Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1890-02-14
SHAME FOR KANSAS
Disgraceful and Deadly Riot
Over an Election.
A HUNDRED MEN BATTLE FOR GORE

Three or Four MortaIiy Wounded and
One Dead-A Railway Bond Contest
Precipitates the Observation-Disclosures
Stealing the Immediate Cause-Stirring
Times mt Fort Pierre--A Night of Disor-
der with Splitting of Biood-The Long
Roll of Crime.
WICHITA, Kan, Feb IA hundred men
G more fought with guns, knives, clubs and
various other weapons at Harper yesterday
morning, and when the battle ended two men
had received their death wounds and nearly
\ dozen others were cut, bruised, or shot
several of them so badly that there is little
!hance of their recovery. The trouble grew
out Of a railroad bond election and the steal
ing of their ballot boxes which have not yet
been found. Reports from the scene of the
conflict, which is seventy miles southwest Of
here, agree that large number OK pien were
BADLY injured.
Picked Up on the Battlefield.
The list, so far as definitely ascertained, is
Is follows: Tom Sabin, a cowboy, slashed
with a knife, has since died; John Tlford, a
merchant, wounded: Robert c. Thomas,
OdQly cut uOu STUCK on Tue uedu WIN n
dub, probably fatally injured; Henry Nor
gan, shot iu arm, head bruised; John Null
vey, cut in left side and hit with a stone on
Logan, head badly bruised, probably
with club Oscar Reed, shot in neck, may
recover; Samuel Clayton, left leg badly
hurt by bullet, amputation probably nee
essary; Silas Adams, dangerous knife wound
II ft.ir nj fNr,
neck and shoulder, left ear cut off; Mike
Murphy, nose broken and left eye knocked
out by a club; an unknown man
from Anthony, cut in abdomen so that his
bowels protruded, injuries likely to prove
fatal
Origin of the Violence.
An election was held wednesday at Har-
per 70 vote on the proposition TO issue $780,
600 in bonds 70 the Salina aud Gulf road
The project was bitterly resisted by many OF
the leading citizens and as bitterly advo
Gated by others. For week both parties
had made every effort TO carry or defeat the
proposition. The fight over the bonds wal
complicated and made hotter by the fac
that Anthony, a rival town three mile,
west Of Harper, promised 20 issue the
bonds il the railroad company would locat,
its line at that place. Citizens living between
the two towns were also deeply interested II
the struggle, and when the election was helC
Wednesday at Harper the town was filleC
with interested outsiders anxious to take
hand in the matter Thecompany preferreC
TO run its line through Harper il the bond
could be voted, and had sent a large gang o.
graders and other employees TO help carry tn
project through.
Disorder and Ballot-Stealing.
Many stormy scenes were witnessed at thu
polls during the day, and half dozen fight
took place, hut general riot was preventec
by the GOODNESS OF the leaders. When tn
| polls closed Wednesday night il was believe,
that the bonds had carried. The ballots wer
not all counted, and during the night tn
boxes containing the votes cast in three ward
were stolen, and disposed of so effectuall,
that they have not yet been found. The onl,
ward, as estimated, going against the bond
| was the First, and it's ballots were no
| stolen.
| The Bloody Outbreak.
When the affair became known yesterda,
morning there was great excitement. Tn
railroad crowd had number OF arrest
made, and warrants were sworn out for 9th
ers who could not be found. An effort wa
made to arrest Tom Sabin, who had been
cowboy in his day. He made fight, and, hi
friends joining, hundred mon in a fey
minutes became engaged in desperate bat
tle with the results stated above.