The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1892-07-29
Rad Men NO Respecter. of Parties.

The REGISTER made brief mention
last week of the fact that 1. L. Wilson,
who mortgaged property that he did
not own to Waters d Whitaker,
had been arrested in Chehalis, WASH,
and that Sheriff Hobart had gone after
him. The Chehalis Bee comes to hand
THU week with the following graphic
article which will doubtless be read
with q great deal of interest here, and
which simply goes to show that bad
men will crowd their way into some
parties as well as others. The Bee
says:
The loudest bowler needs the most
of the watching. Witness. July 3
the alliance lodges of Lewis county
held a secret session all day and in
the evening at the court house a pub
lie meeting. A big crowd was pres
emit. The principal orator of the even
ing was L. +. Wilson, of Centralia,
sewing machine, organ and piano
dealer, ex-member of the Salvation
army, etc. Wilson spoke an hour and
half. The speech was the most Bit
ter ever heard in Chehalis. 1t was
the most vituperative and scurrilous
lot of ranting one could imagine.
Sherman and others were denounced
as thieves: no honest man could be
elected sheriff or assessor; the farmers
moreover could not elect any but hon
est men for within their ranks the
honest men were found; the court
house was in danger from fire because
the old parties would never permit
"the peOplen to reach the dishonest
records; for every dollar he ever got
he had earned six; the papers, Che
halls and the rings were denounced
as shrinking, etc., etc. The speaker
was loudly cheered throughout his
speech, the audience receiving it ca
gerly. The next alliance business
session recognized Wilson's ability as
q patriot, and elected him delegate to
their state convention. Delegate Will
son will not attend, however, owing to
later call he has received.
About June Is Sheriff Barnett re-
ceived an attractive little photo of l.
+. Wilson, taken while the gentleman
occupied cell No. Gin the Nebraska
penitentiary. A letter explained that
he was wanted in Allen county, Kan
sas, for obtaining money under false
pretenses. He had secured loan of
$3.50 from Waters d. Whitaker of lola,
by representing himself to be owner of
70 steers, q team and some COWS. He
also secured money on a team he did
have and then run the horses off into
Nebraska and sold them. This was
about two years ago. The letter also
stated that in Kansas and Nebraska
the man had at least four wives. A
great man, fOrsOOth, to howl about
mOnOpOlies when from this it would
look as though he was endeavoring to
secure a corner ofgreat proportions!
Sheriff Barnett went on still hunt
and had his man located even before
the famous Oratorical effort. Core
spondence was had with the Kansas
authorities and Wilson was arrested
Tuesday. Wednesday Sam Herren
appeared at the Jail and wanted to see
Wilson. His request was denied. Mr..
Herren shouted to Wilson that he
would release him at once on a writ of
habeas corpus. Deputy Blackwell
swOre he shouldn't. Herren went to
Commissioner Pickens for a writ.
Blackwell sent for team. The team
arrived first. Wilson was loaded into
the buggy and given pleasure ride
to Oakville. The writ was issued
commanding the sheriff to hold the
prisoner until August 10, when he is
to appear. before Judge Hunter. Be-
fore that time he will doubtless be in
Kansas, as Sheriff Hobart is expected
to-day.
Wilson secured his position with
the Nebraska government by forging
a check for $1,000. He held the posi-
ton two years and eight months.
This was i'm 1885. From Nebraska he
went to Kansas. Later to Missouri,
where something over year ago he
his present wife, who is from
a good family. In Centralia Wilson
belonged to the Salvation army believ-
ing doubtless that if anyone needed
he did. 1t was in the army
he practiced his oratory on defense
less people. He made a pretense of
gaining a livelihood by selling instru-
ments and machines outside of gospel
hours.
An alternate will have to attend the
alliance State convention with Mr..
Wilson's instructions to vote for A. J.
Herren for land commissioner. Lewis
county loses one of her most flatulent
orators by his removal; but what is
our loss will doubtless be Kansas
gain as they need a good many orators
like Wilson to bolster up the peoples
party there this year.