Evening Republican, Volume 16, Number 152, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 June 1912 — Silk Socks Went Astray [ARTICLE]

Silk Socks Went Astray

Prized Pair of Hose Finally Find Themselves on "Mr. Cockroach," a Negro. \ 11 Joplin, Mo. —Among the many presents received by Willard Butts recently, it was learned at the police station, his mother-in-law presented to him a fine pair of tan silk socks, costing $1.50, the most valuable pair he had ever owned, according to Mr. Butts, via the police. And because of the extreme beauty of the socks Mr. Butts had planned to wear them in the balmy summer evenings when he could adorn his feet with tan low cuts to match.. ’ Mr. Butts may yet wear his silk socks, but “Cockroach.” a notorious negro of Joplin, can say that he was the first person to adorn his pedal extremities with those same socks, and that they were stripped from his unwilling feet at the "bull pen” of the city bastlle. At the Butte home, 610 North Moffet avenue, a negro domestic has been employed until recently. For several weeks a* large number of personal articles belonging to Mr. and Mrs. Butts haye been missing. An investigation aroused suspicion against the ndgress, who was arrested by the police. The woman was living with “Cockroach,” whose correct name is Roy Smith. The negress* name Is Lulu Smith. , A trunk, found in tbe house occupied by the two negroes, contained a large part of the missing articles from the Butts home. When Mr. Butts saw ~ b ° n - - -

[• " of the darky sport was his fancy silk socks, which proved to be Mr. Butts* Christmas present "Cockroach” was stripped of his fancy ’hosiery, which will be used as evidence In the prosecution of the negroes.