Individual Details

Theodore appears in Hoye's Directory of Kansas City, 1882, listed as:
Theodore T. McKim, engineer, A. V. McKim & Co., residence 1112 Cherry.
His father is also there listed as a Maltster [makes beer] and with the same residence.
In Hoye's Directory in 1884, Theodore and Horace are both listed - the address is now 1307 Cherry and is the same for their father.
In 1885, Theodore is again listed as an engineer for A. V. McKim. Address is the same as in 1884.
The Directory of 1886-87, lists both Horace and Theodore and their father, all still at the same address. Horace is shown as a clerk in the City Auditor's office.
In the 1887-1888 Hoye's City Directory, Americus V. was listed at 1807 Cherry and also with an ice house at 919 1/2 Main. Horace McKim worked in the City Treasurer's department; Theodore T. McKim was a pitcher for the KC BaseBall Club. Horace and Theodore living at the same address as their father.
The Directory of 1889-1890 shows Horace living at 1104 Cherry; His father, Byron and Theodore are all shown with the address, 632 Troost. Byron & Theodore don't have any occupation. Americus now listed as a brick manufacturer and Horace is the deputy City Treasurer.
1892 Directory again lists Theodore T. as an engineer. The residence of Americus, Byron & Theodore was cryptic: ws Park 6th, N of Guinotte.

Theodore McKim's baseball history is available on the Internet at Baseball-reference.com.
He played for two minor clubs in the Western league - the St. Joseph Reds in 1886, and the Kansas City Cowboys in 1887. No stats are listed for the Reds, but in 1887, Theodore pitched in 19 games, played center field in 1 game, and right field 2 games. He had 81 at bats for a .321 batting average - 13 runs, 26 hits.

Unfortunately, the baseball career did not develop and he turned to crime.

The first arrest I find was noted in the 12 Aug 1887 edition of the Kansas City Star. His brother Horace had petitioned for a restraining order against the Kansas City BaseBall Association over their encroachment on a small lot he owned. According to the petition, Horace G. McKim was attempting to erect a building on said lot, but the ball club had erected a solid board fence six inches from his lot, cutting off all light and ingress to the property. McKim stated the ball club was insolvent and had erecting the fence out of spite. The restraining order was granted. The ball club continued to make threats and after leaving the police court, he proceeded to the park and began tearing down the fence. Horace was arrested as were several others assisting in the destruction of the fence, including Theodore McKim.

Just a few days earlier, on August 4, 1886, Theodore had filed suit for $2000 against Joseph J. Heim. McKim alleged that he bought from the defendant, sometime in January, twenty shares of the Kansas City Baseball association and left them in his custody until he should see fit to call for them. Some time in May he demanded the shares of Heim who refused to give them to him and denied the sale. From the Kansas City Star.

Kansas City Journal, 21 Apr 1897, p.3
Found on Chronicling America, Library of Congress, website
DUANE HAS NOT WEAKENED: No Confessions Have As Yet Been "Sweated" From Him.
Robert Duane, the gentleman burglar, against whom the police have such strong evidence of his guilt, maintains the same stoical indifference and silence that have characterized his actions since his arrest .....There are already eight indictments against him ...A number of people who identified stolen goods at the station yesterday went before the grand jury and testified.
....Mrs. McKim, in whose house Duane was arrested, will, the police believe, go on the stand and give strong evidence against him ....good authority that Mrs. McKim is the one who "turned up" Duane to the police. Her husband is in the penitentiary, and it is said that she divulged the identity of Duane, who has been living with her for several months, with the understanding that the police were to exert an influence with the governor in securing a pardon for her husband, who has yet three years of a five-years' sentence, for safeblowing, to serve.
Theodore McKim was sent up from St. Louis two years ago for blowing open a safe at Steelville, Mo.
Mrs. McKim gave the police every aid she could in recovering the stolen property, and there is no reason to believe that she will shirk when the time comes for her to go on the witness stand and testify against him [Duane]. Bill Pratt, who killed himself near her back door, had said that he loved her in vain.
"She knows what I'm wanted for, boy," he said, in a North end saloon, "and she'll turn me up sure. guess I'm better off dead."
A day later he was dead by his own hand. Mrs. McKim has two children, a boy and girl, aged, respectively, 9 and 7 years. Pratt was wanted in Iowa for killing an officer. He had spent most of his life in Oklahoma selling liquor.
....The following people identified property ....J. J. Comstock, 1515 Central St, overcoat and shirt. Duane wore Mr. Comstock's shirt when arrested.

