Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-05-15
INNOCENT MARSHALS.
Their Chief Makes Report on Their
Actions in oklahoma.
A GENERAL DENIAL OF FRAUD
Is Made, but Few Deputies Secured Land
Claims in Advance.
TIE DEPARTMENT is NOT SATISFIED

WASHINGTON, May 14-Attorney Gen
eral Miller has received a report from
United States Marshal Jones, of Kansas, in
regard to the conduct of himself and depu-
ties upon the opening of Oklahoma to set
Element. He says that he thought he ap-
preciated the influx of population that
would follow the Presidents proclamation,
and that he knew that the people could
look to the civil authorities only for safety
and protection after April %, when the
functions of the military authorities ceased,
and consequently he attempted, and he
thinks successfully, to organize a force of
marshals at different points where it was
supposed there would be concentration of
people, sufficient to preserve them from law
lessness and bloodshed, which it was ex-
peeted would follow the opening of the
territory. Marshal Jones says:
ordered, from my old experienced deputies,
four to Guthrie-Captain Barrick, A. Spayne j.
q. Saverens and H. S. Keys-together with
seeker sP apRie and sdt e 6aS
critical moment (April 22).
READY FOR TROUBLE.
There had been stationed two or thres com
panies of United States troops to preserve the
peace at that point up to that date, whose func-
tiOns ceased at the very moment when the
greatest difficulties were likely to occur, and
when the thousands of home seekers, business
men, gamblers and whisky dealers who rushed
from the incoming train and private convey
anceS until within "a hours the entire lace OF
the country was dotted with homesteaders'
tents and two or three cities of from LOO to
1900 inhabitants born in one day proved to me
the necessity of respectable number OF
deputy marshalS
At Kingfsher ordered John Walters, d. F.
,v.d
man, Ed F. Madden. At Darlington, Fit Reno,
made no change, leaving Jack Stillwen in |
charge who had been local deputy there for |
three years. and at Oklahoma City ordered J. |
b. Koonce, Asa Jones and Ewers White; ] also |
had at that point G. +. Thornton, who had re- |
sided there for over year, and who was ap- 1
pointed marshal six months ago. Kooncs |
had been deputy for over three years, and |
Jones was appointed last January.
AT the request of the officers commanding |
the troops at Alfred for marshal to capture 4
horse thieves, appointed couple of deputies |
and sent them to that point They were old |
experienced deputies from the Western district |
Of Texas. also appointed, at the request of
Fe Railroad, eight of their employees, most of
whom were conductors constantly passing
through the territory, in anticipation of law
lessness on the trains.
IN ADVANCE OF THE HOUR.
The full number of deputy marshals in Okla
homa, appointed by me, is 19, besides the eight
temporarily appointed at the request of the
railroad company 1believe that few of my
deputies have attempted to file on as many
tracts of land in the territory but know
many of them have not, and, while instructed
them not to do so, when they saw themselves
surrounded by from 500 to 200 persons at Guth-
RE and at least one-half that number at Okla
hOma, waiting for the hour of u to come, l do
not wonder that some of them, deputies who
were serving without pay and only there in
the interest of good order, took the fever and
attempted to get home. As to myself never
attempted to homestead q foot either in
Oklahoma or any other territory or State.
In postscript Marshal Jones says;
The country is absolutely quiet in Oklahoma,
and am astonished at the false reports of
boodshed circulated by the papers. There has
not been single person killed by violence in
that Territory since the 22d of April
The report is dated May 9. 1t is under
stood that the Attorney General is not salts
fed with the report, and that he will call
lpon the marshal for supplemental report
giving the name OF each officer who fled a
claim and description of the land secured
by him, together with an account of the at
tending circumstances.