People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1893-12-15
A srRIPPER's WILD RIDE.
Lieutenant Arnold's story Of the Awful
Scramble for the Cher okee Lands.

Lieutenant Arnolds story of the Awful
Scramble for the Cher okee Lands.
Lieutenant Arnold who is attached
to the staff OF Governor Brown Of
Kentucky, was successful in securing
a splendid claim in the Cherokee
strip, says the St Louis Republic.
On the memorable morning he made
the run on thoroughbred race horse
he had brought there expressly for
the purpose. Starting from a point
four miles east of Hunnewell he had
to ride sixteen miles south to q point
known as Blackwells. lie covered
the distance in fifty-twO minutes, ac-
companied by q "cow puuOher, "
thoroughly acquainted with the
country. At least fifty well mounted
men were in hot pursuit for the same
claim, but the lieutenant got there
first. Several other Kentuckians
were similarly successful in the same
vicinity. Lieutenant Arnold's quar-.
ter section Of 100 acres is one of the
titbits OF the strip. 1t is close to
the shekasky river AMI is u splendid
tract of land, worth between $1,000
and s., 900 according to experts
Arnold is a sunburnt, sinewy-look-
ing man of about 40. He said: Il
was prepared for a tough experience,
but, great heavens not for what l
saw and underwent TO begin with,
thousands of men and women were
kept forty-eight hours in the line
endeavoring to register. The dust
was simply awful At the time the
rush was made everyone. was black
and unacceptable. There was
hardly drop of water to drink, and
washing was an impOssibility. FIJI
teen thousand grimy human beings
tore madly into the new domain, re-
minding me more of the maggots on
a carcass than anything else. The
socners were in possession almost
everywhere. Lots Of them were shot,
and | saw one sooner hanged in short
order. In my ride | noticed nearly
twenty dead horses and quite a num-
Der of dead and dying men.
There was fighting and bloodshed
enough to satisfy the very worst OF
the bad men from Bitter creek. Not
far from my claim two men were
quarreling with drawn pistols, when
third interfered and endeavored to
separate them. He got shot
through the wrist, and then the two
proceeded to kill each other | saw
one fellow lying dead with a hand
kerchief drawn tight around his
neck. He had been strangied, and
when searched Slj) was found on
him. When | made the rush wore
mighty little and carried no arms,
but felt more comfortable whom my
Winchester was in my hands. The
scenes after the rush were terrible.
| saw the two women who we're
burned by the prairie fire an
the soldiers shot by the soon
ers In fact | have seer
enough OF that sort of thing tC
last me tho rest of my life. Black
well, the so-called Indian, who gave
his name to the tOwnsite and own:
every other lot in it, is Il 'scuaW
man. He put his hay up to 81 9
bale after the rush, but the boys
went on him with few double-bar
relied persuaders on their shoulders,
and he was glad to get down to fifty
cents after brief discussion They
also made him stand by origina
prices for his town lots.
"Well, I'm glad to get away from
the strip for awhile. although, nov
that the rain has come and the dus'
settled, there is not so much hard
ship.
1T was feared at first, especially
for women, and ! am afraid even now
an awful winter is in store for many
of the settlers.
My claim is disputed. like all the
rest, but | have a clear case. Ny
papers are all right, and expect t
return in a moath or so and com
mence improvements"