Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-12-30
DATE DETERMINED.
WILL INVADE OKLAHOMA ON THE
FIRST DAY OF FEBRUARY.
"Pawnee Bill' Writing Letters and Making
Arrangements forthe Movement
Meeting Of the Leaders

Arrangements for the Movement
Meeting Of the Leaders
Pawnee Bill was found at his rooms last
evening busily engaged answering letters
with the type writer, giving evidence OF
unusual fast work and everything present.
ing lively appearance. Before him ON
the table was pile of letters unanswered
and on the floor basket filled with those
whose contents had been noted.
In the course of few minutes CONVEX
sation he stated that the movement had
grown much more rapidly and had as
sumed gigantic proportions more promptly
than he had ever anticipated. While east
and not giving the matter his entire at
| tention interest in the movement had
grown far beyond the point he bad esti-
mated. He showed a number OF papers
that had given space to news concerning
/ the movement and honored the same
with editorial comments. The re-
cent Associated Press dispatch from
| Gainesville, Tex, concerning the movement
he said according to his information from
another Texas man was putting it mildly.
| One great difficulty was to hold the boys
back. Many hundreds wanted to go in at
once and not pay due respect to the bill
now under consideration designed to meet
| the wants of the home seekers. He said it
amused him to see some papers Directing
| to the movement for the reason some OF
| the leaders reside in Wichita, and he chose
/ to make this headquarters until date
| of leaving. He said that he
/ could not make every town
| headquarters and Wichita had got up. a
convention of great prominence to dicuss
the situation and while he would like to
be in every town interested in the movo-
menS he found it impossible to be in more
than one place at the same time and
hence his inability to have headquarters
in more than one place. While this spirit
manifested itself in a few places in print
he was very glad to observe that
the people every where were taking
hold Of the movement with the view of
getting homes and going at it with no sell
fish ends SO open to scathing criticism. He
summed up the situation by saying: "Any
one who would oppose the invasion or
Springer bill or any other movement in
that direction is not true friend and may
have some selfish motive predominating."
He insists that the cattle men could not
logically take any part against the move
ment as the country it is desired to
occupy is not held be them or by any one
else. He wants it distinctly understood
that the movement has nothing to do with
any lands outside Oklahoma proper which
is occupied neither by cattlemen nor In
dams Some had advised first to remove
cattlemen but there was none to re-
move but if the country in question
could be occupied by settlers their
influence would go great distance
to offset the influence OF cattlemen in
the adjoining territory and from this it
might be possible that the cattlemen
woald use their influence to prevent the
occupancy of land not at least not by
them.
When asked if the date of the invasion
hesitated. 1t at once became
line had been discussed with
some results Finally he answers. eyes,
that has been agreed upon. We have been
figuring on that for some time and have
reached a conclusion. l suppose the pub
lie may as we'll know this now as any
time You know it has been difficult to
hold the boys back. Some of them are
rash and don't remember that this
is not good time to go
there. No use in going before
time to plant and commence work in the
spring. Then we must remember that we
want to give the Springer bill fair chance.
We want it to pass so all can get chance
without any embarrassing features. | see
that bill will be considered regularly on
the 18th of next month. Also see Mr.
Springer quoted as saying the bill will pass
before the Goth of that month. | take it
that it don't pass by that time it will fail
Well if it fails We want to get ready in
earnest from that moment. Considering
everyth ing we have agreed that the first
day of February shall be the date of our
invasion. ! mean by this that on the
morning of that day all who desire to join
this movement to enter from the north
shall be ut Caldwell and we
will take up the march south,
Also all who want to enter from Texas
meet on the line just south of Purcell and
march to that point and on to Oklahoma
City. The Arkansas people go west from
TT. Smith and all meet at Oklahoma City.
This date is definitely fixed and we mean
to get everything ready to work to
it. This will be in ample time
select homes and get to work for putting
in crops.
"Yes, have letters from New England
states, all the middle, north and south
and west to the top of the Rockies. / am
sure the movement will enlist hundreds of
home-seekers.n The leaders of the move
ment have made arrangements for map
of Oklahoma proper giving details OF the
country, including all streams. wooded
strips and prairie.
ALLEGED lNFANTICIDE.