The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1885-01-02
rAH WORSE THAN nEnrrELn.
4 Mob from Wilmot Demolishes the Court
House at Traverse, OAK, and Captures
the Roberts County Records,

House at Traverse, OAK, and Captures
the Roberts County Records.
Traverse, Oak, Special Telegram. Several
weeks ago an armed mob from Wilmot at
tackled the court house at Traverse, Oak, to
forcibly remove the Roberts county records.
The officers were well prepared, and the mob
went homo without the records. The officers
fearing a second attack, removed all the records.
Two cases were brought in the district court,
in both of which Traverse had been victorious.
me last decision wa. renewed recently at Mil
bank, which located the ounty seat at Tray
srse. In the action Wilmot sought to
compel the Traverse canvassing board to re-
count the vote of the late election, which, it
was claimed, would clearly show that Wilmot
had been chosen for the county seat and it's
set of county officers elected. Two of the
county commissioners favorable to Wilmot
met with j. w. Bell of Milbank as their legal
adviser, and organized by declaring that upon
the vote as cast they had hoen Only elected.
Then they declared that Wilmot, having re-
celyed a majority of the votes, was the county
seat of Roberts county, and instructed the
county officers to establish their offices at
the county scat The Wilmot ticket was
declared elected and the officers duly sworn
III. The decision of the court 80 en-
termined to take the public records by force.
On the morning of the 18th at Z O'clock an
armed mob of more than one hundred men
from Wilmot ard the surrounding country at
tackled the court house. After breaking every
door in the building they removed the county
safe. Not satisfied with the public property,
they seized all the private property they could
find. Before attacking the court house a num-
Der of men armed with Winchesters were sta
toned at the elld OF each street and no one
permitted to enter or leave town. Few of the
citizens were up when the mob entered town,
and they we're in the court house before any
thing could be done. The sheriff attempted to
save the county property, but was halted at
the muzZles of half a dozen Winchesters. The
Traverse men made no resistance, knowing
that no valuable records were in the court
house. Beside,
RESISTANCE WAS USELESS,
rs tho mob had the advantage. They were
well armed md ready for any emergency, and
nad tho building IN which the records were &C.
creted been attacked somebody would certlinly
have been hurt The United States mail CIR
rier was w'ylaid and tle mail overhauled The
inside OF the court house is almost entirely de-
mol shed. This, with several hundred chattel
mortgages that had been thoughtle ,sly lett in
The office of tho register OF deeds, is
he principal damage to The county,
All other mortgages and deeds
are safe. County business is being transacted
.s usual, The mob was very drunk, and stole
all the private property it could find. The
mob will be terribly surprised when 1t finds the
safe empty. The postofice department has
been notified, and the United States marshal is
expected tomorrow. Upon arriving ut Wilmot,
the safe and records were deposited in a vault
in the Office of Justice Countryman, and arc
now strongly guarded. The machinery Of the
new county government was Immediately set
into motion, and all the necessary preliminary
business transacted. The house at Traverse,
which cost about 81, Wo, was placed on
runners, and will reach Wilmot Tonight.
A runner from Wilmot has just ar
rived here and says that the mob is terribly
enraged at not finding any records in the
safe, and are again marching on Traverse to
take the records, hang the county officers
and burn the town; but the records have
been removed to a safe place, Traverse is ar
ming, and will be prepared for them. A bat
tie will undoubtedly be fought before morning.
Gov. Pierce has been telegraphed for troops.
Warrants are out for the arrest of all who took
part in the mob. but will not be served. The
sheriff is powerless. The armed mol will moi
allow him to serve any papers in Wilmot
Nothing but the arrival of troops will preven
bloOdshed.