The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-11-03

William Speer was the youngest son of
Hon. John Speer, who was a Kansas
pioneer and who issued the first news
paper that ever bore a Kansas name or
date. He was a Territorial Frees State
man, moving to Lawrence in 1884 or 80,
which was then a mere frontier settle
ment of a very few inhabitants. He was
a prominent factor in all Territorial af
fairs personal friend of John Brown,
Jim Lane and their cotemp oraries. When
the Territory was admitted to statenccd
he was successfully a state senator and
state printer, after having served as
United States collector of internal reve-
nue. during the war. Lawrence was the
home of the family for quarter of a
century In August, 1863. at the time Of
the Quantrell raid when Lawrence vas
left in ashes and many of its foremost
citizens murdered, he was publisher and
proprietor of the Lawrence Tribune. His
eldest son and namesake, John Speer,
Jr., was local editor. The night rreced-
ing the morning of that wholesale nur-
der by Missouri ruffians young Speer, Jr.,
and Colonel Murdoch, editor Of the Eagle,
Toomed together, coming down on to
Massachusetts, street together in the
height of that carnival of fire and slaugh~
ter Both were shot at several times.
Young Speer fell MORALLY wounded. Rob
ert, another young son of Mr.. Speer, and
an older brother of the deceased, was
also murdered and his body thrown into
the fire and consumed beyond recognition.
Later in the day when the horde of raid
ers were withdrawing along the road
leading southeast of Lawrence in the
direction of Waukarusha, and near the
residence of Mr.. Speer, band of Della
ware Indians from the north side Of the
river were chasing a straggler VINO had
been delayed in his nefarious work or
who had fallen behind his murderous
crew while attempting an assault on a
woman.
The subject of this sketch. William
Speer. then but a mere boy of . or 10
years of age, having found an old United
States musket, of the Beecher supply, IN
the garnet Of his fathers house, and
which had been loaded for months, prob
ably for years, rushed out with it In
the direction of the burning town. When
near the camp Of young recruits, VINO
had all been merciIessIy slaughtered in
cold blood that morning. little William
SDeer saw the raider alluded to. riding
like mad to overtake his retreatiug COM
rades and at the same time heard the
Indians. who were in hot pursuit, cry
out "shgot.'' The boy I'D with his gun
and aiming. in his desperation and excite
ment tumbIed the raider into the dust.
The Missourian. who had in the morning
ferdishly shot down John Speer, Jr., dis |
mounted and took from the pockets Of
young Speer, who lay writing in agony. |
a purse containing a two-dollar-and-a- |
half gold piece and a Tribune receipt |
The pocketbook gold piece and receipt |
were found upon the body of the fallen /
bushwhacker. and thus had the 10-year- ]
cid boy. William Speer. our lamen,ed /
fellow citizen, who died at his home in /
this city yesterday, became the svenger /
Of his brothers. murder. The murderer's |
name was Skeggs. and he was the only |
member Of the gang killed
After the war William speer became a |
newsboy on the railroad. in pursuance OF !
which calling he found himself in Texas. |
where by industry and capacity he gained 4
and a position on the Inter- /
and Great Northera- then in the /
control OF the jay Gould people. On !
their accomplishment Of that property ne /
was transit rred to Kansas ana Tade 4
division superintendent Of the D. ". & 4
\ railway. upon the consultation f /
which latter road with the Missouri Ia |
eific. he accented a coa1uc,o, ship. re-
his family to Wichtla where he /
has ever since resided, respected by the /
for his many nooie tuahi -
and admired by all his railway associates
for his sterling Qualities as e man. He
was the owner Of several valuable prop-
critics in this city ali OF watch he had
acquired by economy and business fore
light His father. who stIll lives, and
who made HIS home here with his son. f.
absent on visit TO his boyho0d home in
Pennsylvania. IN the death OF this sen.
the last OF his family, save a 6auSh'er.
who lives IN Denver. IS gone