St. Louis Post-Dispatch
March 13, 1912

Historic newspapers carry the language, views and graphic reporting of their time, including racist content. They are shown to teen and adult profiles.

The text was read from the page scans by machine (OCR), so it has mistakes and its columns may run together. See the pages · About this title · At the Internet Archive

Page 1

. Yesterday’s oe + ers 5s

St. Louis’ ONE BIG Newspaper COUNT OF WANT ADS: - S001 ~*

VOL. 64. NO. a a

200.

tty T. /OUIS POST-DISPATCH Only Evening Paper i in St. Louis W ith the Associated Press News Service.

LL LAN

ST. LOUIS, WEDNESDAY EVENING, NV MARCH 13, 1912—16 416 PAGES. PRICE ONE CENT |

| BEGGS SUED IN $40,000 REALTY DEAL BY WOMAN Annie Devoe of New York City Declares That Capital- ist Induced Her to Invest and Then Turn Over Title to the Mortgage. Plaintiff in Paper Says That Now and at All Times Heretofore Meant She Has Been Without a Husband. She Avers Beggs, While in the East, Made His Home in Her House—He Gave Her $22,000, She Says. a tii John I. Beggs, president of the St. Louis Car Co. and former president of the North American Co. and the United Railways Co., is named as defendant in a suit for a $40,000 accounting filed by Annie R. Devoe of New York, in the St. Louis Circuit Court Wednesday. In her petition the plaintiff says that she “is now, and at all times herein- after mentioned, without a husband.” She, in her that in 1894 and thereafter Beggs, when in New York, made her home his home, and that as her only adviser he induced her to purchase a piece of real estate in New York and to place a $40,000 mort- gage on it in his name, promising to pay. her the interest and the principal on the mortgage when due. Beggs, she says, from time to time has advanced money to her, the total amount being about $22,000. The ac- counting asked for is to determine her title to the $40,000 mortgage and to de- termine whether money advanced to her by Beggs as her friend shall be deducted from it. She alleges that she first met Beggs in New York in 1893, and that he repre- sented himself to her as a man of large business experience. He also, she says, expressed the ut- most friendship for her, and by these representations secured her entire con- fidence and reliance ir his judgment. This confidence and affection in- creased, she said, when after 1894 Beggs made her home his when in New York. In 1894, she says, acting on Beggs’ ad- vice, she purchased real estate at 28 West Twenty-fifth street in New York. At that time, she alleges, she had no other guidance, and Beggs would not permit her to take the advice of any- one else. He persuaded and insisted that she follow his council. Later, the petition says, the property sold for $93,000, the purchase price in part being paid by a second mortgage for $40,000. Beggs, she says, had advanced her $15,000 to make the original purchase, and he insisted that the mortgage be made in his name, but promised her the interest and full proceeds from it. In violation of her rights, she alleges, Beggs retained the entire $40,000 in his own name, J. Hamilton Lewis of Chicago, a for- mer Congressman, and Spencer and Don- nell of St. Louis are named on the pe- tition as Mrs. Devoe’s attorneys. Judge Selden P. Spencer of Spencer & Donnell said that he could tell nothing about Mrs. Devoe in addition to what was contained in the petition. He said that her home is in New York and that she is not now in St. Louis. When efforts were made to see Beggs at the St. Louis Car Co. office it was said that he was not there. Later he attended a meeting in the directors’ room of the Mississippi Valley Trust Co. A request for an interview with him was sent in at 2:30 p. m., and the an- swer came back that Beggs could not make a statement and could not be dis- turbed while the meeting was in prog- ress. petition, alleges Worth $10,000,000, Beggs is reputed in financial circles to be worth between $8,000,000 and $10,- (00,000. He is the largest stockholder in the North American Co., which con- trols the United Railways and Union Electric Light companies in St. Louis, all the public utility corporations in MiJwaukee and has valuable holdings in ether cities. He is one of the largest owners also of the preferred and com- mon stock of the United Railways Co. aie is a director in the North American and United Railways Co., the Third Na. tional Bank and about ten other corpor- ations. His son-in-law, Richard Mce- Culloch, is vice-president and assistant general manager of the United Railways

