The Topeka state journal., 1900-05-31
Clay Center Excited Over Memo
rial Day Dissertation.
Cannon and Soldiers Tablet
Painted Fiery Red.
THE GOVERNOR SPEAKS
DenOunces Act in No Uncertain
Language.
Believed to Be Result of Schism
in G.. A. r.

The Memorial Day celebration at Clay
Center was marred by the desecration
of a tablet to the old soldiers and also
the desecration of a cannon which occu-
pies a prominent place in the city park.
The tablet and the cannon were paint
ed a fiery red the night preceding Me
mortal Day and the act of desecration
produced a sensation in the city, the
principal cause being the fact that this
is the third time the tablet and the can
non have been given this suggestive
color.
The previous incidents have provoked
numerous quarrels and this has revived
a factional contest which has virtually
disorganized the Clay Center G. A. R.
post.
In his speech during the afternoon
Governor Stanley took occasion TO con-
denim the perpetrators of the deed in
| unmeasured terms. The governor said:
| There seems to be a spirit of opposi-
| tion to the soldier abroad. In the revo-
| lutiOnary days it was the Tory the
| soldier Of 81 confronted the Copper
| head and the volunteers for the Span
| ish-American war encounted the same
| spirit of opposition on the part of men
| who upheld and continue to uphold the
seeks to suppress. If this work of des-
ecratiOn was not the act of thoughtless
boys it must be the outcropping of the
same spirit which the soldiers have had
to contend with
This insinuation that the spirit of
"Copperheadism' was responsible for
the painting of the cannon and the tab
let found a hearty response in the
hearts of some of the old soldiers. It
was in fact overdrawn to some extent,
the report reaching Topeka this morn
ing to the effect that the governor had
made the assertion that the persons who
daSacTaffnn n
principle the Hneal descendants of the
old "C6pperheads." The governor did
not couch his language in those words
but to a State Journal reporter made
the statement which is attributed to
him, as a repetition of a part of his
speech in the foregoing.
Some years ago some of the members
of the 6. A. r. post in Clay Center
started a fund for the erection of a
monumentstO the dead soldiers, either
in the public square where the cannon
is now located, or in the cemetery north
of the city.
Quite a sum of money was raised for
this purpose but another faction of the
post determined to procure and mount
in the park the cannon over which the
controversy now exists.
This is one of the guns which is q
relic of the Spanish-American war. The
| men who were not working with the
ones in favor of the monument secured
| the cannon and the monument project
was stopped for the time being al
| though the funds which were raised are
still in hand and will probably at some
future time reach a sum sufficient tC
erect the proposed monument.
When the cannon was put in place
elaborate ceremonies, attended by reg
ular army officers and soldiers from Ft
Riley, were held. BY the side of the
cannon was mounted a tablet explain
ing its history and cOmmemOrating il
to the memories of those who have
passed away.
Soon after the gun was mounted il
received a coat of red paint and thi.
was repeated about the time the excite
ment connected with the first incident
had abated. The matter has beer
dormant some time, but a coat of rec
, paint on the cannon and tablet at thI
dawn of Memorial day aroused public
. indignation to fever heat. All da!
: yesterday groups of angry men dis
: cussed the incident and Threatened
vengeance on the perpetrators should
they be apprehended.
The post, which is responsible fo
the cannon, Immediately offered a re
ward of $50 for the apprehension of tn
guilty parties and the Clay county com
nissioners last night agreed to offer
: substantial reward today.
Some of the men who are interested
in this matter are making the charg
l that the painting and desecration of tn
l tablet and gun is due to political com
l ! plications in the city. Some say tina
disgruntled C. A r. Republican offic
seekers are guilty; while others say tha
l the opposition to this party has had
hand in the desecration. The loca
I complication caused by the incident i
S increasing daily in bitterness and tn
various factions are lining up thei
forces, the old time hostilitieS havin
been renewed