In the 1900 census, Theodore McKim can be found twice. Once listed with wife and children and his brother Byron. And once, in the county jail.
Kansas City Ward 6, County Jail on Missouri Avenue. Enumerated 1 Jun 1900.
Theodore McKimm, Prisoner, b. Apr 1867, age 33, b. Ohio, parents b. Ohio, Engineer, Sta.
and
Kansas City Ward 9, 1908 Oak St., Enumerated on 6 Jun 1900.
Theodore McKim, b. Apr 1866, age 33, married for 13 years, b. Ohio, parents b. Ohio, Enginere (Furnace)
Minnie, wife, b. Feb 1867, age 33, 2 children, b. Illinois, father b. Ohio, mother b. KY, Dressmaker.
Grover, son, b. Sep 1887, age 12, at school
Florence, daughter, b. Dec 1889, age 10, at school
Byron, brother, b. Apr 1874, age 26, b. Kansas, parents b. Ohio, Laborer [Strat]

Note: in 1900, it had been three years since the above newspaper article was printed. It appears likely that Theodore had served his time and been released, but still was on the jail rolls as having resided there during the year.

The next time I found Theodore McKim in the news was the Kansas City Star edition of 12 Jan 1902.
Requisition for Theodore McKim
Leavenworth, Kas. Jan 11 - Sheriff Everhardy has received requisition papers from Gov. Stanley for for Theodore McKim, arrested in Kansas City today for robbery, and will leave for Jefferson City tomorrow evening to get Gov. Dockery to honor them. He expects to bring McKim to Leavenworth Tuesday. A warrant for McKim has been sworn to be Omar Abernathy, the manager of the furniture factory, who was in charge of the office when it was robbed. Omar Abernathy and the officials here refuse to tell anything about their reasons for having McKim arrested or the manner in which he is connected with the robbery.

Over a year later, Theodore was connected with another crime and that notation also reveals what happened in Leavenworth. Kansas City Star, 19 Jun 1903.
"News in Leavenworth"
The police have been notified of the shooting of Theodore McKim in Atchison. McKim visited Leavenworth several times and once was tried here for robbing the office of the Abernathy Furniture factory. he was acquitted, but since that time he has not been allowed to remain in the city.

The following is representative of the first news release of the June 1903 crime.
Duluth News-Tribune, Duluth, Minnesota, 20 Jun 1903
"Saloonkeeper is Killed Over Game of Dice"
Atchison, Kas. June 19. Nick Beirch, a German aged 40 years, proprietor of a saloon in Eighth street was shot and killed by Theodore McKim. McKim was motally wounded later in an exchange of shot with two officers attracted to the scene. At the hospital McKim admitted the killing and said they had fought over a game of dice.

Later articles revealed additional information about the shooting.
An article in the Kansas City Star, dated June 20th, had this to say. The two Kansas City robbers, Theodore McKim and "Ike" Johnson, alias Charles Long of Quincy, IL, who was identified as Johnson yesterday, were both alive at noon today. Johnson's condition improved last night...McKim has been gradually growing worse and it is believed that he will not be able to rally although he has a splendid constitution....
James S. Gibson, prosecuting attorney of Wyandotte county ...positively identified Long as the notorious "Ike" Johnson. The mission of the prosecuting attorney was to secure a confession from Johnson as to his supposed connection with the murder of a Kansas City, Kas. policeman, but in this he failed, as Johnson refused to make any admissions. McKim and Johnson were both dangerously wounded in a revolver fight here with two officers at midnight Thursday night. They were caught robbing the saloon of Nicholas Beirich. They had murdered Beirich.

