The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-11-24
GOSSIP FOR HOME PEOPLE
marder Crlal Under
a Cree

Yesterday the man who pulled the rope
that hung Lawyer Hasbrook in Sumner
county in the early seventies. was in
town. lie is row venerable man. but
ne still argues that in counties where
criminals are out OF proportion to good
citizens, and where the machinery OF
the law is inadequate. government by
vigilance committees is good government
He belonged 10 q vigilance committee in
Sumner county that regulated pioneer SO
ciety there fer several years, and be al
leges that he has never known q case Of
undeserved punishment TO be inflicted
When we first started cut after Has
brook and his gang, he said we We're
a sherih's posse, but upon certain rep
reservations made TO rs by the sheriff.
al a conference held where the tran
crossed the Chikas=la river, We decided
10 act as a vigilance committee About
so OF US surrounded caldwell. and we
got our man In that little grove on
the Chikaskia. near where the Santa Re
crosses the river. we organized a court
and tried three men. II vas the fairesr
trial ever given criminals. We organized
the court with a judge. a sheriff. a prose-
cutting attorney and an empanelled jury Of
twelve OF as good men as were in the
country. We assigned able men 10 de-
fend the criminals, and had none but
credible witnesses 10 TESTIFY. The stars
were shining brightly. and the night was
fine. 1t was a scene Of great solemnity.
Hasbrook aided in his own defense, being
an able and talented lawyer. having grad
uated from the Office OF no less dis
tinguished a man than George r. Peck.
for many years general solicitor of the
Santa Fe road lie made an elegant
speech in his own defense. and appealed
with extraordinary eloquence Tor a reeu-
lar trial before the Law Of the land After
the evidence vas all in and the arguments
made, the jurors retired 10 z nook in the
timber and after brief deliberation re-
turned a verdict Of guilty. The judge inn
mediately sentenced the three men 20 be
hanged When We had the men ready for
execution, IIasbrook asked 70 see me
privately. having noticed that 1 wore the
badge OF a Mason He wanted 10 prove
10 me that he belonged TO the craft and
/ gave him the tests He had some OF
them. there is no doubt; but they bore the
marks OF having been obtained claudes-
timely and TO prove TO him how vain 1t
was for a man not regularly initiated To
attempt TO prove himself 1 asked him for
the supreme test. He was unable to give
it. He then appealed 10 me TO save him.
saying he would so back home 10 his
mother and never set foot in Sumner
county again. TIasbrook.' I said 10 him,
You are guilty, and must die. would not
save you il I could; and il I would.
couldn't. Make your peace with God.
for your last hour has come"
Next morning. man travelling to-
wards Wellington saw the three men
hanging from a tree and carried the news
70 town. Hasbrooks death brought peace
TO Sumner county and security to its
horses. He was the lawyer for the big
gest gang Of horsethieves in the west.
I'VE had = wonderful organization. We
met in Wellington regularly. but so qui-
city that we did not arouse the suspicious
Of even newspaper reporters. We would
not admit any county officers into our
confidence or our meetings. We were or
ganized for business. and we worked
effectively We made it possible for
man to safely own a horse IN Sumner
county"
Probably 100 of the men who attended
the trial and lynching OF Hasbrook and
his gang are still respectable citizens Of
Sumner county.