The Butler weekly times and the Bates County record. (Butler, Mo.) 1918-1950, 1922-01-26
MAYOR COWGILL OF KANSAS
CITY, DEAD
Dies at His Desk During an Alterca-
ton With Police Commissioner
Matt Foster.

! Kansas City, January 2o.--With a
pledge On his lips a promise that
every waking hour will be spent in
freeing Kansas City from the grip OF
yice"--Jalnes Cowgirl. the cty's
mayor since 1913, died i'll his office at
the city hall at HOS O'Clock this
morning.
liis last word was an answer to
Matt Foster. police commissioner
his opponcnt for the mayoralty in
the smug eampai0 OF l92o--to :ce
charge that YOU arc not the mayor
ot t.ls town--merely man " no sits
iii a chair and lets things 20 on about
YOU"
DIR. Bullock said the technical cause
OF the mayor $ death was apoplcXy.
| The occasion OF the meeting was
gathering OF womens club members
welfare officers, city health officials,
police commissioners and the mayor,
called at the request OF Mrs. Herbert
| Y. Allen to protest police methods in
handling women, prisoners.
Although the mayors voice was
low and even--~a touch OF sadness
creeping INTO his words--he evident
| ly was laboring under great emo
tional stress.
| He spoke in conversational tone
IN his reply, but the effort appar-
emily added to the strain and his
heart gave way.
Fosters face was flaming red. His
hands were clehched.
Charges and counter charges were
hurled between the women, city Off
cials and the police commissioners
through the first hour of the NEE ing
Those present were Mrs. Allen,
Mrs. Glen Brown, and Mrs. Mason
Aldermen. representing the club
women of Kansas City; DIR. L. II.
Bullock, city health director. and DR..
w. II. Taylor, superintendent of the
welfare board; John Wilson and Fos-
ter, police commissioners, Frank Al
derson, police captain at headquar-
tcrs. the mayor and the Rev. J.. M
Birkhcad
Mayor James. Cowgirl, Democrat.
was born in Henry county, Ind ana,
April 2, lS48. Ills father, William
Cowgirl, wai d native OF kentu Ky,
and his mother, Rhoda Cowgirl, came
from Virginia. lie was educated in
the public schools of Henry county.
indiana, and on October 7, 1904, he
enlisted i'll Company X of the gtl In
diana infantry, in which he served
until September 2S, 1865, the end uf
the Civil war. when he was lonor-
ably discharged at Camp Stan.eY
1cxaS.
On September 22, 1867, he was mar
ricd to Miss Ella Meyers, in Henry
county, Indiana, and made his home
there until August, 1903. He then
moved to Caldwell county, Missouri,
where he engaged III iarmisg and
stock raising for number OF years.
Mayor Cowgill's first venture in
political life came with his election as
presiding Judge of the Caldwell couu-
ty court in 1852.
In lSO2 he was elected state rail-
road and warehouse commissioner.
Mayor Cowgirl first became identi-
lied prominently in civic affairs in
Kansas City i'll 1000. when he was
elected city treasurer. he was re-
elected to that office in 1909. In Io0A
lie was nominated for state treasurer
OF Missouri on the Democratic ticxct
but was defeated at the election. In
1903 hc was renonlinat.d for state
treasurer and was elected to four
year term by a comicrtab.e majority,
running ahead of his ticket.
lie was also chosen by Governor
Gardner as election commissioner.
lie was later selected by Governor
Gardner as chairman of the Demo-
cratic state committee.
Mayor Cowgirl was prominent
Mason and member Of TIE baptist
Lurch