The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-12-16
QUEER NO-MAE,S-L1ND,
Only One Trial for Crime There, and That
Cost the Government Nearly $500, o
From the Chicago Record.

From the Chicago Record.
TOPEKA, Kan, Dec. 0.-The effort that is be.
Ing made to force a retrial of the six man con.
victed OF the famous Haymeadows massacre,
just over the Kansas line. In what was then
Northumberland, and which is now . county of
the Territory of Oklahoma. will renew the fight
made at the first trial In Paris, Tex. as to the
Jurisdiction OF the courts over this tract of land.
which for years was marked upon the map as
a district over which there was no law and
which no Government had the power to reach.
Grimes were committed there with impunity
and there was no method known to the le-
gal fraternity by which they could be punished.
When Sheriff Cross and posse Of Stevens county,
Kan, were stood up in a line at the stacks In the
haymsadows and murdered in cold blood, the
Federal authorities. and, after attempting TO
bring them to trial in the United States District
Paris, the Judge Of the northern district OF
Texas assuming that he had jurisdiction over
the unowned territory. Six men were convicted
OF murder and sentenced to death, but they
were persons OF more than ordinary influence
and they appealed 70 the Supreme Court. There
and their necks saved. Then they were released
on their own recognizance. with the under
standing thatthey would never again be brought
to trial. The agitation has renewed interest In
the No-Man's-Land country, and many Inquiries
pened TO be left out of the territory of ali tie
surrounding States and Territories.
L ne history Oh THIS anomalous condition dates
back to 1921, when the United states entered
into a treaty with Spain relative to the ~latter's
American possessions. BY this treaty the west
Il commenced on the Gulf OF Mexico at Sabine
Pass, at the mouth OF the Sabine River. and ran
and Texas to the Red River on the south line OF
the lndian Territory. From there It followed tho
meridian. which constituted the boundary
line north as far as the Arkansas River to
HIAn0S. FROM that nNtnf the AFkanEaa RiuaH
formed the boundary line northwest to its
source, from where the line ran in a north
present southern boundary OF Oregon. All OF
the territory west of this line belonged 10 spain.
became an independent country. Later, by
treaty between Mexico and the United States, a
1884 the Indian Territory was established by
Congress; IL extended from the Red River on
the south TO some point within the present
Arkansas and Missouri to the Tooth meridian,
which, was then the, westerly limit OF the
north latitude. In 1896 the lands Belonging to
the Cherokee Indians in the Indian Territory
were set apart for the use OF the tribe. Including
the cherokee strip, which was given to them as
An outlet 20 their hunting grounds in the West.
gree north latitude. 1t was about one degree in
width, and extended westward to the Tooth
meridian. or the Mexican boundary. The west
ern border or the Cherokee Strip is the eastern
border OF No-Man's-Land.
Texas. when il seeded from Mexico in 1890,
s''ANA 80 Wv NiilA'i w VI IN ATkAnShS /
River, west OF the Tooth meridian and east OF
the Rio Grande. Later difficulties arose between
the claims made by the former TO lands extend
ing wesIWard to the Rio Grande. When Texas
VA aunlItIsd 70 me Chlon II was as a slave state,
put as a portion or II lay north OF the Missouri
line. 36e so north latitude, more
complications were made e, because in the territory
hold slaves. In 1850 this trouble was
settled by the Government purchasing from
or the lO3d meridian, paying for 1t $40, 900, 900
N hye per cent. bonds. This detached from
he state on the north all It's territory north OF
the Missouri Compromise line, extending from
me south OF No-Man's-LAnd To the Arkansas
nlyeI, ana on the west that portion claimed by
New Mexico, lying between the present eastern
boundary Of the territory and the Rio Grande.
ms cut on the territory between the north
River; the panhandle line being the slave line
provided for in the Missouri COmprOmise bill.
New Mexico hxcd its eastern limit al the
O3d degree, the territory lying between the
panhandle line and the Arkansas River was not
Included in either Kansas, New Mexico, Texas,
I e6 5ns tsa bII asTTbliIGTy: In 1854 The Kansas
larry OF Kansas on the north line OF the
-herokee strip on the 37th parallel, extending
ablishing 81 lines piecemeal that a tract ofland
hree degrees in length from east TO west and
'ne-hait degree from north to south was omitted
rom all territory organizations and by common
was given = place on the map as No
During all Of the years from the formation Of
territorylines until Oklahoma Territory was
,rg4nized,. NO-Alan's-LAnd was q county BY
tself; II had no law, and all who lived in II
we're laws unto themselves. II became an asy-
UNI Tor criminals and murdereFs, for there fuRi-
IVES from justice were free from arrest. No
.mcST when he crossed the line into this cOun-
~ had the semblauce Of authority. Cattle
ltn iook possession OF Il. and their properly
las literally exempt from taxation. No at
n act there ahtl the Haymeadows
Nere tried In the Federal q curt Of
100000