The state capital., 1892-01-09
THE WAR IN KANSAS,


Mlhtia on the Ground i'm stevens Cour y,
the Scene of the Attempted Assassina-
tion OF Judge Botkin and the Killing OF
Sherif Dunn-A Bloody Encounter Ex-
pected When Judge Botkin Attempts
to Hold Court I'm Springfield.
TOPEKA, Kas., Jan. 7.-Dispatches
received yesterday from Stevens
county, the scene of Tuesdays murder
of Sheriff Dunn and the attempted as
sassination of Judge Botlxin, show that
only measures of the most prompt and
vigorous character can prevent seri-
Gus uprising and much bloodshed
Adjutant-General Roberts with sixty
militiamen reached Arkalon yesterday
afternoon and telegraphs that Judge
Botkin is there and declares that the
militia will be needed in the place for
weeks to come. This morning the mil
itary will escort Judge Botkin across
the country to Springfield, the county
seat of Seward county. distance of 12
miles, where he will open court. The
troops will remain there during the
term. and also assist the local author
tiles in serving warrants for the arrest
of the criminals. Two Springfield men
were arrested near Judge Botkins
house yesterday and taken to Arkalon.
There is every probability that
bloody encounter will take place to-
day, at Springfield, when Judge Bot
kin goes there to open court. The
judges enemies, recognizing the fact
that Tuesdays murder cannot be al
lowed to pass unpunished, are now. it
is said, more than ever determined to
make away with the judge. His honor.
however, declares that he will hold court
there to-day in spite of all the Wood
gang.
Word from Springfield last night was
to the effect that a mob of Woods adj
herents were in possession of the court
house. 1t is probable that when the
troops arrive there to-day these men
will see the advisability of withdraw
ing from the building. but that a con-
f1ict between them and Judge Botkin's
friends can be avoided is hardly among
the possibilities.
Sheriff Dunn's body was brought to
Arkalon yesterday, and shipped to his
w lie, who is now at Pratt.
The mob which shot Sheriff Dunn
was comprised of members of the Citi-
zens' Alliance of Woodsdalc and Spring
field, reinforced by a half-dozen des-
perate characters from Grant county
under the leadership of John S. Loffle,
who was found guilty last summer in
Judge Botkins court of horse-stealing
and sentenced to four years in the PEN
itentiary. He has appealed to the SUI
preme court, where the case is now
pending.
Gov. Humphrey thoroughly appreci-
ates the condition of lawlessness which
exists in the southwest, and states that
he intends to bring the guilty parties
in this affair to an account if it ex-
hausts the military power of the state.
Gov. Humphrey received a message
last evening from Judge Botkin asking
him to send arms to the lava biding
citizens of Seward county for self-pro-
lection, that they might be prepared
for an outbreak by the lawless mob
who killed Sheriff Dunn. The gov
ernor replied as follows:
"Adjt. ten. Roberts is on the ground
to preserve the peace and protect life.
If the authorities are unable to serve
warrants for the arrest of parties
charged with the killing of Dunn, Gen.
Roberts will aid them when called upon
by the sheriff or the coroner acting as
sheriff. The military must at all time
be subordinate to the civil authorities.
rely upon you as judge of the court
to exert all your power to the end thu;
peace may be preserved and the further
effusion of blood prevented"
Attorney-General Ives, in speaking Of
the lawlessness in the southwest said:
"The trouble in Seward county adds
one more chapter to the already check
cred history of the extreme southwest.
tain, first commenced by an at
tempt upon the part of Sam
Wood to resist what he claimed
was fraudulent organization of
Stevens county, which organ
ization was subsequently legalized by
the legislature of the state. The
trouble is usually attributed to county
seat contest between Woodsdale and
Hugoton. No such contest has ever ex-
az attempt to prevent the organization
of Stevens county, rival propositions
for bonding the county in favor of
railroads intensified the feeling al
ready started between the differ
ent factions of the county. This
finally eliminated in the murder of
Sheriff Cross and others in the neutral
strip and the attempt to bring the al
legged perpetrators of that crime to
Justice in the United States courts at
Paris. Tex. subsequently personal
troubles arising between Judge BotlSin
and Sam Wood h:d N tendency to spread
the ill-feeling existing in Stevens
county over the whole district, and :he
proceedings in which
Wood was alleged to have taken a
lively interest, to certain extent in
volved the whole state in the diff.
Guilty"
Meeting of the Bay State Legislature.
BosToN, Jan. THE legislative ses
sions at the state house were opened
yesterday morning with the usual fer
malities Alfred S. Pinkerton, of WCr-
cester, was elected president of the
senate; John G.. r. Adams, sergeant
alarms; Henry D. Coolidge, clerk. and
Rev. Edmund Dowse, chaplain.
W. E. Bassett was reelected speaker
of the house; Edward A. Mclaughlin,
clerk. and Rev. Daniel w. Waldron,
chaplain.
The Supplies are Needed.
ST. PAUL, Mimi, Jan. Ga cable
..,,.,x, from Hon Cbar1ac Ernary C,n;+b