The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-03-06

had many friends among the delegates
from his district, he declined to enter
the race. The name of ]. H. Egan, of
ST. Francis, who made the race for
nomination in the last election, while
not present at the meeting last week,
there was a good many inquiries for
him, and the question was asked if he
would get into the campaign!
In almost every community there is
some one person who is pointed out to
be a character" The qualities which
cause him to stand out apart from his
fellow citizens varies. whatever they
are they represent an excessive devel-
1 opment of a trait of human character.
1 One of these men was William Kele-
her. who for more than forty years
ministered to the needs of the travel
/ ing public is northwestern Kansas.
| Your correspondent first knew him in
/ Millbrook. county seat of Graham
county. When Hill City won thesper-
manent site for the court house. he
moved across the Solomon river and
continued feeding the public in the
new county seat Wherever Uncle
Billy" keleher went, the travelling
public followed. A few years before
his death he moved to Plainville and
ran the most popular hotel the town
ever had until he died in 1916. He
was known best for his keen Irish
wit and repartee. Your correspondent
recalls the occasion when several
Knights of the Grip came to his hos
telry for entertainment. After wash
ing one of them found the towel wet
and dirty, and asked Keleher if he
ever changed the office towel Quick
as a flash came the retort: Towel
towel. be dad, forty men have wiped
on that towel, and you are the first
travelling men were laughing and the
discomfitted fellow Nset up the cigars
to the house On another occasion
keleher oversight one morning when
train. This was something which
seldom occurred, tho Uncle Billy. old
and weary from constant work, called
his own guests However, the travel
ing man, justly chagrined at being
left. said why in H didn't you call
me Tor that early train % When the
quick reply came back, How could 1
when wasn't there and wasn't awake
nyseII Uncle Billy was, in his
young days, something of ad adven-
turer. He participated with Walker
IN his disastrous filibustering expedi-
ton into Central America in 1860 and
later In the Fenian raid into Canada.
de was intensely loyal to Irish free
dom and to his own adopted country
While lacking in the culture of the
SCHOOLS, no one was more accurate
ana comprehensive in knowledge of |
european history than he. Those who
knew Uncle Billy Keleher will rener1-
Der him with sympathetic favor.
NdWllns county was represented at |
the late Democratic convention and |
banquet by a solid delegation, and they
We're strong for their home man. Bert /
hesselrlng, for state superintendent.
me Republicans have favored the big
sixth IN putting three men in state |
office. Now the Democrats of Raw
Inns, and a following from other coun-
ties in that section have picked on /
heSSelr1nS to fill that office besides
ne VIII be good company to the Re
puo1cans who are filling offices from
tnat district. He is a native of Raw
ms county, and has lived there all his |
life. He is well versed in school work,
and has served his county as superin-
tendent of schools.
Ned Couldren, of the Oberlin Her
aid, one of the oldest papers pub
lished in the west end of the Sixth dis
tr1ct, was a representative at Masonic
grand lodge. Along in the days OF
Populism the father, E. NJ. Couldren,
then farmer, took the Herald, and
he and the son have made it a sue
cess Along with getting out a good |
clean paper, he has raised two thoro
newspaper boys, Ned being with the
old home paper, and Ray holds the
editorialship of a daily in Joplin, Mo.
The Couldren family are among the |
pioneer settlers in Decatur county.
KANSAS FARMFR