The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-01-24
School Ma'am Asks $4,000
Damages for Being Ousted.
General Funston'S Sister-in-Law
and Others Defendants.
SHE WANTS REDRESS.
Allen County Teacher Declares
Statements Hurt Her.
Trouble Was Brought to Climax
in December, Last.

Fort Scott, Kan, Jan. 24.-Suit has
been filed in the district court here, by
Greta Booth, young woman of the
Bronson neighborhood, who asks that
Mrs. Maude Funston. county superin-
tendent of the schools for Allen coun-
ty and sister-in-law of Gen. Fun
ston, and also David Ashby, C. S.
Bradford and P. E. Nelson, all far
mers, be made to pay her $4,000
which she charges they have damag-
ed her character by malicious sland-
er, which excluded her from society
and the confidence of her friends and
neighbors.
The suit is one which has grown out
of a school fight here last December
and which ousted Miss Booth from the
position of teacher. The suit was filed
by Attorneys Hoyle and Sheppard. the
former of lola, Allen county. Almost
all the defendants are residents of AL
len county. Undersheriff John Hart
man has served papers on the defen-
dants.
Greta claims that she was employed
as teacher at Union school house
district No. Is, Allen county. She was
reared in this county and spent her
life here. She is twenty-five years old
and is said to be of very charming ap-
that during her life she has been a
chaste woman and that she has not
violated the divine laws. She holds a
certificate qualifying her to teach in
both Bourbon and Allan county
schools. Also she AYERS that previous
to the slanderous attacks of the de-
PENDANTS that she bore good repu-
tation and enjoyed the society, friend
ship and confidence of the neighbor-
hood.
Up to December ~ she held the po-
sition in that school She took the
position on September IL.
Charges of Nfaliciousness.
To begin she charges that the de-
PENDANTS acted willfully, maliciously
in conjunction and conspired for the
running of her good name. She as
serts on December 6, 1910. Robert
by Mary Brown, Gussie Booth, Ed
Bradford, Frank Fisk, Charles Fisk,
j. A. Booth. p. E. Nelson, A. H. He'd
Iund and Charles said: tShe is not a
fit person to teach the school and We'll
put her out. There are enough of us
tiff thinks it is a reflection on her
character but she further AYERS that
Maude Funston said. on December IL,
1910: you are too indecent and i'm
moral to teach school. You are no
part lady,
p e. Nelson, according to Miss
Booth, on the evening of the same day,
before Rutherford Brown. said: 1--WE
dismissed her for. immoral conduct"
David Ashby, on the goth of Decem-
ber according to the petition, said:
81 would rather pay double taxes than
have her teach the school, And P. E.
Nelson, to whom he was speaking, is
said to have remarked: ST think the
same thing"
Her Morality Questioned.
P. E. Nelson told something of that
kind again to Sol Brown of Elsmore,
says the petition, and AYERS Miss
Booth, when he stated: "She is in
competent and she is immoral"
Robert Beeman is accused of similar
actions on the same day. in speaking
to C. ]. Freeburg and j. T. Dalston
of Elsmore. The petition quotes him:
I'VE discharged her because she was
unfit to teach and because she was in
decent and immoral" Miss Booth also
says that Robert Beeman told A. H.
Headlund, the following: Il do not
consider Greta Booth decent. I don't
consider that she has a decent bone in
her body
Miss Booth asserts that by those
persons combined plans to ruin her
reputation she has lost the good opin-
| ion and esteem, the confidence, fellow
ship and social intercourse of neigh
bors and friends. Also she has public
confidence and social intercourse, all
She asks $4,000. in reparation
contempt, disgrace and deprived OF
l and swears that she is not able to Sc