- 1920s - (Part 7 of 14) -
“Far from being the howling wilderness, and desolation that the average school yard resembles during the summer time, Eureka High School Building grounds compare more favorably with Riverside Park, as the result of the care of Charles Preston, who is caring for the place. Not only is the grass kept neatly mowed and green and the weeds out, but there are beautiful beds of cannas, zinnias and other beautiful flowers. Many Eurekans consider it on of the prize beautiful spots in the town and drive by frequently. (school was located at 4th and Maple) In April 1923, one of the biggest athletic events in Eureka and Greenwood County was to happen, when the Kansas City Monarch Baseball Club was to play a local team. The Monarchs were one of the leading negro teams in the negro league, which was composed of Chicago, Pittsburg, Cleveland, Columbus and Kansas City. If it is possible to arrange this game, there is little doubt that it should be drawing a crowd from the whole county. The Monarchs are jumping from Dallas, their training camp, to Kansas City, and were willing to break the same providing games could be arranged in Viola, Chanute and Eureka. A more definite announcement was to be made later.
In the opening game of the season on April 25, 1923, the Eureka baseball team defeated the Kansas City Monarchs by a score of 8 to 4.
In April of 1923, 153 Florida cattle out of a drove of 1,500 shipped to Greenwood County died a few hours after they were unloaded at Reece. The cattle had been on the train for days and were so weak when taken off that they could scarcely stand. Shortly after the cowboys started with them to the big pastures south of Eureka, where they were to be grazed for the summer, a cold drizzling rain set in and the doggies were soon so chilled they could not be driven, but drifted with the wind, many of them crumpling up by the wayside where they died like flies. 153 dead steers were counted along the road the steers had traveled. The others revived with the balmy sunshine the next day and it is reported they are filling up on the grass and beginning to enjoy the Kansas climate. All are longhorns with every color of the rainbow represented in their hides.
In July 1923, William Taylor had a narrow escape when the sickle of his mower machine ran into ninety quarts of nitro glycerin , a box of dynamite and other explosives which were concealed in weeds on his farm, about three miles north of Eureka.
Taylor was cutting weeds along the fence when the sickle of his mower caught on something. He backed up and tried again and the sickle caught as before. Upon examination the obstruction proved to be explosives, hidden in the weeds and covered with an old greasy raincoat.
The sheriff and a shooter for the American Glycerin Company removed the explosives to the magazine north of town.
Crazed by ptomaine poisoning, a truck drive, attacked Marshall Tom Lukens of Madison in July 1923 and the marshal in self defense killed the man. He had previously struck and escaped from Deputy Sheriff Frank Heidrick when arrested in response to word received from the man’s sister at whose home he lived.
The man had come home to his sister’s house and told her and his brotherin- law that he was going to kill them. The sister immediately notified the deputy sheriff who found the man on the street and started to take him to Judge Green’s office. When they got to the judge’s office, the man struck the deputy who had started down the stairs and knocked him into the basement. The crazy man ran across the street where Marshall Lukens was standing, knocked the officer down between two cars and struck at him repeatedly. The marshal finally drew his gun and shot the man through his right lung. The man ran about a block and started cursing at a man sitting in a car. The man in the car asked him what was the matter with him and called his attention to the fact that his shirt was on fire. The man went around to the rear of the car and dropped dead.
The man had been subject to attacks if insanity before, due to ptomaine poisoning. The man believed everyone was trying to poison him.
In August of 1923, Guy Downard was closing his meat market about 11:15 p.m., when he was robbed of $175 from his market on North Main Street. Guy had practically closed up shop. He had just closed his ice box door and had four bottles of pop in his arm, when the robber, who was leaning against the show case, called for two pounds of hamburger. Guy said the first thought which flashed through his mind was “I’m robbed” and made the call to some in the back of the building with the remark, “Jess, any hamburger left?” The bandit at that brought his gun into view simultaneously with the command to “hold’em up,partner, I got’uh” The bandit then searched for a gun, asking if he had a gun.
The bandit made Guy walk to him, until the muzzle of the gun was against Guy’s right side. Then he ordered him back of the ice box for search. After searching Guy for a gun, the bandit scooped out the money from the cash drawer. The bandit was methodical and unhurried. First, he scooped out the dollars, then the half dollars and so on down. He left the checks fall on the floor. He ordered Guy to the back of the room and had him unlock the back door and opened it. That was the last he saw of the robber. The robber seemed to know something about the operations of the shop, as he asked Guy where the rest of the money was. Probably an equal amount had been placed in a safe up town earlier in the evening.
Considerable search was made that night, but no trace or sight was had of the robber after he made his way out of the shop. Several cars were standing in front of the shop during the hold-up. When Guy went and inquired which way the robber went, none had paid any attention to the man leaving the meat market except one man who happened to remember of having seen some man walk out and across the street.
In August 1923, the Eureka Ice Plant was expecting to be turning out more ice after a $20,000 upgrade. Storage capacity has been increased to 500 tons. The storage walls are 10 inches thick, filled with rock wool and ground cork, which with ammonia pipes in the room will assure anyone who wants to take the” freeze out” cure for hay fever a complete success. Eighteen tons of ice can be turned out every twenty-four hours. The old method of freezing has been supplanted by electrically driven compact refrigerating machines.
In August of 1923 the crime wave at Severy reached a higher crest when the Pete Ludvickson store was entered at night and much valuable merchandise taken. It was Severy’s fifth robbery in four weeks. A $500 reward has been offered. Entrance was made by boring around a door panel with a brace and bit and then unlocking the door through the opening. Only the very best merchandise was taken. Some of the stolen items include 1 gold watch, 5 men’s hats, 11 ladies’ suits, 6 pairs of men’s shoes, 46 men’s suits, 39 bolts of silk and many other items.
In November of 1923 the Kansas Oil Belt Leagues composed of seven high schools was formed to provide basketball competition for Augusta, El Dorado, Eureka, Wellington, Florence, Marion and Peabody. A trophy cup will go to the team that wins the league.
On December of 1923 acting on a petition signed by a majority of the resident taxpayers of the town of Climax asking that Climax be incorporated as a city of third class, the board of Greenwood County commissioners reported favorably on the petition and Climax was to be listed among the “cities “ of Greenwood County.
In December of 1923 a check artist, and no amateur at that, was busy in Eureka.
A man, probably about 30 and well-dressed went into the Bright Clothing store and purchased about nine dollars’ worth of clothing. He told them his wife had a check with her in Wichita and that she would be back on the evening bus, and that then he could pay for them. That evening he came back with the check. It was made out on a Citizens Bank check and was filled in with a typewriter . The check was for $51.00. The clothing store took it and gave the man change.
In the meantime, a customer had called at the Wiggins Hardware store ( store was south of where the Gym is today) to buy a box of shells. He also gave a check on the Citizens Bank, filled in with a typewriter, but made out to the name Teter and indorsed by Hudson. The hardware store took the check and gave the man his change. This check was for $35.00. After two checks had gone through the clearing house here, they both were turned down. Two local merchants are “stuck” for $86.00 by accommodating strangers.”
