The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-07-28
HEN
SEVEN MEN KILLED.
Desperate and Deadly Encounters Between
Residents of Stevens County, Kansas.

LIBERAL. Kan, July ga. Shortly. a livery
stable keeper at Hugoton, gives the following
particulars regarding a terrible encounter be-
tween Hugoton and Woodsdsle men. in Stevens
county, whereby no less than seven men lost
their lives. Sam Robinson. the city marshal of
Hugoton. and M. Cook, Of. the same town, went
to the Dudley ranch, near Pony creek, yester-
day, accompanied by their wives. to look up
some cattle which they were trying to buy.
While taking dinner Deputy Sheriff Short. q
Woodsdale man, accompanied by five other
Woodsdale men, rods up to the party and asked
Robinson to surrender az he had . warrant for
his arrest. Robinson said he would 60 q short
distance from camp, leaving Cook and the ladies
behind, and thsn give his enemies q chance to
take him. He did SO, and on reaching a con-
venient spot both parties opened fire. with the
result that four Woodsdale men were killed.
The other two fed, and Robinson escaped with
out a scratch. Cook fastened to Hugoton and
gave tho alarm, and soon an armed squad went
to their assistance. Meeting a lot of w oodsdale
men an encounter took place in which three
more persons were killed and q number wound
ed. According to the information the whole
county lie At war, but Sam Wood has again dis
appeared. John Cross, sheriff of Stevens county,
was one OF the men killed in the second fight.
The name of the other killed could not be
learned. bat further information is expected to-
morrow.
James Gerard, U. L. Linn. c. S. Toby. Geo.
A. Pierson. ID. Crisup, II. Torrents. w. Webb,
William Chadman, William Mckee. Charles
Shaltz, Geo. s.. Hoffer and James Williams, all
OF Woodscale. Stevens county, came IN this
morning. as they say, to look after Herbert
Tony, one OF their young men who was wounded
10 the shooting ARRAY and who has since disap-
peared.
James Gerard. deputy sheriff of Stevens
county. gives the following account OF the af-
fair: A 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 Haus-
ley and Dick Wilson went after him. They found
him In a dug-out and ordered him to surrender.
He said he would never surrender 10 Ed Short.
Short told him he could get as many men as he
wished from the strip to 60 with him to the
State (kansas.) Robinson did not surrender,
but got on his horse aud made a run o. six or
seven miles to the Beaver river, where he got a
fresh horse, and soon distanced the bows. who
then gave mp the chase. Sheriff Crosse. hearing
that Short and his posse had been corraled down
in the strip. startsd with four men for their re-
lief. but they could not find them, so started
back up tho trail and went into camp. While
theya were asleep a Hueoton party surprised
and dIsarmed them, made them stand I'D In line.
and shot them, killing four aud wounding one.
The deputy sheriff did not give
any names besides those mentioned above,
but c. s. Toby told your informant that the
four killed were Sheriff John Cross, Robert
Hubbard. G. w. Eaton and r. Wilcox, and that
Herbert Tony was wounded. He also said that
there might be one or two more killed, and that
he heard Herbert Reed was wounded, but could
not say how he got hurt. There must have
been shooting besides the above ARRAY. for a
boy named Nathan Jones. who was on his re-
turn from Stevens county 70 Liberal. states that
he passed near two squads who were firing at
each other.
The latest report that came in Is that eleven
men have been killed. So far. reports 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
shooting may be expected.