davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington times., 1918-08-25
Chicago Capitalist
Who Showered
Her with Millions

was about this time that he built for her
the house within house or the House
OF Mystery" as 1t has been called, in fash
ionable Ravenswood.
The construction of this extraordinary
monument to a mans insane infatuation
and insaner Jealousy must have ccst him
nearly a million dollars. 1t is literally s
house within house. The outer shell was
built of massive stone whose strength and
thickness are not apparent on looking at
the exterior. Windows and doors are rein
forced with steel And within this is the
inside house" This house is separated
from the outer covering by a space large
enough to enable a man to walk every
where between, and also to allow guards
to be place. there II necessary Within
this space are said to have been built
secret passages, loopholes, listening posts
and all the mechanism for surveillance and
espionage that a Jealous Sultan with
an ingenious mind might have devised to
keep watch upon his favorite Sultana
Friends Of Louderback said that the
place became a mania with him, and that
he boasted continually that no one could
ever reach the inner dwelling, "the sane
tuary," as he called it, without his knowl-
For a time Louderback and Mrs. Ket-
cham went from store to store buying the
most extravagant furnishings for the
House Of Mystery'-almost priceless
sdornments that later gave the place its
third title Of Paradise Palace" The fur
nishings are supposed to have cost the
traction man still another million. And
when at last it was completed the woman
did not enter it! Louderback never had
Q chance to try out upon her his ingenious
devicesSn Snor did his traps ever have oppor-
tunity to snare any lover whom his excited
imagination pictured by the score.
On the very day that she was supposed
to enter as chatelaine of Paradise Palace
she took her trunks and shook the dust of
America from her jewelled shoes. She
settled in London. Neither she nor Lou
derback offered any explanations, nor is it
known just what occurred that made her
decide to leave him.
1t is known, however, that upon three
separate occasions Louderback gave her a
million dollars-three million in all. And
how much more than this no one can
know
At any rate, the years passed until nine
had gone by. and then his wife's death
made him free to ask Mrs. Ketcham to
marry him. Letters that she had sent to
rim from across the ocean had carried
many promises from her that as soon as
The Washington times., 1918-08-25

It was during this
hearing that De Lam
Cy II. Louderback'S
name began to be
whispered about in
connection with hers.
At one time during
The Washington times., 1918-08-25

INFORMATION received recently in this
country has revealed the death on the
= firing fine in France of the English cap
tain who was the third and last husband of
Mrs. Minnie Wallace-WalkGp-K -Ketcham,
whose marriage to him caused the suicide
of De Lancy H. Louderback, aged Chicago
capitalist and former associate of Charles
T. Yerkes. after he had lavished millions
upon her and had hoped to wed her. Thus
has ended as tragically as all her previous
love affairs the last romance OF this beautt
full, tragedy haunted woman.
For Mrs Ketcham's first husband died
month after their marriage of arsenic poi
soning.
Her second husband died suddenly and
mysteriously in her Chicago mansion.
Louderback, heart broken by the brief
cable that announced her wedding to "a
captain in His Majesty's Royal Guards"
rank cyanide Of potassium in solution.
For the first death Mrs. Ketcham was
tried and triumphantly acquitted.
After the second she was under investi-
cation for months and was exonerated.
Louderbacks suicide was the action of a
disappointed love-crazed old man.
The passing of her English husband by
way of a German shell cannot. obviously,
In any way De lald at her door Dy ner crls-
les. Indeed, in this last tragedy, Mrs.
Ketcham, it is said, has experienced a
sorrow like that which drove elderly Mr..
Louderback to his end-for her last ro-
nance was entirely love match, and in
wedding the Englishman the fascinating
Southerner had endeavored to wipe out all
her sorrowful past and begin life anew.
Perhaps no woman has ever had a more
extraordinary love life. Her idiosyn-
Grassy for men whose years were double
and treble hers and their settlement of
fortunes upon her only to find violent
death, marked her as a woman apart.
Her career began when she was but
sixteen years old OF one of New Orleans
cid Creole families-and by Creole is meant
not the popular misconception of that word
but its true sense Of a pure blooded de-
scendant of the old French settlers-she
had the compelling. exotic beauty that so
often marks the women of these emigres.
Her great hazel eyes promised heights OF
tenderness, promise which the red mouth
and the languorous pale skin seemed to con-
firm. With only little valise, containing
The Washington times., 1918-08-25

