The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-09-01

are subjects of the camera until they
get through the worst of it and begin
to have lucid intervals"
when a mob gets started with the
idea Of taking human life it is the most
frightful spectacle in the world" said
gentleman who was conversing with
group of evening idlers concerning the
recent riots in the east and south. L
have seen several mobs and never
think of them or recall the events With
out a shudder of horror. remember
distinctly mob in Butler county OF
which / was a member and I am thank
full that it was one instance where the
cooler heads prevailed and human life
was not taken, for if the mob had been
allowed to do its will man and Wo-
man would have been hanged The IN
cident occurred about fifteen years ago
and came about this way: There was a
farmer living in the eastern part of the
county with his family, one member be-
ing a. sweet little girl who was learning
to talk. One day while the farmer was
in the field and his wife was busy with
her work the little girl disappeared and
search was made around the house and
in the usual places where the child went,
but no trace of her could be found. The
parents became frightened and the
neighborS were notified and they immed-
lately Joined in the search for the miss
ing child. When night came the search
was still unrewarded and was continued
with the aid of lanterns.
lon the morning of the following day
the entire country had been told of the
disappearance, and people came from all
over the country and the adjoining
towns to aid those who We're almost
worn out by the continued tramping.
A circle was formed just as is done in
round-ups for deer and wolves. but it
proved fruitless. The parents became
convinced that the child had been
stolen, for every well, hole and prairie
draw had been thoroughly examined.
During the hunt a campers party was
earaa mt n nd had knnv tr,fc
rogated by different members of the
searching party, but had said they
knew nothing and had seen nothing of
the child. The theory that the child
had been stolen was not given much
credence because no travellers had been
seen by any of the farmers, and it was
altogether unlikely that strangers could
pass through the country without being
man and woman; about the vilest speci-
mems I ever saw Neither looked as
though bathing was INDUCED in more
than once year, and their faces were
as evil in appearance as it is possible for
a humans to be be- They were surly
and would answer questions only in
monosyllables. Finally one of the
Searchers while stopping at the camD
noticed an ak under the wagon and
picked it up. On the blade was blood
and hair He said nothing but rode
away. In short time he came back
with number OF men and they all ex-
amined the AK. They then looked
through the contents of the wagon, but
discovered nothing. The blood and hair
decided the disappearance Of the child
in their minds. It was evident to them
that the campers had stolen the child
and when they found that the country
was aroused and that they could not
get away with it. they had murdered
the little one and buried the body, think
ing thus to escape detection. 1t is sur
prising how soon the news spread In
less than an hour fully 500 men were
gathered around the outfit, demanding
10 know where the child was The
campers dOggedly denied any knowl-
edge of the child, and the men examined
the surrounding territory looking for
evidence of disturbed ground. The
crowd was growing larger and more
angry all the while Finally the old
cry, A rope was made, and that set
tied it, The man was taken to a tree,
the rope put around his neck and he
was pulled off his feet and allowed to
twirl in the air for a few minutes
When he was let down he said if his
life would be spared he would tell where
the child's body could be found. He
admitted the murder and mentioned
place where he said the body was
buried. A number of men hurried to
the place, and while they were gone
the mob wanted to hang both the man
and women. A number of men who were
of influence in the community talked to
the crowd and at last persuaded them to
allow the sheriff, who was present to
take the prisoners to the county Jail.
This was agreed to after great excite
ment and many threats Just as the
sheriff left the men who had gone to
the spot where the man said the body
was buried returned. They were waving
their hands and cheering. When they
reached the crowd it was learned that
the child was found, not dead, but alive
and well. The child was seen on the
doorstep of it's home by the men who
had to pass the house in going to the
place where the body was supposed to
be. How it got there no one knew. 1t
could not explain it's absence or tell
where it had been, for its vocabulary
was limited to mama, papa and a few
other words. 1t was well but hungry.
1t will always remain a mystery to the
people of that county,. The campers
were of course released, but they never
came nearer death. I guess the men
who composed the crowd are mighty
glad that wiser counsel prevailed. I
know I am." -