Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1888-08-02
The Stevens County War Re-
suits in a Terrible Series OF
Murders.
Eleven Men Said to Have Been Slain
So Far-WOOdsdale Men Disarmed
and Executed
By the Hugoton Faction-Possible Exag-
geratiOn of the RepOrts-Furthsr
Bloodshed Feared.

stable keeper at duSOCOn, says Sam Rob-
inson, the city marshal OF Hugoton, and
III. Cook of the same town, went to the
Dudley ranch near Pony creek yesterday,
accompanied by their wives, to look up
some cattle which they were trying to buy.
While taking dinner, Deputy Sheriff
Short, a Woodsdale man, accom-
panied by five other Woodsdale
men, rode up to the party and
asked Robinson to surrender, as he had q
warrant for his arrest. Robinson said he
would go short distance from the camp,
leaving Cook and the women behind, and
then give his enemies chance to take him.
On reaching a convenient spot both parties
opened fire, with the result that four
Woodsdale men were killed. The
other two fed to the strip and Rob-
inson escaped without a scratch. Cook
fastened to Hugoton and gave the
alarm, and soon an armed squad went to
their assistance. Meeting lot of Woods
dale men an encounter took place, in
which three more persons We're killed and
a number wounded. According to Shorty
the whole county is at war, but Sam Wood
has again disappeared. John Cross, sheriff
of Stevens County, was one of the men
killed in the second fight. The names of
the others killed could not be learned.
ANOTHER ACCOUNT.
LIBERAL, Kan, July 27.-James Gerard =,
W. L. Linn, c. S. Dolly, George A. Pursar,
D. Gresup, H. Darrents, w. Webb, Billy
Chadman, Billy Mckee, Charles Shafts,
George Shaffer and Jim Williams, all of
Woodsdale, Stevens County, came in this
morning. as they say, to look after Herbert
fancy, one of the young men who were
wounded in the shooting ARRAY, and who
has since disappeared. James Gerard,
deputy sheriff of Stevens County, gave the
following account of the affair:
GA warrant had been issued to Ed Short,
constable and city marshal of Woodsdale,
for the arrest of Sam Robinson. Robinson
had gone to the Neutral Strip and Ed Short,
William Hansley and Dick Wilson went
after him. They found him in a dugout
and ordered him to surrender.
He said he never would surrender to Ed
Short. Ed told him he could get as many
men as he wished from the Strip to go with
him to the States.
Robinson did not surrender, but got on
his horse and made run of six or seven
miles to the Beaver river, where he got a
fresh horse end soon distanced the boys,
who then gave up the chase.
Sheriff Cross, hearing that Short and his
horse had been corralled down in the Strip,
started with four men for their relief, but
could not find them, so started back up the
trail and went into camp.
While they were asleep a Hugoton party
surprised and disarmed them, then made
them stand up in line and shot them,
killing four and wounding one. The
deputy sheriff did not give any names be-
sides those mentioned above, but c. S.
Dolby said that the four men killed were
Sheriff John Cross, Robert Hubbard, G. w.
Eahan and r. Wilcox, and that Herbert
fancy was wounded. He also said that
there might be one or two more killed, and
fhaf ha r6 hot
wounded, but could not say how he got
hurt.
There must have been shooting besides
the above affray, for boy, Nathan Jones,
who was on his return from Stevens Coun-
ty to Liberty, states that he passed near
two squads who We're firing at each other.
The latest report that came in is that
eleven men have been killed so far. Re-
ports are very contradictory and many OF
them unreliable, but there is no doubt that
Stevens County people are in a terrible
state of excitement, and that more shoot
ing may be expected.
PERHAPS EXAGGERATED.
RIcHFIELD, Kan, July 27.-ConsiderabIe
excitement is created here by the
repeated calls for arms and men to
help the town of Woodsdale which
Hugoton, it is claimed, is about to destroy.
The reports are doubtless exaggerated, but
four have been killed in cold blood, and
others will be unless help is had soon. The
bad blood and worse whisky defies all law
or humanity.
a HIGH-ToNED BRUTE.
JACKSON, Miss, July 27.-Monday Rod
erick Lowery, son of Governor Lowery,
went to the residence of Major Henry,
where his wife had gone for protection,
gained access to her room and on her re-
fusing to listen to proposals for a reconcile
alton, seized her by the throat and choked
and bit her in a tigerish manner. He then
seized a heavy water pitcher, which he.
broke over her head, and continued strik-
ing her in the most savage manner as long
as a fragment of the pitcher remained.
He then seized quart bottle and broke that
also by blow on her face. This was sup
plemented by savage kicks as she was
lying on the floor. Leaving her for dead,
Lowery fed to the swanps, and a posse of
forty mounted men have SO far failed to
arrest him. Mrs. Lowery's condition to-
day is somewhat improved.
STABBED IN THE CHEST.
VINITA, 1. T., July 27.-The mail hack
from Southwest City, Mo-, forty miles
east, brings news of the stabbing of S.
Dustin, the most promising merchant OF
the town, by James Griffin, stock man,
Tuesday night. One of the bronchial tubes
was severed and Dustin was sinking rapid
ly yesterday morning, with no hope OF
surviving. The unfortunate man inter-
fered to stop a quarrel, but took sides and
attempted TO use his fists, when Griffin
plunged a small pocket knife into his
chest near the collar bone. His antagonist
was taken in custody at once.
Judges Denounced.
SAN FRANCISCO, July 27.-At a mass
meeting under the auspices OF the various
trades unions of this city in the Metropolis