The Globe-republican. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1889-1910, 1892-11-11
CHAPTER ".

John A. Murrell and his influential
coadjutors all through the Southwest
had set up a state of affairs altogether
anomalous. The history of mankind
does not show another example of wide
spread and perfectly organized lawleSS-
hess to compare with il in holiness OF
design and accuracy o. execution.
Murrell appeared upon the scene in
Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana a
few years after Burr's scheme had come
10 naught. and he found that the arch
conspirator. together with such men as
Wilkinson on one hand and the La
Elites on the other, had educated a
large constituency in the various
branches of direct or indirect outlawry.
This was just the wind for the great
robbers sail, and how he utilized it is a
matter OF history. One effect OF his
organization was this: 1t became SO
formidable that even the officers OF the
law in many places We're its OILS, and
the elections We're controlled by 1t. OF
course, combination so powerful in
undated the good and fascinated the
bad. No person was strong enough to
combat alone an influence so secret,
yet SO bold, So widespread, yet invis-
ible, so strong and yet so hard TO dis
cover. Men Of otherwise spotless char
acter were drawn into passive, If not
active. relations with the robbers. and
it soon came to pass that a large
part of the commercial activities Of the
interior. especially those connected
with New Orleans, We're more or less
controlled by Murrell and his men.
The coming OF Martin Lawrence to
New Orleans happened 20 touch a sensi-
tive point in the circle of illegal opera
tons, although the young man was
wholly ignorant OF the fact. At that
time Murrell's kingdom was topping to
its fall The attention of government
had been attracted to his doings in such
a way that he was finding it difficult TO
quiet the fears and retain the conf
dence of his less desperate adherents.
Now the affair that Lawrence had come
to look after was on its face a mere
breach of faith-a mild form of shrewd
swindle: but it connected itself with
certain operations involving enormous
sums of money, and affecting the honor
and indeed, Indirectly, the lives Of
some of the richest, most enterprising.
influential, and highly respected men in
the business circles of New Orleans.
The word went out. mysteriously if not
electrically telegraphei through the city
and country, that deep-laid plans were
forming to expose and bring to grief
the principal citizens who had directly
or indirectly aided or abetted Murrell's
schemes or shared his illegal gains. A
quiet, terrible CONSERVATION seized
many men who heretofore had lived in
security and atfiuence.
Some who had gone no farther be-
yond the limit of propriety than to prac-
tice little in the ways OF the smuggler
and the dealer in goods and chatrels OF
questionable ownership were frightened
almost to the point of offering them
selves as state witnesses with the hope
of securing pardon.
:. IN as utter Ignorance of all this As he
was innocent OF any Interior design be-
you'd securing his clients money and
up some records that had been
with, Lawrence went about
feeling that the very atmosphere around
him was heavy with mystery.
When upon turning at the bottom OF
the step and looking up he saw Lueie at
a chamber window, it scarcely surprised
him, so rapidly was his mind accommo-
dating itself to its strange surroundings.
The girl made sign to him to wait. and
in little time a note was placed in his
hand by little slave girl, who came |
round the outer wall of the court (which |
in those days vas part Of almost every |
creole residence in New Or. |
leans), and furtively delivered it.