his wife died
she would be-
come his bride.
On the very
day that this
happened b e
cabled Mrs. Ket
cham, notifying
h er and in
structing her to
start for Amer
lea Immediately
to fulfill her
promise.
And after
three or four
nerve racking
days had passed
he received a
brief cable from
her saving tha.
she had passed
out Of his life
forever and v7s
now the wife of
a captain in His
Majesty's Royal
Guardsi
The decline of
the old man was
swift, indeed.
after the receipt
- All
The Washington times., 1918-08-25

suit to prevent his
dead brothers wife
l ON receiving anv
of the estate. After
The Washington times., 1918-08-25

the few clothes which she
could afford she visited short
! !. !. !. : ! q ] . ! !. : ;
" after her sixteenth birthday ~
friends in Covington, KY, and ,,,M
Immediately a score of the NG&MC
eligible men of that city fell \lE4kST
in love with her. mi /
Most prominent and promis-' M /
ing among them was James R.
Walkup, rancher, politician, fI
sportsman.
. The courtship was fast and
furious, and two months after
they met-the day that Walkup
was elected Mayor of Emporia,
Kan, he led little Minnie Wal
lace to the altar Walkup was
a well-preserved man of fifty
two years. His bride, as has
been said, was just sixteen.
She accompanied him to EN-
poria, where a wonderfully fur.
nished home awaited her as its
mistress.
But her happiness was short lived
month after the wedding Walkup died un
der circumstances which made suspicious
strong that he had met his end as a result
of arsenic poisoning He had been nursed
his last few days by his young wife and
finally suspicion became accusation.
She was indicted by the Grand Jury and
tried during the following October on the
charge of Walkups murder. The eyes OF
the entire county centred on the youthful
beautiful defendant-and all ears upon the
testimony that told of her charm AMI of
the spell she cast on men.
A stranger in Empora. the Creole at
first seemed destined TO fall from the furi.
GUS charges of the prosecuting attorney.
but a prominent criminal lawyer, William
Jay, himself a man of nearly three score
years, appeared suddenly and Unexpectedly
a few days before the trial, championed her
and built up such a defense for the girl
widow that she was triumphantly acquitted
Jay explained that he had seen a picture
OF Mrs. Walkup in a St Louis paper and
had read innocence in her eyes" He
spent more than $4,000 of his own money
in her behalf. He proved that Walkup
was a habitual user OF arsenic and that
he had taken an overdose.
After the trial she was the recipient not
only OF many offers to appear on the stage,
but Of other hearts and fortunes. She
accepted none. returning to New Orleans
with her mother. Soon she began to make
frequent trips to New York and Chicago.
and later travelled extensively in Europe.
Attorney Jay became the conservator of
the half-million dollar estate she received
as beneficiary under the will of her hus-
band.
In 1894 Mrs. Walkup appeared in Chi
The Washington times., 1918-08-25

De Lancy H. Louderback, Chi
cago capitalist, gaUe her three
millions of dollars, and died rDhen
she cabIed him she had married an
English officer.
Her English hu-Idnd has been
killed by she'll in the present war,
Leaving her large estates.
The Washington times., 1918-08-25

The SingMarLy Unhappy LOUe Affairs of Mrs. Ketcham
/HEN sixteen she married James r. WaIkup, 52year
w old Mayor of Emporid Kansas. Walkup died
month after the wedding from arsenic poisoning
girl indicted and tried for his DEATH She
The Washington times., 1918-08-25

uUas acquitted and received under the uUM of
her husband half a million dollars.
John B. Ketchdnl, millionaire lunlberman
died in her house and she claimed marriage to
him. The case was settled OFT of court, Mrs.
ketcham exonerated of any blame for his death
and received tUo hundred thousand dollars from
The public ledger. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1913-1968, 1918-05-30
DISMISSAL OF RAILROAD HEADS
by McADOO WAS LOGICAL
STEP - GOVERNMENT TO
DECIDE TO OWN ALL
CARRIERS

