St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-09-23
AUTHORITIES AT FAULT.
The Regulating Force Was Totally
Inadequate.


GUTHRIE, Okla, Sept. 22.-The gov
eminent supervision of the opening of
the lands seems to have been sadly de-
ficient. The entire government force
was composed of two companies of Unit
ed States troops, or 200 men, under Capts.
Hayes and Styles, and the forces of
three United States marShalS, number
ing about $50 men. OF these latter fifty
were sent to LangSton to preserve the
peace between the cowboys and ne
groes; fifteen were required at each of
the three land offices and twenty-five at
Tohee. OF the regular troops. a squad
of men was stationed at each of the two
county seats.
This left only some 800 men to patrol
the borders of about 200 miles in ex-
tent, or one man TO every tWo-thirds of
a mile of border. The men, however,
were not stationed at regular intervals.
In some places there were ten and fif-
teen men 10 mile, while at others
there were stretches OF five and ten
miles entirely unguarded. Under these
conditions it might have been expected
that numbers of boomers would enter
before the appointed time, and they
did.
Two miles north of Tohee about 200
boomers had gathered in secluded
spot, knowing that the governments
force would be maSsed at the border
town. They had all set their watches
three hours ahead last night so that
their testimony would agree as to the
time if ever their claims were con-
tested on the ground of their being
''sooners." At 9 o'clock, therefore.
their watches all indicated the noon
hour, and they rushed over the border
ft,fa, ol,o
land. The ''SOOners" at other uuguarded
portions of the border were also very
numerous, and it is estimated from ali
reports nat the number of settlers who
entered the land before the legal time
was fully 5000.
Tohee this morning was an Indian
town just over the Iowa border, due east
from this place. Tonight it is
white mans city f 1880 inhabitants.
1t fell into the hands of
town site company organized here
by the president of the board
of trade, the president of the First Ma
city marshal OF Guthrie. A representa-
tive of the company returned to this
place this afternoon and filed at the
land office the plat of the town and
company'S claims. He reports than an
election was held this afternoon, at
which Mr.. Mcneil was chosen mayor
At Tohee the boomers waited until the
noon hour before making their rush for
lots and homesteads, and the occupa-
ton of the lands there was peaceful.
AT point five miles below Tohee
quite number of boomers were gath
cred to make the race. Among them
was one woman, whose name has not
been learned, whose impotence got the
better of her discretion. She crossed
the line before the appointed time. and
one Of the deputy marShals guarding
The party arrested her and forced her
back over the line. Soon afterwards she
again crossed the line prematureIy,
and when the deputy second time
ordered her back she drew a revolver
from her dress pocket and opened fire
upon him. The marshal returned the
fire and shot her in the left leg, just be-
low the knee, SCATTERING the limb and
disabling her so that she was unable to
make the race. When noon arrived the
boomers left her this side of the border,
stretched under tree, unable to move.