The Wichita city eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1872-1883, 1877-04-05
The Topeka Tradegy.

The startling rumor published last
week, of the killing of Swayze. the
editor of the Topeka Daily Blade, by
John w. Wilson, proved correct. The
unfortunate meeting occurred i'll an
alley back of the post office, and it
proved that both were prepared for
the fatal fray. The most intensely
bitter feeling existed between the par
ties, which arose from a business
rivalry. After the suspension of the
Times Swayze kept up his personal
attacks upon Wilson, for he was a re-
lcntless enemy. Two meetings had
occurred before between tho parties.
the first one many months ago. Mr..
Swayze was a violent man, at least in
his writings, if not personally. lie
never let UP when once upon the track
of an enemy or a man or measure he
did not like. But all that was no
sufficient reason why he should be
violently killed. At the very best il
was a very sad and lamentable oc-
currenee.
Wilson was examined and admitted
to bail in the sum of $4,000. Swayze
was buried, his funeral sermon being
preached by the Rev. DR.. McCabe, and
his remains followed 10 their resting
place by very large number of peo
pie. The following sketches of the
lives Of the two men we take from the
columns of the Commonwealth:
Mr.. Wilson was born III Tuscarawai
county, Ohio, in 1852, and consequent
| IL is about twenty-five years old. III
is a son of Hon. V. p. Wilson, editor
| and publisher of the Enterprise Ga
zefte, published at Enterprise, Dick
inson county, and formerly publisher
| of the Chronicle, at Abilene. Th'
| father was elected 4 member of th'
State Senate in 1872, in which body h
served accepiably two years. Befor'
the expiration of his term he removed
to Topeka, and, in connection will
his son. John W., purchased and pub
| ilSheG A.t NOitH Lppthd tHtCo,
weekly newspaper. They removes
the Office to the south side OF tn
river two years ago, and established
daily evening edition. a bitter war
fare soon sprang up between the tw'
evening papers and continued 70
some time. The Times, after yariou
changes passed out OF the hands of tn
Wilson's in March, 1876, and since tina
time John w. Wilson has had no edi
toriai connection with any paper, an'
has worked at intervals in the Com
mOeaceQlth news rooms; OF late work
ing occasionally as sub lie has
wife and two children residing II
North Topeka.
| Mr.. Swayze learned the priniin:
business in the office OF the Brooklyn
Eagle, and for time was an irregu
lar contributor TO the New \ DIRK Her
AID. Before the late war he marrie'
Kate Edwards, an actress, with whom
he Travelled through the south, and b,
whom he had three children, twt
daughters and one son, who are still
living and who are working as com
positors in the Office of the Leaven
worth Times. He established himsel
in Georgia a short time before tn
war ia the publication of newspape
but during the war he was forced IN
to the confederate service. He subse
quently deserted TO the federals am
afterwards served as scout in tn
Union army in the same locality wher
he bad been pressed by the rebels
After the war he established tn
Union at Macon, Georgia, red-hoi
peppery, Republican sheet, the utter
ances of which caused him muc
trouble and persecution. The pape
was az advocate of Horace Greeley i
1872. He removed TO Topeka in 1871
and commenced the publication of III
Blade, daily evening paper whic
lasted about six months. About th
first of February, 1874, he suspende
publication for nearly one year. /
the winter of 1875 the paper was re
suscitated and it has been publishe
ever since.