The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-03-22
TOOK LAST CHAIR
Creaking Rocker Removed
From Home of Old Lady.
foreclosure of Mortgage Left
7O-Year-OId Destitute.
HER SONS IN COUNTY JAIL
Only Means of Support Arrest
ed for Selling Liquor.
Collapse Followed COnfiscatiOn
of Her Organ.

Trembling with old age, with two
sons-her only support-tn the county
iail. Sarah Baker sat in a creakinG
rocker and watched the marshal OF
the court of Topeka remove from her
little home the last stick of her house
hold goods. Finally, when everything
else was gone, the marshal came back
for the rocker.
Charley Lyle, the deputy who re-
moved the goods in the performance
of his duty. said today that If he mad
been able, if he had had the money, ne
would have paid every cent the ola
lady owed and stopped her tears.
The goods were removed following
the foreclosure of d mortgage held py
G. f. FHntham. Mrs. Baker is sew
enty years of age. She told the county
officer that she borrowed money from
Flintham twelve years ago. that th3
notes had been renewed time after
time: that she had paid much inter-
est and some of the principal; that
she had a drawerful of receipts signed
by FIintham but that she had no idea
how much she still owed him.
The action brought by Flintham
covered practically everything Mrs
Baker had. Some of it the officers
could not find. Some of the pieces of
furniture had been worn completely
out since the mort gage was given.
Some of the furniture was carried
away by a flood that swept the Baker
home in South Topeka. The total val
ss1 iiN''' '' '''''l'''''' - ',-'
Rent Is Unpaid.
There was a bedstead and stove
in the house which belonged to the
woman who owns the house. They
were not taken. But even then the
prospects that Mrs. Baker will get to
use them are very slim. She stated
that the rent on the house had not
been paid and that she had been no
titled to move.
Last night Mrs. Baker, seventy years
old and feeble, had no furniture, no
home and no money. Her two boys
who supported her following the
death of her husband. were in the
county Jail charged with selling intoxi-
eating liquor. She was helpless, alone.
Even the things that had grown dear
\ TO her through their association with
her family during the years she was
rearing it, were gone.
Il just about had to quit when 1 be-
gan moving the old organ" said
Lyle. she seemed to think more of
that than anything else. Nothing
moved out appeared to have much
value but she seemed to prize every
piece of furniture"
AAtthisOn Gets Busy
The facts in the case reached the
sars of w. +. Atchison, county attor-
ney. this morning. He is accustomed
% close views of the seamy side of
ife but he was touched by this par
icular case and he acted.
He called Ollie Baker. one of the
5ons, from the county Jail and told
1im how the war broke out He told
Baker he was going to release him
rom Jail. not because he was not
guilty not because he had any com
passion for him, but because he had
wo good hands and could work. He
old Baker to get out and to lose no
ime In going to work. And he let
5aker know that his one best bet is
o apply his earnings from now on to
ne support of his old, white haired
bother
Baker took the chance. The mat
er will not be dropped at that. Of
iciats will see to it that he goes to
vork and that the mother is sup
Dorted or Baker will be back in iail.
)nlsA one of the boys was released.
lnISf the other son. will not be re-
eased unless the officers have bad
uck with Ollie