New York - One Of the best
comments occasioned by the action OF
Director General McAdoo, with re-
spect to the railway Presidents, was
made by man who has been OF In
fiuence In the financial district and In
railway management. lie said: There
is not a railway President highly COM
petent for management Of great
railroad who, If he we're placed in the
same position Mr.. McAdoo now occu-
pies, would not have done precisely
what the Director General has done.
For 1t is inevitable that this be done
If the Federal administration of the
railroads Is to be successful"
Naturally some, perhaps all, Of the
railway Presidents are much concern
ed over this action, not knowing ex-
actly where it will place them nor
what the effect of 1t will be upon the
relation of the railroads of the United
States in the future to the Govern
ment and to the people. There has
always lurked suspicion in the
minds of some of the railroad man
ayers that the Federal legislation
whereby unexampled power over the
American railroads was given to one
man, and he an officer of the Admins
tration might lead, after the determi-
nation of the war, to such changes in
the entire policy Of railroad manage
ment and control as would amount to
actual Government ownership.
Some believe that this change will
be inevitable in case the Federal ad-
ministration of the railroads proves to
be successful.
At the same time many are the sur
misses which are ventured which refer
to the future relations of some of the
ablest railroad managers to the new
order which Director General McAdoo
has established. Four or five railway
Presidents are spoken of as possess
ing, in the highest degree, qualfica-
tons for the administration of rail-
roads, both upon the operating and
the financial side. The name ofD an
lei Willard is often mentioned And
his record in building up the Balti-
more and Ohio Railroad to a position
which surpasses even that highly eff
Cient condition which was identified
The public ledger. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1913-1968, 1918-05-30
SQUIRREL WOMEN"

Edna Ferbe noted author of Fany Herself Roast Beef
Medium, and Others hands about women She de
cares they all part squirrel and proves her pontwhout in
any insnlating that Man is nut.
Says Miss Fbcr appeal make wartime use
of the squirrel in their nature
All part squirrel. Who but could save
hos of lace and bits Of furnished tnse If weren't for
women tire would have been aics As built
ignition of the squirrel in Women natural born hoard
When the women Of America realize nothing the world
counts but the winning of this war wont You who
naturabm hoaders up that precious little piles of
ings painfully accumulated The American Red Cross needs mil
lions of dollars There who will they have knitted
ndessy they have rolled bandages made dressings sold Liberty
Bonds conserved food given luxies. 1t not enough
not willing to offer at least part of your secret board If
you cannot give ALL give part Give something Give to Amer
lea that you will not have to give to Germany Five though
hurts Give though saved penny by penny. No
what the need for which have saved it, it is not mion
pressing the need of the Red Cross is this spring when
the fathers and brothers, and Of America will the
into the actual fight that that little hoard of dollars saved by the
workers and househoders of this country will be
needed It's that your solitary dollar doesn count
and can't help But it 1t does The population of the United
States hundred million If every of these could contribute
in day. That's how much your dollar The Red Cross today
eXempifymg the Universal Brotherhood idea
any organization in the world 1t is than organization 1t
is religion. 1t is life
Perhaps knows the value of money than woman
who has earned it. When has and saved it. that
knowledge douby But because of that very knowledge
giving will be all the glorious.
TO the women of America with the instinct of thrift the
with the little squrehoard tucked safely away against long
winters day. the Red Cross with its hundred million dollar
need
Dig!
The public ledger. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1913-1968, 1918-05-30

