Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1885-04-24

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that he would not hold district court
while such excitement existed, and
when htigants, attorneys, jurors and
everyone should be engaged in aiding
suffering humanity in this deplorable
calamity. On motion of E. Sample the
mayor, city council. w. w. Cook and
Nick Sherlock were requested to act as
relief committee. 1t was also re.
quested that the council meet that
night.
Volunteers to aid in the work OF
rescuing and hunting for victims of the
food were called for, and it turned out
that every man in the crowd was will
ing to 20. Sheriff Rigg was elected
captain, and the crowd ordered to meet
at the Kinkaid place, .south of town,
and it met there, to the number of sew
eral hundred, at once, on horseback, in
buggies, on foot-everywaY. A dele
CATION of dozen or more, under the
captaincy of Marshal Forbes. were dis
patched up the Medicine river. The
Others were sent up and down Elm and
Spring creeks, on both sides. The re.
suit Of the labor Of the searching parties
is given elsewhere.
THE MoRGUR.
The district court room was turned
into mOrgue, and as soon as a body
was recovered it was taken there and
properly cared for and dressed. A party
Of ladies, 80 many that their names
even cannot be mentioned, tenderl J
cared for the dead women and children
while willing lot of men attended t.
the bodies Of the males. Nice coffin:
were furnished by Johh Higgins, and
neatly trimmed, and into these the
bodies were laid as fast as prepared fol
burial. During the day, ten bodies in
collins were lying in the room, and these
were looked at by hundreds of visitor.
during the day. Not body appeared
free of scratches, though the tender ant
careful handling of the ladies nearl,
succeeded in hiding these unpleasant
sights from view.
The first lot Of three bodies wert
started to the cemetery at IL O'Clock
Wednesday; but not until Rev. Gillian
had offered fervent and feeling prayer,
for the deceased. The ladies present
engaged in a song service.
Mrs. Maddox and her two little som
were first buried; then, in the after
noon her two daughters, and grown son
and Jerry Gibbs and his daughter ant
grand daughter, and about shutdown
Charles Smith, the last body recovered
was laid to rest.
John Upperman was the captain o
the grave digging force, and saw tina
the resting places of everybody wal
properly marked.
FATE OF MRS. sHEPLER.
The general opinion now is that tn,
wife of Frank Shepler and their two
year old boy met their death in tn,
flood. Nothing has been heard of then
since Frank placed them on the roof
and it is now known that the house wa
dashed to pieces before or soon after i
reached the Medicine river. Most o
the wreck of this house has been dis
covered, put part of the roof has not
and there is faint hope that Mrs
Shepler and her child may hav,
chung to this, and that it may have gon,
down the river. These are the only tw
persons now unaccounted for, and they
may found. Mrs. Shepler is daughte
of Mr.. J. V. Fishburn, of Sun City, ant
her brother is here assisting in tn,
search. Her husband and his folks ar,
terribly distressed over her absence.
NORTH ON ELM CREEK.
The people on Elm creek, even as fal
up as 20 miles, felt the full force of tn,
food. a tremendous rain commenced
falling early in the evening and con
tinued until long after midnight. A
2 o'clock the village Of Elm Mills, OF
the north side of the stream, was inun
dated, thel water reaching several fee
higher than ever before known. NJ
lives were lost at that place, and thu
only damage reported is the loss o.
fencing, shrubberry and loose timber
Johnson & Denton's mill was no
damaged, though their mill-race and
dam were cut up considerably. Theil
damage will not exceed 500.
The house of Mr.. Davis, the head mil
Ter, was moved off the foundation, ant
the family considerably shaken up.
Coming on down on the north side o.
Elm creek, and the damage may be re
ported as follows:
Chas. Chadwick lost horses, Is cat
tie, lot Of hogs, all of his fences an(
corrals on the stream, and his houst
was badly torn up.
Below him, Robert Hamilton lives
and he lost fencing, corrals and 40 head
OF fine hogs.
Pleasant Valley school house, dis
trict No. "a, was washed entirely away
though it was securely built and al
embankment thrown against it.
Philip Butcher, the next place below
lost a long string of fencing and severa
head of stock.
Mr.. Sherlock lost a lot of corn and hi
fencing.
Amber was not damaged, though tn,
water was over the entire bottom il
front of there. Warren, who lives be
low Amber, only lost fence. Ike Mel
rose, near by, lost fencing and perhaps
few head Of stock. His house was VI
high and dry.
At Henry Bleckhahus' place, fou
miles north, family named Merrick
consisting Of man and wife and thre'
children were living. Two camper
were near by and first noticed the fioot
coming and awoke the people in tn
house. The husband and father wen
to the window and saw that the waite
was up half way on the Low er sash, and