Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1892-01-06
SLAND, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 6, 1892.
BLEEDING KANSAS.
Some Proceedings That Smack
of Barbarism.
AN ATTEMPT TO MURDER A JUDGE,

The Assassins Plan an Ambuscade and
Remove sheriff Instead-The Judge
Warned in Time, but later Besieged by
Band of Rufiians-TroOps Ordered to
the Scene by the Governor-DetaiIs of
the DeviItry and Facts Leading Up
Thereto-Result of County Seat Wars.
ARKALoN, Kan, Jan. Ga bloody
county seat war has broken out in this
neighborhood, and one state officer has
already lost his life, while armed forces
are now endeavoring to capture and muir
der district judge. A bitter feud has
been "oE' in Stevens county ever since the
killing of Sam Wood by James Brennan,
on June %, 1891. This feud eliminated
yesterday in an ambush being laid by
desperate men for the purpose of killing
Judge TheodOsius Botllin, but timely
warning gave the judge opportunity to es-
cape. Sheriff Dunn with six deputies
started out to find the ambushed men, but
ran into the ambuscade and were fired
upon. The sheriff waskilled at the first fire.
Forty Men in the Mob.
Sheriff-Elect Gayman fell at the first
fire, but was unhurt and escaped by hiding
in the rocks. The mob hunted for him,
but failed to find him. He is now at Lib
eral. Deputy Sheriff Nixon also hid in
the rocks at the mouth of the canon and
escaped without wound. The mob num-
bered forty men, and the battle between
the officers and mob lasted from daybreak
10 sunrise.
The Judge Bcseigcd at ArI<alon.
Judge Botkin was to hold court at
Springfield yesterday. Seward county, be-
fore its organization, was part of Stevens
county. There is a comty-seat war on
between Springfield and Arkalon. mob
composed of the old Stevens county fac
tion was determined that Botkin should
not hold court at Springfield. The sheriff
and posse were on their way to escort the
judg to his court, when near the judges
house, a Mrs. Larabe ran to Judge Bot
kin's house and told him of his danger
lie fled to Arkalon with his family, has
taken refuge in house, and his friends
are holding the mob at bay.
Some Previous Little Difficulties.
His friends are calling on all the able
bodied law abiding citizens throughout he
country TO rally to his support. Since July,
lSSS, there has. been turmoil in Stevens
County. The county seat contest between
Woodsdale and Hugoton eliminated then
in the massacre of Sheriff Cross and his dep
uties by Sam Robinson and his gang of
about twenty-sevcn men from Hugoton.
There was an abatement of the killing
then until June % last, when James
Brennan, of Richfied, Morton county shot
| and killed Sam Wood of Woodsdale. the
acknowledged leader of the Woodsdale fac
tion.
Quite n Civilized Community.
{ This killing occurred in front of the lit
tie church in Hugoton, Judge Theodosius
| Botkin having converted the church into a
! Courtroom, where the June tarm of the
| Stevens county district court was being
held. Brennan was arrested. and after two
attempts to give him n trial on the charge
! of murder he was taken back to the Jail at
! Hutchinson to await the third and last at
! tempt to secure a jury this month. Since
/ Woods death hostilities have ceased in
| Hugoton, and now apparently have been
| transferred over the boundary line into
Seward county, which has been peaceful
! heretofore.