The Weekly Kansas chief. [volume] (Troy, Kan.) 1872-1918, 1876-02-03
Ups and Downs.

just now receiving more attention in the State
than any other two men in or out Of it. We re-
fer to Samuel Lappin and Charles G. Scraford,
one OF whom is in Jail at Topeka, awaiting his
trial for the school bond fargery, and the other
of whom is in parts unknown, n fugitive, as is
supposed, to escape punishment for completely
in the same crime. We have bad them in sight
during most Of the above time. aud have seen
them gradually rise up, and then suddenly fall
to the ground.
In March, 1857, we came up the river on the
old Admiral, the first boat Of the season above
| st. Joseph, and landed at White Cloud. Long
before the boat reached the landing, We had seen
a portly man walking back aud forth on the
bank, and who was the first person to address,
us, walked the plank. He informed us
that his name was Lappin that he was q stock
holder in the town site of White Cloud, and also
held claim near the town tract. He was very
| agreeable, well posted, and could give MS inform
| alton upon any point we wished relative TO the
country. We were informed by others that he
boarded with his brother-in-law, Mr.. Scrafford,
who held a claim adjoining him. We did not
meet Scraford for day or two. They were the
owners of the aw-mill on the town site, and had
1
was from Tifin, Ohio, and Scraford from Belle
vue, Huron Comfy. Lappin had attended col
lege at Ann Arbor, Michigan, and had afterwards
been a Professor teacher of Mathematics in
that institution. In 1856, they started for Kan
sas with a saw-mill, intending to locate at Leav-
enworth but learning that it was not a very
healthy locality, just then, for Free State men,
| they concluded 10 come on 10 Iowa Point, where
they landed their machinery. But it soon being
ascertained that they were "Abolitionists," they
were given to understand that the sooner they
| sought another location, the better off they
wonld be; and hearing of new town that was
being started five miles above, by Free State and
liberal Pro Slavery men, they procured teams,
and hauled their machinery to White Cloud,
where they set it up, and where it was operated
for some years.
At that time, Lappn had probably several
thousand dollars, and Scrafford little or none
outside of the mill. When the Iowa Trust Lands
were surveyed for sale, Lappin and scrafford
sold their mill, and took up claims on these lands,
near White Cloud. Lappin simply put up cab
in sufficient to hold his claim but Scrafford built
a comfortable house, and fenced and cultivated
forty acres of his quarter section. We purchased
the land of him in 1862, and still own it.
Scrafford was of the most driving, indus
triops men We ever saw. There was no tire or
let-up in him. He was briek-la by trade,
and in the Fall of 1857, he removed to White
Cloud, building him hnuse-the same that Mr.
Partridge afterwards bought and remodelled
Lappin, on the contrary, would not work, but
devoted himself to speculation. He formed a
partnership with R. U. Torrey, young man
from New York, who died few years ago. at
Norfolk, Virginia, of Consumption. They start
ed building in White Cloud, for an Office, but
before it was completed, in the Fall of 1857, they
found better thing. They went to Nemaha
County, fonnd a splendid town site near the CEN
tire of the County; and selling their house and
their land, located there, laid ont town, and
called it Seneca, in honor of Seneca County,
Ohio, where Lappin had come from. We believe
they jumped another mans claim in the opera
tion, and managed to beat him out of it by some
hook or crook Of law. They designed the town
for the County Seat, and in a short time secured
it, wrestling the honor from the town of Rich |
inond, which had previously been the County |
Seat.
In 1858, ScraffOrd burned several kilns of brick
and went into the business of building houses. |
His first job was the City Hotel and Shreve & |
Macy's drug store. He afterwards bnilt a resi- |
dence for b. +. RuffDer, now owned by ID. G. |
Garlock, and another for VIM. H. Mauck, now |
owned by the Beeler Estate. He put IN so much /
time that Summer, that it was said he laid brick |
by candle-light, before day and after dark. In
the Fall of 1858, Scrafford was induced, by the
glowing accounts from Lappin and Torrey, to
taka nd oEa utar
In a year or two, Lappin and Scrafford together
bought the interest of Torrey, who returned to
New York.
From the time of their location at Seneca, the
firm prospered, and made every edge cut They
opened store, and reaped rich harvest, not
only from the surrounding settlers, but from the
Pixies Peak emigration. For some years, Ian
pin, Scrafford, and Torrey held nearly all the
County offices between them, besides being men,
bers of the Legislature and Of course, in the way
of tax titles, Comfy warrants, and various other
strings which they held, made thousands of dol
lars. For long time, they literally controlled
the politics of the County. In a few wears, they
sold their store, and went into the banking bus
mess. They were public spirited and go ahead.
Scrafford built the finest residence in Northern
Kansas and through their exertons, a magnif
cent Court House, fine school bulding, and
several churches, were erected. They were be-
ieved to be immensely wealthy, and their credit
was almost unlimited. Until their sndden down.
all, the precarious condition Of their finances
VAS not suspected; and even now, it is not
known how they fell far in the lnrch. But
nce the discovery of the bond frand, their de-
truction has been quick and thorough. But for
hat discovery, they might have weathered the
torn. 1t is to be lamented that by such an !
course, they rsked and lost the
and the reputation of years
Lappin had the reputation of being hard
md grasping man, without mercy to the poor,
nd fond of boasting of his exploits in that line
We never had any personal dealings with him,
nd cannot speak from experience but we he
eved that he would be strictly honest in pub |
c capacity. We were more intimately ac- ,
uainted with Scrafford. He was sharp at a
a argan, and keen for speculation, but We never ,
bought him a harl-hearted man. We had deal ,
ngs with him to q considerable amount, foE us =
more than We should have undertaken, in our
circumstances. 1t was in the purchase of the