The Story of Joplin’s Newman Building – Part 3: Legal Battles and Crime Stories (1915)

By 1915, the Newman Brothers Building had been a central fixture in downtown Joplin’s commercial life for nearly five years. The store’s elegant plate-glass windows displayed seasonal fashions and fine goods, while its polished marble counters and attentive staff ensured a steady flow of loyal customers. It was regarded as one of the most refined shopping destinations in the region. Yet that same year, the building would find itself in headlines for reasons that had nothing to do with sales promotions or social gatherings. A legal dispute over construction finances and a peculiar incident of petty theft both unfolded in connection with the landmark.

The legal matter began in July 1915, when the H. L. Electric Company filed a civil case involving the Newman Mercantile Company and contractor H. F. Stange. The case revolved around a mechanic’s lien, a legal claim filed to secure payment for labor or materials provided during the building’s construction in 1910. The electric company alleged that it had not received full payment for electrical work performed during the original build. In their view, the debt was owed by the store owners themselves. The Newman Mercantile Company disputed this, maintaining that the obligation belonged to the contractor who had overseen the project.

Cases of this type were not unusual in the early twentieth century. The Newman Building had been a major undertaking, requiring the coordination of multiple subcontractors and suppliers, and disagreements over final payments were a common aftereffect of large-scale construction. While the outcome of the case was less sensational than the headlines it briefly generated, the dispute served as a reminder of the immense costs and logistical challenges involved in raising one of Joplin’s most ambitious commercial structures.

Only a few months later, the Newman Building appeared in the news again, this time for a very different reason. In November 1915, a man identified as William “Billy” Hill was arrested inside the store for the theft of a woman’s fur coat. The coat, valued at thirty-five dollars, had been left for a short time in a fitting area while its owner was elsewhere in the store. Hill concealed the garment beneath his own overcoat and attempted to walk out, but store employees noticed his suspicious behavior. He was stopped and confronted before he could leave the building.

The theft was striking not only because of the value of the coat but also because of the setting. The Newman store was considered one of the most respectable establishments in the city, a place where shoppers expected refinement and security. That such a brazen act occurred within its walls was enough to make the incident front-page news. Hill’s arrest provided a brief moment of scandal for a store that otherwise prided itself on its reputation for order and decorum.

These episodes did little to tarnish the building’s standing in the eyes of the public. Throughout 1915, the Newman Brothers Building continued to host fashion exhibitions, seasonal sales, and community events. Its location at 6th and Main ensured that it was a natural gathering place for parades, public celebrations, and holiday festivities. The store’s presence in Joplin’s daily life remained constant, even as occasional disputes or misdeeds briefly interrupted the steady hum of commerce.