100 years ago: Stranger enters rural home, takes man’s suit

From the Lawrence Daily Journal-World for August 24, 1914:

  • “Robert Guntert who lives three and one-half miles north of here, near Midland, was the victim of a robbery Saturday. He was preparing to leave his farm for a short time about 1 o’clock in the afternoon and just as he was driving out of his yard some stranger came in and asked for a drink. Mr. Guntert showed him the well and told him to help himself and drove away, and the ‘hobo’ went to the well and proceeded to get his drink, but evidently did not leave right away. Mr. Guntert thought nothing more of the matter and did not return until about 5 o’clock, some four hours after he had left. When he went into the house he found that his house had been entered and a suit of clothes taken. Nothing else was missing and efforts were made to locate the man in the neighborhood but it was too late…. As yet nothing definite has been obtained to find the whereabouts of the man who asked for a drink and Mr. Guntert is still missing his suit.”
  • “The rain came in earnest yesterday afternoon. The promise was for showers but the fulfillment was an abundance of rain. At first there was a stiff wind, but no sooner were the clouds properly marshalled than the wind left and the rain came down so gently that not a drop was lost. The ground was very dry although it had only been a few days since there was a good shower. This was the first rain for some time that went all over the county, and so far as reported not a place was missed…. The rain came at the very best time. It was Sunday afternoon and everybody was in a mood for its proper reception. This is going to be a great crop year for the State of Kansas. Already the biggest wheat crop ever raised is out of the way, then the alfalfa is passably good and there never has been such fine peaches and watermelons. Altogether it is a great year for Kansas.”
  • “The potato growers of the Kaw valley are now in the midst of their potato harvest and they are very much pleased with the results of their work…. When the dry weather set in the bugs on the vines were very bad for a while but the potato growers got busy with their sprayers and the bugs were practically killed off. A few light showers in early July did a great deal in helping get rid of the bugs and also put enough moisture in the ground that the vines lived long enough to mature the potatoes. At nearly all of the stations between Topeka and Kansas City now there are large stacks of sacks filled with potatoes waiting to be loaded for shipment…. The price of potatoes this year is normal which goes to show that there is no shortage in the crop. Potatoes are retailing at 50 cents per bushel and they are as good in size as the average year.”
  • “Chris Schaake this morning brought a load of watermelons to the various stores. He left one at the Bigelow grocery that weighed 52 1/2 pounds and said that he had others that were about as large.”
  • “During the first week of business the Panama Canal earned approximately $55,000, not including the amount collected for barge service and payments made in advance for ships on their way to use the canal. These amounts would bring the total receipts up to almost $150,000.”