The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-08-06
Superintendent of the Kansas
City Public Schools
Holds Fathers and Mothers
Responsible for Many Evils.
DEATH OF HIGH SCHOOL Girl
Has Caused Opening Up of a
Serious Problem.
FraternitieS and Automobiles
Cut Large Figure.

Kansas City, Aug. 6.-Automobiles
and fraternities played a large part in
/ the tragedy which led to the death of
Meta Zook. an 1S-year-old high school
student, after a criminal operation and
eliminated in the arrest of two physi-
clans and the bringing out of names of
nearly a dozen high school boys, sons
of families in the fashionable district,
as being connected with the Zook af-
fair.
This view of the case was taken to-
day in a statement issued by I. 1. Cam
mack, superintendent of schools. Mr..
Cammack placed the blame for the
conditions exposed by the Zook affair
largely upon the shoulders of parents.
"Some parents he said, have
turned over to the schools the entire
responsibility of looking after their
children. Hereafter we are going to
extend the practice of having meetings
in which parents and school authori-
ties shall discuss the welfare of the
pupils.
The sex hygiene question is in
volved- Scientific truths once learned,
moral lessons naturally will be de-
rived
Mr.. Cammack said there was a rule
against fraternities in the high schools
and that any such organizations that
existed must be conducted at the
that could prevent boys coming to
school in automobiles and leaving
them standing before the school. This
practice, he said, had a bad effect on
others not so fortunate and had re-
suited disastrous1y in many cases when
the boys took girls out riding
Two Doctors Arrested.
Charged with causing the death, by
an operation, of Meta Zook, DR.. J. Hall
and DR.. Fabian Pratt were arrested
after coroner's jury heard the testi-
mony of a number of boys, members
of a fraternity at Westport high
school, this city.
Miss zook died in great agony.
Both physicians testified before the
coroner's jury. DR.. Pratt, who is %
years old, told that the Zook girl had
consulted him and that boy friends.
schooImates of the girl had talked
with him He said Miss Zook had gone
to see DR.. Hall DR.. Hall was taken be-
fore the jury on the order of the cor
oner, Harry Czarlinsky, and denied
that he had performed an operation on
Miss Zook or that he knew anything
about the case.
The two physicians were held under
bonds of 81, 600 each. Their trial is set
for August 16-
George T. Vance, jr., is years old. !
and Herbert Kiger, also IS, high school
students. were held as witnesses under
bonds of 800 each. A girl chum OF
Miss zook was one of the principal wit /
nesses at the coroners jury.
Calmly, without change of color, a
smile sometimes on her lips, the 10
year-old chum of Miss Zook told the
corners jury a sordid story of excite .
ment and immortality. She involved =
dozen boys living in a fashionable
south side residence district who at
tend Westport and Central high schools
The girl seemed little more than
child. She answered questions with the
81
murder case.
Identifies the Doctor.
Meta and 1 went a week ago Mon
day to the office of DR.. Hail. she testi-
fled.
DR.. Hall. who had been arrested, con-
fronted her.
Yes. that is the man Meta told me
performed the operation. We were in
his office that afternoon. Meta went
in and talked with him.
THE next day we went to the office.
That was the day of the operation. I
was feeling ill. so I asked to stay in
DR.. Pratt's office while Meta went to
DR.. Halls office. I saw DR.. Pratt give
Meta SO in bills to pay for the opera
tion.''
Then DR.. Pratt took the stand and
told his story, which practically coin
cided with the girls with the excep-
ton of a few minor discrepancies. The
young physician was extremely ner-
vous.
The girl chum of Miss Zook went
thoroughly into the manner of friend
ships they had with the frat bunch"
She told how she and Miss Zook had
visited the homes of their different
high school friends when the parents
of the boys were not at home.
"One night We went to the home of
Herbert Kiger," she said. Dwight
Fits was with u.s. 1 was with Dwight
and Meta was with Herbert. We
stayed quite a little while
She gave details of other visits with
boys at their homes.
Meta told what she thought was
the matter and we went to see DIR.
Pratt She asked me TO go with her.
1 do not know who told her to go
there except that a friend of one OF
her friends had suggested it.
+An the boys we have been going
with knew about Maa. They said
they would help her and that they
would pay the expenses They said
they were going to have DR.. Pratt
look after the case for them
One witness, testifying at the in
quest gave the names of ten boys, all
of whose parents are wealthy and live
in an exclusive residence district of
the city, who, he said, frequently as
sociated with Miss Zook. He said he.
Kiger and the other ten boys were all
high school boys and were known as
the Armour boulevard frat bunch"
A sister of the dead girl testified
that these boys had called frequently .
on her sister and that she and another
girl had gone on motor trips with the
boys at various times.