The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-03-25
Feared Funeral Would Be Held
While Alive.
TO BE HELD SUNDAY.
Died Last Sunday at a Local
Hospital.
Was a Well Know Character in
Topeka.
SATURDAY.

Because he possessed life long fear
that he might be buried alive, Georges
Washington Dupree, colored, persistent
jointist and negro organized, asked
that when he died his body be held
week. Dupree died last Sunday IN st.
Francis hospital. The funeral will be
held at 2 o'clock tomorrow afternoon
an even week after the mans death.
II sure don't want to be buried
alive" Dupree often calculated, as his
large eyes opened and showed a milky
cha1kfness, "and when 1 die, don't you
bury me for a solid week. A man DONE
die but once. nohow. and when my
time comes, don't take no chances. A
weeks none too soon to plant q man."
In the thirty-two years Dupree lived
in Topeka he made a record. In the
years that come person can go to the
court house and f1nd the history of the
things George Dupree did. George
wasn't naturally bad, but years ago he
formed a persistent habit of violating
the prohibitory law. The habit was
never broken, although Dupree spent
long, tedious days in Jail and spent
hundreds of dollars in real money to
atone for his infringements.
1t was away back in the days of
Chief Stahl that Dupree made a long
distance record for running a joint.
In those days Dupree conducted a lit
dispensed the liquid refreshments with
astounding regularity. When George
was brought to the police station each
morning, it did create comment In
reality it was a fitting start for the
days campaign. When the district
court convened the bar docket was
literally decorated with Dupree's name.
Sometimes he won a major number OF
his cases. Sometimes he lost. But
Dupree was usually cheerful. He
ma O farxy 1nv1te rakxr n>1 To-
the old trade with regularity that
was worthy of mention.
Andrew Dupree, a brother, was
sometimes caught in the dragnet when
the officers made successful haul
Few of the policemen were ever able
to distinguish between the brothers and
often Andrew was taken to the police
station to answer for Georges crime.
Once they arraigned Andrew in 'front.'
of the bar of justice, when the warrant
plainly specified that George had com-
mitted the offense against the law.
Andrew pleaded not guilty. The trial
had almost concluded before the Of
f1cers learned that Andrew had been
substituted for the real prisoner.
In the last few years George Dtl-
pree's trips to the police station were
few and of lengthy intervals. One day
last fall Dupree was taken to the po-
lice court for maintaining a nuisanca
at his restaurant 1007h Kansas av-
of the court, and an appeal bond fur
nished. But Dupree's case was never
settled. 1t is still on the docSets of
the district court. Duprees health
failed early in the winter. Several
weeks ago he was taken to the hospi-
tai He never recovered.
Dupree~ was 81 years old. He was
born in Chase county, Tenn, March
| 1T, 1S49. When a boy he was sold in
slavery and sent to Mississippi, where
he remained until after the Civil war.
In 1879 he came to Topeka He did
excavating work here for a number of
years and was a powerful organizer
| among the Topeka negroes In the
early COS Dupree had saved a neat
sum of money. Then his wife died.
Dupree cared little for society after
that. He devoted much of his time to
persistent violations of the prohibftory
law and for fifteen years caused the
officers no small amount of trouble.
Dupree is survived by one brother and
two daughters. Funeral services will
be held at 2 o'clock Sunday afternoon
at st. Johns M. z. church. Burial in
Mount Auburn cemetery.