Omaha daily bee., 1883-05-10
A LOCAL REBELLION.
The Town Of Dodge City, Kan
SaS, Captured by DeS-
peradOeS.
The Lives and Property Of
Citizens in the Hands Of
Gamblers and thugs.
Tho Governor Petitioned to Do
Glare Martial Law.

Special Dispatch to THE BSs.
KANSAS CRY, Mo-, May 9.-For
the past ten days a remarkable and
startling state of affairs has existed at
Dodge City, Kansas, and all mention
thereof has been kept quiet. Several
prominent Kansas City attorneys left
to day for Topeka to petition the
governor to place the town under
martial law. The difficulty Is the
elimination of o long standing feud
between two elements of that place,
Dodge City has long enjoyed the
reputation of being a hard place. 1t is
the headquarters Of the cowboys and
cattle men of the vicinity. At the
head of one faction Is a gambler
named Webster, who aspires to be
the Boss Tweed Of Dodge City, and
has his man In the mayors chair,
and q man named Harris, the defeated
candidate for mayor. A number of
the latter's friends have been ordered
to leave town and the correspondents
Of the newspapers notified they must
not send kilograms. A body Of armed
men watched the arrival Of each train
to SEQ there was no Interference. A
lawyer from Lsrned named Short,
sent to defend some prisoners, was
met by the v~igilants. who leveled q
IN ut his head and told him not to
stop. Next morning FIVE gamblers
were put on the westward bound
train and Short left for Kansas City,
where he now Is.
Dodge City Is practically In the
hands of vIgilantes and the situation
ls more serious from the fact that the
mayor is acting with them. Trains
are still watched and armed men guard
the town while the list of others who
will be ordered out 10 being prepared.
Dodge City Is practically In the
hands Of desperadoes, the lives and
property of citizens are not safe and
serious trouble Is apprehended.
ANOTHER VERSION.
1t Is difficult to obtain reliable IN.
formation in regard to the disturb.
ances at Dodge City, Kansas. Prl-
vato dispatches received here tonight
say that the lawless element had be-
como so obnoxious In the town that
the authorities determined to drive
them out. Twenty-Five policemen
were sworn In about ten days ago,
and have aimee been working to rid
the town of gamblers and prostitutes.
A number Of them were put on
trains and cautioned agSinnt COM
Ing back. Thugs appear to be
in the vicinity, and those who
remain have become less rlotout
under the salutary treatment
i%naugurated. There has been nc
bloodshed and the only coercion, the
dispatch says, that has been prac.
ticed was the placing of toughs on
tho train. The above Statement.
believed to DO pretty accurate. Still
there reems to have been some fac
tlonal trouble growing out of the re
cant election, which may have acme
connection with the origin of'the
trouble. While 1t Is stated there hsa
been no threats made sgainnt news
paper correspondents, yet they aeem
to have some fear of the consequence
and consequently thus far no special
have been sent out.
The dispatch above quoted say
there is no danger to life or propert!
and that the whole affair amounts L
nothing more than a determination .
the lawful citizens to establish order
The guards stationed at the depot
were there only for the purpose o
preventing the return Of gamblers
The cow boys are not mixed up In tn
affair.
Dodge City has Q population c
some 1900, about three. fourths {
which is made up Of the floating eli
ment. II Ia hltuated on the bordt
of the cattle country, nearly In Q,
! treme southwestern Kansas.