The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1892-01-15
Another BLOODY Chapter.

chapter has been added to the criminal
history OF southwestern Kansas. The
county seat feud between Woodsdale
and HugCton has again eliminated in
bloodshed. A plot to kill Judge Bot
kin, an enemy Of one OF the murdered
leaders of the war, was put into execu-
ton Tuesday. 1t failed, und the bull
lets intended for him ended the lives
of two and possibly three sheriffs.
The details OF the assassination so
far US they are known, are contained
in dispatch from Judge. Botkin to
Governor Humphrey.
ARKALoN, Kan, Jan. g. The plot to
kill me was sprung here this morning A
mob of twenty to thirty WOOdsdale and
about eight Springfield men laid their plans
to kill me from an ambush on my road to
court this morning atSpringfield.
One of the men diyulged it. At3 o'clock
this morning Sheriff Dunn, with six depu-
ties, started out to scout the proposed scene
of ambush. They ran into the ambush
themselves at daylight, and Sheriff Dunn
and Sheritf.elect Roy Guyman were killed
and Deputy Sheriff Sid Nixon is at this
deputies made their escape.
A. X. KllgOre and s. o. Ahrey of Woods.
dale, and G. l.. Calvert, j. F. VanVOrhis,
and b. Orner, city marshal of Springfield,
were the planners.
The mob is now in possession Of Spring
field awaiting my arrival.
Mrs Larrabee of Springfield reached my
house at 10 u. III, on foot six and o half
miles with message from the threedepu-
ties who escaped the massacre, that the
mob intended to come to my house to kill
me today if they found was not coming
to Springfield to court have Just arrived
at ArkalOn. These outlaws, under the dis
guise of the Citizens Alliance Of Woods
dale and Springfield, should be hunted
down, but the civil authorities of this cOun.
ty are now powerless, as we have no
sheriff.
Please advise me. will remnin here
until lhear. BoTKIN.
This new killing increases the mum.
Der 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 q feeling Of security in
Stevens county since the famous Hay
meadows massacre of 1888, though at
times the public pulse has been serene,
and bloodshed seemed an impossibility.
But hot headed are these men in Ste
vens. Seward and Morton counties and
in all of the counties surrounding that
quarter. They never forgive a wrong
nor forget an injury,
TOPEKA, Kan, Jan. 7.-Dispatches
received yesterday from Stevens
county, the scene of Tuesdays murder
OF Sheriff Dunn and the attempted
assassination OF Judge Botkin, show
that only measures of the most prompt
and vigorous character can prevent a
serious uprising and much bloodshed
Attorney-General Roberts, with sixty
militiamen, reached Arkalon in the
afternoon and telegraphs that Judge
Botkin is there and declares that the
military will be needed there for weeks
TO come.
Sheriff Dunn's body was brought to
Arkalon today and shipped to his wife,
who is now at Pratt. The mob which
shot Sheriff Dunn was composed OF
members of the citizens alliance of
Woodsdale and Springfield, reinforced
by half dozen desperate characters
from Grant county, under the leader
ship of John S, Loffle, who was found
guilty last summer in Judge Botkin's
court of horse stealing and sentenced
to four years in the penitentiary. He
has appealed to the supreme court
where the case is now pending.