The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-07-19

| pfcketS On duty at factOry NO. D AL CIV
| the same account Of the midnight at
tack on John Tappan. The young MAJ
also corroborates the story, which
| substantially as fodliows:
'sTappa1 wes on picket duty las
night at factory No. 8. His beat wa
along the south side OF the factory ant
along towards the east The east linn
| IT of his beat was the railroad track, OF
| the further side Of which was a iarg,
| pile OF broken stone. To the south o
| this a high bank, and between rhi.
bank and the stonepiie runs a narrow
| ravine filled with growing bushes ant
| weeds. Tappan, about 1 O'Clock thi.
/ morning or shortly thereafter, EaS
| reached the railroad track and turnec
90 walk back toward the factory, wfler
ne was startled TO hear some ons
| scrambling over the stonep(le. and ar
| instant later saw a man walking rap
idiy towards him The night was very
Dark, and not until the man was quite
near DID Tappan see that he held a re-
VoiVer IN his night hand. Tappan or
oened the man 70 halt twice, but be
pdtu no attention to the command and
coming UP TO within three feet Of Tap
pan leYeied the revolver at him.
iappan struck the revolver with MS
fine knocking the wouid-be assassin s
arm ward. The revolver was dis
charged and the bah passed through
II trousers and underdrawers Of Tap
pans left leg and made flesh wound
IN the calf Of his leg.
Tappan dropped his gun In the
struggle, but managed to draw his re-
volver and rapidly fired several shots at
his assailant, who turned and rspjfIlv
ran away, escaping in the darkness.
Another picket stationed at some
distance away on the bank heard Tan
pan matt the man, and when he hea I'd
the shots ran to hisassistance. He saw
someone running away and fired at
hinl' out rne darkness rendered a good
ann impossible and he ESCAPED.
Sheriff Leek, Deputy Hassett and
others were Instantly at the scene of
the shooting.
The sheriff dispatched Deputies Can
nan, Staff and one Of Company DIS SOL
diers to the armory, a mile away. for
assistance and medical aid. Colonel
KEENAN,, Major Stearns, Surgeon Nc
lirath and a detail OF soldiers proceed
ed ait once 10 factory No g. Before
they arrived there however, several
shots were heard at mill No. a quarter
y
There were only two pickets sta
toned at the large mill, and especial
trouble being looked for thede. AS one
Of the guards walked around the west
end Of this mill he saw someone light
a match, and as it blazed up he dis
tinctiy saw three men. The guard
called out to them to halt and explain
their business there. At this time the
second guard put in an appearance and
they both heard one of the men say
Shoot the --,' utteung an
oath
"At this the guards both fired their
rifles over the heads OF the men, who
took TO flight, and they, too, escaped in
the darkness.
Sheriff Leek, Deputy Hassett and a
Leader representative this morning
made a careful survey Of the ravine in
which the man VINO shot Tappan had
concealed himself. 1t was a mass of
bushes, weeds, and tall grass. Several
Twigs were found, and
the matted grass and weeds plainly
showed where men had laid down.
1t is a typical place for an Indian am
bush, and was until today unknown to
the officers An unused path leads to
the bank above, and the broken and
trampled weeds show how the men eS-
capped from the revine.
ut is thought the same men VINO were
IN the ravine were the ones who were
scared away from Mill No. ! a short
time after Tappan was shot
Sheriff Leek and Deputies Welsh,
White and others spent the remainder
OF the night in a vain effort TO capture
the man who shot Tappan- Sheriff
Leek said that about o'clock this
morning they encountered two men in
the rear of Superintendent Ed Cash's
house, but on the approach of the Off
GERS they took to their heels and could
not be overtaken-
The sheriff is somewhat provoked {
the criticisms being passed by some
persons as TO the expenses incurred
by keeping the militia and deputies iler
Sheriff Leek said today: 1t Is easy
enough to criticize the acts of public
officer, and " is especially easy in this
case for those to do so who have no
dea of the gravity of the situation here
II is not plea SAINT duty for my ten dep
utieS or myself TO be here, nor is 1t for
the militia, but the situation demands
L, and pleasant or not, l know II is
nv duty 10 be here"
The sheriff, Colonel Kennan and the
town authorities feel today that it is
lime that this species of guerrilla war
ARE, midnight house smashing and IN
.imidation of workingmen should De
ended. There was a feeling at head
quarters tonight that serious trouble
night be expected in the near future.
Extra guards are being placed about
he mills tonight There was largely
attended meeting OF union men at
questions pertaining TO the present sit
Iation were discussed. Organizer +.
". Prentice was here during the after
loon."