Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-07-06

dragon or al octopus. For example. take
the case of Farmer Kennedy. of Reno coun-
ty. He has just harvested 200 bushels Of
wheat from le0 acres. which is worth, at the
lowest estimate. $500. Mr.. Kennedy in
forms the Hutchinson News that he and
his two sons employed just thirty days in
sowing and harvesting this wheat. Take
out a fair rent for the land. and it will be
discovered that Mr.. Kennedy has made
such an enormous profit that any octopus,
cormorant or dragon might consistently die
of envy.
1t is fortunate that time and distance
lend -enchantment. else We might not now
be paying such unreserved homage TO the
memory of the pioneers Of Kansas. There
are certain historical annals which lend
color TO the suspicion that the first settlers
of the Sunfower territory were a pretty
tough lot. On April 26. 1860. for illustra-
ton. the Troy Chief contained an account
OF the holding OF district court in Brown
count by Judge Elmore. There was a
grand jury. and in charging It the judge
particularly directed an inquiry into the
domestic relations of the citizens. declaring
that pOlygamy was practiced to as great
an extent in Kansas as in Utah. The Chief
says: He seemed to think that about
two-thirds of the men of Kansas have one
OF more wives elsewhere
$50
In the historical sketches of Brown coun-
~ being printed by the Hiawatha Demo
crat, we find the following account Of the
last train run over the underground" rail-
road-otherwise the route over which ne
gro slaves were conducted to safety end
freedom: I'm January. 1870. William Jones.
Of Hiawathl, known as Abolition Jones'
went to Atchison after a load Of aid
for the Brown county sufferers. S. c. Pom
eroy. afterwards a United States senator,
had charge Of the distribution of the aid
Knowing that Mr.. Jones had assisted in
running negroes through to Nebraska. ne
informed him that Colonel Eye, Of Doni-
phan county, had sold a slave woman and
that she was then in Atchison at one OF
the hotels. That night Pomeroy and Jones
stole the woman and putting her in a car
rage had her taken TO the home Of /. N
Seaman. in Locknane township. Mr.. Sea
man passed her on the next night 10 Mr..
William brakes near Hiawatha. who in
turn sent her 10 the home of Ben Watkins.
Jones was suspected by the pro slavery
people and his movements were watched.
TIE affair created a great excitement. es-
pecially at Hiawstha, on account Of Jones
supposed connection with it, and 1t was
feared the p~ro-slavery people would raid
the town. A meeting was called to discuss
the matter and the messenger who rode
over the country notifying the people TO
come said that If they could prove that
Jones stole the niger they would hang
him. That day Jones took J. X Klinefelter
into his confidence and asked him TO help
get the woman out of the country. Kline
feIter readily assented. He ran his wager
into a barn and letting George Selleg and
]. E. Bowers afterwards sheriff. into the
secret the three fitted il up with a cover.
AS soon as it twas dark the team was hitched
up and the three men started out. At the
southwest corr er of the tawnsite Mr.. Jores
met them ard whispered TO them ynere
the woman could be found. The three drove
TO Ben Watkins and taking the woman in
to the wagon started across the icy Irai-
ries TO Pawnee City. which place they
reached about daylight. and turned their
charge over to a Quaker family to whom
they had been directed. The party stayed
at Pawnee City that day and night. They
reached Hiawatha after rightfall the next
day and their part in the drama was never
suspected.
Mr.. Jones. after directing the party
where to find the woman. went to the in
dignation meeting. The meeting org lhized
by the election Of Samuel A. Kingman as
chairman. Witnesses were sworn AMI all
who were supposed TO know anything
about the matter were questioned. but moth
ing could be discovered. Jones was called
upon for a speech and responded with a
redhot roast of the meeting and its par
Elephants. Finally E. y. Morrill, arose and
presented a set of resolutions to the effect
that the people of Hiawatha were law-abid-
ing and that they wanted the people OF
the border to know that they did not coun-
terance Niger stealing. These passed and
the meeting dissolved"