The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-07-14
TWO WICHITA BOYS
Who Started on a Tandem to
Palestine
HAD TROUBLEAT Fl. SCOTT
WrathfuI Farmer Wanted $25
for MangIed CuItiVatOr.
HAD TROUBLEAT Fl. SCOTT

Inc I0u1W1uS leLCSr was TeCe1NSu "
hdusselnan Brothers, from Messrs. Charles
Hatton and Charles Musselman. the two
young men who left Wichita June 18th on
q tandem. with the firm intention to ride
overland to some port city and then en-
bark for Liverpool. England, after which
they are 70 spend two years in sight see
ing. These boys are not only making
splendid progress, but seemingly enjoying
the novelty of the occasion as Is shown
In letter from Quincy, Ill, July 10:
."Dear Joe and Alvin:
1--WE have not had time to write you
and you are probably wanting to hear
from US II we had time we could give
you a good account of the most success
6ul vacation we have ever had. The pleas
TIRE of the trip is far more than was our
highest ambitions or expectations. We
have had few mishaps and excellent treat
ment everywhere.
I'VE had expected to arouse the ecuriosity
OF the farmers and people Of the small
villages by riding tandem, and of course
did, but we were somewhat surprised on
reaching st. Louis by creating such ex-
element and admiration en- account Of our
good wheel. and we are very proud to say
that we ride the best wheel in this city
of 100000 people.
ION leaving Wichita we plodded along
IN the Musselman farm at clip OF twenty
miles per hour, and on this little spin
learned all the tricks and capers Of
single. steering tandem.
"As to tire blow-outs,' the books show
some half a hundred. but as to the one
just out Of Wichita, we fail to find an
entry. W.T. left Sedgwick Tuesday evening.
June 20, and rode about an hour toward
El Dorado Early Wednesday morning
one of our fine LaFever chain links broke
and the fact that links break with us
ard no one else, dear boys, shows the
difference in strength Of people. On ac-
count of this delay we left FL Dorado at
dusk Wednesday. We reached Fort Scott
4zithout further mishap but made slow
progress on account Of delays occasioned
in towns of any size by people who were
expecting us and entertained us with great
hospitality. Possibly you have heard OF
our lawsuit, which was a very amusing in
cident. Six miles out of Fort Scott we
suddenly came upon a team of horses
hitched to a cultivator and carelessly tied
to a roadside fence post. They became
frightened and inst leaped a wire fence,
then a hedge and next a board fence. leav-
ing a section Of the ploy dangling on each.
{Sic voluere parcas), thus spin the fates.'
While following the team down ricky,
winding hill we got one of our usual blow
outs and while mending this. the owner
having caught his horses and led them
home IN muttering anger, came to US with
a gloomy countenance and gently said:
Boys, you will have to pay damages
Charley IL, out of curiosity, asked, how
muchr Owner said: I viii make It s2g.'
Charles NJ: Mister, plows usually do not
cost that much Owner: THAT isn't the
question; will you pay the $751;? We both
IN the same breath exclaimed We won't
pay a cent Wen see about that. You
boys have no right on the road with such
a machine Charles NJ: we are not from
Missouri, but We are getting so close to
the line that you'll have to show u.s.
after which followed quite a sermon on
the theme. Careless Farmers VS.. Re-
spectful Wheelmen,' delivered by Mussel-
man 60 a very much excited and wrath
full audience Of one, Mr.. Collins.
That did not end the matter. and while
in Fort Scott We were notified by the
sheriff, Mr.. Collins and a constable, who
came to assist them to inform u.s. that
the county attorney desired to see US.
We will say right here that the county
attorney of Bou-bin county and Fort
Scott is all right and our hopes are that
Fort Scott will be fortunate enough to
boast of the same attorney after the next
election. Well. we rode our wheel over to
the court house to see the aforesaid at
torrey. eve rode our wheel by permits
sion CT the sherinD and as we went some
boys who knew of our case said Ride for
the state line four miles east but we
had better plan than that. The county
attorney met us most cordially and asked
US concerning the matter. Then he put
on q sober look and said: 7 wouldn't ar
rest theSS- boys, but IL Collins wishes to
carry the case further he can get an
other attorney and do So At that mo-
ment NJ. Hudson. OF the firm of Humph-
Fey & Hudson, Fort Scott, appeared on
the sceEe. He was asked to decide what
ought rightly TO be done Collins had a
side talk with Hudson. Then Mr.. Hudson
invited us TO come over to MS office We
accepted the invitation and were soon
seated in his office awaiting his decision.
After much outside talk Hudson came In
and said that II We would pay SIS down
ne would let us of. We sat In silence for
a minute. Then Charley II. asked: Are
you waiting for an answer Mr.. Hudson
said he was. and Charley II. said: Mr..
Hudson, we will not pay one cent toward
that cIltivator. The runaway was caused
by the carelessness OF Mr.. Collins You
may so ahead and detain us here IL YOU
wish Mr.. Collins. II he loses the case
Will pay our expenses while here and will
also pay for OBTAINING us. 1 suppose he
understands that Mr.. Hudson's law
lowered about three inches and then he
said: I suppose Mr.. Collins understands,
at He saw ne couldn't blum anything
out of US. Charley NJ. then said: If thai
Is all you wish TO know, we Will bid YOU
good afternoon. II you wish us at any
time between now and tomorrow noon.
you will find US at the hotel across the
street We walked out and that ended
our little episode with Messrs. Collins.
Humphrey and Hudson.
1--WE gained many friends on account 81
our little case, and were well treated In
Fort Scott. From there we rode TO Sc
dalia. Mo-. by the way of Rich Hin and
Clinton, Mo. Everybody had heard of us
and We we're well received wherever we
went
1--WE, spent some time N Clinton. No.