Two Years in Jafl for Contempt. ALBUQUERQUE, N. M., March 13.— Stephen Canavan, a former mine oper- ator of Gallup, N. M., reputed to be worth $75,000, was sentenced to two years in jail for contempt of court. Canavan was charged with disposing of his prop- ee erty and leaving the State to avoid pay- ; hoy of @ $21,500 judgment obtained by CONFIRMED AS JUDGE OF SUPREME COURT amma, et

a: *)

MISC. L SOEKER LEADS WOMEN ih PEROUNAL IAAL) ———— rei rea in 4 Vea! ie Her Total $199,850, All in Notes and Deeds.

Miss Catharine Louise Soeker of 4207 Magnoha avenue gained the distinction Wednesday of having the largest per- sonal property tax assessment among St. Louis women. Her assessment is $199,850, all in notes and deeds of trust. The first inspection of the books, made Monday, caused the belief that Mrs. Ju- lia M. Walsh of 4341 Westminster place, with a personalty assessment of $103,992, headed the list of women wealthy in other things than real estate. But As- sessor Brinkop, after a closer examina- tion of the books, pointed out Miss Soe- ker’s name as leading all the rest. Miss Soeker inherited her wealth with- in the last year from the estate of her uncle, Charles Soeker, who died July §8, 1910. An inventory of his property showed a valuation of $234,535, of which all but $135 was in notes. The estate, with the exception of $21,- 000, was left to Miss Soeker, whom Charles Soeker named in his will as the daughter of his deceased brother, Fred- erick Soeker. The $21,000 was divided equally among six nephews and nieces, two of whom reside in Germany. Miss Soeker, not having been on last year’s tax lists, made no personal prop- erty tax return. Assessor Brinkop dis- covered her large holdings when exam- ining the Probate Court records, and entered his own assessment of the prop- erty in red ink on the tax books. As it is not customary to double the as- sessment of estates for which no return is made, Miss Soeker escaped this pen- alty, to which individuals are subject. The largest assessment of a St. Louis estate was made against the McMillan holdings. The trustees failed to make a tax return, and Assessor Brinkop esti- mated its property at $1,260,000 and placed that amount in red ink on the tax records. The estate of Louis Brinckwirth is assessed at $249,930 in°red ink by the Assessor. The property left by Mrs. Josephine Brinckwirth, who died a few nfonths after her husband, is valued at $61,600 on the Assessor’s books. That entry is also in red ink. No tax re- turn was made by the heirs, and the valuation was calculated from the rec- ords of the Probate Court. 1000 ARABS KILLED IS ITALIAN REPORT RENGHAZI, Tripoli, March 13.—More than 1000 Arabs were killed and another 1000 wounded in the stiffest encounters of the Turco-Italian war, according to Italian advices, when the Italians yes- terday stormed and occupied two bases, northeast of Fojat, which were strongly entrenched and held by a large force of Arabs. The Arabs defended their position with the utmost bravery, but were routed by the Italian troops at the point of the bayonet. More than four hundred Arab bodies were left on the battlefield and the Italian officers report that an enormous number were carried off by the retreat-

ing enemy.

SPENT FORTUNE IN SU-YEAR EFFORT 10 UOLLECT $30,000 A. H. Nicolay’ s Judgment Against St. Clair County Now Amounts to $155,550.

