The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-08-31
MOVES A WHOLE STATE
Over a Trifiing Dispute AbOnt
Passing on a Road.
Colorado Man Wants a Requi.
sitiOn From the Governor
Because of Fuss With a Kansas Man
in Which Neither Party Was
in the Slightest Way
Injured

A few weeks ago a citizen of Bent
| county, Colorado, bearing the name of
| william Woods, while driving down the
road along a mountain side met Kan
sas man whose name is William Nc
Farlin. The former determined to
make the latter drive around him al
| though McFarlin was driving a four
| horse team hitched to a heavily loaded
wagon, while the other was drunk, as
! were his three companions, and they
were driving down hill, with brakes set
on an empty wagon.
When Woods jumped up in his wagon,
drove his team across the road in front
of McFarlin's team and ordered him,
with an oath to drive around the man
from Kansas got mad. He declined to
drive around and set the brakes on his
wagon with an air of determination and
announced that he would not. Woods
Immediately showed fight and dared the
other man to get out of his wagon, de-
scending TO the ground himself with a
heavy whip "slung" around his arm.
McFarIin was accompanied by his
father, wife and children and when
Woods made his threatening assault
, and started towards the wagon, Nc
Farlin jumped out and taking with
! him shotgun started towards his pros
pectiVe adversary. Woods then jump
ed into his wagon, turned his team, and
driving around the four horses and
wagon made off down the hill at a fur
ious rate. a#
McFarlin tells the story of the "fel-
onious assault in an affidavit which is
signed and sworn to by himself his
wife and his father. 1t is as follows:
Il was moving with my family drfv-
ing four horse team, with trail wagon
hitched behind, and going up hill,
a man coming down the hill with an
empty wagon, accompanied by four
other men, turned his team in front of
mine and in a rough manner ordered
me to get out of the road.
owing to the conditions of the road
and my wagon being in a deep ditch, 1
replied to him: 1t is impossible for me
to drive around YOU He then wrapped
his whip around his hand and with an
oath tofd me to get down out of my
wagon, at the same time starting to get
out of his wagon. Not wishing to have
any trouble occur on my wagon, on &C
count of my wife and children, and a
I believed these men were intoxicated
I got down on the ground with my gun.
Now had no intention of using my
gun, simply displaying it to protect my
wife and children. He then exclaimed
with an oath, Now I have got you
where I want you. You have drawn a
gun an me and 1 have four good wit
nesses to prove it. 1 will prosecute you
and have the officers after you in less
than hour
He then returned to his seat on his
wagon and L got back on my wagon
and put my gun away. He then said,
Il will drive around you but 1 will pros
ecute you;' and suiting his action to his
words he did drive around me, thereby
showing that he could drive around
very easily, also that it was his place to
do so. AS he drove off, he again threat
ened me with prosecution.
MY family consists of a wife and
three children, the eldest one being six
years and the youngest three months,
and my father who is 20 years of age.
Owing to conditions it would be al
most impossible for me to get my wit
! nesses back to Bent county, for
poor man of limited means"
The affair has eliminated in the ar
rest of McFarlin and he is in Jail at
Dodge City, Sheriff Brown of Bent coun-
ty having journeyed to Topeka to Sc
cure a requisition authorizing the re-
turn of the prisoner for prosecution.
The requisition has been held up by
Mr.. Little awaiting the return of the
governor who it is believed will place
the official stamp of disapproVal upon
the application and order the prisoner
released. There is plenty of evidence
to show that McFarlin and not Woods
is the man who should have recourse to
law.