The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1884-08-15
THE BOOMERS CLEANED OUT.

United states Troops Eject Two Hundred
and Fifty Oklahoma Squatters-The
Town of Rock Falls, /. T., Burned to
the Ground, and Captain Payne's News.
paper Confiscated.
CALDWELL, Kan, Aug. s.-General
Hatch, in company with Adjutant Gen
eral Finley and Inspector Green, of the
Interior Department, visited Payne's camp
at Rock Falls, Indian country, Wednesday,
and, after reading the Presidents proclaim
alton to him and his assembled followers,
directed them to leave the Territory before
the following morning or they would be
elected. This took place in small board
shaDty occupied by the Oklahoma Chief,
a newspaper, the forms of which were
being made up.at the time. Payne at first
attempted to discuss the legal aspects of the
case, but soon became angry and very
abusive in his language, calling all the Off
GERS OF the Government. from the highest
to the lowest a pack of thieves. Cooper.
the editor, chimed in with the
yituperAtion and threats. Failing to pro-
woke the officers into a quarrel, Payne
said he had a yalise full of money, and
that he would give ST 900 to be tried by a
United States court. and in order to
him would then and there sell them liquors
or cigars without a license or permit He
urged the officers to dine with him, and Of
fered them plenty of liquor if they would
do SO. BY this time a large crowd had as.
sembled from the tents and shanties along
the river, and the officers again admonished
them to leave and not return. The only re-
ply was a torrent of abusive epithets. The
officers then returned to camp, ten miles
distant. yesterday morning two squadrons of
the Ninth United States Cavalry, commanded
by Captain Moore, appeared in the boomers
camp, and under direction of Indian Agent
Rogers, arrested the whole community and
took charge of. the printing office. All the
women and children and men who were
new offenders were escorted to the Kansas
line together with their personal property.
Six old offenders named d. l.. Payne, j. B.
Cooper, d. G. Greathouse, T. w. EckIe.
berger, John McGrew and S. L. Mosely,
were loaded into six mule wagons and
started under the escort of Lieutenant Jack-
son and fifteen men for Fort Smith, Ark,
three hundred miles distant. The pa
per was ready to go to press, and upon in
quiry anumber of printers were found in
the military command who soon printed an
edition Of one hundred copies. The press
was then carefully packed and loaded into
a wagon, and started under escort for Mus
kogee, it being confiscated property and
under the law not subject to re-
plevin. The printing office and other
buildings, including twos boarding houses,
drug store, cigar store and restau-
rant, and some cheap dwellings, were then
burned to the ground. Payne threatened to
cut the throat of the first an who attempt
ed to arrest him, but one coIored soldier
marched him about camp for an hour.
Payne has lost whatever prestige he may
have had heretofore with the thinking
class of the community. He had been ON
a debauch for week, and was unable
Wednesday to attend the conference of
squatters, which was held after General
Hatch had left Rock Falls The deluded
squatters now realize that they have paid.
him many thousands of dollars without
any equivalent. The number elected from
the camp was about two hundred and fifty
people. A large crowd of citizens was
present. They came from Hunnewell as
spectators, and heartily approved the
course adopted to rid the territory of the
intrlderS. 1t is believed this will cure tn 9
boomers of trying to force a settlement of
the Indian lands t35ts |EGt