The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-04-06
I0WA'S ARMED SETTLERS
A MARsHAL'S POSSE FIRED ON
BUT NO ONE SHOT.

------------
Bloodshed Almost Sure to Result
Whom the Authorities Go to Work in
Earnest-The Settlers as Well Or
ganized as the Ku-Klux and Ready
for the Fray.
Dies MONIES, April 5.--A United States
marshal and posse yesterday evicted Farmer
Blake from the Litchheld lands, better
known as the Des Moines river lands. Blakss
farm is in Hamilton county, sixteen miles
southeast from Webster City, near what is
known among the settlers as Hell's Hollow.
When the posse reached the place they
found that Blake had moved his house
across the road and entirely off the Itch
field tract. Some Of his machinery was
still left, but this he was getting out of the
way as rapidly as possible.
FIRED UPON.
The officers did not modest Blake nor offer
him any violence whatever, but shortly
after they arrived upon the scene a puff OF
smoke, rife crack and a whizzing bullet
told them that the settlers had opened fire.
The shots came from a dense thicket of
hazel a quarter of mile away. Probably
forty shots were fired, but the mark nan
ship was either poor. or the range was in
were hurt. The posse had a number Of
writs, but as they were only armed with
revolvers did not attempt to serve them.
but retreated in good order
STRENGTH OF THE SETTLERS.
There were probably twenty or thirty
armed settlers in the timber Marshal
Desmond will take the matter personally in
charge in few days and will execute the
,writs or die in the attempt. The settlers
have been organizing all winter. They
have what is known as the Red River Land
Settlers Union, and are as thoroughly dis
ciplined and as we'll prepared for syste ratio
action as the ku-klux ever were. They are
armed with Winchester rifles and indulge
in target shooting daily. They have sworn
to resist all attempts at eviction, and as the
United States marshals will do their duty,
regardless Of consequences. bloodsbed
seems destined to result.
THOROUGHLY ORGANIZED.
Their system of spreading news by tele-
phone from town to town, and by carriers
mounted on feet horses, is well perfected
IL marshal appears in Webster City or
Fort Dodge, within an hour or two
the fact is known on every sec
ton of the river land in Webster
and Hamilton counties. Last week g num-
her of writs were served. The marshals
were we'll armed and were frequently met
DV squads OF men armed, VINO ordered
them o desist operations, and threatened
to shoot them il they persisted their pur-
| pose These men were nearly always
mounted on horses, but at that time no
| shots we're fired.
SCENE OF THE SHOOTING.
The part of Hamilton county where the
shooting occurred yesterday is very rough
and covered with a scraggy growth Of tim
Der and thickets in plenty When the
marshals reached the neighborhood the
river landes secreted themselves in the
timber and opened fire upon them. After
| evicting Blake the marshals started to re-
| turn. They had proceeded about three
| quarters Of mile across a hollow when a
regular fusilade Of bullets rained about
them. The attack soon ceased and the
marshals concluded not to go on with their
work until reinforced. The evictions will
proceed without delay. Nothing will prob
ably bs done for several days.