The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-08-08

he ambition or Each Hamlet to be
he County seat-Deeds that Would
b,scrace Savages.
From the NeIc York sun.
4rGoroN, STEPHENS COUNTY, KAN,
Two rival towns, two ambitious
20 n,arshals, five or six land spectators,
Notable frontier community, civil war,
rcby. This, in brief, has been the his
If Stevens county, Kansas. The first
+lers of Stevens county built their ''dug.
~ in 1885. Previous to that time, and
.ome time af erward, the territory now
braced within Stevens county was at
nod to one of the older neighboring coun-
for judicial and land office purposes. HUI
TON was the first town laid out. 1t was at
q called Hugo, in honor of one of the
neers of the country, but after awhile its
anlo felt that Hugo did not sound well
nigh and they added ton" to it, Hugo
Is within one-hal mile of the center of
county. 1t contains now about 400 peo
mostly men. The law of Kansas pro-
les that a new county may be organized
hen the territory embraced in it has q
,nnlation of at least 2 500 people and prop
IN valued at $l50,000, $4,000 of which
all be real property.
# IS perhaps safe to say that when the
eople Of Hugoton embarked in the county
Plantation scheme there were less than
zoo people, all told, in the proposed new
mntv, and less than 200 bona fide citizens.
nj little discrepancy of this kind is easily
vercome when the managers Of an enter
rise of the kind understand their business.
al 1rtl, 1l0 aEt
Ind accompanied by the necessary five aft
iavits was presented to the governor. 1t
III forth that the region embraced In the
ropo.ed new county had a population of
[nore than $500 and property exceeding
$l50000. Whereupon the governor APP
foiuted J. W. Calvert, a Hugoton land
gent and one of the prime movers in the
Enterprise, as census enumerator, another
fornality of the law.
Mr.. Calvert was the right man in the
hight place. He had deputies on horseback
occurring the country, and whenever they
saw man they took his name and put
Hown his address at the place where he then
stood. Everybody who visited the region
during the enumeration of the census was
put down as bona fide citizen, and the
names of people who were never seen or
beard of were also added to the grand list.
Mr.. Calvert III very few weeks had the
names of nearly $500 people on his list.
In the meantime Sam Wood, a noted
Kansas politician, started the town Of
Woodsdale, eight miles north. He had land
and wanted a county seat. HID attacked
The Hugoton scheme of organization bit
erv A warrant was sworn out before a
Hugoton justice of the peace charging
Wood with sander. Wood was just on the
NJ Of cfartincr fOr Tnnalo fN GIA
lest against the election with the governor,
)eing convinced that Hugoton had the drop
N the situation and would rake in the
most votes. The marshal of Hugoton went
o Woodsdale to arrest Wood. He could
lot be found and the marshal returned and
eported. ...-....
Then thirty Hugoton men, we'll armed,
ook to horses and rode to Woodsdale.
hey made a thorough search of the town,
ut could find no trace of Wood. The HUI
Otons became angry. They fired bullets
rom their Winchesters through tie win
ows and thin walls of the houses, they shot
couple of stray horses wandering through
be streets, they filed up the only well in
be town, and then each in turn defiled the
My cistern in the town, thus creating
Iithin twenty minutes a serious water
anime.
Wood and friend named Price were
nally captured and carried into No Mans
and. A Woodsdale posse started in pur-
lit, captured the Hugoton kidnappers, and
lrned them over to the authorities of
eward county. Then Wood concocted
'heme to freeze out, Hugoton, and this
Tas to be done by building railroad from
Vest Plains through Seward county and
trough the hamlet of Voorhees, and
Voodsdale, IN Stevens county, leaving
Iugoton out in the cold. The project was
ushed and bond election called. Hugo
On declared against the road and the
onds, and its citizens, armed with Win
hesters, scattered over the county, and
BON had the settlers of the opinion that a
abroad through Woodsdale would be a
slamIty. The bond scheme was beaten.
On Saturday, July 81, G. E. Co k, editor
the Hugoton Herald, and his daughter;
J. j. Cook, wife and daughter; A. NJ. Don
ID and wife, and Sam Robinson, wife and
ably, left Hugoton for Beaver river, in No
lan's Land, on a hunting and fishing ex-
lrsion. They passed near Voorhees,, and
d Short, the Woodsdale marshal, who
aDpened to be there. saw them. On Tues
ay, July "a, the party were returning
ONE, and camped for dinner near a
lace where William Reid, a Woods
ale man, had tent. A man in
le employ of Reid brought note to
40 camping party from Ed Short, demand
* the surrender Of Robinson. Short said
o had a warrant for Robinsons arrest.
hort and party, consisting of Dick Wilson,
Ill Housley, and Robert Hubbard were at
Leid's tent. Robinson sent back an insolent
nswer. Robinson and Short were rivals,
nd had each sworn to take the others life.
1.Is -
snt second message, instructing Robin
IN to send the women and children of his
arty out OF harms way, as he intended to
0 and take him.
The Hugoton party by this time had
iade preparations to leave. They retreated
Dr. nearly quarter of a mile. shaded by
Old sod house, and then Robinson took
ave OF his friends. rode on top of knoll,
'aved his hat at Short, put spurs to his
orse, and headed southwark in the direc-
on of Pudleys ranch. Short and his
arty gave chase for about five miles, and
hen gave up the pursuit. The editor
reused Hugoton and ten men started after
hort. In the meantime Short had sent a
pecial messenger to Woodsdale saying that
had cornered Robinson and asking that
Sslstance be sent Immediately to effect his
apture.
Sheriff Cross, Ted Eaton, Bod Hubbard,
'olllns Wilcox and Herbert Toney, started
DR. No Mans Land to assist Short. Gross
nd his party were scouting during the day
rying to get trace either OF Short or Robin
On, and tired out, they rode up to tlree or
our haystacks, dismounted, picketed their
.orses, and were prepared to 60 to sleep.
..aton and Wilcox were in a wagon, and
ross, Hubbard and Toney were stretched
II a rubber blanket bctweel two stacks OF
ay. 1t was beautiful moonlight night,
nd nearly midnight. Sheriff Cross was
OF quite asleep and his practised ear hear
lg sound he raised on his elbow to listen.
uSt then party of men with guns IN