The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1885-01-01
WAR IN DAKOTA.

fastening to the Rescue-The Records
| Concealed and the Wilmot Mob Deter
mined to Have Them or Blood.
TRAVERSE CITY, D. T.. December %.
This city was thrown into most intense
state of excitement at an early hour
this morning, and all day long the
greatest confusion has prevailed. About
| seven O'Clock this morning, while many
| of the inhabitants of the place were
| asleep, mob of men, fully one hundred,
most of whom came from Wilmot, q
small town in the Southern portion OF
the county, invaded the town. The men
| entered the town and placed guards at
the end of every street, armed with
Winchester rifles, thus heading off peo-
pie from going or coming. After this the
| remainder of the mob went to the Court
house, broke the doors down and went
through each and every office, helping
| themselves to PAPERS, documents and
valuables, scattering and destroying what
they didn't want. They also carried
away the safe. The mob destroyed Il
great deal of property, public and pri-
waite, and helped themselves to what they
wanted, and after accomplishing what
| had been mapped out, left.
Sheriff Cummings made an effort to re.
sist the men, but they were determined,
and he was ordered to remain quiet, and
ut the same time a tine display of Win
chester rifles were placed on exhibition,
nSpnciolly fnr his hnunft A pnmhnr nf
Traverse men left their homes with the
intention of assisting the Sheriff in quiet
ing the disturbance, but further consider
ing the situation, became convinced that
prudence at that particular juncture was
the wiser policy. The Sheriff and his
friends remained under cover of Win
chesters, in the hands of the murdcrous-
looking men, who had by this time i'm
bibed most literally of bad whisky. Many
of the mob were very drunk, and had
grown boisterous as well as dangerous.
The mob remained about an hour, then
left With the county safe and all the pri-
yate property they could lind. The in
side of the Courthouse is a total wreck.
The business men of Wiimot led the mob,
and gathered the lower elements of the
country, mostly foreigners. The United
States mail carrier was stopped and the
mail overhauled. The department has
been notified. The safe contained no val
liable records and papers. Tine mob de-
stroyed a large number of papers, among
which were several hundred chattel
mortgages, which will be great loss 10
the mort gagees. All other county records
are safe, the County Clerk having
removed them from the Court house.
Notice was posted on the Courthouse
door to-day to the effect that tEc records
were safe, and business would he Trans
acted as usual.
The excitement has by no II;eans abatcd,
though the hostile intentions of the VIII
mott mob have been somewhat retarded
10y the fearful blizzard that has prevailed.
In their almost dcfenSeieSs position the
citizens OF Traverse appealed To Governor
Pierce for troops and protection, but no
reply has been received from hin. After
capturing the safe the mob were
furiouSiy eyasperatcd at fading il con-
tanned nothing, and made threats
that they would burn the town
and hang the county officers If the records,
books and papers were not turned over to
them. The whereabouts OF these docu-
mentS are unknown. The people of
Traverse are armed to the extent OF their
ability, and will defend their town, aided
by the citizens, who are tiOcking 10 the
county seat from all parts of the county.
The officials are cool and ready to meet
whatever assault may be made. The de-
lay, owing to the weather, has been
valuable To them.
In the late elections for county seat,
Wilmott won on the face of the returns,
but the canvassing board threw out two
towns, owing to ballot-boX Stuliing AID
fraudulent irregularity. This gave the
county seat to Traverse. A mandimus
was served on the board, but ut the hear
irg before Judge Smith it was quashcd.
A second writ was decided in favor of
Traverse. Having been defeated in the
election and count the Wilmott gang de-
tcrmiucd to resort to mob force. \ fight
is expected in the morning.
TRAVERSE CITY, ID. T., December 81.
A spy Just arrived from Wilmot. a confer
ence of one hundred and fifty men was held
in Mann's office at Wilmot. The chair
man, standing on the top of the stolen safe,
said the combination had been telegraphed
for, and # not received by Sunday NOM
i'm the safe would be blown open, and
asked the question: "What shall we do
if the books are not in the safe?" A mo-
ton was made, and carried amid cheers
and hOwis, to 90 to Traverse, sack and
burn every building, and hang every
man found. Every man at the meet.
ing was armed with Winchesters
and shot-9uns. On receipt of
this news the Traverse officers ordered
the women and children to leave the
town, and they are rapidly departing.
The mob is not expected TO reach here
much before dark. Buildings are being
barricaded, and the men are out over the
county for arms and men. The force IN
Traverse at present is rather small for
such an emergency. The men on the
ground are we'll armed and will make
desperate fight. All the weak-knecd have
been asked to leave town. None have
left. Men from the northwestern part of
the county are coming to the rescue, but
may not get there in time.
Governor Pierce will have troops here
this evening, but they also may be too
late. The officers here are cool, and vii.
make the most of the circumstances.
Governor Pierce telegraphed the Sheriff
to call every man i'll the county to his
assistance, and note every one who re-
fused. EXcitcmen: runs high. The coun-
" records have been sccrctcd. No one
excepting the Register of Deeds knows
where they gre.
They Earn Too Much Money.
SOUTH NoRwALK, Conn, December p.