Arizona republican., 1901-07-01
SAW FIERY TIMES.

John Speer veteran editor, Kansas
pioneer for years chief lieutenant of
the erratic Jim" Lane. and a notable
figure in the free state struggle in Kan
sas, Is in Denver. Visiting at the home
Of Bradford Dubois, whose wife is Nh
Speer's daughter.
Although Mr.. Speer is in his saith
year and his physical strength is i'm
paired. his old mental vigor continues
He Is an encyclopedia of Kansas his
tory. lie helped to make much of that
| history and with that of which he was
not a part he han almost as great ia
miliarity,
| The six years in Kansas preceding
1861 formed an epoch I'm American his
tory. There and. then the war Of the
rebellion really commenced. Mr.. Speer
went TO Kansas in 1854 and plunged
into the ething waters that were dis
turbed by the conflict between those
who would perpetuate slavery and those
! who would make the new territory
free state.
Mr.. Speer Wa1 one of the acknowl-
edged leaders in the free state move
ment, which in Itself was divided into
! factions, One was headed by Charles
Robinson. who later became the first
governor of Kansas, and Jim" Lane,
the first United States senator from
that stake. Robinson was conservative,
relying upon diplomacy to overcome the
pro-Siavtry forces IN Kansas and the
| pro-slavery power Of the federal gov
eminent. Lane was n fredericksburg
daring. brilliant. magnetic, reckless.
He was picturesque character and
always dramatic even to the end,
which came from his own pistol.
John 'Speer belonged to the Lane ele-
ment and was devoted to his chief, both
in the early territorial days and after
Lane went to the United Staes senate.
Mr.. Speer started one of the first
| newspapers in tho territory-the Kan
sas Tribune-at Lawrence. He was a
printer as a boy, and as man he
| edited and owned whig new papers in
Newcastle, Pa, Corydon, Ind, and
Madesa, o. In tho fall of 1854. he
brought newspaper outfit to Law
renee from Ohio and issued his first
paper on January s. 1865. This paper
he published until 1871, when he sold
the property. II was made a daily in
| 1863, after thu Quantrell raid,
Whar Quantrel's hrshwhackeis
sacked Lawrence August q. 1868, they
destroyed the building and plant of the
Tribune and murdered two of Mr..
Speer's sons. IL lived at the edge of
town, and as the guerilas first pill
LACED the business portion of the city,
he had time to leave his home and hide
in a corn field before they reached his
place. They stole his horses and set
fire to his house; but when they moved
on his wife and little children were able
to eXtinguish the flames and save the
house.
Three of Mr. Speer's BOYS slept down
town and the guerillas swarmcd into
the city at daybreak. In the Tribune
building were John Speer, Jr.. aged 10:
Marsh Murdoch, now owner of the
Wichita Eagle. and another printer.
The two latter hid in a drain well in
the cellar Of an adjoining building and
escaped. John ran out the back door
and was stopped by guerilla, who de-
manded his money. The boy handed
him his pocket book and was imme-
diately shot down. AS he lay writing
on the ground another guerilla walked
up and shot him through the head.
Robert Speer, aged Is, slept in the
office of the Republican, with another
printer. The building was burned and
no trace of the bodies of the two boys
was ever found. II Is not known how
they died
billy" speer, boy of Is, olept in
store, and went out the back door
where he was stopped by one of the
Quantrell gang who halted him. The
boy told him that his name was Billy
Smith. The man looked over a list of
names written on a slip of paper and let
him go. After a series Of adventures
he reached home and there he shot a
guerilla who was prowling about alone.
An Indian named white Turkey"
who had. just swum across the Kansas
river, came up and finished the guer-
lila with a second shot
1T was bloody day in Lawrence.