The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1900-07-24
HITCHING POSTS
START A ROW.
Midnight Removal From Mans
field Park Causes Trouble.
CITIZENS DIVIDE ON QUESTION
And the Farmers Are Disconsolate- In
junction Proceedings Are Issued
BY the Anti-Post People
at Midnight.

Mansfield, July 23.-This town has a
deep, dark mystery. About fifty
hitching posts that surrounded Central
park have disappeared. The posts and
the connecting rods have encircled the
towns central breathing spot for years.
Consequently the center of the city has
always been filled with choice refuse for
the reason the space surrounding the
park has been little better than a
barnyard.
But the hitching posts are gone now.
Some citizens discuss the affair in whis-
pers and others indulge in some of the
most expressive "cuss language"
1t is fact that the disappearance of
the posts has caused more excitement
in this little city than any real, live oc-
currence in years. Leading citizens
have come to blows over the affair
Families in some instances have divid-
ed against themselves. One cannot go
a hundred yards along the main street
of the city without seeing angry citi-
zens swinging their arms and swear
ing. 1t is all about the hitching posts.
The spectacle of two prominent citi-
zens shaking their fists in each others
faces was the spectacle that entertain
Saturday. For years the question of
removing the barnyard from the center
of the city has been discussed. The
open discussion in the council has al
ways caused such a row that nothing
ever came Of it. So secret tactics Were
adopted.
The men in the council who wanted
the posts removed got together secretly
he hier nf he an
regardless of political affiliation stood
pat on the proposition that the posts
must go. At midnight three nights ago
the entire night police force secreted
itself in part Of the city remote from
Central park. A force of Is men and
horses and wagons loomed up at the
park. Then began the work. Noise
lessly and speedily the posts were torn
out of the ground and the rods discon-
nected.
The whole was loaded in the wagons
and carted away. Where, no one
knows, except the men in the deal, and
they wont tell. When the town woke
up next morning the green grass and
the foliage Of the pretty park trees
made beautiful appearance. The place
really looked like park. But the
town, or a small part Of 1t, at least, was
thunderstruck. Immediately meetings
were called. Angry and solid business
men let loose a string of invectives quite
unusual This was more unusual when
the fact is remembered that many Of
the business men are pillars in leading
churches. Petitions were circulated
denouncing the removal of the hitching
posts as "henious offense" and call
ing upon the police authorities to bring
the guilty parties to Justice Lead
ing citizens ran about the strets and
branded the act as criminal. They
declared 1t was penitentiary offense
Some subscribed money to a fund tc
send to Cleveland for a detective T.:
run down the men guilty Of the "atro
cious and dastardly deed"
The men who favored the removal O.
the "barnyard feature" of Central parJ
are UP and doing. Friday they learne;
that the Opposition was secretl.
planning to have the posts placed II
position again some night soon. Thi
alleged plan was only learned late il
the night Friday. The anti-post peopl
lost np time. They Immediately route,
a Judge out of bed and secured an in
junction restraining every bushes
man around the park" and within
block from every side of the park fron
placing hitching posts and rods aroun
Central park" This was done at mid
night When the pro-post people learn
ed Saturday morning OF this move, the
were furious. They claimed the la,
had been violated when the posts wer
removed. Now. they will be violatin
: q direct order Of the court should the
attempt to have the posts replaced,
The air OF secrecy which surround
the post incident worries some people
80 lar ~ the public 10 conseEped tb