Wife's Last Dollar Buys Executed Man's Coffin

1922

Nashville, Tenn. — Asbury Fields, convicted of the murder of J. E. Pierce last summer, was electrocuted in the state prison here.

Shortly after the death-dealing shock had been given Fields, his wife, small, demure and pretty, entered an undertaker's shop and spent her last dollar for a plain black coffin. She had earned the money by hard work in a hosiery mill, where she had been employed since Fields' arrest.

"I don't know that Asbury wasn't guilty," she said, "but I couldn't bear to see him buried by charity."

—Oneonta Daily Star, Oneonta, New York, April 1, 1922, page 8.

Co-Eds Swindled Out of Stockings

1920

Woman Agent Collects Girls' Money -- Departs

LAWRENCE, Kan. -- Kansas University sorority girls are holding the sack for the amount of $100. The deficit is on account of some extra fine silk hose, which they thought they had purchased for $3 or $4, when the retail price is $7 to $10.

It all hinges on the visit of "Miss A. B. Court" to Lawrence six weeks ago. Miss Court, as she introduced herself to the sororities, was a very well-dressed and fashionable woman of about 25. Her brunette complexion was admirably set off by a strictly tailored suit, expensive black straw sailor, with face veil, and her pleasing personality easily "got over" with the sorority girls.

"Miss Court's" line, as she demonstrated, was silk hose, her assortment of samples was a wonderful collection, and, coupled with her plausible explanation that her company was in competition with an already established national hosiery company, enabled her to take several large orders for hosiery. The Chi Omegas invested to the extent of $30, and the Sigma Kappas, Pi Beta Phis and Kappa Alpha Thetas each bought $20 worth.

Just before Miss Court left each of the houses she is reported to have said:

"Would it be too much trouble for you to pay me the whole amount now? You know when I return with the hose half of you will be in classes, and you know how hard it is to collect from a bunch of girls, anyway."

And she was paid.

The lucky buyers gloated over their sisters who had not been so lucky in getting the wonderful bargains, and waited. "Miss Court" failed to show up and one of the prospective purchasers of hose telephoned to the bank in which her money was deposited and found that the checks were cashed the day they were made. Then she learned "Miss Court" had "skipped out."

The latest campus rumor is that as soon as spring starts in earnest certain of the sororities will discard stockings altogether.

--The Saturday Blade, Chicago, March 27, 1920, page 10.