On the 21st, the Star reported that McKim was in especially bad shape with a wound in his chest and his left leg, broken at the knee by a bullet. The wives of both McKim and Johnson had arrived in Atchison. McKim not expected to recover.

Obviously both men recovered because I found the articles covering their convictions.
Kansas City Star, 13 Oct 1903
"M'Kim Guilty of Murder"
Atchison, Kas. Oct 13. The jury in the case of Theodore McKim of Kansas City, accused of the murder of Nick Beirich, a saloon keeper, the night of June 18, while attempting a hold-up, found McKim guilty of murder in the first degree a few minutes before noon today. The jury was out forty-five minutes.
McKim and his companion, Ike Johnson, who will now be tried for the same crime, entered Beirich's saloon, 118, S. Eight Street, here the night of June 18. They were masked. They found Beirich alone and demanded his money. he showed fight and attempted to strike the highwaymen with a chair. They opened fire and killed the saloon keeper. S. F. Shifflet and Benjamin Wallace, policemen, ran to the saloon. Shifflet looked in and saw McKim bending over Beirich. McKim & Johnson opened fire on Shifflet, following him into the street. Wallace then took a hand. Both robbers were critically wounded. For a time it was believed they would die. The policemen were no injured.
McKim was reared in Kansas City and has a police record as a safe blower and bank robber. He served a term in the Jefferson City penitentiary for safe blowing in 1896. Ike Johnso is also a Kansas City man with a record that is similar to McKim's.

Kansas City Star, 24 Oct 1903
"M'Kim" Sentenced Today.
Atchison, Kas. Oct 24. Theodore McKim of Kansas City ...was sentenced by Judge Hudson today ...he is to serve life imprisonment. McKim had nothing to say why sentence should not be pronounced. At the conclusion of the proceedings he thanked his attorney. He will be taken to the penitentiary next week. ....Johnson will be tried in January.

Interestingly he was listed in the City Directories with hie son Grover and/or brother Byron
1901 City Directory - Kansas City, MO
Grover McKim, electrician, M & KT Co, residence, 543 Locust
Theo T. McKim, engr, same residence
1902 City Directory, Kansas City, MO
Grover McKim, electrician, 543 Locust
Theo T. McKim, engr, 543 Locust
1903 City Directory - Kansas City, MO
Grover McKim, electrician for Western Electric Co., living at 543 Locust.
Byron McKim, buttermaker, same residence
Theo T. McKim, engineer, same residence

Kansas City Star, 14 Feb 1904
"A Kansan Sentenced to Death"
Atchison, Kas. Feb 13. Ike Johnson of Kansas City, convicted of murder in the first degree for the killing of Nicholas Beirich in June, was sentenced in the district court today, after a motion for a new trial had been overruled. Judge Hudson sentenced him to be taken to the penitentiary and hanged at the expiration of one year, upon the warrant of the governor. This is the customary procedure in such cases, but as no Kansas governor has ever signed a death warrant, it is equivalent to a life tem in the penitentiary. It is the same sentence imposed upon Theodore McKim, also convicted of killing Beirich. Attorney Hairgrove took an appear to the supreme court in the Johnson case, but Johnson will go to the penitentiary in a few days. Johnson was unaffected by the sentence. He professes to believe that a rehearing will be granted.

1910 Census. Grover was serving in the Marines, stationed Sitka, Alaska.
Theodore was in the Kansas State Penitentiary, Delaware Twp, Leavenworth County, Kansas, listed as Theo McKim, age 42, a married man, b. Ohio, parents b. PA, engineer.
I have not found Minnie and daughter Florence.

