The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-01-06
SEEKING A JUDGES LIFE.
A NEW CHAPTER IN TIE KANSAS
COUNTY SEAT WARS

A Mob Lies In Ambush TO XIII Judge not.
kin-The Plot IL Revealed and Sheriff
Drum 10 Killed In Fight with the Des-
perate Crowd-Au Appeal for Assistance.
KANSAS CrTY. Jan. 5.-Gov. Humphrey OF Kan
sas received the following at Topeka this af-
ternoon:
ARKAIoN. Jan. 5.-The plot to kill me was
sprung here this morning. A mob Of twenty
to thirty Woodsdale men and about eight
Springfield men laid their plans to kill me
from an ambush on my road to court this
morning at Springfield. One Of the men gave
It away.
At 8 o'clock this morning Sheriff Drum. with
six deputies, started out to scout the proposed
scene Of ambush. They ran into the ambush
themselves at daylight and Sheriff Drum and
Sheriff. elect Roy Guymon were killed.
and Deputy Sheriff Sid Nixon is at this
moment I'll A. ny missing. The other
three deputies made their escape. A. X. Kill
gore and 8. O. Aubrey Of Woodsdale and @ l..
Calvert. ]. F. vanvories. and B. Orner. City
Marshal Of Springfield. were the planners.
The mob is now In possession Of Spring
field. awaiting my arrivM. Mrs. Lar
rabee Of Springfield reached my house
at 10 A. NJ. on foot, three and
half miles with a message from the three
deputies who escaped the massacre. that the
mob intended to come to my house to kill me
to-day II was not coming to Springfield to
court Ihave just arrived OF Arkalon.
These outlaws. under the Disguise Of the
Citizens Alliance OF Woodsdale and SPRING
field. should be hunted down. but the civil au-
thorities OF this county are now powerless. as
we have no Sheriff. Please sdvise me. will
remain here until hear. Borx1N."
About three weeks ago. in Grant county. o
- nS~ at
Woodsdale came to Judge Botkin at Ulysses
and informed him that he was to
be assassinated. The informant sent
word to Judge Botkn that men would be
secreted at the head OF a canon. near Calvert's
place.o mile southeast OF Sprngfeld.at day
light this morning. for the purpose Of killing
him as he passed along after breakfast en-
route to his court, Judge Botkin lives two
miles south Of the head OF the canon referred
to. and the road he usually travels passes
within fifty yards OF one Of the finest places on
earth for ambuscades
Yesterday morning Judge Botken held a
consultation with Sheriff Dunn. tho result Of
which was meeting OF the Sheriff and six Of
his deputies at Judge Botkin's house
last night At $3.50 o'clock this morn
ing Sheriff Dunn and his posse started
on foot from Judge Botkin's house ior the Rur r.,
reached the canon just at daylight. and were
met by an SFS Of
sunrise aIt sherir Dunn was shot in the right
sss tss and ef ssRs n
and ordered him to clear out; The deputy
hi behnd %
standing over 5pnn's Body pumping into it
Sheriff elect Guymon was closely 6eset and
sn in TIM a GR
and sii Is 'unhurt except for eSamp II his ises.
Tssh lbs M snd
at Liberal this afternoon:
ca peGqy e rSse
sound Siarins Judge Bot$ins vie ssHssans from
for three. ausrters Of an hour the sound 81 the
es III the r Ears hs 81 his de-
four wounded or dead men to four covered
Judge iBStklns as ke and his wife and children
kin's house. Ali at once the crowd was seen 10
STOP taken ~ tsurRsss c. End Looking
bnck and heading for tho Botkin house. He
rode up and told the Judge and his family the
story OF the fight. He then rode to this place.
This Is a fresh chapter in the county aeat
war on between Springfield and Arkalon. The
mob. composed Of the old Stevens county fac
ton. were determined that Botkin should not
hold court ut Springfield.
TOPEKA. Jan. 5-Gov. Humphreys has sent
trouble in Stevens county under command OF
Adjt.-Ge Roberts They will reach the scene
to morrow afternoon.