Lady Barber Stops "Sleuth's" Career

1920

Lad's Tale of "Big Catches" Fails to Get By

KANSAS CITY, Mo., Feb. 26. — With a certificate from a correspondent school for detectives and a bright metal badge marked "special officer," Charles H. Stuart, 16 years old, of Jonesboro, Ark., came to Kansas City to chase imaginary bank robbers.

Young Mr. Stuart measures 6 feet 6 inches in height and weighs nearly 200 pounds, but he never had indulged the luxury of a shave, so he decided to experiment. He entered a shop of female barbers and after getting his first shave he thought it a fine idea to take other things tonsorial.

He admitted that he liked the work of the "lady barber" and he took a face massage, a scalp massage, a shampoo and a singe.

Boasts of His Big Catches

Incidentally, Stuart announced that he was a traveling detective, with a huge number of big catches to his credit. He displayed his star and the "lady barber" polished it for him. He said he was here on the trail of bank robbers.

The proprietor of the shop then telephoned to police headquarters.
Paul Weitkam, height 5 feet 4 inches, weight 125 pounds, the smallest detective on the Kansas City force, was sent to investigate. The 16-year-old Stuart appeared as a giant beside the diminutive Weitkam.

"What kind of stuff are you pulling around here?" demanded the city detective.

Stuart's face became pale. He trembled, then he began to cry.

His "Mental Poise" Unbalanced

Weitkam took the young adventurer to headquarters, where he told his story. He said he had paid $5 to the detective school and after he got his certificate he lost his mental poise.

Stuart was released, but showed up at headquarters next morning, having the impression that it was up to him to appear for a hearing. He got one, too.

Leo Mullen, property clerk, acted as judge and Stuart was "sentenced" to six months in the county jail. He was "paroled" on condition that he should never again visit a "lady barber's" shop, and that he should start back to Jonesboro on the first train.

A Curious Epitaph – The Earth Swallowed Him, Spit Him Out

1915

A Curious Epitaph.

The following epitaph is copied from a tomb in the vicinity of Port Royal, Jamaica: "Here lieth the body of Louis Caldy, Esq., a native of Montpellier, in France, which country he left on account of the revocation. He was swallowed up by the earthquake which occurred at that place in 1692, but by the great providence of God was, by a second shock, flung into the sea, where he continued swimming until rescued by a boat and lived forty years afterward."


A Problem In Golf.

Two young ladies were making their first essay at golf. "Dear me," said the first young lady, "what shall I do now? My ball is in a hole." The second young lady took out a book of instructions. "Let me see," she said, turning the pages. "I presume you must now take a stick of the right shape and get it out." "Oh, yes, of course," said the first young woman. "See if you can find me a stick shaped like a dustpan and brush."


An Obliging Man.

Heine (at the village barber's) — I say, do you know why this man's shop is hung all over with sacred pictures?
Beine—Oh, yes; that is for the convenience of his customers. So that they may call on all the saints when he shaves them.—Meggendorfer Blatter.

"Big Dan" Davis Found Asphyxiated, Suicide or Accident?

Middletown, New York, 1908

SUICIDE OR ACCIDENT?

"Big Dan" Davis Found Asphyxiated in Barber Shop

WAS VERY INTOXICATED

This May Account for His Death -- Member of Notorious Davis Family

Daniel Davis, better known as "Big Dan" Davis was found dead on the floor of Angel Vuolo's barber shop at 203 East Main street, at 7:45 Saturday morning. His death was due to gas asphyxiation, but whether he committed suicide or not the police and coroner have been unable to determine.

Davis' wife left him recently, and having no home, Vuolo had given him permission to stay in his shop nights and had furnished him with a key to the back door. Vuolo closed the place Friday evening at 8 o'clock and it is not known what time Davis went in. When Vuolo went to the shop next morning he could open the door only part way. Looking in he saw Davis lying at full length on the floor with his head near the door.

The body was directly back of a barber's chair. Vuolo squeezed his way in and found the room filled with gas, the odor being so strong that it was impossible to remain inside any length of time. He saw at a glance that Davis was dead, as his face was badly swollen. Vuolo at once notified several persons in the neighborhood and the police and Coroner H. T. Crist were informed by telephone. Special officer Howard Jones went to the place and took charge until the arrival of the coroner. The doors were thrown open to permit the gas to escape. An investigation showed that two gas jets directly over the body were wide open.

Davis, who was a laborer, had worked about the city all week until Friday, when he began drinking and by evening he was intoxicated, but he gave no intimation to anyone so far as can be learned, that he was tired of life, and it may be that in his intoxicated condition, he may have blown out the gas by mistake. He had removed his shoes and placed them under a chair near where he was found. His hat lay under one of his arms. The body was taken in charge by Undertaker P. J. Reilly. Coroner Crist will hold the inquest later.

Davis was about forty years of age and had always made his home in Middletown and vicinity. He was a cousin of "Little" Dan Davis, who was arrested as a suspect in the Olney murder case. "Big Dan" was also under suspicion of knowing something of the crime and he and his wife were taken in custody and closely questioned but they succeeded in proving a satisfactory alibi. Little is known concerning the dead man's relatives. His wife is said to be living near Howells.

The funeral of Davis was held Monday afternoon at 2 o'clock from the undertaking parlors of P. J. Reilly. The service was conducted by Rev. A. H. Schaeffer, pastor of St. John's German Lutheran Church. The interment was made in the Scotchtown Cemetery. Relatives of the deceased acted as pallbearers.

Coronor H. T. Crist held the inquest Monday p.m. and took the testimony of Angel Vuolo, who discovered the dead body, and Dr. M. A. Stivers, who made an examination.

--Orange County Times-Press, Middletown, New York, September 29, 1908, page 2.

A School Boys' Garden

An admirable scheme to have a school boys' garden next year has been planned by the authorities of Elming, New York. Last summer a hundred boys made good as farmers of vacant lots and it is now proposed to place practically all such unused property in the city under cultivation, the pupils of the public schools to be the gardeners and to reap the profits from their products.
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A Fair Return
Minister (arousing himself in barber's chair) -- All through yet.
Barber -- Aye, lang syne.
Minister -- Then I must have been indulging in a quiet nap?
Barber -- Ye wis that, sir.
Minister -- It was very good of you not to waken me. I am very thankful for what has been a most refreshing sleep.
Barber -- Hoots, man, haud yer tongue; it's only a fair return. I slept all through your sermon last Sawbath. -- London Tit-Bits.
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Keep Watch on the Tuberculosis
The Italian government, on account of the number of tuberculosis cases among the Italian emigrants sent back from America, has appointed boards of examiners in the seaports, whose duty it is to report the arrival of tuberculous persons. These are then kept under observation in these places where they settle, to prevent further spread of the disease. The erection of new sanitoria and other tuberculosis institutions is being urged in Italy, and the number of beds for consumptives has been considerably increased in different places.

--The Ellis Review-Headlight, Ellis, Kansas, 1911.