The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-07-27
STORY OF A GUN.
How State Treasures Grimes
Escaped Being Killed.
Keeps the Weapon Which Was
to End His Life.
ECHOES OF THE PAST.
Human Life Was Cheap In the
Short Grass Country.
An Enemy Conquered by the
Wichita County Politician.

might desire to rob the state treasury,
a mUrderous looking revolver which
Harry Trovillo. a western Kansas char
acter, carried for years for the avowed
and frequently expressed purpose or
killing Grimes. However times changed
Mr.. Grimes has the gun and is raising
a son of his old time enemy.
The thirst to see Mr.. Grimes blood
flow upon the buffalo grass was the re-
suit of a feud growing out of the county
seat fight in Wichita county.
Those were days when a trusty gun
or Winchester, along with dirk and
bowie knives were the constant and
much used associates of the settlers
Even the quiet Mr.. Grimes carried a
dirk in the bosom of his shirt while a
closer examination would have revealed
a pair of bull dog six-shOoters in his
trousers pockets or boot legs. Every
man was prepared for emergencies,
which arose frequently and usually end
ed in the death of one and some times
both combatants. County seat wars
were the before breakfast and after
dinner pastimes. Men were shot as
though human life amounted to nothing
and the offenders were never punlsheo-
The law was always on the side of the
man who survived.
An example of this was recorded in
Farmer City when Ed Prather, a des-
soerate man, was killed by Bill Tillman,
a companion and pal Of Bat Masterson
Prather lived at Coronado, then the
rival of Leoti for the county seat IN
the meantime, Farmer city, MIDWAY
between the rival towns, was started
and Prather, Tillman and Trovillo, look
ing for excitement, went to Farmer
City which hoped to end the hight by Sc
curing the county seat
In Ieoti on the afternoon of a Fourth
of July, Prather got drunk and was
spelling for a fight. He walked up and
20 Of daring man to come
out for a fight. TrovillO was with him
and was waiting to get ShOt at
Grimes Later Prather returned to Far
zner City, still hunting trouble He said
no man dared fight him. Later ne d.
rected his threats against his friend I'LL
man. who retaliated by killing Prather-
The county attorney said it was done
in self defense This was the verdict
always rendered.
Later TroviI1o walked alone into the
building used as a court house in LeOt
and with his two guns made the county
officers deliver to him all records be-
longing to the county seat he then
walked out and transferred the county
seat to Farmer City before the Leoi
killers recovered from the shock of sur
prise at this exhibition Of daring.
Later, while Mr.. Grimes was active in
the interests of I,eoti, Mr. Trovillo went
frequently to LeOu to kill Grimes
One time he met a brother Of Treasurer
Grimes on the street. He poked his
revolver into Grimes face and said:
you have just one minute to live.
why was the reply.
You testified against me before the
grand jury"
"Oh, you're not the man want,
said TroviIlO pOcketing his gun
TrOvillO was chairman Of the board
of county commissioners, and an effort
was being made to get him Ousted, oW-
dng to drunkenness and misconduct.
Mr.. Grimes was summoned as a wit
ness by the grand jury and compelled
TO testify, for which TrOvillo had sworn
TO kill him Grimes was running a
store in LeOti. He was on the street one
day when TrovillO was hunting him
The two men saw each other Trovillo
started for Grimes. The latter mad
bull dog revolver in his coat pocket
His hand was in the pocket, graSplng
the gun which was covering the adVanc-
Eng Trovillo. The distance between the
two men was growing less. A cowboy
friend Of Grimes was watching Prather
who was with Trovillo.
II he moves a hand to pull gun
kill him Frank" said the cowboy,
1oosening his pistols in the holster, pre-
paratory to attending to Prather.
''Au right said Grimes as his finger
crept to the trigger Of his gun.
TrOvilIO stopped. Grimes watched
him, prepared to shoot. The would-be
murderer turned and walked across the
street into a saloon, postponing the job
Time went on and the two men
watched each other. The rule among
the killers was not to be the aggressor-
stayed on earth by so doing.
After the county seat fight ended
Grimes and TrOvillO met one day in the
court house. Grimes had his hand in
mis- pocket on that old gun. TrovillO
was seeking employment. Grimes had
Just been elected register of deeds.
Trovtllo asked man near Grimes for
work in the court house but was re-
fused TrovillO was a man of excellent
education and an expert accountant.
He said:
IF I can't get work, I'll commit sui
eide. I can't starve."
See here, Harry" said Grimes, you
are too good a man to talk like that"
We'll, everybody says I'm too mean
TO die and too worthless to live, so I'll
commit suicide said TrOvillo-
IF yOu'u brace up III help you,'' said
Grimes.
mo you won't" was the reply.
I'm. I'm. a man OF my word, said Grimes
I'm stand by you If you brace up
said Grimes.
Let you know tomorrow" said Tro-
villo starting for a saloon
The next day Trovillo found Mr..
Grimes and said:
DO you mean what you said?''
Yes, sir
"An right, IN do it"
Grimes then appointed TroviIlo dep
uty register Of deeds, while the poll
ticians swore vengeance TroviIlo kept
his word. He stopped drinking; was
converted; Joined and became prom
anent in the Presbyterian church. dying
some years later. one Of the most up-
right citizens of the county. When
Trovillo died his mother sent to Mr.
Grimes a letter in which his last re-
quest was that Mr.. Grimes raise his
son, H. E. TroviIlo. This Mr.. Grimes
did and the boy, now growing to man
hood lives with him in Topeka The
gun with which TrovillO had sworn to
6kill Mr. Grimes is now on a desk in the
treasury department. but will be given