Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1898-02-12
THIS IS INTERESTING.

SNt-S
The following statement from c.
w. Blair seems to show that W. II.
Hornor was the party instrumental
in getting the bond case settled,
but the statement speaks for itself:
"On Sunday, Feb. 2s, 1897, C. W.
Blair, ]. p. Dana and W. III. Hornor,
attorneys for The New England
Trust Company In the suit of said
company against The City OF Bax-
ter Springs, Kansas. met by invita-
ton after supper in the room OF
said Hornor at the Goodlander ho.
tel Mt Fort Scott to talk over said
suit. MIR. Hornor, during said con-
versation, took the side of the de-.
fendant aud said in case said suit
should be successful IL would be
utterly impossible for them to pay
said debt or any large portion OF II.
That he, Mr.. Cooper, Mr.. Daniels
aud many others of the larger
property owners would abandon
the town rather than undertake to
do so. That the recent failure of
the Baxter bank had cast "a pail
over the city, and every person was
discouraged and disheartened; that
the people were ready to do every
thing they could that was honora-
BILE, aud he believed they could pay
five thousand dollars in low inter
est bonds If given time. but il
would be impossible to pay cash.
General Blair aud Mr.. Dana said
the plaintiff aud railway company
were willing to do anything that
would be fair; they realized that
the bank failure had been a grave
disaster to the people, and for that,
among other reasons. they would
accept much more favorable COM
promise to the city than had form.
erly offered, and after talking until
between IL and II o'clock il was
agreed that proposition should be
submitted to both parties of set.
tlement of said case upon the terms
which were formulated on the
morning of March I, 1897, copy of
which is hereto appended. Mr..
Dana went to the telegraph Office
about II o'clock Sunday night and
telegraphed Mr.. Wallace Pratt what
had been informally agreed to, sub.
ject 10 the approval of plaintiff and
defendant. Mr.. Pratt answered
that he had no authority TO make
such settlement. but would recon-
mend it's acceptance. On Monday
morning, March l, Mr.. Dana, c. W.
Blair and W. II. Hornor started to
find the attorneys for the city and
Mayor Norton. and between the
Hotel Goodlander aud Huntington
house, Mr.. Hodgkins and Mr.. Will
lard, and possibly others of Baxter
Springs were met. All parties then
started to the Huntington house to
see Mr.. John NJ. Cooper. Then they
went to the Office of W. c. Perry
where they found Mayor Norton
and Mr.. Perry. The terms of set
tlement were then stated and talked
over generally. Mr.. Perry said he
would recommend the acceptance
of the agreement. Mr.. Norton
doubted whether the city would ac-
cept il or not; said there was a
strong sentiment in the C ity against
IA compromise; they believed they
could beat the suit without paying
anything. Mr.. Perry said il was al.
ways wise to settle a suit of that
magnitude on such terms. 1t was
finally agreed that the case should
be settled upon the terms agreed to
the night before between Hornor,
Blair and Dana, subject TO the ap-
proval of the suitors. That con.
tract is hereto appended. Mayor
Norton had nothing to do with said
settlement until we got to Mr..
Perry's Office. Everything had
been agreed TO between Mr.. Hornor,
who spoke for the people of the
city of Baxter, and Mr.. Dana and
e. W, Blair for the plaintiff. Mayor
Norton never made any offer or
proposition of settling said suit at
any time, while Mr.. Hornor from
his FIRST employment by the plain.
tiff was pleading with the plaintiff
for a compromise.
"CHAs. W. BLAIR"