Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1884-05-09
BEGINNING AND EaO
Full Particulars Of the Tragedy Last
Week.
The Dead are Buried With HeuorS and tho
Curtain IL Drawn Der the Scene.

When tire INpEN was printed last week
there was so much excitement and confW
sion that Il was next to Impossible to ge
into type n full and detailed account Of th'
terrible tragedy connected with the attempt
ed robbery Of the Medicine Valley Bank oil
this city resulting IN the murder Of th,
president +. w. Payne aud the cashier Geo
geppcrt. The editor OF the paper wa,
away from town, and did not return Until
after the paper was issucd, and with the dc
creased force and the consequent worry and
trouble incident 10 such tragedy In the
same building where our Office is located
involving the death Of the proprietor OF
the paper. Mr.. Payne, the only wonder ID
that Sir. n. {. Jones and Mr.. Geo. II.
Weaver, the young men ln charge were able
20 issue the piper anyways near on tune.
As Il was they Published large extra eli.
ton which was at once exhausted, and they
could have disposed Of sew ml thousands
more. There were no glaring inaccuracies
aud altogether the report in the INDEX was
pronounced excellent Such demand for
n full account has been made. THAT we re-
produce tho account published last week
with few corrections an,l additions.
now 81 OCCURRED.
Our town was thrown Into state Of in
tense excitement "Wednesday morning by
the Preparation Of n murder and attempt
ed robbery, which for blood-thlrstincss and
holiness never WIS surpassed by the james
boys or any other set Of robbers In the
history orthis country.
Shortly after nine O'Clock, when a heavy
rain was falling aud very few people on
the streets. four men rode into the city from
the west aud hitched their horses In the
rear Of the corn crib back OF the Medicine
Valley bank. The bank had been open
only a few minutes; Mr.. Geppert, the
cashier, had just taken his place aud began
work on settling the monthly accounts. T..
w. Payne, president, was sitting at his
desk writing, when rs nearly as cnn be ~
ccrtained three OF the robbers entered the
building, one going to the cashiers window.
one TO The presidents window and one to
the lattice door IN the rear OF the oflicr.
Mcssrs. Gcppcrt and Payne were ordcrc J
TO throw uP their hands; Mr.. "copper" com-
piled, bat Mr.. Payne lcapcd to seize a rc-
vOlvvr, when
TovR SHOTS WIRE FIRED
Ia rapid succession; "a was subsequently
learned, three Of the shots took effect. Two
were received by Mr.. Gcppcrt, and one by
Mr.. PAYNE. Rev. FricdI,y who happened
10 Dc on the opposite side of street, gave
the alarm and Marshal Dpnn who hap
pvned to b. IN front OF Harrington 4 smiths
grocery store opposite the bank rushed over
and opened fire on the robbers which WIS
promptly returned. Mir Dcnn crossed the
street to thc livery stable north. and four
shots were fired ut him -. hc went. which
he promptly returned with interest. The rob
bers seeing the game was up broke for
their horses and amid "A lively fusil.l,lc rode
out OF town, going south, und in very few
minutes score of wcll-niOuutcd, we'll
armed, determined men were in hot pursuit.
headed by AK. Il. Mckenn,y, Biney
O'Connrr. Vernon Lyle, G.. G.. 1Slh.crro.
aud closely followed by Geo. Freddy, Tom
Dorn, Roll Clarl, John Fleming, Mute
Priest, Wayne Mckinney, Lee Bradley and
Howard Martin and u number Of others.
70 those who rushed into lho bank
horrible scene WIS presented. George
Geppcr,, the cashier, by
DEAD ~ THE VAULT,
wcltering In his blood, two holes In his
body showing where balls had entered,
told the story. Mr. Payne, president, Icy
near the door Of the vault groaning with
pain. An examination showed TINT pis.
tol ball had entered back OF the right
shoulder blNlc, ranging across. probably
grazing his spine, AMI lodging under thu
left shoulder blade. Frank Chaplin, the
book-keepcr ofthc bunk, who had stepped
out few minutes before 10 mail some It,.
ters, was the first TO get inside the milins.
he having a hey tn the lattice door. lie
went to where Mr.. Payne was lying on hi
face and spoke TO him. aud Mr.. Payne asked
him to turn him over on his back. aud this
was DOM. W. W. Cook. the yicc.prcsidcnt
Of the bank was the next Que In. aud hr
going In the vault found Mr.. Geppcrt sit
ting Qua box with his head hanging down.
lifclcsi, with The blood flowing from bis
wounds onto the floor. Dr. Dunn, Dr.
Kesslor, Dr. Barney and Dr. Moore wcrr
almost instantly in Attendance. aud seeing
that the life of Mr.. Gcppcrt had departed
gave all their attention 20 Mr.. Payne, who
was suffering intensely. Ills life WIS not
dcspalrcd OF then, but Il was soon evident
that he could not live many hours. his
devoted wife wis nj once notified and she
was by his side In few mlnntes. IN the
meantime u was dveldcd to take dying
statement from Mr. Payne. aud according.
" 4. sample wrote down the following
from the dead president.
rAyNE's srArranN,r.
IL was sitting at my desk, writing. when
] heard some one on the outside say. holt
up your hands, I Thought u was some
the hoys joking; but looking around saw
Gcppert with his hands up. then yr,bbgd
for my revolver la my desk and saw a man
standing at my wicket window. and saw u
man ut the lattice door. Jst then four
shots wrrc fired. felt enc Lit me Ia the
shoulder, and ON looking around I saw
GepPert near the vault door and supposed
he was going into the vault | saw thrs
men but did not know them; though III.
one ut my window thought had scn.
lie had on slicker and had the collar pull-
ed up over his chin"
The body or MIR Geppert was laid in the
outer Office for n while and soon aftcr,v,rd
removed tn his home where IL was soon
surrounded by his hcartbrokcn frirnds.
Mr. Payne WIS taken 10 his homr soou