The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-03-31
CURRENT EVENTS.

Inc trial uraSS along, as Slowly dS
some of the King drags on Topeka
suburban roads. Today began the
fourth week of the courts continued
devotion to the MacLennan libel suits
the fifth week really, counting the
first one, which the court was obliged
to put over another week at the very
start.
The fishing was not good following
the last session of the Shawnee county
District Court, which recessed over
Saturday and until this Monday morn
ing. The waters were too muddy. To-
peka waters of an economic legal and
welfare nature have been consider
ably muddied in various ways in re-
cent weeks, months and years, but
they are clearing. The results will
be better.
Saturday afternoon and Sunday,
were, however, days of rest for the
court, the jury. the witnesses, the de-
PENDANT and the defendants attorney.
The latter two were out in the country,
walked over the hills. thru the woods
an: got close to nature, far from the
tense atmosphere of the courtroom.
They found the first flowers of
spring. the Dog Tooth Violets." Fry
chromium Albidem, were out The
Dog Wood and the Red Bud were al
most ready to burst forth, but not
quite. The spring is late, tho the
robins were in evidence and the song
of the Cardinal was heard. The
meadow lark did not sing yesterday;
it was too chilly.
The blue birds which were fitting
about a week ago, were hidden in am
bush, lowering from. the cool breezes.
The trees still bear their winter
nakedness, tho the Red Oaks ratified
their dead leaves still clinging to the
branches. The sycamore balls of last
the Coffee BEN trees, with their scaly
twigs still supported the large pods
filled with the beans" of marble size,
smoothness and hardness.
The white oaks, the post oaks the
burr. or Jack oaks, the chestnut oaks,
the pin oaks were dead so far as any
new life is concerned. The red and
white elms were shedding the refuse
The honey locusts were dormant. The
walnuts and hickories and lindens
and cottonwoods and wild cherries and
hockberries-alI in their nativity at
Cedarcrest. were waiting for warmer
days or the end of the libel suits en-
gaging the owner. The Collies were
barking and yelping, including five
with their eyes just opened and white
tips on every tail, heredity from the
mother dog.
In a word there were, as Walt Ma
son said: THE bark of watchdog,
elm and oak"-but it is o'clock Mon
day morning. March 81. under the
new time clocks. which have advanced
an hour. and court is in session hear
ing Decker VS.. MacLennan.
Late Saturday afternoon while Mr..
Shultz, political reporter for the State
Journal, was out of the city and Mr..
MacLennan was at the end of his
third week in libel suits, with the
fourth week pending, Governor Allen,
Secretary of State Pettijohn. State
Treasurer Payne, Attorney General
Hopkins, Superintendent Wooster and
Auditor Knapp took the state adver-
Using away from the State Journal on
a days notice, leaving in the hands
of this paper, under process OF print
ing. a dozen or more columns of leg
islative acts. copy for which came
from the secretary of state with in
structions to publish. There was
nothing illegal in the action. 1t was
sudden and the action taken Saturday
was the consideration of a matter
which members of the executive coun-
ell stated would be considered this
week.
United States Senator Capper's pa
per was given this printing and made
the official state paper. The State
Journal is losing much business, be-
sides the states business. because the
editor and publisher was trying to
help liberty loan sales and today and
for four weeks past has been COM
PEELED to be in daily attendance al
court to defend himself.
T. p. NJ.