The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-10-19
STRUCK A VETERAN
PATRIOTISM AND AGE HAVE NO
sANCTITY WITH POPULISTS
Old Soldier Who Lost Limb Fighting
For His Country is Assaulted by a
Swapping Young Pop and His
Shoulder Broken Political Dis
CusSion the Cause.

When the great battle of Mssi onary
Ridge was fought J. II. Rhodes, the we'll
known citizen Of the West Side, was IN it.
During that memorable day-that day OF
such great importance 10 the existence OF
this couutry-Mr Rhodes followed the
stars and stripes and fought with a brave
heart for the existence of his country aud
the perpetuity of The Union. Bullets few
like bail and cannous roared from every
hill top. A shell carried away one OF mis-
legs while ne was fighting for his country.
aud from that day till this he has walked
through life without it. When Kansas
was itself, before the fatal virus of dis
loyalty had been inocuiated into portion
OF its people by disloyal and rebeIlious
demagogues from the land OF secession, she
loved the old soldier and she honored
the old soldier. In those days n
man dared not touch hair
on the head of man who
had fought for bis country, much less Il
man who became cripple in defense of it..
1t Is different now siuce the seeds of
auarcy and disloyalty nave been sown in
Kansas soil. Yesterday this crippled SOL
der, now 81 years of age was knocked
down in the streets of Wichita aud
his shoulder broken by George Will
son of the West Side who is a rank Pop
and, from his action toward the old SOL
der, evidently a boomer OF Whitney
Tucker. This man Wilson is said to be a
man of great physical strength aud still in
the twenties. Yes, strange As it may
seem, this strappiDg young fellow endowed
with strength aud youth, raised his power
full hand and feiled this old man To the
ground, breaking his shoulder.
VIC. 81 e., Al
West Side yesterday. \ party who was
present told the story to a reporter for the
EAGLE substantially as follows. I he
parties became involved in political dis
cussion. Wilson being "A Popuiist and
Rhodes Republican. In the controversy
Wilson attacked the veracity of the EAGLE
and Mr.. Rhodes defended it. Their re-
marks became heated aud the lie WAS
passed whereupon Wilson struck Mr..
Rhodes powerful and vicious blow aud
Knocked him down. the latter sustaining
a fracture of the shoulder. | never wit
messed such a disgraceful thing in all my
life.
The affair caused the greatest indigna
ton among the old soldiers who heard of
IL and 1t would not be surprising il they
made it pretty hot for the brave young
man who struck cripple old man of 81.
Old as he Is he still shows the nerve that
Inspired him to go out and fight for his
country and were it not for the ADVICE of
his friends he would make it hot for Viii
son himself.
In order to be absolutely fair in the mat
ter, George Wilson was seen by a reporter
and asked for his statement of the trouble.
he made the following statement:
Rhodes and myself were arguing poll
tics, and dispute arose about statements
made in the EAGLE. lie grew angry and
called me "A liar. L told him / would not
take thar off of him if he was a young
man. He advanced toward me with his
cane, saying / need not stand on ages
retreated backwards to the sidewalk.
while Rhodes came on with his cane in
his hand ready to strike me. When we
reached the outer edge of the walk
wheeled and struck him, at the same time
giving him shove. He fell to the side
walk and received his injuries in the fall.
/ felt ashamed of striking the old man,
but his insulting language made me mad
and in the heat of PASSION / hit him.
was sorry in a minute and went to him
and apologized for what / had done. The
blow did not cause the injury but the fall
on the sidewalk. Our places of business
are close and we frequently discuss poll
tics, but have never had any trouble
hafcra ,,