herington, hotel keeper, will
= debts amounting to two thousand
5 dollars would have left the city and
t the bills behind her and in shori
| time would have been beyond the
! reach Of the local courts and attor-
neys-the business men would have
held the sack. n
il Harrington has been blacklisted by
every travelling man in Kansas be-
cause the largest hotel In the city,
the "Avondale," was placed on a
mere money making basis without
II the usual accommodation that are
| granted the Knights Of the Grip and
without the precautions that are re-
quired by the state board Of health.
Realizing this the commercial club
planned secret campaign with the
hopes of erecting a modern hotel
and pulling the town out of the
hotel mire into which It had unfor-
tunately fallen.
AS result Of their plans to give
the city and its visitors large and
comfortable hotel facilities and the
written complaints from the travel
ing public over the state, Mrs. A. L.
Coffey, proprietress of the Avondale.
decided to quit the business and leave
town. Mrs. Coffey, together with
her family and a number of rela-
tlves have lived in this city ever
since the Rock Island first came
through this part of the state and
she was always considered one Of
the leaders in civic improvements
and lodges of all kinds
Two days before the sensational
attempted flight of the bird" at
the Rock Island depot the Avondale
was sold to John Peugh Of this city
who contracted with Mrs. Coffey to !
pay over the whole price for the hotel
in currency which was the largest
amount Of cash exchanging hands in
this city for some time. The money
was given over and the hotel changed
hands at once without the general
of the Harrington mer-
chants.
Two days after the sale Of the
hotel It was learned by B. L. Thomp-
son, prominent merchant in the
lily, that the ex-hotel keep was In
ending to leave the city. Mr.. Thomp-
Jon took an early train to Topeka
ind consulted with attorneys and
ound that his first coure Of pro-
edure In bankruptcy could not be
arried out. Then telephoning to
lbilene for his personal attorneys,
IF. Thompson hustled around the q
ity gathering together TIE many
counts which were scheduled to be
g deserted by the society woman =
nd prepared for the legal battle. w
And here is where the late train
ayed the many accounts Of the busi-
ess men. The Abilene attorneys ar
we'd on the Rock Island from Abb
me Just few minutes before the ~
ast bound train on which Mrs. Cof- y
" intended to leave. If the east NJ
ound train had been on time the y
.torneys would not have had time ~
make out their papers and war =
Ints. w
AS it was, the excited delegation =
business men were told by the VI
that the train was
rty minutes late. Never was such
Tvs received with more Joy than
as given the report that day. The Nj
torneys rushed up town, made out
cir papers in the Justice court. pro-
red their warrants for arrest and
w back to the. depot in the fastest XII
tomobile in the city. BIZ
The train was standing in front ga
the depot, the conductor had cali thu
"all aboard" and the engineer had let
leased his brakes in readiness fot ger
, long speedy run to the Missouri
e. The policeman flung on the sta
: steps and ran down the aisles mo
lie the passengers stared in won gar
rment. Back through three cars ant
ran until he spled the society str
man in the rear OF the chair car car
4 rushing up to her he served the fici
rrant Before the train could ]
We the city limits and thus out Of ant
} Jurisdiction Of the policeman, chr
warrant was served and the lady tina
ested. lioI
rhe rest Of the story involves the eve