The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-05-24
THE WELLINGTON TRAGEDY.
Ike Hopper Dead and HIS slayer Now IN the
Sedgwiek County Jail

Wellington mourns his loss much more
than If he had died a natural death. OF
course his tragic end increases the general
sorrow of the people and mingles 1t with
a species of sorrow, very natural
TO all law abiding communities,
such as the capital of Sumner county is,
that anything Of this kihd should occur.
| A well known gentleman who came up
| from there last night in conversation with
! an EAGLE reporter said: Eyes, the tragedy
/ Of Saturday afternoon is regretted nniver-
sally in Wellington. Both parties were
well known and it is too bad all around
that this unfortunate event should have
| occurred. 1t may give black eye to or
| fair city, but you and everybody else
4 know that this act Of lawlessness is not
characteristic Of our people although this
| is the second shooting affray that has
/ occurred il our city during the past
month. The EAGLE is always fair and
! honest and l hope you will state that this
! Is a species of occurrence that Is foreign TO
( the spirit of our people. We all deplore
! it,"
What was the cause Of the shooting
afrayf"
1.-The EAGLE hit the nail about right
Sunday morning. 4 woman was at the
bottom of it and Hopper was a victim
twice repeated. The reputation Of his
family was ruined and the fates not being
content with that. his life was sacrificed
How is the feeling down there?"
II is feeling of sorrow mingled with
indignation and surprise. The people
were surprised because no one expected
that Judge Reed would he so reckless as to
blast fair reputation by his actions. and
10 ruin himself forever by taking the life
OF his fellow man. We think, in the nat
ural course Of events, that If the limit OF
endurance had to be reached, that Reed
should have been the victim instead OF
Hopper, provided, of course, that Dame
Rumor was correct, and it is unanimously
the opinion among our people that she
was; but, Of course, the people may
be wrong. The trial of Reed will bring
out all the facts and it is better perhaps,
not TO be too hasty in arriving at conclu-
sions. For the present it would be wei!
perhaps 10 give Reed the benefit Of the
doubt small as it is. l hardly think Reed
would be lynched if he remained in our
county Jail Our people are endowed with
for constituted authority and am per
fectly satisfied they would not act con-
trary TO the law. OF course few hints at
lynchiug were dropped. but they were few
and made by hot heads who are always in
A community,
No we would not lynch him for the sake
of the reputation of our fair city and
county. il for no other reason"
Fred Bohauna, editor of the Daily Nail,
a very conservative young gentleman and
one who is reliable under all circum-
stances, has the following to say OF the
tragedy, in his paper yesterday afternoon.
1t is reprinted in the EAGLE for the benefit
of its numerous southwestern readers to
many of whom Reed was known init
mately and by reputation. on account Of
having been a candidate for judge of the
district court when the district included
several western counties, in addition TO
Sumner. He says:
Barely two weeks had elapsed since the
shooting of ". R Warren, the former
Mulvane banker. by one John Timm Oh
Washington avenue, the principal thor
oughfare of the city. before the euacting
OF a second tragedy, which once again
threw the city in a state OF turmoil.
About AS o'clock Saturday afternoon as
a tragic ending of spirited and quarrel
some conversation occurring between the
two men, Judge Isaac G. Reed shot and
mortally wounded Isaac Hopper.
After carefully threading out the most
substantial statement OF the regretful
occurrence from among the numerous
rumors which have passed from lip to lip.
since the shooting, the Mail presents the
following facts, in which nothing but sub
Stimulated facts are given: 4 few minutes
before Isaac Hopper was shot, Judge Reed
had been over to the harness store of the
late Z. y. Andrews attending 10 some
legal business In connection with the estate
OF the deceased and upon leaving this
store. walked across the street on
the stone crossing instead of cross.
Reed s. Nebeker's law Office, Mr.
Reed being the senior partner. As Judge
Reed reached the sidewalk in front of the
furniture house OF Z Miexsell and was
proceeding southwark toward the stairs
leading TO his Office, he saw Isaac Hopper
coming up the street al rapid and I'M
hesitallng gait. The two men men in
front OF MiexselPs store, and both imme-
diateiy stopped. Hopper then said 10
Reed, WHY don't you let my wife alone.'
Reed replied Il guess If l want To talk to
your wife have right to-" More words
unnecessary 10 mention passed between
the two men, during which time they
moved about twenty five feet further
south, bringing them in front of the south |
window Of RICHARDSON & Co.'S dry goods /
store. Here they again stopped and re-
newed the spirited conversation until
Judge Reed unbutEoned his vest and drew :
a - -calIber revolver from the inside peck /
ct lie pointed il At Hopper, who told I
him 10 put il mp as be had no weapon !
more dangerous than q penknife. and If he 1
had ne would not use it Hopper also 1
\. , L. =
volver he would take II from him Reed /
then lowered Il, bus soon covered Mr. I
Hopper again. Once more was tie /
wea pom lowered and for a third time
i Judge Reed pointed il az Hopper and fired, /
the bullet striking him n the stomach i
about three inches above the navel The I
stricken man clasped his hands 10 his
stomach and walked 10 his pbaeton.
which was standing few feet distant
With difficulty be c!amb ered into the Z,
vehicle, which a friend drove rapidly 1
home Reed then assembled the stairs and 4
entered mis- Office, 1t being located over the 4
store Of Richardson s Co, and covering
the whole Of the second floor. He closed .
and locked the door after him AMI did not I
open the same until ordered to do 80 by
JIller Coats, who, as soon as be heard OF !
I be tragedy and reached the scene, placed /
Judge Reed under arrest j cab was pro-
cured and the prisoner taken 10 Jail and
placed in the steel cage.
When Isaac Hopper reached his home
az SO North 4 street he was IN A totally
exhausted condition. Physicians were at
once sent for and Drs Emerson and Spit
Ter were soon at the bedside OF the
wounded man. Although everything
possible was done TO relieve Mr.. Hopper
he remained in state Of total collapse
until his death, periodically regAiaIng
AT O'Clock yesterday
morning he began sinking, which contin-
ued until $50 o'clock, when bis spirit
passed 10 its Maker.
The eDCendered strife between Reed and