Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1897-05-22
G. w. Lynn, Sheriff of Trego County,
Filled Suit In the District Court,
Monday, May 10th, Against
Givler & Crooks, Proprie-
tors of World for ST.
800 Damages
The First Suit of the Kind
Ever Filed i'm TTegO
County.


of our sheriff published in WORLD of
May 1st, and on May Sth, we publish
ed a letter from David Burch, a resi-
dent of Ellis county. These are the
causes for the sheriff's actions.
Rumors were rife on Saturday, May
Sth, that our sheriff would institute a
libel suit against us, but most of our
best citizens and, especially our
friends, scoffed at the idea But
the sheriff's friends, and those of
whom most intimate, advised him
strongly to push the case. They even
went so far as tC make our sheriff be-
lieve that if Givler was not worth
81 300, his partner. Crooks, who is
cashier of the F'redonia State bank,
would be liable for that amount.
May 10th our sheriff started suit
for the above amount. As the coro-
ner is the only officer who can serve
papers in case in which the sheriff
is a party to suit, it became the
(painfuD duty of Squire Croft to no
tify us that the sheriff was on the war
path and wanted our scalp to the tuue
of 81, 300. Our sheriff might as well
made the amount $4,000 as we are
just as able to pay that much as the
amount sued for, and in the eyes of
the people they might think we were
a Sage, Gould or Vanderbilt. But
when we take into consideration the
good nature of our sheriff in giving
the saddle thief all the advantage and
letting him get away, we are able to
see the point.
Tuesday morning, bright and early,
Sheriff Lynn and Deputy Thompson,
after making several calls on their
attorneys, Hutzel, Cox and Frakes,
started east accompanied by Win
chester.
Wednesday we went to Hays for the
sole purpose of trying to find out what
actually did tranSpire in Ellis county
and give our readers the facts in the
case.
The first man we struck was Dora
Gosser, who lives about three miles
south of where the hold up was sup
posed to have occurred. Dora is one
of these whole-Souled Woodworking
fellows one likes to meet. He has
out about 400 acres of crops, and his
wheat looks fine. After talking with
him for some time, we told him our
business. He told US the story in
about as many words and in about the
same manner as we found it in the
Hays Republican of May 1st:
NOW, LAUGH"
We have heard of many blood-curd-
ling battles between officers and pris-
Oners, but the one told us by Dora
Gosser of a criminal holding up an
officer, is enough to shake all the
blossoms off the fruit trees. Linn,
the Pop sheriff of Trego county, came
down to Hays last Sunday looking for
man that had stole saddle. North
of town he found his man and arrest
ed him, taking him into the buggy
with him without searching or shack
ling him. The prisoner seemed to
be quiet sort of chap and soon had
the sheriff off his guard. When they
arrived in Buckeye township it seems
they had to pass through a pasture.
OF course, the prisoner offered to get
out and open the gate. While getting
out of the buggy he drew a revolver
from his trousers and held it on the
Over-cOntident sheriff, demanding his
money or his life!'' The p. S. handed
over his gun, watch and money, and
held up his hands. The prisoner then
run for home as fast as he could. And
this the sheriff did. and Dola says he
don't believe he has a horse on the
place that could catch him. either.
He came down to Dora'S house run
ming like a wild man. He wanted
Winchester. Dora told him he did
not have such ''varmit" on the place,
but offered him horse. The sheriff
took the horse, but soon came back
saying, 81 guess I'll let him co." The
prisoner made good his escape As
Tom Hamilton would say, ''now
laughi''
Next we drove to the home of Da-
vid Burch, who lives IL miles due
north of Hays City. We told him our
business, and he at once informed us
that the sheriff and another man had
been at his place on Tuesday to see Il
he would not retract what he had
written in the letter published in
WORLD. Mr.. Burch informed the
sheriff that no doubt he had done