The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-08-12
TWENTY TWO DEAD
Adams Tells About the Men
Who Wanted Him Hanged.
WILL RENEW CONTEST
ForL Land Now Held By Higgins
in Oklahoma.

J. c. Adams walked into the Eagle off,
Ger yesterday and presented the following
communication:
Wichita Eagle:
Mr.. Editor-Please allow this article
space in your columns. After years OF
enforced silence and exclusion from the
outer world, and al this late date, I am
compelled 10 commence anew where ! left
off in May. 1890. Friends and witnesses
have moved 10 distant parts. unknown
% me. and knowing that your paper
reaches thousands OF readers in all parts
Of the country, take il as a means Of
trying TO find out the address Of some of
the witnesses who knew something pro
and con of my settlement and entry 10
that piece Of land which arrayed the
whole boomer and sooner element and
which downed. damned and delivered NE
TO punishment but after all that Divine
Providence has permitted me to live and
return again Wichita. TO take up the
fight, the legal fight this time restore
to me what was wrongfully and Illegally
taken from me by false testimony-home,
wife and friends. Respectfully,
]. G. ADAMS, Wichita, Kan.
One bright day in March, 1891, J. C.
Adams, after making the wonderful plea
for mercy ever heard in a western court
was sentenced 10 be hanged by the neck
until dead on June 2s, 1881. Judge Dundy
delivered the sentence.
Adams took the case to the supreme
court and the severe pnalty imposd by
Judge Dundy was eliminated. Adams
went to the penitentiary instead, was i'm
prisoned there five years, liberated last
December and moved to Illinois. He Is
now temporarily living in Wichita
The man who made the speech to the
obdurate Judge in Wichita seven years
ago is not the ]. c. Adams who stepped
into the Eagle office yesterday. Mr..
Adams has taken or flesh and his eye Is
clearer. brighter and, of course, more
hopeful.
He contends with great feeling, that
it has been his lot to bear an awful in
justice He says the government spent
$50, 900 to convict him and did, but wrong
fully. He says that twenty-five Of the
men who were instrumental in sentenc-
ing him 10 death have since died, in
Guiding the judge. and that he is still
alive and in good health.
AS his communication indicates, he in
tends to reopen the claim contest When
Oklahoma opened several boomers took
claim adjoining Oklahoma City. Two
OF those who settled on 1t quarreied.
These were Adams and the family of
Captain Couch. In a fight Adams shot
Captain Couch through the knee. He
afterwards died. On the assumption that
1t was the wound which led to his death
Adams was sentenced. Adam always
contended and contends today that the
wound had healed up when Couch died
and his death was caused by complica-
tons arising from an injection of NOR
phine. Adams Incarceration took him
finally went to a gentleman named Hig-
gins, after numerous contrary decisions
from the land Office authorities. 1t is
now Adams plan to bring suit in the
United States district court in ejectment
OF the present holders Of the claim.
Adams said yesterday it was worth $4,000.
The lawyers who defended him before
will stand by him in the coming suit. as
they believe in the justice of his allie
cations. He will not return to Oklahoma
City at present.
OF his penitentiary experience Adams
says little. The first year he worked
a steam derrick. Then he was put in
the dining room. For two years he was
in the hospital with an affliction OF boils.
Mr.. Otto Bekemyer. the Eagles repre-
sentative in Oklahoma, when asked last
evening what Adams chances OF secur-
ing possession of the land in question
were. said: mo one IN Oklahoma City
viii pay any attention TO Adams con-
tention. The matter has been settled by
the authorities long ago.