The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-09-19
Men With Families Selected To
GO-May Be Forever.
Wives and Mothers Weep as
Train Leaves Station.
ONLY ONE SOLDIER is MISSING
He Was Excused To Buy a
Suitcase-Didn't Return.
Another Reported After Night
With John BarleycOrn.

Tears of wives, mothers, sisters and
sweethearts intermingled with the
laughter and cheers of youth today
at noon at the Union Pacific depot.
Shawnee county's second contingent
left for Fort Riley. The contingent
numbered forty eight
At roll call at the court house at 10
o'clock every man answered present,
including the five alternates. The men
lined up in front of the building on
Fifth street, some in new suits, others
in khaki and still others in OVerallS.
The wives, mothers, sisters, sweet
hearts and children numbered fully
one hundred. The court house win
dows were filled with officials. Three
mothers, each with baby in her arm,
stood at one of the windows They
had appeared at the court house at
an early hour to attest to their de-
pendency on husbands before the To-
cal exemption board.
Forward march," shouted the
squad leader.
Each lad gFahlassd -ass4snitGase. or
handbag. A small bunch of girls
cIapped their hands. Others Joined
and finally everyone broke into cheers
as the boys marched north on Van
Buren street for the Union Pacific
depot.
Ono Man Missing.
At the depot the roll was called
again. William Jesse Davidson, R. r.
.. North Topeka, did not answer. At
the depot he had received permission
from members of the board to go to
nearby store to get his suitcase. He
never made his appearance up until
the time the train left, according to
the squad leader.
The exemption boards called the
alternates together. The situation
was explained to them.
TN 60" said Edward Earl Patter-
son, $50 Freeman.
81 want to go, too" said William
Frederick Kobs. steward at the boys
industrial school.
We'll now, boys, you settle it be-
tween yourselves" said the clerk of
the board
Wen draw straws," said Patter-
son. THE man who gets the short
straw goes"
Kobs agreed The clerk reached
down and picked up a short stick. He
turned his back a moment. Then he
turned around with two sticks pro-
truding from his hand. Kobs drew
first. He got the long straw. Pat
terson went to Fort Riley.
Had Their Babies.
The boys were lined up opposite
coach three blocks east of the depot.
For half an hour they waited for the
train to come to carry them to Fort
Riley Mothers stood with arms
around their boys, husbands, drafted,
stood near wives, their babes in their
arms, maybe for the last time. Elvin
+. Joss, r. r. l. Wakarusa, held his
baby in his arms until the train
started. NIIe leaned over kissed his
wife goodbye, handed her the baby
and ran to leap on the train.
Every time the mother of Charles
Lynch. r. r. No. Is. Tecumseh. tried
to talk she burst into tears Sisters
brothers, father and MOTHER eight in
all. took turn about placing their
arms around Robert F. Forbes. r. r.
No. II. Silver Lake, until the train
left. Forbes stands more than six
feet in height. Some of his sisters
were short and he hoisted them high
enough to put their arms around him
when it was their turn for embrac acing.
Signs on Coaches.
While the lads were waiting a spe-
cial Union Pacific train with fifteen
carloads of drafted men from Kansas
City and Olathe and other towns
pulled into the depot. Wild cheers
emanated from the cars as the train
pulled past the Topeka coach. The
drafted men had decorated the sides
of the coaches with chalk signs, ex-
pressing everything but appreciation
OF the kaiser. One lad ON the train
was a near poet. He had written von
one of the coaches the following:
Kaiser Bill went up the hill to take a
whack at France,
Kaiser Bill came down the hill with
bullets in his pants"
ITO Berlin or Bust" read another
sign. ITO with the Kaiser" was
another.
At Topeka box lunches were served
to all the men. The Union Pacific
supplied the lunches, the government
will pay for them. The Topeka lads
also received these lunches.
About ten minutes before the train
on which the Topeka lads left reached
the station they We're ordered into
the train. Some clambered in while
others received permission to remain
with loved ones until the train left.
The lads in the train kept up a
merry chatter with those standing
outside. Scott Kelsey, who served
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