Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1889-08-01
DTZZY EXPERIENCE.

Mr.. George W. Poorman, a son of Col.
C. L. Poorman, of Bellaire, was in town
Monday night, for the purpose of consult
ing an attorney about bringing an action
for criminal libel against the Kansas city
Times and the american NOn-COIGoTHl-
iSt, newspaper printed at Winfield, Kan.
The story as told to us is full of dramat-
ic incidents. Several years ago George
went to Kansas, after a time discovered
that very many of the settlers who lived
in sod houses and on mOrtgaged lands
were discontented and especially bitter
toward banks and individuals who loaned
money. Soon it was developed that Sc
cret organization, with signs and pass
words, existed, and it was believed that
the organization contemplated mischief
A newspaper devoted to the organization
(the Nom COntOrmiSt) was printed in the
town. and Poorman said to one of the OPP
ponents of the order that he would go
over to that office and strike them for a
Job" and thus work his way into its Sc
crets. The gentleman advised him not
to do it--that they would kill him if he
exposed them; but PoOrman persisted,
and in time possessed himself of the grips,
signs, passwords, oaths, and other secrets
of the order When fully prepared to
make the expose he quit the employ of
the concern and gave all the facts IN his
possession to gentlemen of Winfield, and
the Winfield Com Ter printed a complete
expose, which was stereotyped and fur
nished to many Kansas newspapers,
and thus the dangerous organization was
broken up. Meantime matters were get
ting more than ordinarily interesting for
Mr.. Poorman, and after short time he
thought it prudent to leave the State
Last October he returned to Ohio, and
about that time bomb was exploded at
an early hour one morning in a railroad
station about fifty miles from Winfield
The railroad company offered a large re-
ward for the arrest of the person who
placed it there.
Poorman was followed to st. Louis by
members of the organization, and he be-
lieves it was the intention to assaSSinate
him, but he eluded his pursuers at that
point, and came straight to Bellaire. He
says he participated in most of the battles
in which the Army of the Cumberland
was engaged, but for a couple of days
while in Kansas felt that he was in greater
peril than ever before in his life.
Henry Booth, prominent Republican
and q. A. r. man of Winfield, made active
use of the information furnished by Mr..
PoOrman and helped to break up the or
ganiZatiOn. This drew upon him the hos
tility of the order, and being Department
Commander of the G. A. R. the newSpa-
per organ of the socialist order asSailed
him in violent terms, accusing he and
Poorman of guilty knowledge of the blow
ing up of the railroad station. The Kan
sas city Times took up the story, and Mr..
Poorman says pursued him until July 4.
Hence the proposed suits for criminal Ii
bel.
Mr.. POorman asserts that the bomb
spoken of was intended to blow up the
Winfield Courier. He says it was what
he calls time bomb" was addressed to
the publisher of the Courier, but for some
unknown reason there was failure to
forward it on the train, and that it ex-
ploded at o'clock in the morning in the
railroad station.
A Pinkerton man has been at Bellaire
to see Mr.. POOrman.
The newspapers spoken of have bitter
Iy assailed the G. A. R. in connection with
this matter, and one or two posts will pos
sibly take hand in the prosecution of
the suits.