The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-03-01

Certain things should have learned.
One is not to leave behind us,
Love letters that should be burned.
According to testimony introduced
in the district court in Topeka today,
for the love of Mrs. Ida RANSOM
pretty widow at 40, E B. Mcdaniel,
owner of a 50O-acre Norton county
farm, worked as a chambermaid by
Mrs. Ransom's side, swept the office
of her hotel. drove the bus to and
from the depots, helped with the
washing, wiped the dishes, mopped
the floors-all for his board and
lodging.
Then the evidence shows that when
Mrs. Ransom, at that time proprietor
of the Pomeroy Hotel at Hill City,
decided to quit business. MCDANIEL
broke into tears, stepped forward his
true self-not a pauper. but a man
worth thousands. He purchased the
hotel building she had leased and Of
fered it to her for any price she
might stipulate with just one extra
considerations continuation of her
presence at the hotel.
But Mrs. Ransom spurned the al
legged or 4-thousand dollar love
token placed at her feet and one sun
shiny afternoon a few months ago,
bundled her 16-year old son in an
automobile and fled from Hill City.
Hotel on His Hands.
In a single day, Mcdaniel was trans
formed from the middle-aged alleged
lover and writer of passionate love let
tiers to the pretty widow, to business
man with a hotel on his hands. He
filed a suit for s38S against Mrs. Ran
som for work done in the hotel. Mean
time, Mrs. Ransom had come to To-
peka and today a Shawnee county jury
in Judge Dana'S division of the district
much labor Mcdaniel owed Mrs. Ran
som for the alleged love he bore her
and how much money Mrs. Ransom
owes Mcdaniel for the work he did for
her. The interesting case, interspersed
with love letters, witnesses testifying
to love declarations of Mcdaniel and
sharp retorts of Mrs. Ransom, mat
ter of fact business woman, has been
in progress in Judge Danas division
of the district court for two days.
Cupid Was Busy.
Testimony showed that Mcdaniel
left his Norton county farm after a
hail storm had destroyed his crop. He
registered at the Pomeroy hotel at Hill
City and spent the night here. Dan
Cupid began operations instantly, so it
would seem. The next day Mcdaniel
applied for work as a chore boy
Mrs. Ransom thought hew as a poor
man and furnished him with few odd
jobs, according to testimony
Then the bus man left and McDan-
iel offered to take the job for his
board and lodging. Mrs. Ransom ad-
m1tted that she never saw such a will
ing worker in all her life. He aided
with the chamber work, swept the
floors, wiped the dishes, helped with
the laundry, despite her protests to
do nothing but drive the bus
Did he help you make the beds -
asked A. A. Graham, attorney for Nc
Daniel
AT times, but I didn't want him to
and asked him not to- replied Mrs.
Ransom.
Wasn't that an aid to your"
mo. the beds he made were a dis
grace to me-
Then passionate love letters writ
ten on the Pomerory hotel stationery
were dropped in the mail box and re-
ceived by Mrs Ransom.
The Love Letters.
While not signed. witnesses testified
that they were written in McDaniers
| handwriting. Excerpts from the let
ters introduced as testimony, follow:
Wilt thous give me just the small
est rae of hope and don't cause me to
| be cast out into outer darkness. | do
believe God will will it. l would de-
vote the rest Of my days, days to try y, and and
/
blessed day of sunshine for me and it
| would keep ME pure as the morning
due. as | believe you to be. | only ask
| for you to let me my thy servant
| thro life and for my pay receive Gods
| blessings and yours at the end and
God knows thy blessings would alone
| take me to beautiful Zion. And may
YOU and l march toward that city re-
| joicing in one anothers love
Good night God bless you
Oral Contract.
| Mcdaniel claims he had an oral con-
| tract with Mrs. Ransom for pay Mrs.
Ransom alleges that she merely hired
| Mcdaniel as bus driver and that bus
! drivers received board and lodging.
She admitted that Mcdaniel worked
! at all sorts of jobs in the hotel, but
| that was over her protest. and she dld-
| MT ask him to do anything but meet
! the trains Mrs. Mcdaniel lived IN
Topeka a few months and now lives at
| Havs. kan. where she is operating a
| boarding house.
Testimony introduced showed tha'
/ Mcdaniel purchased the hotel vines.
Mrs. Ransom threatened to leave, thar
he cried when she was about ready 10
depart and offered her the hotel Tor
any price she desired to name, provld-
ing she would remain.
nDCM "A RQhMHA HERE