The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-05-24

tives by the fact that he writes of
things that came under his own obser-
vation- Incidents which have become
legends have been resurre cted from OBJ
security by Mr.. Thompson and given
new life
The author of this new Kansas book
came west from Tennessee when he was
IA years old. He is so Years old now so
that a simple calculation will show that
he has spent IS years of his life in the
west His peregrinations extended to
the plains of Colorado and New Mexico
but the greater part of the time has
been passed in Kansas He was for ten
Wabaunsee county and for II years he
owned and edited the Alma Signal.
Naturally a portion of his book is de-
voted to personal history of the county
in which Mr.. Thompson lives but the
casual reader will not be disappointed
in the book especially if he is interested
in the stories of the Kansas pioneers
and their trials. The volume is profuse-
ly illustrated with $50 half tone por-
traits and drawings by Carl p. Rolmar.
There are $50 pages of printed matter
The book is now in press. Mr.. Thomp-
son has in preparation another book of
wider scope.
The following story from the new
book viii show the nature of the renin-
iscences:
THE FIRST LOG HOUSE
robbers roost is responsible for the
first log house built by white men in
WabaunSee county-erected in 1912 in
the timber on the banks of Dragon
creek, near the mouth of Bachelors
branch. Here were the headquarters
and rendezvous of as hardened a gang
of cut-throats as ever went unhung-
organized for the purpose of robbery
army paymasters and treasure wagons
of Mexican caravans forming the tempt
ing inducements that drew together this
motley gang Of outlaws
The crest of the big mound on the
claim pre-emptied by Allen Hodgson in
1857, in plain sight of the old cabin, as a
point Of observation couldn't be excell-
ed. From this high elevation every
train passing over either the Santa Fe
trail proper, or the military road from
Fort IeaVenworth, could be distinctly
seen, the number of wagons determined
and the probable value of the treasure
to be secured approximately estimated.
AS early as 1870 the Spaniards from
Santa Fe and Chihuahua bought mer-
chandise in St. Louis. but in those days
pack animals We're used, freighting with
wagons not being in vogue until Lex
inston. No, had been fixed upon as the
Quitting point by those pioneer traf-
fickers, those advance agents of ciyiliza-
ton, to whom the Great American
Desert presented no obstacle they for
moment hesitated to surmount
Starting from Chihuahua or Santa Fe
train of from 25 to 40 wagons would
consider himself fortunate should he
succeed in reaching his eastern destina-
ton by the latter part of May or the
middle of June As each wagon was
drawn by ten or twelve mules or oxen,
there would be from 300 to 500 mules
or oxen and from 30 to so men with
every train. In all cases the men were
armed in anticipation of possible at
tacks from Indians or the more dan
gerous and desperate gangs of outlaws
as those who in the early days made
their headquarters on the Dragon.
Specie-gold or siver-being the me-
dunn of exchange, it was necessary that
the money representing the purchase
price of the goods to be bought should
be hauled in one of the wagons. This
fact known to the gangs of robbers
rendered caution on the part of the
owners essential and the guarding
against surprises necessary
AS it required from $4,000 to 800. 900
to load a train Of 80 or 20 wagons with
the class of goods usually purchased for
the Santa Fe trade, and as every train
was known to carry a large amount of
specie for the purpose stated. it can be
readily surmised that to desperate and
INSCRIPTIONS men any eastbOund cara
van on the old Santa Fe trail offered
temptation extremely inviting, especial
ly when the proba bility Of punishment
for such wrong doing. seemed at the best
remote. with the chances Of immunity
from punishment in favor of the rob
bers.
a few years prior to. and during the