Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1888-08-01
ELEVEN MEN KILLED.

ELEVEN MEN KILLED.
A Coanty-Soat Quarrel In Kansas Results
I'm BloOdshed-A Pitched Battle Re-
tween Factions In Which a Sheriff. Fou,
of His Dcpaties and Six Others Ara
Killed.
TOPEKA, KAN, July 28-The county-seat
war in Stevens County has broken out
afresh and has resulted in the murder of
John Cross, sheriff Of the county; s. Fl.
Hubbard, G. w. Eaton. II. fancy and w.
II. Wilcox, all citizens of Woodsdale.
and it is reported others. making eleven ia
all.
The county was organized two years ago
and is occupied largely by hard characters.
Hugoton was chosen the county seat by
fraud, the Woodsdale people say, and the
election result is in litigation. Bad blood
has long existed between the two towns.
Last Sunday Constable &. e. Short,
of Woodsdale, and two others at
tempted to arrest Sam Robinson
and three other Hugoton men in the neu-
trail strip. Tuesday Sheriff Cross received
request for help from Short, and, with
Hubbard, Eaton, fancy and Wilcox, he
started to render it. The party stopped at
ranch that night, and were there sur
prised in their sleep by thirty Hugoton
men, headed by Robinson, who seized
them took away their arms, stood them up
in road and shot them,
Colonel 8. N. Wood, mayor of Woods4
dale, has arrived in the city to lay the
matter before the Governor He expects
to return at once to Woodsdale, and says
he has an offer of 100 men from Colorado
TO help clean out the outlaws j. R. JONES'
Hugoton man who has just arrived, gives
different account Of the killing. He makes
this statement:
Sam Robinson, the marshal of Hupoton-
and M. Cook, of the same place, went to the
Dudley ranch, near Pony creek, accompa-
MED by their wives, to look up some cattle
which they were trying to buy.
While taking dinner Deputy Marshal
Short, a Woodsdale man, accompa-
MED by FIVE other Woodsdale men,
rode up to the party and asked Rob-
inson to surrender, as he had warrant
for his arrest. Robinson said he would go
short distance from camp, leaving Cook
and the ladies behind, and then
give his enemies chance to take
venient spot both parties opened fire,
with the result that four Woodsdale men
were killed. The other two fed to the
"trip, and Robinson escaped without
cratch. Cook fastened to Hugotown and
gave the alarm, and soon an, armed squad
went to their assistance: Meeting lot of
Woo3sdale men an encounter took place,
IN which three more persons were killed
anu a number wounded.
THB WHOLE COUNTRY IN ARMS
Late advices received by telegraph say
the whole country is in arms and that there
is danger Of another conflict at any time.
Governor Martin was asked, what steps
he would take, but he could not say until
he had received authoritative information
from both sides. He thought that it would
teach the county-seat fighters salutay
lesson.
Governor Martin is to have conference
with Captain Price and Captain Wood.
The latter is very indignant and declares
that Governor Martin has shown too much
red tape IN the matter; that he has known
all the week the status Of the strife and
that it was impossible to send off,
cial notice to him. Captain Wood
says he will not ask the Governor to inter-
pose, but will go back and advise his
friecds to arm, take the field and fight for
their rights He says that matters have
gone so far that peace can not be made
until one side or the other is whipped in
open battle.
Five dead bodies have been brought in to
Woodsdale, among them that of Sheriff
Cross. There are fully 100 armed men now
at the front, and double that number are
expected to meet in combat today
DOUBT CAST on THE REPORT
GARDEN CITY, Kan, July 2s.-Two young
men-Jack Undertake and Jesse J. Dunn
arrived in this city from the seat of war
In Stevens County. Both of them were
eye-witnesses of the running fight between
the sheriff and his party from Woodsdale
and the Hugoton men. The fight occurred
early on Wednesday morning and at 10
O'Clock that morning the Hugoton party
were on their way home. Cross and
seven men went into the strip Tuesday
night and were to return Wednesday:
night, but were not seen and are supposed
to have gone through Voorhees, in the
night. These young men put no confidence
in the stories of the killing, and laugh at
the idea of men going to sleep when on
such an errand and being surprised on tho
open prairie on a clear moonlight night.