The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-11-16

Cherokee half breed and several others
in log house.
Peace was finally arranged by the
Indianola people agreeing to return the
guns to the Fiederlings and thus ended
the battle of Indianola without the
splitting of a drop of blood or the firing
of a shot. I might say that the Indian
ola crowd were in hurry to return
the weapons but after repeated urging
they did SO after a week had elapsed.
While Indianola was know as pro-
slavery center before the war, its in
habitants were not known as disloyal
after the war commenced. In fact COM
pany f of the Fifteenth Kansas cav
airy was recruited at IndianOla soon
after the Sacking of Lawrence by Guam
trell. Orren A. Curtis, father of Con-
gresham Charles Curtis, was elected
captain. An eye witness tells the fol-
lowing incident in this connection:
after the organization of the COM
pany had been completed Captain Cur
tbs formed his men in line on the main
street and riding out in front of them
he delivered the following speech: Now
gentlemen / want you to follow me-
There's no place where Jack CurtG
das'sent co.
Company E of the Eighth Kansas in
fantry was also recruited from the vi
cinity of Indianola. This was the regi-
ment commanded by John A Martin
which made a brilliant record for gal
Ridge and elsewhere.
WHEN MIR. READER ARRIVED.
Mr.. Reader, who knows as much
about this old town as any living man,
went to IndianOla June g. 1855, and he
still lives on his farm about a quarter
of a mile from the old hotel He says
that when he arrived there were four
houses in the town, and one of them
was a log hotel owned by Louis Vieux-
There was also a store owned by Lewis
Harris He painted a picture of the
town as he remembered it in 1860, from
which the accompanying cut is taken.
1t was some time after the Battle of
IndianOla that DR.. Jenner and Robert
McNoun got into an alteration over
the boundaries of their claims, and DR..
Jenner emerged from the encounter
minus an eye, which had been f1icked
out by a bullet fired by McNoun- Nc
Noun was absolutely fearless, and he
lost his life in the Battle of the Blue
1t is told of him that he arranged all
his affairs before he left home on the
assumption that he would be killed, and
that when he had passed through part
of the fighting unscathed he deliber-
ately rode out between the lines and
there found the death which he courted
DR. Samuel AShmOre, who now lives
in North Topeka. was one of the resi-
dents of Indianola. On one occasion a
stranger came to the town. He wore
the uniform of a United States soldier
and said he was a detective in the en-
ploy of General Blount. DR.. Ashmore
said he was convinced that the man
rid the town of the stranger. One even
ing he saw the man standing in a door
way, and whipping out his revolver he
fired at him. The doctor was over
powered, and the revolver taken away,
and then he got a shotgun and again
tried his craftsmanship with the
stranger as a target Again he missed,
but the detective evidently took the
hint for he disappeared and was seen
no more in the vicinity of Indianola.
On one occasion young man named
afterward found that he had killed a
man, and an effort was made to cap
ture him, but he got away, though so
shots were fired at him.
OLD CLINTON HOTEL.
The hotel. which still stands as a monu-
built in 1860 BY William Clinton. He had
married a woman old enough to be his
good sum of money. They kept a hotel in
a log. house for a short time and then
long. after this that Clinton was appre-
hended for rifiing the mails. He was the
went the young handsome Mrs. Deborah
Harding, who also left husband behind
Kuykendall and after the war a man
named Sawyer came into possession
As feet Vide WITH an IS By se 20 feet ant It
is two stories with high attic which
west corner was a commodious barroom
which separated from a room used
general a store by narrow narrow R hail The din
ing room the north side of the
building and was 40 feet long and 20 feet
wide The kitchen was in the L. The
weatherboards are of walnut. On the
second floor of the hotel were nine very
small bed rooms. The only reason for
making these rooms so small was I'M
doubtedly to provide space for the very
large hall This hall is 20 feet wide and
extends the whole length of the build
ing. 60 feet. and was the dancing hall of
the village. Dancing about the only
means of enjoyment in the sos and 60s. so
it is not difficult to understand such a
commodious hall provided by the |
architect of the hotel at the expense of
sleeping rooms.
bah held in this hall. 1t was given by |
the Masons and the members of the leg |
islature which was in session in Topeka. |
were especially invited, and large num- |
Der of them attended the dance. This |
was really the last large social event in |
the town of Indianola, for its sun was al |
ready low in the horizon.
END OF THE TOWN
IndianOla was sacrificed the altar of |
the Kansas Pacific railroad and Topeka |
started the fire. In 1865 the Kansas Pa
cifc railroad was surveyed and the sur |
vey missed Topeka, but went through In |
dianola- 1t was then planned that the /
railroad should not follow the bend of |
the Kansas river to reach Topeka, but !
run straight across the country from Cal |
hOun Bluffs. The people of IndianOla |
were naturally delighted and their en- |