From the Lawrence Daily Journal-World for Jan. 2, 1914:

• “John Wey, Jr., found himself in the county jail when he sobered up some time last night after he had attempted to ‘clean out’ the family of D. Fisher, living over the Stanford and Ewing grocery store at the corner of Rhode Island and Quincy [11th] streets. And this morning he was informed that the warrant issued for his arrest read ‘for assault with intent to kill.’ Fisher told the officers last night that Wey came to the door and asked to see him, indicating at the same time that he would ‘clean out’ the home. Mrs. Fisher’s mother told him at the door that she would not let him in. Whereupon he roughly knocked her down and rushed past toward Fisher, who was on the other side of the room. On the way he grabbed a rifle which hung on the wall and pointing it blank at Fisher’s head, pulled the trigger. The gun happened to be unloaded…. Officers promptly responded to a call from Mrs. Fisher soon after this incident and Wey was soon in a cell in the county jail. Fisher says he had never had any trouble with Wey and was only slightly acquainted with him. His mother-in-law, who was in a delicate condition of health, required medical attendance last night and her injuries are of a serious nature.”
• “Almost a third of a million dollars has been poured into the county’s strong box as a result of the recent season of tax-paying. A total of $308,000 now reposes in the box and there is a big pile of letters, three days mail, which remains unopened because of the rush that kept the clerks of the treasurer’s office busy at the windows during the final days of the taxpaying season. ‘We expect that with the money contained in those letters and what has been settled at the banks, but which we have not had time to credit, the amount paid in before the first of January will run over $350,000,’ said Deputy Treasurer Stevenson today.”
• “Douglas county young people evidently resolved not to let the county suffer disgrace this year another time by having the marriage business fall off. And four couples started the new year by being married yesterday.”
• “Stricken with heart failure while attending a formal party of the Midnight Dancing Club last night, B. B. Beery, for many years a prominent lumber dealer of Lawrence, died in the hall before aid could reach him. It was the formal New Year’s party of the club held in Ecke’s hall. Gaily dressed women and men in evening clothes from the most select homes of the city were youthful again for the evening when suddenly mirth and happiness gave way before the death messenger and sadness and heartaches made a tragic ending for an evening planned for gaiety…. Today the members of the club who were there last night have not recovered from the shock and they could think of nothing else…. Byron B. Beery has been a resident of Lawrence for a number of years. For several years he was engaged in the lumber business here but had recently retired from active work. He was one of the incorporators of the New Farmers Loan and Savings bank and Trust Company of this city.”