Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1891-07-07
SAM WOOD.
PARTICULARS CONCERNING HIS MUIR
DER-A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE CA
REER OF THE UNFORTUNATE VIC
TIM OF STEVENS COUNTY FEUDs.

The murder of Colonel Wood is only
one of long list of tragedies that have
resulted from the notorious Stevens
county county seat war. The trag-
edy resulted from one Immediately pre-
ceding it, which has become known the
country over as ''the Sheriff Cross MUIR
der case"
The county scat war was waged be-
tween the towns Of HugOtOn and
WOOdsdale. he latter was founded by
Sam Wood, the victim of the muir
der, who was the leader OF that faction,
which held that in the county seat
election the victory had been obtained
by fraud by the adherents of HugotO1.
Several Intellectual attempts had 5een
made by WOodsdale people to remove
the county records from HugOtOn to
Woodsdale and establish the county
seat there. One day about twenty-five
WOOdsdale men armed themselves and
marched in the direction of HugotOn.
They we're met by Sheriff Cross of Hug
oton with posse. In parley which
ensued the Woodsdale people said they
had no helligerent intentions, and were
only going down to Indian territory
hunting. They marched down into the
Indian territory and Sheriff Cross and
party followed. That same night a
battle ensued between the two parties
in which the sheriff and five of his
posse were killed.
Most of the WOodsdale party were ar
rested on warrants issued from the
United States court at Paris, Tex, in
criminal jurisdiction. The trial re-
suited in conviction.
The case was appealed to the supreme
court where the verdict was reversed
and the case remanded for trial. Dur
ing the trial at Paris, Brennon was one
of the principal witnesses for the state
and Sam Wood was one of the defend.
ants counsel, and during the trial he
handled Brennan without gloves.
Brennan swOre revenge, and when he
heard to-day that Sam Wood was in
town he armed himself and after a
search found Wood standing on the
court house corner. Without warning
he drew his revolver and fred four shots
into his victims heart. Wood expired
without uttering word.
Sheriff Cam attempted to arrest the
murderer, but Brennan stood the officer
off with revolver. Finally he surren-
dered TO Sheriff Weir of Morton county
who turned him over to Sheriff Cam.
The murdered man was prominent in
the Farmers alliance and was clerk of
the judiciary committee in the lower
house of the last legislature.
COLONEL WOODS CAREER.
Col. Samuel N. Wood was born in
Mount Gilead, Ohio, Dec, 80, 1925.
His grandfather was native of Rhode
Island. He was the son of David and
Esther (Mosher' Woods who had emf
grated to Ohio from their eastern
home as early as 1917. The Woods and
the MOSbers were of the peace loving
society, of friends and the uncomprom-
ising foes of African slavery. Samuel
N Wood thus inherited the anti-slav-
cry sentiments which afterward be-
came ruling power in his character
and life. He early became interested
in the politics of his country, and at
the age of 10 wa! selected as chairman
of the liberal party central committee
of his county. He was admitted to
practice at the bar of Morrow county,
Ohio, June 5, 1854. He was one of the
most earnest opposers of the Kansas
Nebraska bill, and went to Kansas
to fight for the free state in
June 1854 After travelling around
the Territory, selecting place
to locate he at last settled down in the
vicinity OF the free state movement. In
1857 he lived near the present site of
Lawrence, and was an Outspoken anti
slavery man. thus mourning the enmity
of the border ruffian element. He was
a fig liter for his convictions as well as a
talker. He was a candidate for election
to the first territorial legislature. He
first started a branch of the under
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