St. Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (St. Charles City [Charles City], Iowa) 1857-1861, 1858-06-24
Kansas.

LAWRENCE, Friday, June 5, 1853.
a most lamcntable tragedy occurred
in this city yesterday Gaius Jenk-
ms, an old and well known citizen of
Lawrence, was instantly killed in an
atlray with Gen. James ii. Lane. For
a long time Lane and jenkins have
been contestants for Claim" now
situated within the city limits of Law
renee, across the ravines from Massa-
chusetts street, about half mile from
that principal thoroughfare. A long
examination Of the merits of the case
has taken place at Lccompton within
the last few weeks, and it has now
been sent up to the General Land Of
flee at Washington for settlement
The case is a very complicated one,
and it is a matter of great doubt which
of the contestants was likely to cstab-
fish that he had the best title to the
quartcr-section of land. The claim is
now worth from ten to twenty thon-
sand dollars 1t has been in contest
for more than two years, and has pro-
duced much bitter feeling between
jenkins and Lane Many hard words
and some threats have passed between
them from time to time.
The immediate cause of the present
quarrel consisted in dispute which
recently arose in regard to well
There are three houses on the claim ::
one Handicapped by jenkins and
his family ; a second. of logs, only a
few yards from it, which Lane built,
but has been prevented by Jenkins
from living in and third, also of
logs, some ten or twelve rods from the
others. Lane and his family reside in
the last named house. 1t is contained
i'll an inclosurc Of about an acre, and
there is "a fine well of water few feet
from the house. jenkins and his fam
lily have been in the habit of using
! this water but of latc.-according to
the statements of Mrs Lane-thc sup
ply has been insufficient for the use of
both families, on account of an extra
quantity used by her in house clean
ing. Gen. Lane, therefore, requested
jenkins not to come on the premises
for water, but the request was not
needed. He then locked mp the cover
to the we'll and few days since
Jenkins, on coming for water, took
Lanes AK, which was lying near by,
to break it open. Mrs. Lane took the
axe from him, and some bitter words
passed between them. Night before
last Jenkins cutdown Lanes fence, on
the route to the well. Yesterday
morning Lane mended the fence, and
drove off Jcnkins's man who came for
water. Shortly after, boy came to
Lane from jenkins, with the message
that he (Jcnkins) was coming over af,
ter dinner, and was bound to get wa
ter from that well. Lane sent word
back-as he says-begging him not
to come, and assuring him that if he
persisted in trespassing upon the prem
Uses, he would shoot him. During the
forenoon jenkins stated in town that
he expected a fight after dinner, and
would either have water from that
well or die in his tracks.
The following is substantially Lanes
version of the affray Yesterday, abou,
o'clock, Z. NJ, Jenkins, accompanied
by his nephew and two hired men, ap
: preached Lanes enclosure jenkins
was armed with Sharpe's rifle, and
his companions with revolvers. Lay
ing aside his rifle he commenced cut
ting down the fence with his AK Ian,
; came out, unarmed, and ordered him
, to dcsist. He went on with the chop
! ping, however, and Lane went into the
) house, and returned with q singlc-bar
, relied shot gun. BY this time Jcnkin,
had cut down the fence, and, AK il
, hand, ordered his companions to com,
on. They did SO, entering the enclo
sure. Lane fell back little and OF
dered them off They still came on
threatening to shoot unless they left
but they continued to advance, Jenk
ms with the AK in menacing position
and his nephew and hired men will
, their revolvers drawn and cooked
: Lane then fired at Jenkins, who wal
some thirty or forty feet from him
Jenkins without advancing anothe
l step, instantly fell, dead. Some one o
S his party fired two or three revolve
: shots at Lane, One of them took et
s feet in his leg, near the knee, not how
l ever producing a very serious wound
l though Lane is now confined to hi
5 couch by it.
a The above, as l have said, is tn
account of the transaction, given b,
Gen. and Mrs Lane The statement,
t Of the young men who were with jerk
e ms, in most respects are said to col
L roborate it. 1t is claimed on the par
Of the other party that jenkins pail
for the digging of the well in question
+ and had long been in the habit of OF
J, tanning water from it. 1t is ais
+ claimed that he paid for building tn
S house in which Lane lives but thes
$ are matters in contest in connectio
+ with the claim" question. hav
h endeavored to give as full particular
It Of the affair as possible but ii is in
e possible and unsafe 10 form any nmtu'
y judgment upon the merits Of the case INT,
Is the erNlene Of Tie witnesses TO the afra