Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1889-04-25
THE GREAT GRAB.
Serious Charges Against Couch
and Weaver.
ALLEGED COLLISION TO GET CLAIMS.
Old Boomers Left in the Lurch-The King
fisher Land-office Opened-False Re-
ports of Murders-Indians Stick
Up Cattlemen.

PURCELL, L T., April 24.-It now seems
that the capitalists and the railroad in
combination with the leading boomers are
going to have every thing their own way
at last, leaving the mass of the people and
their old friends out in the cold. An OPP
position combination is being raised COM
posed of the great majority who feel that
they have been imposed on. New features
of the general scheme to take possession
of Oklahoma station and run it in the in
terest of clique are being developed.
The people had taken it for granted that
the land lying between the depot and
river would be left open to settlement and
made part of the town on account of the
convenience of water. When the first
train arrived on the ground they made
a break for the ground and began laying
off lots. They were soon ordered off by
the soldiers with the information that it
was military reservation. 1t seems that
through some unknown influence this res
ervation was made and the fact published
Saturday, but it escaped the attention of
the majority. They were puzzled to find
an explanation for the fact, as it is abso-
lutely necessary for the prosperity of the
town that the site should touch the river
where mills and factories can be located
and cheap water supply secured. Just
what advantage the ring expect to gain
by having the ground set aside as a mill
itary reservation can not be guessed at
present but there can be no doubt
that there is job in it. Hints are
getting pretty thick that the military were
Influenced in some way incomprehensible
to the popular mind. The railroad en-
ployes were informed that they must not
take claims on the penalty of being dis
charged Captain Couch and all his force
of graders took claims and town lots, but
none of them have been discharged. Gen.
eral Weaver advised all good citizens to
leave the country, but he was on hand on
a specious pretext before the time came
for opening. Other people were arrested
and escorted out of the country, but
Weaver, Couch, ct al. were received
deferentially whenever they made their
appearance on the forbidden ground.
All attempts at organization on the
part of the boomers at Purcell
were kept down, while their former lead
ers counseled with those who had been
their bitterest enemies. These were the
preliminary steps in the game. When
the showdown came the Couches were
claiming the best land in South Oklahoma
and Weaver and his friends that which
Joined it on the north. The railroad men
went little further out, and if the boomer
boys had not made such a gallant ride
they would have had every thing in sight
of the station. The train was taken in so
slowly that nobody on it had
ghost of a show for any thing but
town lots. Those who have made
settlement are beginning to head for the
land-office instead of remaining on their
land from thirty days to six months as
the majority had expected to do. The
necessity of this seems to have become
apparent to them, since they found them
selves on claims with no probability of be-
ing disturbed in their possession except
by some interloper who might hurry to
the land office and file before they get
there. Before they could only think of
one thing, and that was to get on the land
in advance of everybody else
KINGFIsHER GROWS.
KINGFIsHER, L T., April 24-Kingfsher
is a grown town already, except that
titles are somewhat in dispute and no
town officers are yet elected. Chicago
avenue is half mile long. The officers of
bAc 1hOSA 4oldAU iOdu, ZIG stage
line and other corporations are in one
building, which is a canvas tent 10xI2
feet
Not the slightest trouble of any kind oc-
Cured. though in many cases there were
several claimants to one town lot Home.
steads are occupied in all directions.
Captain Woodson gave the settlers under
his direction a fair start on the line at
noon. The horseback men dashed off reck.
lessly across the prairies, the wagons and
carriages following in haste and confusion.
The first arrivals at Kingfisher from
that point were W. B. Guthrie, from
Custer County, Neb He rode slim, racy
bay mare. He covered the twenty-five
miles in one hour and three-quarters. Not
twenty feet behind him was W. C. Yocum.
of Harper, Kan. The two rode side bv
side the whole way. w. 81. Dorley, of
Harper, and Jerry Netrer, of Leoti, came
just behind. They were after town lots.
Accounts from the line say that the
start there was an exciting spectacle. The
line was formed at ten o'clock and was ten
rnilss LONG. Cantain Woodsnn,s manasa.