Wichita eagle., 1886-09-08
WHO KIDNAPPED SAM WOOD?

| TO the Editor of the Eagle.
| In the case of Sam Wood and Price
versus Hugoton which is now being tried
in the court of public opinion and in the
newspapers, the Plaintiffs have for several
days been noisily proclaiming their version
of the case while little or nothing has been
said in behalf of the defense.
As a matter Of course the public Is
| amazed at the story of the kidnapping.
People very naturally wondered how so
criminal an act could be perpetrated by the
citizens of Hugoton under any circum-
stances, and it is ali the more IA matter OF
surprise when it is considered that the kid
mapping Of the above named gentlemen
could not aid Hugoton in the contest for
the county seat, but on the contrary could
iniure their cause by alternating the public
sympathy
Many best acquainted with Mr.. Wood
have never believed that he was kidnapped
and it is an open secret generally believed
here that Mr. Woods disappearance was a
matter of his own dcvising. His county
project to any one else than the irrepressi-
BILE Sam would have been considered hope
less. Long after the location of the comfy
seat at Hugoton seemed an assured fact,
Wood with his company of professional
county seat makers appeared upon the
scene and started Woodsdalc in an almost
inaccessible portion of the sand-hil!s several
miles from the center of the county. 1t
was anything but a desirable site, being the
refuse of the 5000 quarter sections that
comprise Stevens county.
1t is not claimed that the above facts
would interfere with Mr. Woods right to
start town, and the necessity of his get
ting up some scheme that will furnish q
basis for legal proceedings, and cause de-
lay in the organization of the county.
At the time the election was called for
the locating of a permanent county seat,
the only improvement in Woodsdale was
one box shanty about sixteen feet square.
Hugoton had many large and permanent
buildings and several hundred inhabitants.
and we are asked to believe that to sup
press their rival town the people of Hugo
ton stopped to the commission of grave
crime
On the other hand ii is stated and be-
lieved that Mr. Wood laid the plans for
his own capture; that he told citizen of
Hugoton that he was tired of the fight and
that if he could get out of it without APP
pearing to abandon those who were inter
ested with him in Woodsdale, he would do
so; that lie chose the route by which he
should be taken away; that the route was
known before his disappearance to some Of
the members of the party that went in pur-
suit In short, it is believed upon good ev-
idence, that the name of Sam Woods alb
ductor is Sam Wood The proceedings
against the Hugoton people showed symp-
toms of preparations having been made for
the trial before the alleged kidnapping
took place
1t may be said that il is no credit to the
people of Hugoton that they fell so readily
into the trap But it should be remember
ed that Mr. Woods we'll known ability to
kick up a disturbance, made his voluntary
absence at this time very desirable, and
they unwisely allowed him to choose his
own route Had they taken him in some
ether direction the brave fifty who pursued
according to the pre-arranged program
would still be wandering among the Pan
handles, eagerly consulting the map of the
route previously prepared by Mr. Wood
for their guidance, and wondering how
they missed their bearings.
But Hugoton was too confiding. and as
result the rival town of Woodsdale con-
sisting of few box shanties and barrel
of water hauled from the nearest we'll,
three miles distant has received bushels of
misplaced sympathy and columns of free
advertising. DIsINTkREsTED.