A judgment given by a United States} court against St. Clair County, Mo., in 1874, for $30,000, which. with principal and interest, has a face value of $1565,- 550, will be sold at the east door of the courthouse in April io the highest bid- der for cash. Aside from recalling the historie fight of St. Clair County against the decrees of Federal courts, the sale of this judg- ment brings to light the strange story of A. H. Nicolay, who died in St. Louis April 9, 1910. Nicolay spent all his pri- vate income and 30 years of his life trying to collect the debt. When his effects were turned over to the public Administrator it was found the judgment was the only asset in the estate. And about that time St. Clair County began arranging to compromise on its outstanding claims, paying some of them at 50 ecents on the dollar. Order Made to Sell Judgment. The order to sell the judgment was made in the Probate Court Tuesday. It will be advertised in legal form for 10 days before the Public Administrator puts it up at auction. Nicolay was a qulet, little oJd man. whose friends thought he was deluded when he insisted he would some day get his money out of St. Clair County. As repeated efforts to collect failed, he grew sensitive about the matter and dis- cussed it little. He staked all he had on the gamble that some day the claim would make him rich, No heirs could be found after his death. None ever has appeared to claim his estate. The $30,000 judgment was on some of the famous St. Clair County railroad bonds. In 1870 that county and others floated bonds for the Lebo & Neosho Railway, which never was built. The bonds were sold by the promoters and the buyers looked to the county to -e- deem them, Judges Hid in Caves. The county refused. Numerous suita were brought, among them the one on which this $30,000 judgment was cb- tained by Attorney John H. Overall In the Federal Court. The county judges refused to authorize the payment of the claims and were adjudged in contempt. For years the county judges were either in prison or hiding in tie wo ris, transacting county business in caves and forest recesses. More than 15 county judges served jail sentences. The county paid their fines while they were in prison. Running for the office of County Judge in St. Clair County «ame to be looked upon as running /or «a term in prison. But imprisonment ,for this cause was considered a high hono- in the county. EXPLORER IS GIVEN UP SEATTLE, Wash., March 13.—Mail from Herschel Island in the Arctic Ocean and points on the Mackenzie River received at Dawson, Y. T., says Hubert Darrell, the explorer, who went eastward in 1910 from the Mackenzie, has been given up for lost. No. word has come from the “ey since his departure.

: APRESIAN NLS TWO TRAIN BANDITS E OITION FINANCIAL MARKETS = a FaePey ceil q _ SPORTS

AND RECOVERS L001

Messenger on Sunset Express of Southern Pacific in Texas ti 3 Rifling Own Car Under Ra of Death, Fools Outlaw by a R _ Then Picks Up Mallet and Slays Him.

SHOOTS SECOND ROBBER WITH FIRST’S REVOL uA x _ oe ee x i, : i Bi ‘ 5 a P Fo 432 . . , = ; : . - wu “fe % } 2 ‘ 4 - : y . a rt : ie DS guts = Be - - * Sai \ * . 2 egy 7 ane hggenele +e toe. — . i er “ . " . és us : ¢ % m4 “ DA arene “> ek oe ae x Rs . m - ~~ » . R 7 we i ‘ Pas a “ 4% & & ‘ : A : * 3 " r _ ‘ y ‘ 3 noe ' ee ot dee ed ye “ny ‘ * > iia ‘ iss 3 5 Mere Cee de aS : 4 er

Conductor of Train Held Up Near Sanc Hearing Freight Coming Behind, Back, Stops It, and to Telephone to Town for Officers—Be Make Crew Help. ¥ al Me Ly, Uses Train Instru aes Ke ix 4 : ~~ eg’ NES * ae ae eae

