The Wichita daily eagle., 1896-11-13
VERY SPORTY TIME
OFFICERS AND CITIZENS FIGHT
OVER A cow.
One Constable Attaches the Animal at Mt.
Hope and Another Replevins Her-She
Departs for the Pasture and q General
Free for All Fight Ensues In Which Two
Constables, Liveryman and a Farmer
Take Part-Citizens Come Out In . Body
to See the Fun-The Cow Escapes en-
harmed.

Take Part-Citizens Come Out In . Body
to See the Fun-The Cow Escapes Un
harmed.
One Of the funniest occurances in tbs
annals OF law and its manipulation oc-
curred at Mt Hope Wednesday after
noon. The affair created a tremendous
sensation in and about the town, and II
;ldst have been better than the bes;
comic opera now upon the bords. The
eEtire affair was told in this city last
evening by one of the prominent citizens
Of the ncighborhood
The principals in this little drama were
COW, two constabIes, blackboard, a
team of horses in harness. two horses
otherwise, one adorned with saddle,
The other entirely nude; a large number
of citizens, several blasphemous oaths
and thir-y-feet of rope.
The first scene opened quietly to low
music with steady quiet lights gradual
" becoming red. These frightened and
turned green as the curtain fell. The
second act was similar but the third was
;uu of the reddest kind of fire offset by
trimmings of green; this was augmented
by bright lightning flashes, thunder, loud
yells mixed with rope and profanity,
with enough cow hair mingled into it to
make il stick together. This continued
for some time, some dirt being thrown
IN until the end when after a mighty
crash as the villains came together and
the hero sat quietly upon the blackboard.
clam again prevailed as the curtain
fell. II was a wonderful production and
the soubrette parts were especially no.
uceable as played by male actors.
Decending from the ridiculous 10 the
sublime the story of the drama was this:
man by the name of Shattuck at
tached COW belonging to another man
by the name Of Widowe for a debt said
TO be of eleven years standing. Con-
stable Jack Merrifield served the writ
and took the COW rom the pasture of @.
a. Gilmore, who had her in his possess
sion. He took her to Mt. Hope and
placed her in a livery stable. Widowe
made affidavit that the cow did not be-
long 70 him but TO his wife, and hence a
writ Of replevin was issued and placed
in the hands of the newly elected con-
stable, Proctor, to serve. He went TO
the livery stable and got the cow and
turned her over to Gilmore to take back
homie. Mr. Gilmore attached 35-foo:
hind his blackboard started home with
her.
When he had gone about half a mile
cut Of town Constable Merrifield got the
news of the abreption of the innocent
bovine from the embrace of the law and
the livery stable. He is reported TO
have slid out Of town upon his horse
with the speed of an express train. The
horse had neither hat, coat nor pants on,
o. rather what is meant is that he had
no saddle or bride on, and Merrifield
was the hatless individual. For NODES
ties sake il must be admitted that the
horse had on rope halter. When he
overlook Mr. Gilmore de demanded the
cow, and it is said seized the bits of the
team Mr.. Gilmore was driving and the
fun began. Mr. Fred Williams happen
ed upon the scene at this juncture and
Merrifield deputized him to assist him,
which Mr. Williams refused to do. In
was made that Merrif1eld want
ed Williams to take Gilmore while he
tMerriheld) took the cow. But Williams
sized up his man and refused 10 act
At this juncture the livery man, (Mr.
Graves, from whom Proctor had taken
the cow appeared upon a horse. and
riding furiOusly. Merrifield immediate
ly deputiZed him to assist him and things
became more interesting. Merrifield
told Graves to hold Gilmore and Graves
81 once undertook tie JOB, A knife was
produced, it is said, by Graves, who at
tempted 10 cut the rope by which the
COW was attached to the blackboard. M.
Gilmore. quite naturally. did not desire
to see his lariet dissected so he struck
Graves arm to prevent him handing the
knife TO the constable. He struck it in
hand and a little blood was added to the
eyes of the MISUNDERSTANDING cut the
horses and cow. A prolonged struggle
then enSued between Graves and Gill
more. which ended by Gilmore getting
into his blackboard and driving to town
got Constable Proctor and returned To
recapture the cow, who was norrified at
the unseemly conduct in her presence.
When they met the returning livery
man, constable and cow, Proctor showed
his authority for replevying the latter |
TO which the two former stated that they
had the cow anyhow and that was nine
points in law. Graves again went 10
work holding Gilmore and the Repub.i- |
ran constable Nerrifield, and the Pop
Proctor began operations 10
gain possession of the COW. First one |
ndu me rope littl lilt Ol!leI NOuiu cut IL /
and thus gain possession. Then it would |
change again by the other cutting the |
rope until there was pieces OF rope scat |
tered along the road clear 10 town. A |
large crowd of citizens garnered and first |
one constable would depuIize the crowd /
and then the other Butfnaily merr,- |
nsld got down to the COW, cutting the |
last piece OF available rope off and leav- /
ing Il in the hands Of Proctor and walk
ei off with the prize in triumph.
Gilmore at once Instituted Proceedings |
legally. after he freed himself from the |
-ord embrace of Graves VINO he had been
struggling with all the time the. consta-
oles were enjoying themselves. The af-
lair row VIII be settled in some manner
and the lawyers are carrying a mag /
nifiCent smile upon their erstwhile stern 1
Il viii probabl BE- settled
N the courts of this city before il IS
ended IL the poor COW who was the inno-
cent cause OF il az gets over the shock 20
her nerves. Il is said tire cons;a oles
nearly pulled her in two, but whether
his is true or not rests entirely with the
'oT for correlation. The show was free
or all and was very muca enjoyed by
ILL., No matinee win he held and those
who missed il will long regret il.
Fred Bailey of Perry arrived in the
'ity last night.