The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-08-25
GOT HOME TO Die.
Frank VOht'S Dearest Wish Is
Realized.
Piece Of FlOtsam That Fl0ated
into Topeka.
KIND WOMAN'S ACT.
Mrs. Geo. Bigham Found the
Sick Man Near Her Home.
Cared for Stranger and County
Sent Him on Way.

A letter received today by Mrs. Geo.
Bigham, of 1104 North Van Buren,
street, tells of the safe arrival home in
Paducah, KY, Of Frank Voht, a vic
tim of consumption, wEo passed through
Topeka a week ago, being helped on
ward to his destination by the Good
Samaritanism of Mrs. Bigham and
Poor Commissioner C. n. Bacon. Mr..
Bacon told the story OF Voht's stop in
Topeka when the unfortunate youth had
an unexpected turn of luck which per-
11litted the realization of his only living
hope-that of getting back to his boy
hood home before his dread disease had
overcome him.
On Sunday afternoon, a week and a
half ago, Mrs. Bigham noticed Noht as
he walked slowly and wearily by her
nome and sat down to rest in the street
parking not far away. His detected
appearance aroused her interest and
she went out to inquire if he were ill.
A look at him told of his pitiful plight
while the story of his ~dventureS
aroused her woman'S pity on the in
stant. A year or SO before he had left
his Kentucky home fer Colorado, hav-
ing heard that the climate of the noun
tain state would stop the ravages of
tuberculosis to which he had fallen vic
tim. But the change brought no bene-
fit and, believing that he had - little
longer left to live, he determined tO re-
turn home.
Out of funds and knowing that no
financial help could be forthcoming
from his widowed mother in Kentucky
he started pluckily to make his way
as an ordinary tramp would. At last he
beat his way from Colorado as far as
the Rock Island division point of Nc
Farland where his progress was inter
rupted. The freight car in which he
had been riding was set out there and
he found himself stranded. Crawling
from the car to the ground ne sat down
to think out way to help himself
when he was discovered by a switch
man VINO kicked and struck him and
ordered him away from the railroad
property, thinking him an ordinary
hobo" Voht wandered down the
traces toward Topeka and sat down
again atthe edge Of the railroad yards.
He had about given up hope when the
engineer of an eastbound train pulling
slowly out of the yards volunteered to
help him as far as Topeka. 1t was
with this welcome help that he had ar
rived here a few hours before Mrs.
Bigham discovered him.
i He was feverish and weak from want
of food and rest Mrs Bigham tele-
phoned to DR.. d. t. Nicol, the county
physician, and also sent word to Poor
Commissioner Bacon and the two men
sick man. Mrs. Bigham had become
interested in his case and offered to
supply a bed on the screened porch of
her home until the others could de-
termine what to do with the invalid.
Voht said it was the first bed he had
slept in for many days.
On Monday, the day following, Poor
Commissioner Bacon appeared with
DR.. Nicol before the board of county
commissioners and repeated the boys
story suggesting that the simplest
thing would be to send him home
bystander in the commissioners office
tossed a dollar on the table. telling Mr..
Bacon to use it for Voht's benefit. Be-
fore they adopted any measure in his
behalf the commissioners asked to see
Voht and he was brought before them.
No further argument was needed in his
behalf and the poor commissioner was
directed 20 buy him a railway ticket to
Paducah.
The single dollar that mad been given
was all the money Voht had but the
commissioners remedied the deficit by
starting a collection from their own
rockets and contributions from others
in the court house and from North To-
peka neighbors Of Mrs. Bigham swelled
the fund to more than s12 which was
given to the traveller for his expenses
on the journey. Finally Mr.. Bacon took
him to the train and saw him start
away.
.'He was too overcome to say much
at the time" said Mr.. Bacon, but he
said it all in the letter that came from
him to Mrs. Bigham after his arrival
at home. And the letter from his
mother adds her thanks to his for the
way we treated him here I guess they
think Topeka is about the best place
on the map."