The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-03-10
Topeka Woman Asking for Pro-
lection Against "TOwn Talk"
Arguments Begin in S15, 200 Nc
Kibben-Wingert Slander CAGE.
M'KEEvER GETS SARCASTIC
Calls Women "GOssiping Sis
ters" and "Busybodies."
Gossip of Alleged Phone Con-
versatiOn Cause of Trouble.

For the first time in years an at
tempt is being made in Topeka to put
an expensive curb on a woman's
tongue thru court channels.
Today, f. D. McKeever, represents
ing Mrs Bina McKibben. 123 Ohio
street, began arguments in the $15,-
600 SANDER suit against Mrs. Alice
Wingert 1914 Twiss avenue. The trial
is being held in Judge James A. Nc
Clure's division of the district court.
Testimony introduced tended to
show that Mrs. Wingert heard an al
legged conversation over a party tele-
phone line between Mrs. McKibben
and an unknown man in which. Mrs.
Wingert is charged with asserting.
a questionable date with this man
was discussed. Testimony further
showed there were ten families with
telephones on the party line.
Mrs. Mckibben, young and pretty
Wife of civil engineer now near
death in sanatorium in New Mexico,
described to the jury the humiliation
and disgrace she had suffered follow
ing the circulation of this story thru
out Oakland
Says 1t Hurt Her In Church.
1T went clear to the church where
1 was a Sunday school teacher" Mrs.
Mckibben testified. 1T resulted in
the minister asking me to take a back
seat in church affairs. My neighbors
thing possible in a mental way from
the circulation of an untrue story"
Mrs. James j Farquer, 164 Emmett
street, testified that she and her hus-
band heard the story and were ad-
vised TO go to Mrs Wingert. who
could tell it ALL" This, she testified,
she and several other women did.
Other women named by McKeever as
persons who heard the story told by
MRS. Wingert were Mrs. Sam Cremer
and Mrs: w. L. Jury. Mrs. Farquer
also testified that the story was car
ried to a church meeting by other
women.
Mckecver Not Complimentary.
| Mckeever. always caustic in a law
suit, surpassed all previous records to-
day in speaking of the women as "a
lseif appointed committee of scandal
mongers, a gang of gossiping sis
ters" and bunch of busybodies.''
Mrs McKibben told the Jury she had
| lived in Topeka for many years, She
stated she was cashier at a local de-
partment store for several years and
she had never been the subject of eos-
sip in her life until she moved into
that neighborhood. Prior to the AL
legged circulation of the story she was a
Sunday school teacher in the Seward
Avenue Methodist church and was
forced to drop her church work be-
| cause of the humiliation and naughty
glances of her church sisters following
the circulation of the story, she testi-
fled.
! The court room was filled with wo-
men when the trial opened this morn
Ing. Mrs. McKibben's mother, Mrs. j.
t. Otis, sat by her side. Mrs Wineert
a gray haired, nice looking woman, sat
alone behind her attorney, D. H Bran
aman.
Il never in my life saw Mrs VIM
CERT to know her until today" Mrs
McKibben testified. II just know
what she has said about me-"
Didn't your husband often call up
and talk to you on the telephone about
different things?" McKeever asked.
He did" she replied