The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-05-26
REED TALKS A LITTLE,
He Says There Are Two Sides to the Story OF
the Wellington Tragedy.

| see MIN. Ihey kept the secret as long as
they could, but not as long as they expect
ed. for the plan was to keep his where
abouts secret until his preliminary hear
ing was set, and then the sheriff of Sum-
ner county had it arranged to come and
get him.
When the EAGLE reporter went to the
Jail yesterday the turnkey said, "Well. you
have discovered him and l suppose l will
have to give you entrance to his room"
and, suiting the action to the words, he
turned the lock and swung open the
door. When the reporter entered Judge
Reed lifted his eyes from the pages OF the
magazine he was reading took a fragrant
cigar from his mouth by the aid of his in
dex and middle finger, tapped the ashes
off it into cuspidor with his little finger,
gracefully bent his steps towards the re-
| porter, shook hands with him cordially
and waved him towards a seat with a
grace that would do credit to Chesterfield
| himself. This done Judge Reed pulled
| his rocking chair closer to the window,
placed the cigar between his liDs again,
put his right leg over the knee of his left,
held the book closed on one of his fingers
at the page he was reading and focused
his gold trimmed spectacles on the re-
| porter as much as to say well sir, am
ready for an application of the reportorial
pump" He was not at all as nervous as
| ne was the previous day, the gloom that
| overshadowed his face the day before had
partially disappeared. his eyes were
clear, a smile stole over his face
| for a second or so but quickly disap-
| raarad hic 1iDop yarfartl-y 1yi,i and
| apparently came from the laundry and he
| looked exactly as he was wont to look in
| his Office or in the corridor of the Airing
| ton hotel at Wellington, with the excep-
ton of the absence of his usually cheerful
| look.
Judge, it is alleged that you have con-
sented to give interviews, and did give in
terviews to reporters, concerning the un-
fortunate affair at Wellington" said the
EAGLE representative.
mo, sIr," said he in reply; 81 do not be-
lieve in discussing in the newspapers that
which belongs to the courts. II l should
have an interview to give l am frank to
say that should give it to you first, for
think the EAGLE is paper that would not
misrepresent motives or twist facts. And
| say now that if l have anything to say
concerning this occurrence I win send for
you. There is only one thing have said
or desire to say, and that is that | hope
the public will suspend Judgment until
the facts shall be made public in the
courts. You will find then that there are
two sides to the question"
Upon being pressed TO go into details
Mr.. Reed said: 81 think that all who
know me will give me credit for attending
strictly to my own business, aud when the
time comes the people will be satisfied"
Upon being asked what the reasons were
for the privacy of his confinement in the
Jail of this county, he said it was his own
desire, and that he had a great distaste for
notoriety of every kind. will be glad to
meet and converse Pc rsonal1y with you at
any time, but don't want to be quoted in
the paper unless l give you permission.
The quarters in which Reed is confined
are the private quarters of Jailer Duncan
on the east side of the Jail. They are well
lighted with two large windows looking
out on Market street, and with the eX-
ception of the iron bars in these windows,
there is nothing about the place sugges-
tive of prison. The room is about II
feet by 16 feet, and is nicely carpeted. 1t
is furnished with spring bed, two rock
ing chairs, a dressing table, and, in fact a
set of furniture as good as can be found in
the average room OF the middle class of
town people. Hanging at the head of
his bed there is a leather cartridge
belt and n pistol scabbard with
out the pistol, but this probably
belongs to JaiIer Duncan. 1t is said that
many people in Wellington begrudge him
such quarters, but i'll order to keep his
presence in the Jail a secret it became
necessary to confine him in the room re-
ferred to as all the other cells in the Jail
are open for public inspection at all times.
Since the EAGLE located him in the Jail
yesterday morning hundreds of people
have applied for permission to see him,
but up to last night no one was permitted
to enter his room but the EAGLE reporter,
d. w. Horner, formerly of Sumner county,
and one or two Others Among the many
people who applied at the Jail yesterday
for peep at him were number of ladies.
These ladies came from almost exclusively
one class of people and that class is the up
per ten" They had heard of Judge Reed, his
polished manner, CSC, and woman like had
curiosity to see him. Then, again, many
of the wives of attorneys went there for
their husbands knew him either person.
ally or by reputation.
Late last evening d. W. Homer, former
" leading citizen of Belle Plaine, but
now of Oklahoma, went to see the prison
er and had long talk with him. What
that talk was is not known but an idea of
- ha 4 ha folIAr,in,
uication which he brought to the EAGLE
last night with an earnest request that il
be published in justice to the prisoner. He
says:
To the Editor OF the Eagle.
/ have just arrived from Oklahoma ter
ritory to find Judge Reed of Wellington is
in Jail in this city, and have read Sundays
and todav'S articles concerning him. This
evening | had a long talk with him in the
presence of one of the EAGLE force. j have
lived in Sumner county as long as any
white man. know their gossippy nature
and do think they should withhold their
Judgment. on what they do not know, and
leave it to the courts TO decide. l have
known Judge Reed since the week he ar
rived in Wellington and have never heard
a word but praise for him.
De is willing to let all rest with the
courts. AS &c his family difficulty it is
bosh. as his pocket of letters will show. !
called on him as friend which l am. He
was somewhat nervous and worried, but
YOU Mr. Editor or me. or any sensitive
man would be, l think, like him confined
behind iron bars.
The Judge knows nothing of me writing
these lines. l know nothing of the shoot
ing ARRAY | do not want TO know only
through the accounts in she EAGLE or
some other reliable source. Nineteen per
sons have conversed with me III regard to
the shooting, each with d fferent opinion.
Kansas laws are just aud justice viii be
done Ia the meantime let us keep our