The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-12-31
STIRRED UP CHAOS
AWFUL ROW IN A SMALL TOWN IN
OKLAHOMA.

Two BulIies Pick Fight in a General Store
at Omega, Near KinGfisher, and a Gen
eral Riot yOfficer,Justice
of the Peace, Postmaster and a Woman
are Hurt-Store is a Wrec!i-Perpetra-
tors are arrested and Crowd of De-
fermined Men Congregate-Perpetra-
tors in Jail in Kingisher.
Guthrie. o. T, Dec. 30.-The Kingfish-
er Free Press has the following details
of the reported troubles at the village
of Omega:
Reports Of serious and scandalous
trouble come from Omega. Last week
Joseph Stiles attacked a Mr.. E. Dawson,
who had gone to the village for his
mail, and beat him up badly. He had
started home, and, as he was unhitch-
ing his horse, Stiles accosted him, and
after some words, struck him, knocked
him down and kicked him in the face,
leaving ugly bruises. Pending the diff
fculty Constable Jim Morrrissey stood
by as an interested spectator without
making any effort to stop the difflculfy.
Dawson claims that he made no effort at
resistance, as he knew Stiles friends
were on the ground, witnesses OF the
trouble, and he could have no show.
Dawson is man over fifty, and Joseph
Stiles is a young, athletic fellow, who
prides himself on his fighting qualities.
While this fight was in progress, Mr..
Aborn, who keeps the store hearing OF
the difficulty, started out to see what
was going on. He was assaulted,
knocked down and kicked by Constable
Morrissey. Dawson came to Kingf1sher
i 10. IN
Joseph Stiles who was arrested, arrang-
ed had his case continued until jan
uary 5th, gave straw bail las usuaD, and
was released. This was Monday. He
and Morrissey returned to Omega that
afternoon thoroughly braced up for the
long, muddy road, and what was to
follow, Dawson was standing in his
front yard as they drove by. They
shouted at him as they passed, called
him vulgar names, and said if he came
down to Omega he Stiles would lick
him again.
They. reached Omega about 3 p. m,
and proceeded to AbOrn's store. The
store was full of people. Akron was alb
sent, and the store was in charge of
his mother and a clerk. Morrissey soon
found an excuse to start row. He
first attacked the clerk, a young man
Of about IS or 20 years Of age, as ne
was waiting upon customers. Joseph
Stiles Joined in the row, and the fight
became general. Mrs. Akron was struck
with a missile and badly hurt. Rev. J.
II. Nichols. who attempted to quell the
row, was so seriously hurt that he had
to take to his bed. Squire Smith, the
postmaster and justice, who command
ed the peace. received a blow over the
head and face; the Blaine county regis
ted OF deeds, a one-armed man, who
happened 20 be in the store also, re-
ceived a blow on the head, and other
persons were more or less hurt. The
old man Aborn appeared upon the scene
with a gun which was taken from him
by the constable, after which he re-
treated upstairs and remained there.
After the row began John Stiles and
others put Joseph Stiles and Morrissey
put Of the house and tried 10 quell the
disturbance. After it was over, the
store looked like it mad passed through
a cyclone. The stove was knocked
down. crockery ware smashed, and mer-
chandise scattered around promiscuous-
ly.
LAS soon as it could be done, Squire
Smith drew up a warrant against Jo-
seph Stiles and Constable Morrissey,
and deputiZed w. G. Barringer to exc
cute it. In the meantime news Of the
disturbance had spread through the
neighborhood. and the men came swarm
inS INTO the Village. many OF InR1n
armed. Joseph Stiles and Morrissey |
had gone into the hotel with relatives
and friends. A posse went into the |
room where they were playing cards, /
and served the warrant. There were |
probably seventy-five determined men /
on the ground to render any necessary l
assistance. The prisoners were first |
taken to Squire Smiths house. but ad- |
journed for the purpose of going to the |
school house for more room in which to |
conduct the examination.
'"Word of the disturbance came to |
Kingf1sher about o'clock or 9, and |
Deputy Sheriffs Al Burcett and Jim
Robb were dispatched post haste TO the |
scene Of action. They met Squire |
Smiths party on their way to the school /
house, and after mutual explanations, /
Joseph Stiles and Morrissey were turn
ed over to them, brought to town and |
placed in jail. Tuesday complaints |
were entered against them before |
Squire Benson by the county attorney.
''This is the story substantially as re-
lated by parties who were witnesses
off the row and subsequent proceedings
The arrival Of the deputy sheriffs, no
doubt. prevented further serious trouble
as the people of Omega are up in arms
and are determined 20 put down the
tawlessness which has regned in that |
neighborhoOd for some months Good
citizens Of that place complain seriously
Of the kingfisher officers, who. they
claim, accept straw bail. and otherwise
treat violators Of law and order with
so much leniency as to give them free
license to commit all the devilment they