The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1903-12-02
WRITING A BOOK
ION RASCALITY
Harry Cotton Com
piling Mass Of Grim
lnal History

on silent missionary work which prom
ises to cause some revelations. Mr..
Cotton. at present refuses to disclose
the plans Of his campaign but he is
compiling book that will throw the
lime light on some Oklahoma history
Mr.. Cotton authorized today the follow
ing statement
Il came here to attend to my per
sonal affairs and to look after my
property interests; to collect lacking
links; TO complete a chain Of evidences
TO enable me to present in book FORM
a truthful narraive of the conditions
that have prevailed in this territory
from the opening in 1889, to very
recent period.
'While ! am a Democrat and strict
partisan. I have never voted FOR dis
honest or incompetent candidate for
Office. simply because he was a Dem
ocrat. This being true, it cannot be
sa,d that am engaged in a campaign
to advance the interests Of any one
politically. In case of statehood you
ask how would past Republican Off
cials ia Oklahoma fare. Why not ask
how certain Democratic officials
should fare? Let us go back to April
%, 1859. and see what the record is.
I will refer you to section IA, entitled
Fraudulent Settlements" That it
shall be unlawful for any person for
himself or any company, association or
corporation to directly or indirectly
procure any person TO settle upon any
lands open to settlement in the terri
tory of Oklahoma. with intent there
after. of acquiring title thereto; and
any title thus acquired shall be void.
and the parties to any such fraudu'
lent settlement shall severally be
guilty Of a misdemeanor.
q was in Arkansas City prior to
the opening, for several days, on or
about April 18th Matters became
very lively Meetings of the various
groups and sections were daily held.
Combinations were being formed and
various secret schemes concocted.
one group led by Colonel Sumner,
of Arkansas City, announcing his can
didacy for mayor of Guthrie; another
group led by a gentleman named Con
stantine, a former mayor of Spring
field Ohio. also a candidate for mayor
of Gu hrie; another group led by the
notorious Volney Hoggart called the
Dakota group, also a candidate for
mayor OF Guthrie. The Topeka gang
led by General Pierce, and some offic
ers and many employees of the Santa
Fe railroad. The Newton gang led
by Messrs Ragsdale and McLain, and
the Wichita gang This gang embrac
ed many Of the worst and toughest
elements that landed on this townsite
and were ilized as professional wit
nesses to appear at the land office
when required, to testify against lega
settlers and in behalf Of sooners. Mex
comes the infamous Winfield gang. On
Saturday evening, April 20th, severa
freight and passenger trains left Ar
kanses City for the south, taking
hundreds of sooners to Guthrie an
other points. The Guthrie contingen
were landed directly north Of the Gin
arron, others along the shores of Tho
Cottonwood. concealing themselves il
the high grass and timber till earl!
Monday morning of the 22nd, whei
they emerged from cover and made
their selections Of the choicest quart
er sections and town lots, Messrs
ollie, register. and Barnes. receiver
left Arkansas City on Saturday tn
10th for Guthrie, accompanied by thei
clerical staff and frienls. ! have no
at hanu at this time the official re
port Of the special agents of the inter
ior department, Messrs. Picker an
Mcbride. made to Secretary Mobiles 81
compliance with a resolution of th
senate to investigate rottenness in tn
land office. The report Of the inspec
ors shows that the brother OF Registe
Ollie and several of his Indiana friend
filed upon several Querter sections O
OF before highenoon, April p, 1889, j
violation of section "a The same r'
port shows that the receiver permitte
several of his friends to- file on quar-
er sections adjoining the townsite {
Guthrie on or before high noon q
April 22 1889, in violation OF the la
and the presidents proclamation. Tn
quarter sections thus filed on by III
register and receivers friends wer
nine quarter sections. Accompanyin