Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-04-29
An Oklahoma Story
That Is Given Because 1t May
Be True.
NINE MEN KILLED IN D. FIGHT,

Cowboys Being the Attacking Party and
Old Soldiers the Defenders-The Story
as Brought in from the Wilds-Opinions
As to the CredibiIity of the Average
Especial" from the Coming state-An
Alleged Romance.
CHICAGO, April % The following tele-
gram, received here from the land of news
paper flakes" is given for what it is worth.
1t is dated Wichita Kan:
1t is reported that attack has been made
on an old soldiers colony in the western part
of oklahoma The news was brought to Gut h
RE by a runner to DR.. Merrick, the chief of the
colony. He at once left for The scene. The
messenge sad the fight occurred on Wednes-
day night and lasted an hour. The old SOL
diers are on the north bank of the Canadian
and near the southern border of Oklahoma
Their lands very desirable, and a number
of cowboys tried to take them from the set
tiers. The cowboys were well mounted, and
rode down on the camp, evidently with the
intention of surprising the colonists. The old
soldiers, however, were on their guard. The
cowboys rode up and down in front of the
camp, yelling and shooting in the air. The
settlers beg an firing at them, and a man and a
horse were brought down.
Hauled on to Consult
and all were soon out of range. The cowboys
then held consultation and, spreading out
indian fashion, began firing on the camp.
Their horses were used as barricades, and
over their backs the cowboys shot and killed
six of the settlers When the soldiers saw
they were getting the worst of it they charged
On the enemy and the cowboys retreated but
Kept up firing. The battle resulted in nine
killed and several wounded. Then the cow
boys rode away across the prairie. but sent
back threatening yell 10 the effect that they
would return:
The Dead and Wounded.
None of the killed was from Wichita. From
the best obtainable information the dead are:
NJ. Redtield, Oil City, Pa; Willard Wood
worth, Quincy, his, Samuel Hertzer, Fort
Wayne, Ina; Steven Denny, Paris, KY; Auson
l.. Toyere, Galena, Ills: Robert Hutchins,
Milwaukee,, Wis. Anton Creigh was wounded.
MuIhattan Is Very Busy.
That is the telegram, and it is not vet COM
iirmed in this city, but there is any amount
of opinion extant that the Oklahoma news
paper liar is an artist in his line
j. A. Graham, chief editorial writer of The
Kansas City Times, who has several times
been In the territory before, has just re-
turned to Kansas City, SO a telegram says,
from two weeks trip through Oklahoma
He says the stories of murders, personal en-
SouhtciS anu isith oA iuNcuIlOuA
An immense amount of fash writing, he
says, seems to have been done purely to
furnish entertainment for readers and with
no regard TO facts. 1t is doubtful whether a
single homicide has occurred in Oklahoma
Gen. Merritt. Report.
Gen. Merritt telegraphs to the war depart
ment at Washington City to the same effect
He states a telegram from Fort Reno says
fhpf ha Sfn of bod vstl,.
foundation. Says the telegram:
All over the territory, so far as can dis
cover. there have been cases of violence re-
ported, but in no single instance has inves-
tigation resulted in confirmation of these
reports. IN cases where different claim
ants contest for the same quarter Sec
ton the matter is compromised or left for
final adjustment by proper authority. am
thus explicit because Kansas newspapers are
reporting scenes of bloodshed.