Rhorer - Katherine
Source:
Crawfordsville Journal,
May 13, 1907
Kate
Rhorer - what grit
Marion,
Ind May 11-- Being the only woman in
Indiana to manage a night telegraph office is a distinction which falls to Miss
Katherine Rhorer, a plucky Marion girl of 21 years, formerly of Darlington. She
has been faithful in her work, having missed but one night during a year of
service. Miss Rhorer is not only the night operator and manager of the local
office of the Western Union Telegraph Company, but she records the reports made
over the ADT signal system by the watchmen in factories. She goes on duty at 6
o'clock in the evening and works until 7 o'clock in the morning. Miss Rhorer
has grit and has no fears of being molested, but she exercises the precaution
of having a loaded revolver near at hand and she is not afraid to handle it
when necessary. On two or three occasions since she has worked at night
intoxicated men have entered the office by mistake, but they become suddenly
sober when they were compelled to look down the shining barrel of a pistol in
the hands of Miss Rhorer. She has engaged in target practice at odd times until
she has become a good marksman. When asked if she would really shoot anyone she
replied, "I might." Miss Rhorer learned to be an expert telegraph
operator under the tutorship of her brother, Fred Rhorer, who is chief operator
in the day time of the same office. - kbz