SAN ANTONIO, Tex., March senger David A. Trousdale of the Southern Pacific’s Sunset I pr ane gh i ee ehiage a * ¢ + ge gs ls Bo : ‘ * e a 13.—Single-handed, Express M > ‘ - *, o - te today killed two bandits, who had held up and robbed the train n Sanderson, and recaptured their plunder. Passengers who went: Sanderson with the story were thrilled by what they conside | most daring exploit-in the railroad history of the Siasbitcenhian The Sunset Express is a fast train from New Orleans to the cifie Coast. of El Paso, 879 miles from New Orleans. was planned there. At Dryden, where the robbers boarded the engine, they told Engineer Grosh to keep moving till he came to @ point about ten miles from Dryden. When the train reached the point, Conductor Erkel sent a negro porter forward to see what was the matter, but the por- ter did not return, and the conductor himself went forward, only to be con- fronted by rifles in the robbers’ hands, Hurriedly he ran out of range. Robbers Make Crew Help. The engineer was brought back to the side of the mail car and Messenger Trousdale and Mail Clerk Banks were forced to get out upon the ground, and then the bandits made the entire crew help cut the train and move the en- gine, mail and express cars forward a short distance. The express messenger and mail clerk then rifled their respective cars at the point of guns and under threats of in- stant death. Conductor Erkel, hearing a train in the distant rear, went back and had the train, a freight, stopped. From this point he put up the telephone always carried on trains, and summoned officers from Sanderson, By this time the robbers had driven the train half a mile westward and stopped around a curve. Appears to Give Signal. It was here that Trousdale proved he had the stuff of heroes in him. To the robbers he feigned to take the affair with apparent good nature and seemed the most docile catspaw for the robber, who stood over him, compelling him to rifle the packages and boxes. In the midst of his work he turned around and seemed to be signaling to a person behind his captor. For a fleet- ing instant the bandit took his eyes off Trousdale. The next moment Trousdale had seized the big ice mallet and killed the bandit, striking a crushing blow on the side of the head. Trousdale’s first ruse had worked. As the man lay inert Trousdale took up the revolver which had clattered to the floor and crouched near the wall of the car waiting for the attack of the other robber. He waited a long time, it seemed, for the bandit up in the engine had confi- dence In the other outlaw. Finally, growing uneasy, the engine guard Jumped quickly from the cab and ran back to the express car. Killed Second Robber, Trousdale barely heard his footsteps before the robber had rushed half way into the car. One shot killed the bandie. Trousdale quietly informed those of the crew waiting outside in the darkness that the holdup “was over.”’ Trousdale is @ Tennesséean, having come to San Antonio seven years ago, when he entered the Wells Fargo em- ploy. Trousdale is 32 years old. He recently promoted to the express run. He Itves in San Antonio, The bodies of the robbers were taken to Sanderson. They have not been identified. 3 The passengers in the train took up a Sanderson is a division point on the line, 300 oatlen’ “< ol It is thought the

SUT TODETERMINE. ‘| F MISSING it i SDEADIS ONT Sarah De Hatre Gone Since and Partition of Herg§ ¢ Estate Is Asked. A suit to determine whether M Sarah DeHatre, daughter of a plone St. Louts family, shall be declared legs ly dead because she has been missing? since 1904, was begun in the Circult Court at Clayton, Wednesday. ae - At the morning hearing, George | Hatre, her brother and one of the ? became so excited that he hysterically several times and -moved from the courtroom by ¢ Judge McElhinney. The suit is an action to partition | estate of the missing woman, valued er about $6000. It was brought by ul | H. Ruenpohl, a saloon keeper of Bridie ton, to whom Louis de Hatre years ago sold his share in the Louis de Hatre is supporting the tiff's action. He is the only one « 17 heirs who insists that Miss de is dead. It was on his examination brother, George, became excited. times the plaintiff's lawyers ob questions, and when the objections ¥ overruled George would cry out: ‘ Judge is no fool; he'll do fit all The other heirs say there is ’ sumption that Miss de Hatre ts ¢ because she is missing, as such df pearances are a family trait. Hatre admitted on : that when a young man he left. h and was not heard of for several » and that in 1900 he went to the Kilo: gold fields, where he at years. He said, however, he & year to his wife. Once the plaintiff's lawyer to a question as to whether had collected $000 while her was away, on the ground it say evidence. “Tt’'s not hearsay!’ George ie * weep MOPARS ts ; sal a

lores collection and preeented It to the ne than aan