Omaha daily bee., 1889-04-23
TERRORIzED BY VICILANTES.
Life Made Burdensome For Sheridan
County Citizens.
THEY APPEAL FOR PROTECTION.
Many Innocent Persons Said to Have
Suffered Gross Injustice On
the Strength of Mere
Suspicion.
LINCOLN BUREAU OF THE OMAHA BEE,
1929 Il STREET,

lIlNIOlsNs ApIll -.
A citizen of Sheridan county writes Gov
ernor Thayer, under date of April %, that
vigilance committees in that part of the
state ore going clearly beyond decency in
taking the law into their own hands for the
punishment of horse and cattle thieves. No
tice is given suspected settlers that they
must leave the country within certain
specified time or suffer the consequences.
Frequently, the writer states, these notices
are served upon peaceable and law-abiding
citizens, and that they are thus kept in con-
slant fear for their lives. ITO be under
suspicion" he further states "ls sufficient
to provoke violence and a species of intimi-
dation that makes life almost uncomfortable"
The complaint led the governor to address
the following letter to the sheriff of Sheri-
dan county to-day:
My Dear Sir: Complaints have reached
me of the doings OF vigilance COM
mittees in your counties. l know nothing of
the truth of them and have no means of in
vestigatng; but write to say that | look to
you for the enforcement of the laws, and the
protection of the life and property of every
peaceably-disposed citizen. Acts of violence
and outrages must not be permitted. If
parties commit offenses, they must be ar
rested and tried by due process of law.
If the people OF your county are robbed by
horse or cattle thieves, use the whole power
VI buc COUNTY W NUM- butHl uOWu dHu DTluB
them to justice. Let the law be enforced.
Justice must be administered by the execu-
tion of the law. Neither cattle and horse
thieves on one side, nor mob violence on the
other, must be tolerated.
JOHN M. TuAYER.
Lincoln's Government Square.
Three or four hundred trees will be
planted in the government square in day
or two. Ex-Governor Furnas has agreed to
furnish the trees and take his chances of
for them. The agreement however. was
made upon the condition that Postmaster
Watkins would see that they were properly
planted and cared for. 1t IS said that this
can not be done for less than $780, which
MIR. Watkins has consented TO pay and take
chances of reimbursement from the govern
ment. Mr.. Furnas will arrive here to-
morrow to look the ground over and decide
upon the KIND of trees it will be best to
plant. 1t is learned that trees as large as it
will be safe to ''set out" will be used, and
the kind best calculated to make the square
a bower of beauty III future years. This is
considered commendable move here, and it
is possible that the gentlemen who have
taken the scheme in hand may feel them
selves amply repaid in time to come for the
monument they may build unto themselves
But the chances are favorable that they may
be paid In both ways.
Some Slick Fakering
Wlrick & Hopper is the name of a firm
unaU uOeS u trunk business IN unlS ClUy. lnlS
firm, however, does notconduct manufac-
turing BUSINESS as has been supposed by
many, but hires its work done in the state
pen; or it might be said, deals in convict
labor in small way. 1t is learned to-day
that Messrs. Wirlck & Hopper have been
victimized by one of the guards at the pen
for some time past. 1t has been a difficult
matter however, to locate the party. But
assurances were made sure, this morning, by
the arrest of David Stevens, and warrant
nlf fnr N re n
convict confesses that he helped David get
away with the trunks, which have been sold
to dealers in the city, but the mystery still
is, howe But. however, David and his pal
got away with the trunks, and it is generally
considered here pretty slick piece of ia
kering.
City News and Notes.
J. B. Haynes managing editor of The BEE,
was IN Lincoln to-day for the first time in
nearly two years.
still hours of night. The governor and sec
retary of state, only, were at their posts dur
ing the afternoon.
The board of secretaries of the state board
of transportation spent Sunday with their
families. They were at their homes IN uif-
ferent parts of the state The cnioymeuts Of
Arbor day were also enjoyed by them at
home.
Governor Thayer goes to Omaha to-mor-
row to participate in the speech making cx-
Workc;en are tearing down the Metro
politan skating rink That old eyesore will
soon be replaced by stately building. 1t
will be one of the credtable structures of
the city.
The Arbor day exercises at the public
schools were very credltable, 1t is safe TO
say however, that the little folks enjoyed
their outdoor sports inore than anything
else. Thousands of sprigs, that may some
time become trees were planted in all parts
of the city.
Mr. Waters and Mr.. St. Clair, of Omaha,
found their runaway children at Crete yes
terday. The little fellows were glad enough
to return home. They frankly state that
they have had all of the ''dime noveln glory
they want.
Klock's audience at Bohanan's hall, last
evening, was not very large. Some fifty or
seventy five people gathered to hear what he
had to say about Pastor Minehart and his
followers. While somewhat rabid in his ut
terances, his auditors have no fear OF taking
hydrophobia. Mr.. Klock is certainly Spir-