Wichita eagle., 1888-06-20
STEVENS COUNTY WAR.
THE WICHITA AND STERLING CON-
PANIES ORDERED TO THE FRONT
To Preserve Order While the Vote is
Being Canvassed--- They Are EK-
peGted to Leave This Morning.


second from the west end of the southern
tier of counties in this state) is just as I'M
determined now as it was before General
Murray Myers went out to investigate the
situation This will, without doubt, be
handed down to posterity, as the most Wig
orously and determinedly waged county
seat or railroad bond war, of all those that
have in the past few years made western
Kansas famous 1t happened to be most
aggravated form of county and a rail
road war combined.
On June 2, an election was held to vote
bonds for two railroads running through
the county from east to west, one through
Woodsdale, IN the north part and the 9TH
er through Voorhees,, in the south part
Of the county. The success of these bonds,
the Hugoton people thought, would leave
Hugoton, the temporary county seat,
without much prospect of getting
a railroad, soon at least,
and would in all probability
eventually result in her losing the county
seat. The Hugoton people claim that the
bonds were defeated on the End by forty
votes, while the people of the other two
towns claim that they were carried by 40
stuffed to overcome that majority Even
before the election both sides went armed
to the teeth, several hundred strong. But
now, that the new trouble has arisen, they
are more bitter than ever.
The canvassing board, whose duty it is
to canvass the vote Of the county and de-
clare the result Of the election, consists of
the three county commissioners. The
chairman is a Hugoton man, while the
other two belong to the opposite faction
The chairman insists that they can only
declare the result or the face of the re-
turns, while the other two want to throw
out such ballots as are found to be illegal.
For fear that they may succeed in accom-
plishing such a result the Hugoton people
are determined that the other commits
sioners shall not canvass the vote their
way.
Since the election the Hugoton
people have patrolled the town
to prevent move by
the two commissioners and the other fac
ton has also gone about loaded for bear"
One Or two little skirmishes and shooting
scrapes have been INDUCED in, but no one
killed
To compel the county commissioners to
canvass the vote, the Woodsdale and Voor-
hees people got the supreme court at Tope-
ka to mandamus the commissioners to
canvass the vote. The two who live out
side of Hugoton say they dare not go to
Hugoton to canvass the vote without mill
tary protection, as the sheriff will not af-
ford it for the reason that he is Hugoton
man. When Gen. Myers was there some
two weeks ago he reported that it would
require the interference of the state. Sup
posing that the order Of the court would
be obeyed, the General left for Chicago on
Sunday. The situation has, however. be-
come so serious that Adjutant-General A.
B. Campbell yesterday had the following
Geographic correspondence with General
Myers aide de camp, Lieutenant Howard
NJ. Davis of this city:
TOPEKA, Kan, 6-19-1. 46 a. m.
Gen. Murray Meyers, Wichita, Kansas:
Send your company at Wichita and the
Sterling company TO Hutchinson tomorrow
by the n. & S. +. Ry. Transportation
will be furnished by telegraph tomorrow
morning. l will meet you at Hutchinson
and TRANSFORMATION will be provided for
thence by rail to Liberal by Rock Island.
Have companies provide two days rations
and all necessary camp equipages. VIII
wire captains of companies tomorrow
morning. You will take command.
By order of commander-in-chief.
4. b. CAMPBELL,
Adjutant General.
General Murray Meyers, Wichita.
TOPEKA, Kan, June 10, 1886 a. m.-Your
company need not asrive at Hugoton be
fore Thursday morning. / will arrange
transportation from here and meet you
with orders at Newton to-day. Can you
meet me? Answer. A. B. CAMPBELL,
Adjutant General.
Murray Meyers, Wichita, Kan.
TOPEKA, Kansas, June 10, 11:20 a. m.-
Do not move your companies until further
orders. A. B. CAMPBELL,
Adjutant General.
County Auditors Office Wichita, Kansas
TOPEKA, Kan, June -, 1l:23 a. MIS-
Murray Meyers at home? Answer quick
A. 3. CAMPBELL,
Adjutant General.
TOPEKA. Kan, June 10, IL p. m.
Howard NJ. Davis, wichita, Kan:
Do not move the company until further
orders. A. Il. CAMPBELL,
Adlutant General.
Lieutenant Davis gave General Camp
bell General Myers address in Chicago
and further communications have been
conducted by them direct.
The boys of company "a" about IS
strong, had for time partially expected
to be ordered out, and when the order
came today it was not altogether a sur
prise. They take the the news good
naturally, are eager to go and expect to
enjoy the trip. 1t is not known positively
when they will go but the supposition is
that they will leave this morning at $40
over the Santa Fe to Hutchinson where
they viii be met by the Sterling company,
and go from there to Liberbl:
These two companies belong TO
the second regiment of which
Col L. N Woodcock is the commanding
officer. The colonel will go to the front
with his regiment. 1t is said to be not at
all unlikely that the Larned company
may be ordered out. General Meyers is
expected back from Chicago in time to go
with the companies to Hugoton 10 carry
out the order of the court on Friday, the
22d inst. 1t is to be hoped that good coun-
Gil will prevail, and that Kansas may be
spared the stigma and misfortune which
would follow any opposition to the power
of the state.
MARRIED.
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