Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1883-04-06
THE FUGITIVE COMMISSION,
The First Chapter of Their
Proceedings.

The First Chapter of Their
Proceedings.
Their Desperate Efforts to Escape tho
Clutches Of the Law.
From the Sioux City Journal of the 9Th.
lie journal readers have been kent |
well informed OF the proceedings in the |
Dakota legislature which resulted in the |
creation Of the board of capital removal
commissioners. Also, that some mem.
bers OF this board have been in and out
OF Sioux City tor ten days, consulting |
With each other preparatory to organiza. |
ton.
The law required them to meet in
Yankton and organize within thirty days
OF the time when the act became q Law.
This time would expire April 7-next
Saturday. On the day following the ad.
lournment of the legislature it was
stated as news item in a Yankton paper
that the board would meet there on Fri.
day. March 80. There vas no official |
authority for this, because no meeting
had been called by any member of the
board. In truth, all Of the commission
ers were never together until last Mon.
day. But as the word had gone ont it
appeared in all the press unquestioned,
The commission could not organize
until they had obtained judicial spprov.
al of their bonds and taken the oath of
Office. One gentleman held federal
office at the time Of his election as com.
missioner, and it was necessary that he
should "off with the old" before he could
ION with the new." The federal Office
was turned over to his successor on Sat-
urday, March 81, and on Monday he,
with another member Of the commission,
qualified. Then all were ready to pro.
ceed to Yankton to organize, as by Law
required.
But they heard that Yankton was not
ready to receive them. All of last week
it was openly talked on the streets Of
that city that tie commission would get
into trouble when they came there to Or
ganize. Gov. Ordway's house and Office,
and the residence Of Capt. Hughes were
watched by day and by night. Ex-mem.
bers Of the legislature were followed
every movement was noted by the Yank.
tonians.
The sheriff, also came down to Yer
that point, asking who this and that
quaintance.
ALI these things satisfied the board
that the streets of Yankton would not
be strewn with roses when they walked
them in an organizing capacity. So the
| hoo ri dot in cd tof fbnv ru1r1J kob
the pugnacious city-if they could.
Zekel Biglow once wrote:
'rTain't KNOWN kind o. cattle
That is kotched by mouldy corn"
\ After careful deliberation their plan o
action was fully matured and they pro
ceeded to carry it into effect. This is hoy
they done it:
An order was obtained from very higl
authority for special train to be pu
ut their disposal. Said train was to b.
put in readiness for them at the foot o
Pearl street, this city, at three o'clocl
Tuesday morning, April Sd. Sever
, of the commissioners and one Dakot
editor spent that night q
the same hotel. Two other commissioner
slept elsewhere. All we're called at 2:3
, Tuesday morning, met at the hotel oftic
and went together to the train. Tn
latter consisted of engine No. 27 and on
coach. The engine was driven by en-
glneer Moriarity. with Richards for hi
9 stoker. John Curry was the conducto
, and Markey was his brakeman. Th
coach didn't need to be brilliantly lighte
and wasn't. The last man was aboar
: and the train started at 3:l5. There We
!. nothing to go slow for, so Mr.. Moriarit
J. hurried The Nine along as though the
were blessed angels, going to the rel,
= of the sad hearted tribe of Yanktons.
g the train rushed across the Sioux riv,
g some incipient Cesar shouted, "Here v
/. go over the rubicon"
There was no occasion to stop, as the
we're no passengers to get off or on,
no stops we're made. The chief remarl
made 'twixt this city and Yankton We
by Capt. Hughes when passing E
ID Point, who remarked, ''There's my o
n. home;" and by Thompson when the ira
:. shot through Vermillion, who sal
lc "That's where live" And as the Yan
'e ton county line was crossed one your
X Blackstone said, "Now we are in Ed
erton's district"
1t was just s o'clock a. they nesred Il
Jim river bridge. Then were wstchm,
Is, set to be on the lookout for what the
m could see. One man stood on the rig
side and another on the left Of the te
d. der; two Others were stationed at Il
ls, head of the coach for the same dut
n. Within 500 feet of that bridge cam
or fire was discovered. It burned qui
IT. brightly, but no picket could be seen
supposed to have gone off for drink.
Monday the roadmaster was sent
train to Yankton with orders to wat
Of the road in that city, and at midnight
~, set the switches 60 that they would RI
the special train on to the Scotlal
sf' branch, and then to spike them down
US that position. The lookouts on t
A. special could distinctly see that he b
=, Iobeyed his orders. So that part Of t
:, plan was perfect.
ne And now the city limits are reacht
IN Three or four trusty railroad men 8
or. seen keeping vigil over the track, and
ty. was known that all was we'll.
m Capt. Hughes said at 5:l5, just al
the depot was passed: "Gentlemen
vn US organize" At once he took his 81
on the south side and midway of the C
in the back seat of two that were turn
together, and next to the window. Cal
I'll, Bedding of Deadwood sat at his rig
ra. with Mckenzie of Bismarck in front
rio him and Mathews of Brookings in fro
of Hughes. DR.. Scott of Grand Fol
70 stood behind and leaning over the ba
ith of the seat in which Hughes sat. Mess
nd Thompson of Vermlllion, DeLong
m Canton, Spalding of Fargo and Myres
"a Redfield stood in the aisle facing tho
~ Nv who were seated-Thompson nearest I
"a front door of the car, the others on
" left in the order named. The "chi
was thereabouts. All took off their ha
II. C,,tt ,,o. .1ap;rnot,J nc ko,,,Dorr