Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1897-07-28
SKIPPED THE COUNTRY.

Elm Mills, departed from the ranch
very unceremoniously and with the ut
most secrecy. The evening before he
left, he borrowed a spring wagon from
Alex Means, stating that he desired to
make business trip to Medicine Lodge
early on Thursday morning to avoid
the heat later in the day. Mr.. Means,
OF course, did not suspect that Carlton
did not intend to go TO the Lodge be-
cause he had borrowed the wagon be-
fore for the same purpose. But in the
course of a day those to whom this
gentleman was indebted found to their
sorrow that their debtor had fled to
distant chimes and unless the mail and
telegraph lines in connection with the
assistance of officers can stop him,
there will be quite number of Barber
county citizens who can put themselves
down as having contributed to a conf
dence worker.
AS near as can be learned Carlton and
wife left Elm Mills at about 10 O'Clock
Wednesday night with Means spring
wagon drawn by span of extra fine
brown horses-a mare and stallion.
The wagon contained some bedding, a
small pallOr or sitting room stand and
a few cooking utensils and incidentals.
He passed through Pratt early Thurs
day morning and was last heard of at
Stafford. His movements show that
he was evidently taking the shortest
route for the Nebraska line The hors-
es he drove were under chattel mort
made him loan few months ago
Mr.. Lindley did not learn OF Cartoons
absence until Friday night and it was
not until Saturday morning that
he and Sheriff Mills started in pursuit.
They went as far as Pratt where they
mailed postal cards describing the man
and team and offering S25 90 for his ar
rest and returned home on Sunday
night. Mr.. Lindley says that the citi
Zens along the road between Elm Mills
and Pratt saw Carlton pass through.
that their attention was especially at
tracted by reason of the fact that the
horses We're extraordinarily SNOWY and
the harness and fly nets were new and
tlashy. So that from the best lnforma-
ton to be obtained, MI. Lindley ,and
the officers are on the right track but
whether OF not Carlton Will dodge them
is matter Of uncertainty.
Mr.. Carlton come to Elm Mills some
time last March, leased the roller mill
at that place, made many substantial
improvements on the house, fences and
built good stable. He is a smooth
talker and everyone seemed to put con-
fidence In him. He took a great deal
of interest in cleaning up and arrang-
ing matters on the ranch, was appar-
emily stocking it up and no one, jas far
as can be learned, entertained the least
suspicion that he intended to work an
underhanded game. He claimed to
kota and said he had considerable mon
ey coming to him on August LIST. On
the strength Of this he claimed to be
borrowing money, though all the loans
made to him by anybody hereabouts
were secured by chattel mortgages.
But in this he was also playing with
fire. Since his sudden departure it has
been found that he has mortgaged sew
eral horses and cows belonging to other
parties, and 1t now seems plain that he
was simply making Elm Mills tempo.
rary stopping place while gathering a
little ready cash to go farther on. He
came to the county with quite a num-
Der OF horseS but was not long in dis
posing of them and it is believed by
some that if the facts were known that
he became the possessor of these
through questionable means.
AS the case nov stands Carlton is
gone and so far his whereabouts is I'M
known. He leayes quite a number of
creditors behind. If not found or if he
disposes of the property, the heaviest
losers will be L. l.. Lindley, Mr.. Ingle-
bright, Alex Means and few men who
have been working for him all summer.
lie also.had accounts with the two mer-
chants IN Sawyer, as we'll as some in
this city. l.. L. Williams sold him a
bill of furniture but fortunately this
was covered with lien, and outside OF
the ordinary wear of the goods, will
lose nothing. Constable Dale Mccoy
ran an attachment on the household
goods and few horses that were left
on the ranch, in behalf of the Sawyer
merchants and the men who worked for
Carlton, but as this stuff is entirely COW
cred by a former lien the attachment
will avail nothing.
If Mr.. Carlton is caught be will prob
ably get quarters at Lansing under
Warden Lands. He is subject to ar
rest for disposing of mortgaged proper
ty, mortgaging property not belonging
to him, and obtaining money under
false pretense. He is an oily tongued
gentleman and so far has worked his
rabbits foot to perfection but it is
quite probable that his time for dead
beating is up, and we would not be sur
prised to hear of his arrest any day.
When he first came to Elm Mills he
was thohght we'll of, but 1t is needless
to say that the prevailing feeling is far
different now.
We Will begin publishing the tax list
next week.
Miss Alma Benson denarted for Aiva