The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-01-06

~H cal rough towns on
the border, but Newton could give
cards and spades on wholesale deprav-
ity and recklessness."
Newton today is wide awake, enter
prising and peaceable, and the citizens
know only by tradition of the scenes
of blood in the early days. It has a
handsome opera house, costly and I'M
posing county buildings, hundreds or
pretty homes, wide avenues OF resi-
dences, long commercial streets, and
prosperous wholesale and manufacture
ing concerns.
In the spring of 1871 the terminus
of the Santa Fe railroad was at En-
poria. 1t was determined to build to
point seventy-five miles further west.
The object was to catch the Texas cat
tie trade. Two men went and camped
on the spot in April, 1871. There was
not a foot of lumber then in what is
now Harvey county, Kan. These men
were the pioneers of the town that
Captain John Sebastian afterwards
named Newton. Six weeks later there
was population of nearly 1000. The
history of the town for the first eight
months is a story of lawlessness and
bloodshed that has probably never been
eQualed on this continent, although
other places, mining camps and cattle
towns, have kept up the music of the
pistol a greater length of time. AS soon
as it became known that Newton was
to be the end of the railroad for year,
and it was to be cattle shipping point.
whisky sellers, gamblers and thieves
f1ocked there by hundreds. OF course
many respectable men seeking leg1t-
innate business went there, too, but the
object of the majority of the newcom-
ers was to rob the cowboys and cattle
men.
For months it was a never-ending
battle. From first to last thi-ty-six
persons were killed with their boots
on. At least dozen gambling houses
were run on the main street, and the
doors were kept open day and night,
including Sunday. One of them, the
Gold ROOM was capable of holding
500 to 600 people. Every known kind
of gambling was practieed. A scene
occurred in this place one Sunday night
that is not often witnessed A Metho-
dist preacher went to the boss of the
place, Doe Thayer, and requested per-
mission to hold divine service. 1t was
granted, and with every gambling table
running, and the bar sending out its
liquid hell, the preacher, the Rev. Mr..
Hahn, stood up and told the story of
the Man of Nazareth. Before he had
finished his sermon a quarrel arose at
one of the card tables and a man was
shot.
1t is not intended to give a detailed
account of the murders. If gang of
cowboys rode into town the smallest
-,
and going to kill. A bond election was
held. Several special constables were
appointed for election day. One of
them was Texan named Martin. At
the polls there was a quarrel between
him and a big Irishman, who called
himself McCluskey, but whose real
name was Arthur Delaney. The result
of that quarrel was the death of eight
men and one woman and the wounding
of an equal number. After the election
was over McCluskey and Martin met
in the Lone Star saloon and renewed
the quarrel A proposition was made
and accepted to go out on the street
and settle it with the fist. Both men
laid off their belts and started for the
street. Martin had a gun hidden in his
boot, and just as the door was reached
the Irishman. McCluskey was too
quick for him, and, taking the gun
away from Martin, shot him dead. Nc
Cluskey gave himself up and was &C
quilted.
Martin had host of friends, and they
vowed vengeance on his slayer. His
death led to what has always been
known as the big killing in Newton.
r7bara Uore three dance halls across 1he
railroad track in what was known as
Hyde Park" In one of them the big
killing" occurred McCluskey was a
hanger-on at one of them. Martins
friends swore they would kill him and
all who took his part. The engagement
took place according to program. Nc
Cluskey was killed early in the fray.
He had two holes through his neck and
enough lead was scattered about
through his body to make anyone who
discovered his grave imagine that he
had struck a paying lead mine. A man
on the McCluskey side shot nine of the
long-horn crowd, and did it in a novel
way. Knowing that the fight would
occur, this man, Riley by name, went
prepared to make himself felt. He had
four six-shooters on him. At the first
pop of a gun he deliberately walked up
to a Texan and shot him in the eye,
then running his arms between the
arms and body of the dead man, made
a human barricade and shot at will
from safe ambush. After the fight
ing he went out, mounted a horse and
left. The dead at the big killing"
were speedily disposed of, and the
wounded taken care OF.