The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1885-04-09
Tho Boomers.

Post Dispatch: AS the enemies of the
misrepresented them to the secretary OF
the interior and President Cleveland,
aud in reply to request from Washing
ton, Capt. Couch, who succeeded Payne
as leader of the boomers, will go to
Washington and see the president him.
self and state his case and that of the
1 500 Lnen waiting here to march into
the Oklahoma country. Their opponents
IN Washington, who are known to be the
agents of the mighty cattle corporations
holding the leases to the Cherokee strip,
have used every means to blacken the
character of the Couch colonists; and
they have been painted as roughs and
Adventures of the widest character,
who, without law or reSson, were at
tempting TO invade q country where they
| had no rights under the law. In the face
of all this, however, these same stock
men were known TO have thousands
of cattle on these lands, and
| when President Cleveland issued
his proclamation last month
| ordering all tresspassers out OF OklAho-
/ ma 1t was expected the cattlemen were
included in the order, but it appears to
have been interpreted otherwise, as up
70 the present time they have not vsca-
ted an acre OF the land. Captain Couch
| is going to Washington as the leader OF
the great movement, to place his side OF
the case squarelY before the authorities,
as II has never been done before. The
men noW IN the camp have decided e
remain of the ground until he returns
and then take final action for the sum.
mer.
General Hatch, who has returned from
Wichita, where he was in consultation
with the United States district attorney
does not believe that the interior depart
ment will have any further handling o.
the case, but thinks the Attorney Gen
eral will be directed to take ii in charge
The messages which have come from Mr.
Garland since Thursday last indicat'
that he is In full possession of all thu
facts and that he is In favor Of prosecut
the Couch men arrested last January Il
the full extent of the Law. and to keel
ct il until the Presidents proclamation
Is literally complied with, and Gen
Hatch says he is here to back him up
It was rumored 20 day that four com
: panies of infantry were enroute TO thi
point from Fort Leavenworth, and tbs
the cavalry on Chilocco Greek would z
70 Oklahoma and act In conjunctio
with Major Devices. General Hate
says there Is no truth IN the report tbs
no more troops are needed. unless /
case Of great emergency. If the Indians
wh0 have already shown signs of diI
content, continue to kill the stock
{ may be necessary 60 have more troops
l the territory. So far As the boomers al
] concerned, General Hatch hes soldie
enough 70 keep out ten times as man
even did they try 70 force their way Ii
which they are too wise to undertake.
At . meeting Of the colonisss to-nigl
speeches were made by Capt. Couc
= Mr.. Furiong. Mr. Croker and other r
e lstive 70 the trip of Capt. Couch to Il
East, and It was the feeling OF all tb
the question should bs solved peaceful
but that no faynrftism should be show
; Capt Couch will carry with him 8 staI
e ment signed By the lesding business m
IL and merchants of Arkansas City shown
that the colonists have. since their
= rival here been law abiding citizens, {
Titled to al respect.