In an interesting turn of events, Johnson and McKim were both released.
Hutchinson News, Hutchinson, Kansas, Thursday, 4 Feb 1914, p.9
JOHNSON AND McKIM
Two Life Men Are Let Out of Lansing Prison
Topeka, Kans. Feb 5 - Governor Hodges has granted paroles for Ike Johnson and Theodore McKim, life convicts, sent to the state penitentiary in 1904 for the murder of Nicholas Bierick, an Atchison saloonkeeper. Johnson and McKim are two of the most widely known prisoners in the state penitentiary and were for several years known in Missouri towns as the "Long and short" men.
The killing Bierick was a result of a pistol duel which followed an attempt to rob the Atchison saloonkeeper. McKim confessed and both men were sent to the penitentiary for life terms.
Johnson has been a surgeon in the penitentiary and assisted in nearly 800 major and minor operations on state convicts. His care of injured prisoners, during the prison fire of 1913, was largely responsible for the governor's action in giving the man a parole. McKim left the prison several days ago and Johnson will leave this week. It is stated that he would be given employment in a Leavenworth hospital.
[another article found also gave McKim credit for assistance during the fire]

I did find an extensive report about the prison at
http://www.kshs.org/publicat/history/2001winter_evans.pdf
The Kansas State prison at Lansing was essentially a twine factory. One report said an explosion under a dynamo in the twine plant on April 11, 1913, started a blaze that destroyed the plant along with five minor structures and prison gym. Another report stated that the fire started from an electric spark from a transmitter on one of the twine machines. Within 45 minutes, all the walls were gone and the fire spread to the twine store room where the oil-soaked twine balls ignited like gun powder.
The role of the inmates was disputed in the press. Some said the inmates heroically tried to extinguish it; others recounted that some prisoners spread the flames. Either way, no prisoners escaped during the confusion even though some 300 men were in the prison yard. Gov. George H. Hodges traveled to Lansing and stated that those who hazarded their lives in saving others or the property would receive consideration when they came before the board for parole. Some $700,000 worth of twine was destroyed and all the accounts and records of the twine mill's business office. Although several men were treated for severe burns, there were no fatalities reported in this article.


It is apparent that Minnie stayed with Theodore, they moved to California and started a new life together and he did not return to a life of crime.

By 1920 Theodore and Minnie were in California.
Los Angeles Assembly District 72, Hh 136, address 4057 Dalton.
Theodore T. McKim, age 52, b. Ohio, parents b. Ohio, working as a club steward
Minnie V., wife, age 52, b. IL, father b. Ohio, mother b. KY

1920 City Directory, Los Angeles, CA
Grover C. McKim, residence 4051 Dalton Ave
Theo T. McKim, steward, 4051 Dalton Ave

1921 City Directory, Los Angeles, CA
Grover C. McKim, electr. residence, 318 W. Avenue 56th
Theo T. McKim, bkpr, residence 1323 W. 12th

1930 Census. Los Angeles City, Los Angeles County, CA
1234 W. [I think] 55th Stree.
Theodore T. McKim, age 63, age 18 when married, b. Ohio. Commissary Auditor, Hotel
Minnie, wife, age 62, married at 17, b. IL


California Death Index. Theodore T. McKim, age 70, died 15 Dec 1936

Birth	1866	Belmont County, Ohio
Marriage	17 Aug 1886	Buchanan County, Missouri - Minnie V. Haldeman
Death	15 Dec 1936	California

Spouse	Minnie V. Haldeman (1867 - 1944)
Child	Grover Cleveland McKim (1887 - 1954)
Child	Florence Oakley McKim (1890 - 1956)

Father	Americus V. McKim (1840 - 1910)
Mother	Mary A. Tilton (1838 - )
Sibling	Horace Greeley McKim (1866 - 1946)
Sibling	Byron McKim (1875 - 1952)
Sibling	Flora McKim (1874 - 1880)
Sibling	Daisy Pearl McKim (1880 - 1969)