The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-12-13
TRIALS OF SMITH
He Has Had Many but Must
Face Another.
Haunts the Abiding Place of
One-Time Sweetheart.
THE GIRL is MARRIED NOW
But the LOyeSick Man Re-
fuses TO Believe 1t.
1t Is Up to Federal Authorities
to Convince Him.

1T is taking part of nearly all the
forces Uncle Sam has to demonstrate
| to Charles E. Smith that he is a back
number; that he is out of the lun-
another man and that he is in the
| discard. But Smith is now in Jail in
Kansas City and will have from now
until January 10 when the grand jury
meets to think over the facts in his
possession and he may become be-
lever.
Smith is having all the troubles one
man can expect to struggle along un-
der, because he simply will not be-
lieve that the girl he is in love with
the apple of his eye, has thrown him
down and married another man. And
the chief reason he is disbeliever is
that he never read of the marriage in
any newspaper.
Until recently Smith was tele-
graph operation at the Fort Riley sta
ton. He was in love with a girl at
the Fort. She received his attentions
and he stepped high, thinking that the
day was not far distant when he could
endow her with the name of Smith.
But something went wrong. The girl
concluded that she was not cast for
the character of Mrs. Smith and with
out consulting the telegraph operator
transferred her affections to a soldier
at Fort Riley. They were married
quietly and soon after the soldier
husband was transferred to the Mexi-
can border.
The telegraph operator continued to
hang around. His former sweetheart
requested him to stay in the back
ground. She told him she did not
love him and he smiled. She told him
she was married and he laughed. He
was a most persistent love-1naker and
refused to believe anything that in
terfered with his love making. The
newly woman found she was
hpl a eye1iT ms % h
operator and appealed to the COM
handing officer at the fort. The lat
ter took Smith in hand and tried all
homemade remedies he could muster
without avail.
When everything else failed the
commanding officer ordered Smith to
stay off the government reservation.
And that order failed also.
Smith Would Not Go.
The man Smith simply wouldn't
stay off the reservation. He was as
careless about the governments reser-
walton as he was the one belonging to
the Soldier-husband. The command
ing officer felt sorry for Smith. as did
other army officers, and they worked
out plan to get Smith out of the way.
The officer persuaded Smith to go to
Kansas City and sent a soldier along
to see that he got there. Everything
went smoothly. They landed in Kan
saS City. had good time and the soldier
returned to Fort Riley. Smith was
there, too. He had beaten the soldier
back.
That act dissolved what sympathy
the commanding officer had for Smith
and he swore out a warrant charging
him with trespassing on government
after he had been elected
J. M. Myers, deputy Unit
ed States marshal, went to Fort Riley
and took Smith to Kansas
City. He was placed in Jail and will
remain there until the grand jury
meets next month.
Because he refused to believe that
his best girl would marry another man
Smith faces a minimum penalty of six
months in Jail and fine of $500. OF
course Judge John c. Pollock may
conclude that Smith has committed no
crime and turn him loose. officers and
soldiers at Fort Riley say they really |
DO not want Smith punished if any !
other means can be devised to keep |
him off the reservation and from dis
turbing the peace and quiet of the |
woman in the case.
Smith served in the army at one |
line and was stationed at Fort Riley. |
He is about 40 years of age.