The Leavenworth weekly times. [volume] (Leavenworth, Kan.) 1870-1880, 1872-05-09

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the CAss COUNTY TRAGEDY.
the Oshes SIDE 81 the PSesare-Csa.
sraAies0sy 8eaeeoeoea.
(Froa Tie Niasoad Rspahliean. 4
Mr. A. A. Zick of the firm of lick 4
Gusch, Pleasant Hill, with several Other eit-
izsrs Of Cas- county, called on Gov. Brown
Yesterday, in reference to the recent troubles
in that cnunty. Mr.. Kick was the bearer Of
q letter to the Governor signed By A. c. By.
ant, Sheriff Of Cas- county, Capt 0eoege
Harper of the First National Bank, Pleasant
Hill, David Humphris, Robert Adams and
George Gosch, all prominent citizens Of
Peasant Hill Tbse gentlemen ak the
Governor to send some Persons in whom he
can rely to investigate the condition Of Dat.
tiers in Cas- county, and Request that troops
be sent up to restore order and Law, il found
necessary. They represent everything -
quiet. and that the Sheriff was ableto en5orce
the execution of the Law without assistance.
The statement of Mr.. lick puts diderent
co!oring on the recent tragedy 1t Gun City
than is represented BY the reports already
published. He says that the reports copied
from the Kanxas City and Holden Iapers
have been so false and sensatienal that, even TO
those unacquainted With the connection which
the editors of those papers had With the
bond swindle, they would seem to be extrava-
CANT and published for the purpose Of e1-
citing another riot among the people. Mr..
Zick says the evidence taken At the inquest
shows that - the train stopped Cline drew
bis pistol and fred out Of the window into
the crowd standing by, wounding two men.
He then rushed out upon the platform, and
when charged with the shooting denied 1t,
and in the melee which ensued was shot
twice and killed. Stephenson and Dutro
also fired and ran into the baggage car,
where the fight was resumed, and thus were
both killed. Esch had the marks Of two
wounds.
Gen. Joe, Shelby Was not molested, as he
offered no attack upon the people, and was
in no wise connected with the bond swlndIe.
He was not a contractor upon the road, nor
was he in close connection with the issuing
of the bonds. He was q contractor upon
the Kansas City & Memphis road, to which
bonds had been Issued BY the court contrary
to the rsmonstrance Of nearly the entire peo-
pie of the county, and in violation OF an In
junction which had been issued restraining
them from doing SO.
1t was then-soms time last fall-that the
secret society which still exists, was formed.
Its object was to protect the people from
bankruptcy from the action Of the county
court; the legal protection Of the county BY
raising money to pay the necessary expen..
ses in testing the question Of the legality OF
that issue of bonds by the court. Any per-
son by paying one dollar could become a
member. The Constitution and Bylaws OF
the Society, which was called "The PrOtec.
tive Union Association of Cass County," were
published In the papers. The meetings and
proceedings were ali public, and by its agency
attorneys were employed, and writ ofinjuuc-
ton was granted. and which has been sus-
tanned. But the bonds were issued notvith-
standing, and the amount with interest, over
$3.50, 600, is a debt npon :he county. The
community, says Mr.. Kick, were patient
under this wrong, and disposed to endure
the injury, and made no demonstration until
the court issued 500, 900 bonds to railroad
which had been built, without any vote of
the people. The court and its confederates
left the county and became fugitives from
Justice. By the exertions Of the sheriff, the
president Of the association and other citi-
zens, the parties implicated were brought
back to Cas- county and bound over to await
the action of the grand jury. No violence
was offered TO any of them, and they were As
safe as at any place in the State. But not
content with the peoples moderation, and
presuming upon their long suffering, they
gathered around them men by the influence
Of their money which they had stolen from
the peoEle-men Of desperate character. who
openly boosted o! their frauds, tainted the
people that they were powerless to resist the
payment of the bonds, and threatened to kill
ali of those who had been prominent in the
detection Of the swindle and the arrest OF the
perpetrators 1t was then that the indigna-
ton of some hOt-headed men, according to
Mr.. lick, got the better Of their judgment,
and they gathered together for some purpose
which has resulted in the deplorable tragedy
at Gun City.
The people of Cass county, says Mr.. lick,
are peaceable and good citizens, and depre-
cate all riotous acts. He says the persistent
efforts on the part of the press to have 1t be.
liesed by the country at large that reign Of
terror exists there; that no one dares speak
Of the transaction for fear Of the mob, can
only be explained from the fact that the re-
port of the transaction is taken from biased
source.
The people are generally about their usual
avocations. There is no fear Of the mob, and
the action Of last Wednesday was unsuspec-
ted and surprising TO them.
The above statement from respectable
citizen of Cas- county, presents another
phase of the subject about which those near
est The scene Of the recent tragedy seem to
be divided. A thorough investigation: Of
the facts in the case is invited, and, Of
course; /. will require time to ferret out and
establish the truth OF the representations
made by either side.