The Iola register., 1902-04-18
SAYS IT'S BRITISH
Governors Secretary Makes out his
Report

Jefferson City, April 40. H.
Gentry, Governor Dockery's pri-
vate secretary, returned this morn
ing from Lathrop, Mo-, where he went
Friday night under instructions from
the governor to make thorough in.
vestigation Of the charges that Brit
ish post Is maintained there to supply
horses and mules for the British army
in South Africa. Mr.. Gentry finds the
British are operating there. In his re-
port to the governor he says:
Upon my arrival at Kansas City,
on my way to Lathrop, l met Mr..
Wiser, sheriff of Clinton county, and
also Mr.. Kelly, collector of the same
county. Both assured me that the
horse and mule stable situated at
Lathrop, Mo-, and run by Guyton &
Harrington, we're owned exclusively
by the said firm; they also informed
me that Guyton e. Harrington owned
about 1,700 acres of land close to
Lathrop; that the records of Clinton
this land was in the name of Guyton
q Harrington, besides they further
stated that this firm leased about 5000
to 1000 acres of additional land for
their use. Uupon arriving at Lathrop
l found that the statements made to
me by these county officials we're alb
solutely correct. Mr.. Guyton of the
firm of Guyton g. Harrington has, for
the last twelve or fourteen years, been
buying horses and mules at Lathrop
and selling them where he could dis
pose of them to the best advantage,
sometimes to the United States gov
ernment.
"When l arrived at Lathrop, Mr.
Francis, superintendent Of the entire
plant, said to be owned by Guyton
q Harrington, invited me to inspect
their magnificent barns, pastures and
stock. l did so and made my investi-
CATION as thorough as was practicable
in single day.
Superintendent Francis informed
me, as did also Major J. Moore of the
British army, that every consignmnte
of horses or mules received at Lathrop
that is taken to the Guyton and Har-
rington barns are shipped to Major
Moore, who is stationed at Lathrop.
The major, with ten or fifteen other
British officers, is located at that
point. When the horses or mules ar
rive at the Lathrop barns they are
branded C & H upon the right hip,
the British trade mark, an arrow. up
on the left hip, and IN upon the right
shoulder. The M signifies that the
horse or mule comes from North
America. They mark also the number
of the mule by burning it upon his
right hoof. Everything is done in
very systematic manner.
"Most of the stock shipped from La
throp goes to South Africa. AT one
of the houses upon the lands owned
or operated by this firm l saw twenty
one Sepoys, who arrived only few
days since from India. These Sepoys
are to return with 500 to 1000 mules
for the use of the British army in that
country. Summarizing the whole mat
ter, I will say that from appearances
it looks very much like the business is
largely conducted under British aus
pices. The people of Lathrop, how
ever, and of Clinton county, and also
the members of the firm, claim that all
the compensation received by the firm
is thirty-five cents per day for the care
of each horse and mule fed for the
British government. Every citizen of
Lathrop and Superintendent Francis,
for the firm, and every British officer
were entirely frank in their answers to
all questions propounded. 1t is not
my province to offer any suggestions
as to whether International law has
been violated. That question is OBJ
vieusly one to be determined by the
United States government.
Governor Dockery forwarded the re-
port to Senator f. NJ. Cockrell at
Washington this afternoon with re-
quest that the senator lay the matter
before Congress. That the British
government is violating the neutrality
laws Governor Dockery probably will
embody in his com munications to
Senator Cockrell.