by the administration Of John w
Garrett OF the Baltimore and Ohio
Railroad-especially at the time o
the Civil Warts frequently referred
to.
Mr.. Willard commands large sal
airy and earns every penny of It. His
facility In railroad management and
his equal skill In working out, pro-
badly after counseling with very able
flnanclers, the financial policy Of the
company would, OF course, justify
Secretary General McAdoo in naming
him as one of his chief subordinates.
But would Mr.. Willard be willing to
accept a post of that kind? Vast re-
sponsibilites would be placed upon
him, but they would not be accom-
panied with equal power.
President Ripley, Of the Atchison
Railroad system is sometimes spoken
of as being more autocratic than were
James ]. Hill or Il. II. Hartman, or
even Commodore Vanderbilt. His
methods, however, have worked out
wonderful results for the Atchison
system. Would he be willing to ac-
cept subordinate appointment under
the Government which, while involv-
ing great responsibilities, would not
confer upon him power that would
match these responsibilities? He
might be willing to do this for pa
triotic motives, but it is very doubtful
whether, from the point of view of
railroad management, he would ac-
cept the subordinate position.
The President of the Pennsylvania
Samuel Rea, has achieved so greatly
that he is often compared with the
ablest of his predecessors, such as
Thomas A. Scott, j, Edgar Thompson,
and even A. ]. Cassatt. His services
to the railroad company are regarded
as worth all the salary which he re-
ceives, and even more. He has al
ready given-as, in fact, Daniel Will
lard and other able railway Presi-
dents have done-important service,
although in an advisory ecapacity, to
the Government.
None of these railway Presidents,
nor all of the railway Presidents Of
the United States when acting in a
group, were able to persuade the In
terstate Commerce Commission to in
crease rates, except grudgingly, and
certainly were unable to secure vast
amounts of fresh capital of which the
railroads stood in need.
But at one stroke of the pen Direc-
tor-General McAdoo furnishes the
railroads of the United States with
nearly s1,OOO,OOOOOO of new capital.
He is also about to increase rates far
beyond any point ever contemplated
by the Interstate Commerce Commits
sion. In addition to that, he is to APP
prove the great increase in the scale
of wages which has been recommend
ed 1t is for these reasons that it has
been of almost unvarying comment in
the financial district that Mr.. McAdoo
was not only justified in taking the
action which he has done in respect to
the railroad Presidents, but, further
more, If he were a man of courage and
if great executive force it was newt
able that he take this action. The
time may come, if the war be pro-
longed, when he, as Director-General,
will again authorize an issue of fresh
capital amounting to billion dollars,
to be expended in accordance with
methods whichhe dictate to the differ
NJ nc
The public ledger. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1913-1968, 1918-05-30
ONE EFFECT OF WAR
PHILADELPHIA Telegraph

The war is going to have this eff
feet:
1t will make public men and leaders
in business the next generation
younger than those of the past gen.
Grafton.
Boys are going to college earlier,
going into business earlier, and they
will go into politics earlier.
When Andrew Jackson was &c years
old he was trying $50 lawsuits in a
year. He came to Congress in Phila-
delphia at 20 and to the United States
Senate here at 80. Resigning from
the Senate, Jackson became a Justice
of the State Supreme Court at 81.
The average age of preachers enter
ing the pulpit is four years more than
it was a century ago, Postgraduate
schools have added much to the age or
new physicians.
congressman are much older than
they were in the early days of our re-
public.
Jefferson was but SO when he wrote
for the Continental Congress the De-
claration of independence.
John Marshall was still in the for
ties when he became our country's
Chief Justice.
Henry Clay was still below the le-
gal age of 80 when he went to the
United States Senate.
If America follows presidents it
will put young Generals in high COM
mands in France.
The public ledger. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1913-1968, 1918-05-30
FRENCH PROTESTANTS ORGAN.
IZE UNION COMMITTEE

A committee representing IA French
and Belgian organizations, including
churches, commissions, and war-relief
societies, has been completely organ
lied in France by Professionals of
France and Belgium under the name
of Comite D'Union Protestante pour
les en- Sescours de Guerre en- France
ct en- Belgique, according to word re-
Gently received by the Federal Coun-
Gil of the Churches.
This committee has appealed to the
American churches for $2,00O,OO0.
Forty-five per cent of this amount
will go to the Comite Protestante
d'Entr' Aide for rehousing, including
the care of refugees; 35 per cent for
the church bodies, apportioned ac-
cording to the number of ministers,
and to be used for maintaining church
services; 10 per cent for social and
educational work; and 10 per cent for
reconstruction of church buildings.
Contributions to this work should be
sent to the United States Committee
on Christian Service for Relief in
France or Belgium, or to the United
American Committee or the United
French Committee
The French High Commission has
engaged Prof. Charles Bierler, of
Montreal, Canada, to present this
cause the people of America. Anyone
desiring his services may address the
United Committee, los East Twenty
nonnnd Ctrnnf Nau, Nnrk City
The public ledger. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1913-1968, 1918-05-30
.@gR&fEER
({3j}!99Z|$&x

