Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1892-01-09
A Bold Plot to Assassinate Judge
Botlkin.
The sherIf's Posse waylaid-sherin Dunn
OF seward County, Assasslnatod-
Troops Ordered to tho
Scene.

his six deputies have been in battle
with q band of forty men, who were
living in ambush for the purpose OF as
sassinating Judge Theodosius Botkin
as he went from his home at this place
to Springfield to hold court
Some days ago the judge received in
formation that he was to be killed,
when he went to Springfield to open
court, by a band of sam Woods friends.
but he paid little attention to the warm
ing and made his arrangements to so
there and do his duty. Two days ago
he was again warned that his life
would pay the forfeit if he presumed to
90 to Springfield. and then he demanded
that the man who brought the warn
ing should be brought before him.
This was done and a long con-
sultation was held between the
Judge, his friends, the county
officers and the informant. The result
of this consultation was that it was de-
cided to send a posse to the front to see
if the men in ambush could be arrested
and brought to justice.
At about o'clock yesterday morn
ing the sheriff and posse started to-
wards Springfield, and when they got
to the canyon between here and that
city they made arrangements to lie in
wait for the would-bc assassins.
They had been there but short
while when body of armed men from
Hugoton and Springfield arrived ut the
mouth of the canyon and at once made
an attack upon the officers. At the
first fire Sheriff Dunn fell severely
wounded and then his body was
riddled with bullets. The other
men at once saw that the
odds were too great for them and made
their way over the rocks to places OF
safety. Two of them reached Spring
field and thence sent word to Judge
Botkin warning him of the int ntion OF
the mob to 60 to his house and murder
him if he did not make his appearance
at Springfield. This word was brought
by a woman who walked the three
miles in order to carry the message.
The Judge at once telegraphed the
facts in the case to the governor and
asked for troops to protect him and ar
rest the violators of the law, as the
sheriff was killed and there was no
one in the county who could make the
arrests.
HISTORY OF THE FErD
Since July, 1888. there has been turmoil in
Stevens county. The county seat contest be.
tween Woodsdale and Hugoton eliminated then
ofC nd danu
ties by Sam Robinson and his gang Of twenty
seven men from Hugoton. There was an abate.
ment OF the killing then until June q last, when
James Brennan, OF Richfcld, Morton county,
shot and killed sam Wood, Of WoOdsdale, the
acknowledged leader Of the Woodsdnle faction.
II occurred in front OF the little church In
Hugoton, Judge Theod0sius Botkin having cor
verted the church into u court room. where the
June term OF the Stevens county district court
was being held Brennan was arrested and
after two attempts TO give him trial on the
charge OF murder he was taken back TO the jail
NJ Hutchinson to await the third and last al
tempt TO secure jury this month.
Since Woods death hostilities have ceased
In Hugoton and now apparently have been
transferred over the boundary line into Seward
county, which has been peaceful heretofore,
though IL has always been acknowledged that
Springfield, the county. seat OF Seward, has
the prospective county seat, in sympathy
with Hugoton. This feeling Of favorit'
ism, which unQuestionably exists, has evidently
risen TO that point where II became uncontroll'
able and the Springfield people have gone &c
help out the WOodsdale faction.
This new killing increases the number Of men
slaughtered in the counties OF southwestern
Kansas TO about twelve, not taking into account
the famous LeOti.Coronado county seat fight In
Wichita county.
There has never been feeling OF security In
Stevens county since the famous Hay Meadows
massacre OF 1893, though ut times the public
pulse has been serene'and bloOdshed seemed an
Imposslbility. But hot-headed are these men In
Stevens Seward and Morton counties and in all
OF the counties surrounding that quarter. They
never forget o wrong or forgive IN injury.
The direct cause OF the projected attack on
Judge Theodore Botllin is the fact that ever
since the feud began his sympathies have been
with Hugoton, though his home is at Spring
field. Seward county, forty miles away. James
Brennan, who killed Sam Wood, was his coun-
selor and friend and Travelled about with him on
his judicial journeys through the counties COM
prising the district.
At the first attempt to try Brennan in Sep
TENDER last ut Hugoton Judge Botkin refused
10 preside for the reason, he said, that Brennan
had been his friend. So no trial was had nor
vember 4, when Judge WALL Of Wichita, made
the effort.
Judge BotlIin was in Hugoton when last the
attempt 10 try Brennan was made and Il is re-
membered that when he drove out OF town
after the court had failed 70 get jury, the
sheriff OF Seward county went with him with
n Winchester over his shoulder. But this was
no strange sight in that place. The sheriff Of
Seward county had simply taken Brennans
$40. M potirfn'a holy cuard But the bodv
guard Is dead now, the dispatches say.
TROOPS ORDERED OUT.
TOPEKA, Kan. Jan. 6.-At about 4
o'clock yesterday afternoon Adiutant-
General Roberts received a telegram
from Gov. Humphrey at Independence
,rdering him TO dispatch company of
troops ut once t. the scene of the
troubles in Seward county and he
ready TO call out larger force should