The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1892-01-26
ACCUSED OF THE WOOD TRAGEDY.
Mrs. Wood Sends . Letter to the Gov
srnor Directly Charging this Judge
with Assisting In the Plot Against
Her Husbsnd-Alliauce Secre-
tary Rightmfre Publishes
Grave Accusations.

Rightmire, secretary of the national citl-
Gems alliance, have each written letter
reiterating the charges that Judge Theo-
dosius Botkin is directly responsible Tor
the murder of Colonel Wood.
Mrs Wood addressed her letter to Gov
ernor Humphrey, as follows:
Governor L. u. Humphrey:
Topeka. Kan, Jan l6 Il was surprised
to read in the State Journal an assertion
purporting to come from you that woods
followers had no reason for making the
statement that Botkn was responsible
for the murder of Wood by Brennan"
wish to say to you that
have ample proof Of the fact that
Botkin was one of chief instisators
of the murder of my husband and is as
guilty and As responsible As Brennan l
know the names Of the men who copspired
TO kill him, and l know more OF their Sc
cret consultations for the perfection OF
their plans than have told. All this can
be produced in evidence when men can
20 into court and tell what they know
without fear Of assassination. Instead OF,
Is now, telling it in secret and enioining
secrecy.
lam not planning Or expecting to kill
Botkin If he and all his fellow murderers
were killed it could not restore my hus-
band, whose presence and tender care
made all the Joy and comfort OF life Tor me-
Botkin has my permission to live out all
the years of self-condemnatiou and fear
which nature can give him. Respectfully,
Mrs. S. n. WooD.
The letter written by W F. Rightmire
In the Advocate gives in part the testi-
muny which Mrs. Wood in her letter
stated that she had in her possession,
much of it is merely a reiteration OF sus-
picious circumstances in connection with
the Wood murder. which were SO frequent
" published Immediately after the
crime was committed. In the In
PRODUCTION he states that reports
went out from Southwestern Kansas after
the murder of Sheriff Dunn connected the
Citizens Alliance with the murderers, and
then declares that but one organization OF
the Alliance was even perfected in that
portion of the state and that was at Spring
field.
Mr.. Rightmire then refers to the i'm
parchment proceedings and the story OF .
treaty of peace between Botkin and Wood
and combines.
Snow. how did Botkin and his friends
carry out the treaty Of peace! While the
impeachment trial was pending and Col
onel Wood was away from Topeka attend
ing court Botkin told John r Garrison IN
his room in Topeka hotel: "If can ever
get Sam Wood to Hugoton he
will never get out alive, as
all arrangements are made to kill
him there" The readers of the daily
papers in Topeka all know the steps that
INN
to have Colonel Wood arrested on ficti-
tious warrants to take him to No Mans
Land and murder him. and how Colonel
Wood had to secure the protection
of the district court Of Shawnee
COUNT, by injunction, TO prevent their
numbering him under the authority OF the
Law while having him under arrest, by ar
resting him under a warrant. obtaining
possession of his body, then taking him
from rcpeka to where they could kill him,
in the Southwestern part Of Kansas, and
make the claim that he was trying to es-
cape b. violence and they had 20 kill him
in self defense.
"Asan, at one time in Ulysses, while
court y, as in session. prominent citizen
Of Southwestern Kansas went into Bot
kin's room in the hotel on business. and
saw Wiuehesters and revolverS in a large
number upon Botkin's bed and standing
around the room. On inquiring of Botkin
what those arms were for Botkin replied:
"By God, Sam Wood has got to
die before he leaves this town" That
same night an attempt was made to
break into Colonel Woods room. at an
other hotel, but the door being barricaded
the attempt was unsuccessful. but enough
noise was made to awaken the ianuia0y,
and she saw four men retreating from the
house and she believes that she recognized
In those four men Pitzer. now Brennan's
attorney; O'Connor, county attorney OF
Stevens county; Hugh Day and James
Brennan. Colonel Woods murderer Of
later date.
..Again, w. H. Wakefield. editor Of the
Jeffersouian, claims that he was told by
Patrick H. Coney of Topeka, on the 9Th
day of June, as follows (now remember,
this was before the death Of Colonel
Wood: The people Of Hugoton have
been instructed to shoot Sam Wood on
SHIT, and you will see that they will do it,
and that no one will ever be punished for
Il. either.
Snow, what took place at Hugoton the
day Colonel Wood was killed. But before
reciting the events of Colonel Woods
murder, following the facts that have
stated, wish to call attention TO the ex-
preston Of Governor Humphrey, as quot
ed BY the State Journal, in which the gov
eruor said: I expect Woods followers
charge that Botkin was In measure
responsible for the murder Of Wood
BY Brennan, and without any reason
for such a statement or charge Now, In
the light Of that statement Of the COVER
nor, let US review what took place at HUI
cotton at the time Of Colonel Woods death.
Court had been opened that morning;
Colonel Wood was under bonds to appear
there: Botkin's gang from the different
nart of that judicial district were together