Correspondents wW pi,ase Oipe facts as britay a,
ponibis. When anything NJ great Importance occurs
uss he Telegraph or Me Ti,phOne ~ our efpense.
The public ledger. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1913-1968, 1918-05-30
Summit

Summit
Mr.. and Mrs. Wood Frogge and 1T
tie daughter, Winlfred, visited the
formers parents last week.
Mrs. Matte Haucke Of Norwood, o.,
is visiting her mother, Mrs, Case, of
near Stonelck
Mr.. and Mrs. ]. X. Brodt and family
Of Summit visited relatives at West
Union, Ohio, Sunday.
Miss Emma Stevens returned home
Monday night after a short visit to
relatives near Falmouth.
Mrs. Beckett of Mt Carmel, has re-
turned to her home after a short visit
to relatives here.
Mr.. Harvey Stevens of Minerva,
visited his parents, Mr.. and Mrs. T..
r. Stevens, Saturday.
The public ledger. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1913-1968, 1918-05-30

expenditures in the form of fresh cap
ital which Mr.. McAdoO has the power
to authorizt-and in one case has al
ready authorized-there is escap-
ing his responsibility for bringing I'M
der immediate, direct and absolute
personal control the operating forces
of the American railroads.
1t has been sometimes said in the
financial district that this is to be
looked upon as a war measure, and
that view is regarded as having been
justified by a statebent which Direc-
McAdoo has himself made.
But 1t is also wondered whether if as
a war measure, this succeeds greatly,
1t will not inevitably lead to such
changes in our national policy with
respect to the railroads as to bring
them under perfect Government con-
troll an administration which may in
volve Government owenrship.
Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1918-07-01
WORK OR FIGHT
Continued from page one)

other attendants, all persons engaged
and occupied in games, sports and
amusemeats, except actual performers
in legitimate concerts, operas or theat-
rieal performances
"(d) Persons employed in domestic
service. !"
docs not include public or private
chauffeurs, unless they are also engag-
ed in other occupations or employment
defined by these regulations as non
productivity
"(e) Sales clerks and other clerks
employed in stores and other mercan-
tile establishments. I"
(Does not include store executives,
managers, superintendents, nor the
heads of such departments as account
ing, financial, advertising, credit, pur-
chasing, delivery, receiving, shipping
and other departments; does not in
Iclude registered pharmacists employed
in wholesale and retail drug stores or
establishments; and does not include
travelling statesmen, buyers, delivery
drivers, electricians, engineers, carpet
layers, uph0ls -erers, nor any employees
doing heavy work outside the usual du-
ties of clerks.
(nhe words "sales clerks and other
clerks do include the clerical force
in the office, and in all departments of
stores and mercantile establishments
(The words "stores and ether mer-
camille establishments de include
both wholesale and retail stores and
mercantile establishments engaged in
selling goods and wares)
The circular also says, in regard to
acceptance of excuses by local boards:
"ln addition to the cases where
reasonable excuses may be accepted for
temporary idleness or for being engag-
ed in non-produetiye occupation or
employment, LEGAL and district boards
have authority under the regulations
to withhold OF postpone action for a
reasonable time in eases where it ap.
pears that the registrant, in good faith
is or has been, seeking productive EN-.
ployment, and that such reasonable
postponement will enable him to secure
such employment.
Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1918-07-01
British Report Raids

London, July 1.--Suceessful raids on
various sectors Of the Picardy front
were reported by Field Marshal Haig
today. "a hostile post in Aveluy wood
was rushed yesterday afternoon" the
statement said.
"West OF Dernaneourt, we raided
the enemy's trenches and took few
prisoners.
"a successful minor operation north
west Of Albert early last night result
ed in the Improvement of our positions
and the capture Of "a prisoners and
some machine guns.
"a hostile counter attack northwest
Of Albert later in the night, was beat
en- off.