The Topeka state journal., 1916-12-21
vacation.

whitted was born in Rock Hill,
Ind, May 9, 1862. His family moved
to Lyndon, Kan, during the Civil war,
while he was still a baby, and Whit
ted grew up with the state. While
still a boy he was apprenticed to
local printer and continued at the
trade until last Spring. He drifted to
Topeka in the '70s and soon made a
name for himself as a master of his
trade.
Founded Topeka DemOocat.
In the late SOS Whitted became dis
satisfied with the policy of the Daily
Commonwealth and founded the To-
peka Democrat which enjoyed several
years of up and down existence How
ever the editorial side of the paper
was appreciated, Whitfield saw to it
that the printing side of it was well
done, and in those days when printing
a four page daily was feat, Whitted
gained more than local reputation.
Some Democratic politicians bought
the paper about 1890, and Whitted
went to work on the Topeka State
Journal. There he worked until last
spring.
The Typographical union founded
in 1888 numbered almost from the
start Whitted as one of its most en-
thuSiastic members. He was president
of the union many times, represented
the union at many of its national ses-
sions and was largely instrumental in
its development into one of the strong
est locals in the city
A Master of His Trade.
/ He, always kept abreast OF the devel-
opments in his craft and 1tany of the
| latest ideas in printing originated in
the composing room of the State Jour
nal. Whitted's heart was entirely in
/ his work and he never ceased to
struggle for absolute typographical
. ar~fn
That it unquestionably contributed to
his early death. Early last spring dia-
betes caused him to quit his position
and the union took up a collection to
send him to the Printers Home at
/ Colorado Springs. There he went in
prove slightly. The last few months
he became homesick and returned
home where he died today at noon.
I leaves Wife and Daughter.
/ He is survived by his wife and
daughter, Helen, recent graduate of
the high school, and two brothers.
Charles Whitted, of St. Louis, and T.
/ Q. Whitfield now of Rock Hill. Ind.
Whitted's arrival in Kansas was
shortly after the founding of the
State university, and his parents chris
tened him kansas University Whit
ted He was probably the only in
! FAINT known named after an institu-
ton of learning
/ From boyhood Kan Whitted had
put together the types and assembled
| the linotype slugs that told the story
of the worlds events. For more than
fifteen years he had directed the
makeup in the State Journal office as
foreman of the mechanical depart
ment.
Modest, quiet, unassuming, kan"
}Nhitted kept a cool head when -
world news broke" badly. Buried in
I I1rs-x md in ha n
of the presses and rattle of the limo
types, Whitted held a rather remote,
but mighty important, place in the
putting together of the days news. 1t
was on his shoulders that the respon-
sibility fell when there were ia CO.
lumns of news and advertising mat
ter for an 80 or a 96-column paper
The type forms wouldn't stretch and
the chases wouldn't let the paper use
the white marginal space.
ttCrammed to the guzzle," was the
message that the copy boy brought to
the city desk on the rush days when
a war, a fire, a murder. political up
a hot composing room and in the din
with a jam-up advertising demand.
Following that familiar message from
Whitted there was a hurried confer
ence, a wild, but tsurprisinglys scientifice
cutting and slashing of the days
news. At the end of it all, Whitted
started a stream of turtles to the
/ stereotyping room with the world
news events ready for the presses.
Only the men who surrounded him
knew of the strain and responsibility
which went with a command to send
] the paper to press on time whether an
empire fell or the pampered, society
\ queen of the town eloped with
motorman. And for years Kan"
Whtted had filled his place in the
making of the days news, bravely.
quietly and well And when the end
came, he answered the call with the
same spirit that had characterized his
years in the type rooms