Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1892-01-14
STEVENS COUNTY WAR.
A Bold Plot to Assassinate Judge
BOtkin.
The Sherih's Posse Waylaid-Sherin Dunn.
of Seward County, Assassinated-
Troops Ordered to tho
Scene.

ARKALoN, Kan, Jan. e.-The border
more life has been sacrificed to the
feud which has so long been the curse
of this part of the state.
Sheriff Dunn has been shot down and
his six deputies have been in battle
with band of forty men, who were
lying in am bush for the purpose of as
sassipating Judge Theodosius Botlxin
as he went from his home at this place
to Springfield to hold court
b. 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 San Woods friends.
but he paid little attention to the warn
ing and made his arrangements to go
there and do his duty. Two DAYS ago
he was again warned that his life
would pay the forfeit if he presumed to
go 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 n posse to the front to see
If the men in ambush cou be arrested
and brought to justice.
At about 3 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-be assassins.
They had been there but short
while when body of armed men from
Hugoton and Springfield arrived at 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 go 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.
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 FEUD.
Since July, 1883. there has been turmoil in
Stevens county. The county seat contest be-
tween WoodSdale and Hugoton eliminated then
in the massacre of Sheriff Cross and his depu-
ties by Sam Robinson and his gang of twenty
seven men from Hugoton. There was an abate-
ment of the killing then until June % last when
James Brennan, of Rchfeld Morton county,
shot and killed Sam Wood, of Woodsdale, the
acknowledged leader Of the Woodsdale faction.
1t occurred in front of the little church in
Hugoton. Judge TheodoSius BotlHin having con.
verted the church into 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 the
charge of murder he was taken back to the jail
ut Hutchinson TO await the third and last at
tempt to secure n jury this month.
Since Woods death hostilities have ceased
in Hugoton ana apparently have been
transferred over the boundary line into Seward
county, which has been peaceful heretofore.
though " has always been acknowledged that
springfield. the county seat of Seward, has
been in sympathy with Woodsdale and Arkalon,
the prospective county seat, in sympathy
with Hugoton. This feeling Of favorit-
ism, which unquestionably exists, has evidently
risen TO that point where il became uncontroll-
able and the Springfield people have gone to
help out the WoCGSdale 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 LeC-l-COroEaCo county seat fight in
Wichita county.
There has never been a feeling of security in
Stevens county since the famous Hay Meadows
massacre OF 1883, though at times the public
pulse has been serene and bloodshed seemed ali
impoSSlb1lity. But hot headed ere these men in
Stevens Seward and Morton coun ties and in a l
of the counties surrounding that quarter. They
never forget wrong or forgive an injury.
The direct cause OF the projected attack on
Judge Theodore Botkin 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 dis rict.
AT the first attempt to try Brennan in Sep
TENDER last at Hugoton Judge Botkin refused
to preside fey the reason. he said, that Brennan
had been his friend So no trial had nor
any attempt made to secure jury until No
vember 4, when Judge Wall, OF Wichita, made
the effort.
Judge Botl1in was in Hugoton when last the
attempt to try Brennan was made and it is re-
membered that when he drove out of town
after the court had failed to get a Jury the
sherin of Seward county went with him with
Winchester over his shoulder. But this was
no strange sight in that place The sheriff of
Seward county had simply taken Brennan's
place as Botkin's body guard. But the body
guard is dead now the dispatches say.
TROOPS ORDERED OUT.
TOPEKA, Kan. Jan. 6--At about 4
o'clock yesterday Afternoon Adjutaut-
General L ,berts received a telegram
fir N Gov. Humphrey at Independence
rderiEg him to dispatch a company of
troops at once t, the scene of the
troubles in Seward county and be
ready 10 call ont larger force should
more help be wanted The governor
told Cen. Roberts to act judiciously but
iecisively.
Queen of Roumania Dying.
LONDON. Jan. ct is reported that
the doct rs who are in attendance on
Carmen sylvia, queen of Roumania, de.
spair of saving her life Carmen SYLVIA