Editorial

The Way it Was

Friday, August 4, 2006

100 years ago

Mrs. Peterson sues the Katy

Mrs. Marie Peterson widow of Nelson Peterson, deceased who was killed by the Katy switch engine on July 13, at a point north of the coal chutes, has filed suit against the M.K. & T railway company for $10,000. The suit was filed Saturday morning in circuit clerk Huff's office by attorney J.M. Hull who represents the plaintiff.

The plaintiff alleges that her husband's death was not due to any act of his but to the unskillful and negligent manner in which the switch engine and several cars were operated by the employees of the defendant. She alleges the engine cars were operated in an unlawful manner by being run at a speed of from 20 to 30 miles per hour, while the city ordinance prohibits cars to be operated at a speed to exceed six miles per hour.

50 years ago

Missing mother located

Some dogged sleuthing on the part of the Highway Patrolmen Howard Delcour of Nevada and Danny Walker of El Dorado Springs, Friday afternoon and evening resulted in the arrest of Mrs. Earline Foster, 25, Vernonia, Ore., on child abandonment charges.

The state troopers located her at the home of relatives in Roscoe, Mo., a small community located 10 miles west of Osceola on Highway 82. The troopers brought her into custody about 9 p.m., Friday. The search for Mrs. Foster started Friday morning after Mrs. Leatta McWilliams, operator of the DX Cabins in El Dorado Springs, found a new born baby boy in the cabin which was rented the night before by Mrs. Foster, who was accompanied by three of her other youngsters aged 6, 4 and 1 years.