From the Lawrence Daily Journal-World for Feb. 11, 1914:

• “Sheriff Cummings last night arrested and brought to jail a young farmer charged with forging five checks for various amounts. This morning more than a dozen of his neighbors appeared to go his bond and stand by him. The case is a sad one. The man is the father of four children and the oldest is just nine years. He has had hard luck for years. Crop after crop was lost for one cause or another, cholera took his hog, and he was reduced to extremity. Added to this one of his children had diphtheria and two had typhoid fever. He has always worked hard and this is the first thing that has been charged against him. He can offer no excuse except that the temptation was great and he fell. The last check was forged January 14, and all were for a small amount. He did not seem to realize his crime but when arrested at once admitted his guilt. The neighbors were splendid. They rallied around him and showed a genuine neighborly spirit. They offered to go his bond in any sum, insisted upon making good the checks and then asked that he be paroled…. The man has had a great lesson but he comes of fine family and has been a hard worker all his life. He made this mistake but he has had great punishment and his neighbors will stand by him in living it down. Many men have made mistakes before and have lived it down and this man will do so. It is one of the saddest cases that has come to light in this city and it only shows what a man will sometimes do when he is hard driven for money and has a good wife and little children depending upon him.”
• “The American Cement Plaster Company of Lawrence, Kansas, was incorporated in Illinois today. The company manufactures cement, calcined plaster, plaster of paris, etc. The capital stock of the company is $1,250,000…. J. A. Henley, of Lawrence, secretary of the company, stated this afternoon that this action taken by his company was merely a permit to do business in the state of Illinois, to sue in the courts of that state and to transact other legal business. No change in the location of the offices is contemplated, according to Mr. Henley.”
• “The student union committee of the Student Council of the University is experiencing some difficulty in getting 800 signers on the union petitions. It was reported at the meeting of the council last night that only 400 men had signed the petitions. Unless more men sign the union plan will not be realized. The Student Council has started another strenuous campaign to get the remaining signers.”
• “A stallion and a jack belonging to J. H. Cooper near Blue Mound and valued at $3,500 were lost in a fire Monday night which destroyed the barn. Another horse also perished in the fire. The kicking of a lantern by the jack caused the blaze. Immediately the entire barn was ablaze, and the best efforts of the farmers could not save the animals or the building.”
• “A cold wave for tonight is to be the offering of the weather man, according to today’s predictions. Local indications today were that the predictions of the weather man would be fulfilled this evening. The wind shifted to the north this morning and increased in velocity all day. The local ‘cold wave’ flag was hoisted this morning and caused the usual scare…. The day grew steadily colder from early morning and with the sharp wind blowing it was very much different from yesterday. More of those balmy breezes were offered yesterday and the day was another of the springlike variety which have been so extensively enjoyed this winter. It seemed for a while that the ground hog had lost his charm on the weather conditions, but he came back strong today…. The weather man hasn’t volunteered any information as to just how cold it will get tonight ,but there is every indication that the zero mark will be closely approached before morning.”
• “The K. U. seismograph yesterday recorded the earthquake in the northeastern part of the United States. The shock was very distinct and was of 6.6 minutes duration. The disturbance began at 39.7 minutes after 12 o’clock and lasted until 46.3 minutes after 12.”