Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1886-04-26

Modern Munchausentsm in the
Columns OF Northern News.
paper-The Mythical Yankt0nats
of the Olden Tame.
Caledonia (Traill Co. Dak) Times.
There never existed in the political
history OF this country more desperate,
corrupt and unholy combination than
the old Yankton ring. 1t fixed its poison
Gus fangs aud its bloody claws upon the
territory away back in the sixties. its
members were then, as now, destitute of
moral character. They had NO social
standing. but were practically outlaws,
the most of them having fled from the
states to avoid being drafted into the
army. In those dark and gloomy days
Yankton well deserved the title of "Helrs
half section" By the organic act Great.
ing the territory it was made the capital
OF Dakota, and fron4 that day OF down
to the time that N. g. Ordway was ap.
pointed governor, the Yankton ring
ruled with an iron hand, and with
remorseless cruelty. Its rapaclty WAS
displayed in schsmes of public plunder
which have disgraced the name OF Dako-
ta. With the ring, peridy was above par
and villlany commanded prec1ium.
Ireachery and crime mark its history all
through the years of its ascendancy.
Whenever the federal government sent
an official to the territory, the ring at
once laid siege to him. Ii he Joined
hands with its members in their schemes
OF frezd, violence and robbery, it was
smooth sailing with him. But II he did
not bend to them, If they could not
latter, bribe or browbeat him into sub
mission, they straightway, with an IN
genulty that would make the demons Of
nell blush, set about to destroy his
reputation and character. To go back
no farther than 1876. to pass over in
silence the record of their dark and
bloody crimes of the years before, the
attention of the readers is called to the
foul murder Of Secretary McCook, who
was that year shot down in cold blood
in the streets of Yankton at the com.
mand of the leaders of the ring. Later
on they started in to make life mis-.
erable for Gov. Howard. They drove
hin from office. He went back to his
home in Michigan, broken down and
prenaturely old, victim to the deYiliah
Vaccinations of the accursed Yanktor
ring. That ring drove p. @. Shannon
from the bench, which he dignifed and
adorned by mis- integrity and lear ding,
! Il hnsnded Judge Kidder to his grave
Within year it has driven Judge
Smith into retirement, hopeless luna.
tic. This ring has it's adherents and
followers here liz north Dakota. They
pretend to embody all that is good ano
pure in politics. But they are really
cowardly, treacherous sneaks, political
Iepers, moral and social scabs. They
are besieging the department of justice
at Washington to ges Judge Francis re.
moved. They want him out of the way
because he is upright, honest, fearless
and able. For possessing these quail
ties they hate him.
| But to return to the chieftains of the
Yankton ring. When Ordway was sent
out to the territory as governor, they
tried the old tactics on him, but failing
to bend him to their purpose, they tried
to break and ruin him. Ordway, strong
| mentally - physically, was able te
throttle the ring and DEFY the assasslni
that rallied aronnd it. He partooI
| somewhat of the stern and rugged char
acter of the New Hampshire mountains
from whence he came. He coped witt
| the Yankton ring and crushed it to the
earth. The capital was removed to Bis.
marck. Every page Of the history OF
this ring is a tale of outrage, robbery
and murder. When it's last hour shall
come, it ought to be personified in The
form of the horrid monster that it really
is, and the last words of Beftram, the
buccaneer, put in its mouth;
| "Aad now my race of terror run,
Mine be the eve of tropic sun.
No pale gradatioLs quench his ray
No twilight daws lis wrath allay,
With disk like battle target red
| He rushes to his bsrning bed,
Dyes the wide wave witn bloody light,
Then siRks at onos-and all is night
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