The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1899-12-29
ECHO OF A oowBoY WAR.
Damage suit Being Heard in the Federal
Court at Topeka

A damage suit growing out of fight
between two rival cattle companies
over q large range in RaWlins county
last summer is being heard before
Judge Hook in the federal court at
Topeka, says the State Journal. The
suit is brought by ". L Hesrne against
DOrwin Higley, sheriff Of Rawlins
county; Fred B. Glover, a cattle man,
and the SeigeL Sanders Live Stock
Commission company, of Kansas City.
Mr.. Hearne asks for $1,000 damages
from the defendants for false arrest
and Imprisonment.
Early last spring Mr.. Glover, who
was the agent of the Seigel-Sanders
company, claims to have leased 10000
acres of grazing land, known as Oak
Ranch, west Of Atwood, in Rawlins
county. The Dewey Cattle company,
an Illinois company which has its
headquarters at Manhattan, and which
deals extensively in Kansas cattle, also
claimed to have a lease on the same
range.
Each company employed a large
number of cowboys, and during the
early summer the Dewey company
drove in about 500 head of cattle to
pasture on the range. About the same
time Mr.. Glover and his cowboys drove
in about 400 head, part of which be-
longed to Glover individually, and the
rest to the SeigeLS Sanders company. A
clash followed. First the Seigel- Island
ers cowboys would drive out the Dewey
cattle and run their own in, and then
the Dewey cowboys would retaliate by
driving the Seigel-Sanders cattle out.
On one OF two occasions revolvers we're
drawn and battle between the oppos-
ing forces seemed imminent, but blood
shed was avoided by the wise counsels
of the cooler heads.
Among those who were in charge Of
the Dewey cattle was Chauncey Dewey,
son of the proprietor of the Dewey Cat
tie company, who had come west to
trough it, for a few months. W. L
Hearne was an acquaintance of his. He
lives in Pittsburg, Pa, and his father
is extensively interested in PennsYl-
vania iron mills. He graduated from
college last spring, and as he was in
poor health Chauncey Dewey invited
him to come out to Oak Ranch, spend
the summer on horseback, and let the
Kansas ozone restore him to health.
Just about that time Mr.. Glover had
become tired of running the cattle
back and forth, and he had gone before
Judge A. @. 7. Geiger, at Oberlin, and
secured a restraining order to keep the
Dewey forces of the Oak Ranch range,
pending the trial OF an Injunction
suit. The Injunction was served just
before Mr.. Hearne's arrival.
The Dewey men, it is claimed, disre-
gsrded the injunction and continued
to Craze their cattle on the Oak Ranch.
Glover had a blanket warrant sworn
out against II Of them, charging them
with contempt Of court in violating the
injunction. The warrant named two
or three Of the principal ones, and the
rest were designated as "JOhn Doe,
Richard Roe, and so on until II names
had been given
The warrant was placed in the hands
Of Sheriff Higley, who was instructed
to bring the alleged culprits before
Judge Geiger at Oberlin- The sheriff
accompanied by his deputy and Mr.
Glover, went to Oak Ranch aud arrest
ed everybody in sight seemingly, gath
ering in Mr.. Hearne among the rest
The sheriff had two surreys and a
buggy or two at his command, but
these we're not sufficient to take all
his prisoners to Oberlin, and he asked
the foreman of the Dewey forces to
provide transportation for those whom
he could not himself manage. The
foreman agreed TO do so, and the
sheriff started with his cayalcade, part
" in vehicles and the rest mounted,
across the prairies. bringing them in
triumph to Oberlin. The captives were
not locked up but were simply told
not TO leave town until Judge Geiger
had considered their cases
When Judge Geiger understood that
Mr.. Hearne was simply a visitor at
Oak Ranch who had arrived since the
injunction had been served, and who
was in no way responsible for the YiO-
lation Of the injunction, he was prompt
ly discharged, but this was not sufh-
cient- Mr.. Hearne fled a suit in the
federal court, asking for g, 900 damages
from those whom he held responsible
for his arrest for the indignities which
he considered had been heaped upon
him, and the case is now on trial Sam
Kimble, of Manhattan, is representing
Mr.. Hearne, and Tully Scott, Of ODER
lin, and A. NJ Harvey, Of Topeka, are