The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1884-08-08
The Land Grabbers.

Caldwell. Kas., t. Yesterday
Gen. Hatch in company with Adj.
Gen. Finley and Inspector Green of
the Interior Department visited
Payne's camp at Rock Falls Indian
country and after reading the Presi-
dents proclamation to him and his
assembled followers dire cted him to
leave the territory before this morn
ing or they would be elected. This
took place in q small board ehanty
occupied by the Oklahoma Chief, a
news paper the forms of which were
being made up at the time. Payne
at first attempted TO discuss the
legal aspect of the case, but
soon became angry and abusive
in his language calling all
from highest TO lowest q pack of
thieves. Cooper, the editpr. chimed
in with vltuperation, and threats
falling to provoke the officers into
quarrel, Payne said he had valise
full of money and he would give
1000 to be tried by United States
court, and in order to assule the
officers OF case against him, would
then and there sell them either
liquor or cigars without license or
permit. He urged the officers to
dine with him, and offered them
plenty Of liquor if they would do so.
By this time large crowd had IS.
sembled from tents and shanties
along the river, and the officers
again admonished them to
leave and not return. Their
only reply was torrent Of
abusive epithets that cannot be pub
l'shed. The officers then returned
to camp, ten miles distant. Early
this morning two squadrons of the
9th United States Cavalry, COM
manded by CAPTAIN Moore, appeared
in the boomers camp, and under di'
rection of Indian Agent Rogers
arrested the whole community
and took charge OF the print~
ing Office. AL women and children
and men who were new offenders
were escorted to the Kansas line,
together with their personal pro-
perty. Six old offenders named D.
t.. Payne, J. B. Cooper, D. g.
Greenhouse, T.W. Eckeberger, John
McGreE and S. L. Moseley were
loaded into six.mule wagons and
started under escort OF Lieutenant
jackson and fifteen men for Fort
Smith, Arkansas, 900 miles dis
tapt; the pager was ready
to go to pres and upon inquiry
number OF printers were found.
in command who soon printed an
edition OF 100 comics, the press was
then carefully packed and loaded
into wagon and started under
escort for Mus keoge. 1t being con-
6scated proper tyIsndlundey law 1nre
plevinable. Printing eff 20 and other
buildings includ!n, two boarding
houses, a drug store, cigar and re-
stauraHt and some cheap dwellings
were then burned to the ground,
and the last vestige OF Rock Falls
had disappeared. Payne threatened
to cut the throat of the first man
who att mpted to arrest him. but
one colored soldier marched him
about thec MP 70, an hour. Payne
has lost whatever prestige he may
have had heretofore with the
thinking class CT the community; ne
has been on debauch for a week
and was unable last night to attend
the conference of squatters. After
General Hatch left Rock Falls the
poor deluded squatters now realize
they had paid him many
thousands of dollars with.
out any equivalent. The number
elected from this camp are about $50
people. A large crowd of citizens
were present from Hunnewell as
spectators, and heartily approved
the course adopted to rid the Terri
tory of the intruders. 1t is believed
this vii. cure the boomsrs CT
trying to force settlement on Indian
lands, other detachments of troops
have been sent to remaining settle
ments who will in like manner
.zG Elo ,.;pn lco5ars ard take