The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-12-04
In HOTEL CORRIDORS.


They had been telling wild west stOr-
les in which Wild BILL Doc Peters,
Wyatt carp. and dozen other noted
western men figured when one OF the
group said. 7 have heard a. lot Of west
ern tales where men were killed and
wounded and I have participated in a
number Of them. but I can honestly say
that the worst time I ever saw in
western t0wn-the one that came near
cts being state tragedy and yet miss
ed it-Cccurred in q southern Kansas
town about Il years ago which was some
time after the supposedly bad men had
left The row was caused by the contest
of two editors over the pOStothce- and. as
IS usual in such cases. the entire town
took sides one OF the editors was
heSny man who had a reputation as a
fighter which he had acquired in Texas
where he had been mixed in several
fights and had come out alive The 9TH
er editor was from southern Missouri,
but had been raised IN Kentucky where
he had been taught 10 stand up for his
honor upon every and all occasions
The man from southern Missouri was
Democrat. and the fat man was Re
publican The Tat man had been post
master under the administration Of
Hayes and had come to think that the
office belonged TO him He was reap
pointed under Arthur and when Cleva-
land came in on his first term the editor
from Missouri put on his l0ng-tailed
coat. went to Washington and did not
return until he had his commission rs
trouble between the editors before the
Democrat got the appointment. and the
Republican editor had done all in his
power 10 prevent his lcath6d but sS-
teemed contemporary from getting the
Office They had accused each other Of
being thieves and gamblers and the
Democrat from Missouri had even &C
cused the tat Republican OF taking
trinkets out OF the mail After the
Democratic editor had been in Office
short time postoffice inspector came
along and said that his accounts were
short The inspector was crossroads
lawyer from the hills Of Missouri and ne
did not understand his business for the
postmaster was not short as the inspec-
tor decided after he had taken all the
funds in the Office and had gone to s.
Louis It was too late then to stop the
talk Of the little country town g0ssips
and the report got cut that things were
not just as they should be in the post
Office The Republican editor took ad-
vantage of the report and published a
statement that his rival was an enbez-
zler- Then the fun began in earnest II
was q cold December day y years ago
when the Democratic editor read what
the Tat Republican had TO say Of him in
the weekly paper and he Immediately
took his gun and went out on the street
in the quest Of the man who had pre-
Eurned TOO much upon his good nature
and professional courtesy He met the
rat editor on the street talking to a con-
STABLE, but that made no difference to
the riled editor and postmaster F4a
SLAPPED the vile DESTROYER Of good mems
character on the back and as he turne
said; Delson- you are blankery blank
ed double hlauked blank and 7 dare voll
10 deny II. and he pulled his gun from
his pocket, but the constable caught il
before he could level It at his enemy.
The little town was very busy that
night carrying the story from one place
OF business TO another An excited man
would rush in one store and tell how
EAuLE0n Tn-ls-
ana how DeIson had run while the Off
Ger heln PaulSOn's arm until his enemy
vas out of sight. And then he would
D1Elh 10 tell Of the trouble between the
Two ana now after one mean thing fol-
lowed another. always being careful 10
tell the mean tricks Of the man ne dii
L't Hke Long before the gun play the
llsHt between the editors had become a
family matter with the town and everv-
one "slesfned the approaching end Of
lne hsht. not because they wanted thu
night TO stop, but because thew bora4 no
man they did not ike v-or1ia - ~
worst OF the fight The a~eitar-,e.r,t -,
the mite town was something wonder
H0t- IEefe was hardly a person who din
not symparhlze with one or tha 60
and In most cases the sympathy vzrar,+ u,
far that the fight had become j $1,000
matter with them The old timers Was
had been IN the west when il was r,r,
sidered the proper thing to carry "a -
volver and knife in the belt. sniffed rbA
air Ike horses which had been tied IN
the stable for weeks and the vol1n~a-
element-those who knew Of the fri,-
ing days only BY ay-seerned r.
think that this was the time to show tfs
old fellows that they could take parr IN
q scrap and enjoy. even If they had no.
shiued Wild BiiIss shoes It was Sst
urday that the sun play had been rnsda
and By Uight-store closing tirnAtbs
excitement was at fever pitch Men were
running to the Office OF the Re
publican editor telling him that