100 years ago: Robbers break into train at Lawrence rail yard

From the Lawrence Daily Journal-World for March 3, 1912:

  • “What the local officers believe to have been a robbery necessitated by want took place early this morning in the Union Pacific railroad yards in North Lawrence. Two cars, one containing groceries and the other a refrigerator car filled with meat from a Kansas City packing house, were broken into and a number of articles taken. The cars were sealed with the ordinary freight car seal and entrance into them was easily effected by cutting the wire with a pair of wire cutters. This morning two quarters of beef were found in a field close to the railroad track and also a tub of butter that had been taken from the merchandise car. The railroad officials have started to check over the goods to determine how much was taken by the thieves.”
  • “Heavy snows prevailed in Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota today. The local weather forecaster predicted that the storm would continue in the southwest throughout the day. Reports from Council Grove are that the track is closed near Hoisington on the Missouri Pacific and that the company had little hope of trains getting through today. The Santa Fe, Rock Island, and Union Pacific ordered out snow plows.”
  • “By a score of 17 to 14 the Crimsons defeated the Blues in the first game of basketball of the Women’s Athletic Association of the University, played this morning. Although the weather was bad and kept a crowd away, the game was a thrilling one and showed that the girls can play basketball.”