Wichita eagle., 1889-01-10

'i~iio Ot necessary 10 pTCScINc tuc
peace and protect life and property. These
officers discharged the duties assigned
them with tact and Judgment, and were
enabled to repress disorder and and secure
the orderly enforcement of law without
calling out an armed force.
Early IN June, 1883, the sheriff of Stew
ems county telegraphed me that he had
been driven from the county seat and re-
guessing the presence Of a company OF mi
htla. az once dispatched Brigadier Gen.
eral Murray Myers, Second brigade, to in
VeStlgate the facts and make report. A
few days later writ Of nandamus was
issued by the supreme court, directing the
county commissioners TO canvass vote
recently taken, and a special messenger
was sent to serve this writ. On his arrival
AZ Hugoton this messenger found It
necessary TO request the presence of
troops IN order TO insure obedience
to the DEGREES of the court, and l at once
directed General Myers to take two COM
panles OF the Second regiment and proceed
TO Stevens county. The board of commits
slonerS canyassed the vote as directed by
the court, and the troops were thereupon
ordered to their respective homes.
Late in July outbreaking troubles were
again reported IN Stevens county, result
ing in an armed expedition to No Mans
Land by rival factions and the brutal
murder of Sheriff John Cross and three
! requested Attorney General Bradford
and Brigadier General Myers TO proceed to
Stevens county, make thorough inveStl-
CATION and report to me. These officers on
their return made full report concerning
the condition of affairs, and advised me
that, III their Judgment, the presence of
strong military force was necessary to
prevent further bloodshed preserve the
peace and insure the orderly enforce
ment of law. Acting on this advice | di-
rected General Myers to return to Stevens
county, taking with him the Second regi-
ment, X. \. g., and to remain there until
all danger of an armed collision was
averted.
The officers and men of the Second regi-
ment promptly responded to this order.
The command was transported to Stevens
county by the most direct routes and re-
NAMED on duty until the l4th of August,
when it was relieved. Full official &C
counts of these military expeditions are
made in the report of the adjutant gen
eral.
The expenses of the two expeditions to
Stevens county, for transportation, sub
sistence and pay OF officers and men, ag-
gregated S13, 123. All the expenses of
the first expedition have been paid out of
the fund appropriated to the governor for
pay, subsistence and transportation OF the
militia when in active service. But this
fund. aggregating only $1,000, was INSULT
Gent to meet the expenses OF the sec
ond expedition. A balance of S,631.27,
for transportation, subsistence and pay of
officers and men remains unsettled | re-
sDectfully ask that an appropriation COW
ering this amount be made.
QUANTRILL-RAID CLAIMS
The legislature, at its last session, en-
acted law ito provide for the assump-
tion and payment Of claims for losses sus-
tanned by citizens of the state of Kansas
by the invasion by the state by bands of
guerrillas and marauders, during the
years 1861 1862, 1868, 1854 and 1865.
This law assumed the payment of a GER
tain amount of the claims audited by a
commissioner appointed III 1875; made The
report of this commissioner conclusive as
to the losses of claimants; and impose
upon the state auditor the duty of prepar-
ing a schedule of such claims, and issuing
10 each claimant certificates of indebted
ness bearing interest at four per cent.
per annum from July l, 1881 for the
amount of his claim as assumed
The auditor of state has issued certifi-
Gates OF Indebtedness, rs directed by this
act, and in his biennial report submits IA
detailed statement, giving the amount of
the original claim, the percentage Of prin-
cipal assumed by the state, the amount of
interest due thereon. and the names of
ltAitlCS " W HUN UilIStJtS hcIC iSSucu
The claims thus audited, to the close of
the last fiscal year, aggregated S346, 716 "a,
and the Interest thereon amounted to $685.
o.. 80, making a>total of S445, 029 ~. Since
the close OF the fiscal year. certificates ag
gregating 1886 OF principal and S197. 40 of
Interest, have been ISSUED; so that the GER
titicates now outstanding aggregate $347,-
Az u of principal and $96, 45o. 80 of interest,
making a total Indebtedness of s444, 922. 81.
The law assuming the payment of these
claims declared that they should bear
interest at 4 per cent per annum,
from July l, 1881" and the form of GER
tificate embed ed in the law states the
same fact. The legislature, however,
neglected to make any provision for the
payment of this interest, and early last
spring the state officers were confronted
with this embarrassment. The state treas
urer, after correspondence with the fiscal
agent at New York, finally made arrange
ments for the money necessary TO pay the
coupons falling due July l, 1888, ali the
state officers signing a persona! note for
fourteen thousand dollars t$14 900, bear
interest at four per cent per annum, aud
payable on the 51st Of January, 1889. The
states fiscal agent holds the coupons paid,
as security for the note. The action thus
taken was necessary to protect the credit
and good name of the state; and IL Is iDl-
portant that an appropriation be made, at
once for paying the coupons, and reliev-
ing the signers of this note OF the RESPONSE
bihty they assumed.
The next installment of interest on the
Quantril claim certificates is payable on
the lst Of July, 1889. The coupons follow
ing are for one-tenth of the principal with
interest, and fall due on and after the 1st
of February, 1890, and on the same date of
each year thereafter, until the whole of
the certificate Is paid. The legislature
-hnrr 4 Ut ar1r
make the appropriations necessary to pay
the principal aud interest due on this class
of certificates for the year 1890. as well as
for the interest due July lst, 1885. ard
July LIST, 1889.
PRICE RAID CLAIMS.
In accordance with the provisions Of
house joint resolution No. :, passed at the
last session Of the legislature, Gen. John
{. Caldwell was appointed rs commission
er TO report. at the present session, "a full
and complete detail Of all the Price raid
claims which are unpaid, and
which have been audited and allow
ed by any commission hereto
fore appointed and upon which union
military script mas been issued" etc. He
at once began the work assigned him, has
prosecuted il with painstaking industry
and energy. and will be able to present,
for your guidance, as tull information con-
corning these complicated and much
audited claims, as it is possible 10 secure.
Your attention IS directed in this con-
necton, 10 the reports submitted by the
states agent at Washington. concerning
the nature Of claims likely to be assumed
by the general government. In discussions
of this subject 1t mas been, at times, al
legged that the United States viii, IN the
end. relieve the state of the payment Of
such war claims as the legislature may as
sumo and pay. This, however, Is only par
TALLY true. Congress has steadily refused
10 pay claims for losses or damage 70
r,~c ,ay+y- or +or r,.-r,ar-y- a asrr0ved t{friDy