Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1893-09-23
AFTER THE RUSH.
| rrightful Scenes Along tho Path OF Home
| seekers Many Dead Bodies Found.

rrfghtful Scenes Along tho Path OF Home
| seekers Many Dead Bodies Found.
ARKANsAs, CITY, Sept, IA num-
Der Of tragedies signalized the open
ing of the Cherokee strip. The reports
are meager and are not detailed rs to
either the names or residences OF per-
sons who have fallen victims either to
bullets or the fierce prairie fires which
swept the entire strip. Hardly any OF
the boomers who entered the strip
Saturday carried on their persons any
thing to identify them. Eight or ten
dead bodies have been found, but at
this writing there is no means OF iden-
tifying them.
A settler who succeeded in locating
and taking claim in the Cherokee
river country came up on the Atchison,
Topeka & Santa Fe road and told OF
seeing six dead bodies between his
point of departure and the new town OF
Cross on the Atchison. Two OF them
had bullet holes in the forehead. They
were lying close together, and there is
every reason to believe that they were
contestants for the quarter section OF
land on which both were found, and
that they killed each other in
deadly duel to determine supremacy.
Both Of them had revolvers In
their hands, but the fact that
both were shot in the forehead
and Mt almost the same spot lends color
to the suspicion that one or both OF
them committed suicide in the despera.
ton of defeat in the race. One Of the
dead men was tall, with florid com.
plexion and blonde mustache. He wore
brown colored trousers and a blue
shirt but neither vest nor coat. The
other dead man was shorter, with dark
complexion and dressed in dark suit.
If either of them had family or friends
in the country they were at their death
far away from them, as there was no
one among the crowds of curious sight
seers who saw the bodies that could
identify them.
Not far from this CHASTITY scene four
bodies were discovered at considerable
distance apart burned to crisp and
unrecognizab BILE in the event of any one
being able to say who they were or
where they came from. They had fallen
victims to the prairie fires, which In
that region of bottom land where the
grass was much taller than in the up
lands, destroyed everything caught in
their path. Nothing of the horses
which the dead men must have rode
into the country was to be seen. The
supposition is that they escaped from
their riders. This is the boomers story
1t is certain that prairie fires destroyed
life Saturday night. The dead body OF
a woman was found who had evidently
fallen a victim to them. How she came
to be alone on the prairie, or whether
she was deserted in the extremity OF
danger by those who should either have
protected her or died with her, will
perhaps never be known. The remains
were brought to Cross.
The story telegraphed Of the rumored
death of two men at each others hands
was verified, but neither OF them are
known. 1t was the old story OF tight
over a claim. The arbitration was
final, and the court meted to one the
same degree of border law as to the
other. Some other home-seekcr Will
take possession of the claim for which
two men have died unless, indeed,
other contestants arise to dispute its
possession with him.
Several stories agree in saying that
two instead of one man were killed by
soldiers when the north line moved out.
The murder of Hill was reported last
A dead body was discovered several
miles south of the border and is said to
be that of another man who was seen
to ride out, leaning over in his saddle.
No one in that crucial moment stopped
to assist him or make any inquiries re-
garding his condition. He rode prob
ably until weakness and the loss OF
blood compelled him to loosen his hold
ON the pommel The wound was in the
groin and when the dead body was dis
covered the arms were held rigidly up
ward in the position they doubtless
were when death came to the sufferer.