The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-03-25
HOPES AND FEARS
Stir Many Topeka Hearts as
Omaha News Comes.
They Have Friends and Rela-
tives in Storm Zone.
THE CASE OF E. H. MOTE
His Brother Here Gets Message
From the Dead.
Ed Kellam WOrried-ThOmp-
son Family Gets Good News.

E Fl. Mote of Omaha, supposed to
be dead. telegraphed this morning to
D. D. Mote, his Topeka brother
Come at once and bring money" the
dispatch read. The Topeka attornesT,
rejoicing at this message almost from
the grave, left Immediately. The
names of e. H Mote and his wife We're
in the death list. The dispatch came
from a hospital at 1905 North Twen-
tieth street, and was necessarily short.
1t is difficult to wire from the devas-
tated city. and impossible to telegraph
from Topeka, as dozens of town peo-
pie have learned to their grief. The
tornado affected the Notes more than
any family in town. OF the two broth
ers one was reported dead, the other
missing. w. II. Mote and his family
cannot be located The Notes for
merly lived in Horton and have often
visited in Topeka. Two of the broth
ers recently moved to Nebraska and
settled in Ralston. suburb, complete
ly destroyed by the storm
Monday was an anxious day for Mr..
and Mrs. e. w. Thompson of Potwin.
Their two daughters. Marian and
Marjorie, are teaching school in
Omaha, and living with an aunt, Mrs
Thompson were ready to start for the
train, en- route for Nebraska-suit
cases packed, hats on-when the long
anticipated wire arrived --'All safe"
it said. This morning letter, mailed
early yesterday, was received from
Miss Marjorie Thompson She vivid
ly described the horrors of the storm
how roofs and trees whirled by the
house, and how cottage, near a
bluff, was blown bodily into the
Sears home was absolute devastation.
The house was uninjured except for
several broken windows. Mr.. and
Mrs. Thompson did not start on their
trip. and have been busy today an
swering calls from solicitous friends
Mrs. W. n. West is eagerly awaiting
further word from her brother. Taylor
Belcher. Safe. but in the storm dis
trict,' was all that brief message. re-
ceived this morning, contained. Mrs.
J. Fl. Belcher, Mrs. Vests mother is
visiting in Omaha DR.. West made des-
perate efforts to wire, but found it i'm
possible.
Mrs. Nathan Price. 1000 Topeka ave
nue.. has learned that her niece, Anna
Picard, teacher in an Omaha manual
training school. has broken her arm.
She lived in line of the storm, near
Benis Park. /
Mrs Henry c. Akin and her brother, |
Colt L. Farnsworth, who formerly lived |
in Topeka. have escaped unhurt, |
though the cyclone devastated the dis
trict in which they lived.
The Rev. F. L. Loveland. former |
pastor of the First Methodist church !
of Omaha leaves for Nebraska tonight |
Several of his friends are among those |
dead in the first list
Ed KelIam has several relatives in
Omaha. none of whom have tele,
graphed. He is anxious about Mr.. and |
Mrs. Barton Willard, who visited here
last year. and lived near the Convent |
of the Sacred Heart The K. C Bar
ton family and the Frank Clarks are
other relatives of Mr.. Kellam who
have not wired.
]. d. NJ. Hamilton's sister, Mrs. III.
W. Cook, has not been heard from,
but was not in the most dangerous |
district. Mr.. Hamilton has tried in
vain to send a dispatch.
So far as can be learned nothing has
been heard from IS. Edward Zeis for
mer Topeka merchant, who not long
ago located at 1906 F'arnum street.
Nor William H. Kent. newspaper man,
once city editor of the Boomerang I'M
der Bill Nye, and now proof reader
for the Omaha World Herald.
Mrs. w. T. Rice, the daughter of
Mr.. and Mrs. ID. T. Humphreys, was
in the center of the most devastated
part of the city. Safe" she wired
this morning, and relieved many
friends in town.
Arthur Mills and other managers in
the large department store are at
tempting to wire the c. B. Tylers, who
are apparently missing. Cassius Shi-
mer, one of their neigh borS, has been
dead. Mr.. Tyler, who has
many friends in Topeka, until recently
was employed by w. w. Mills.
Robert w. Blair is expecting word from
\. II. Loomis, former Union Pacific at
torney of Kansas. Mr. Blair was one of
the first to receive encoura cement as to |
the possibility of his being able to send d
message to Omaha today. He has heard
that ]. A Sunblund, civil engineer for
the Union Pacific, and relative of J. A.
Rosen Topeka attorney, is uniniured.
Word has been received by L. s. Levitt,
a Topeka real estate broker, that his sis
ter Mrs. W. A. Rogers. is safe Nothing
has been heard from Mrs. Lovitt's sister,
Mrs. Eugene Eaton.
Hugh ]. NIcKenna. brother of Mrs.
David Mulvane lives in Omaha. but not
IN the section where the storm was worst.
No word has been heard from him. But
I'm not worrying, Mrs. Mulvane de-
clared.
Mrs. Bishop AIiIlspaugh has a sister il
Omaha, who is fortunately spending the
F. David. and a cousin, I. R. Ringwalt,
have not wired. but were not located in
The storm swept section of the city
Dozens of anxious visitors have troOped
10 the State Journal today, demanding
with haggard faces to glance over the
Ieath list. Many of them received word
y llich necessitated their leaving for Ne
oraska at once There are many families
n Topeka who have relatives. friends or
in the fated town
Large Loss of Life Reported.
Brownsville, Tex, March 25.-Anl
official dispatch from Monterey, Mex