The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-11-29
WILL HOLD FIRST
ANNUAL MEET
Payne Memorial Association
to Meet Next Wednesday.
OFFICERS TO BE CHOSEN
Brief Biography of the Man
Who Worked for Oklahoma.

| Guthrie, o. T., Nov. 2s.-The Payne
Memorial association will hold its first
day, December ., at which time and place
the officers of the association will be
elected
Today is the nineteenth anniversary OF
the death of Captain David l.. Payne.
soldier and statesman. and the leader
to whom, more than to anyone else, the
10000 prosperous residents of Oklahoma
owe their homes and other blessings they
are now enjoying, for it was under the
leadership OF this interchangeable boomer
that the attention of the country was
first turned towards the fertile lands of
the Land of the Fair Cod, and ft was
his energy and bravery that led the seven
bands of boomers into the territory, only
to be driven out by the United States
troops. He it was that discovered that
the truth that original Oklahoma was
public domain, subject to entry under
the homestead laws OF the United States,
and he continued his agitation for the
rights Of the people who wished to settle
in the territory, fighting. physically and
mentally, finally getting the matter in
the courts, and winning victory for his
views in November, 1854. before Judge
Foster, of the United States court, just
seventeen days before his sudden death,
at Wellington, Kansas. from heart failure.
1.-The Father of Oklahoma" as Payues
followers loved to call him, was born
at Paramount. Indiana. in 1886. He came
oUA
twice elected to the legislature Of that
state from Doniphan county. He moved
to Sedgwick county in the early seven
ties, and was a familiar figure on the
streets Of Wichita, which city he made
the base OF his operations in his efforts
to secure the opening of the new country.
1t was while in the city of Washington,
D. c., where he had been appointed door
keeper of the house of representatives,
that he began the examination Of the
records in the public lands department,
which disclosed to him that Oklahoma
was public domain. and he argued that
this being a fact, the lands of the terri
tory were subject to entry under the
homestead laws Of the United States, and
he denied the right of congress. or the
ment on the disputed lands Congress
and the authorities took a different view.
and then began the struggle of the one
man against the unlimited powers of the
United States, which finally eliminated
in the man winning his point before the
courts. Seven times did Payne lead
band of devoted followers into Oklahoma.
and as many times was he and his fol-
lowers rounded up by the soldiers and
dragged out Of the country. sometimes In
chains and thrown into Jail, from which
they would be liberated on writs Of ha-
beas corpus, no law being found by the
courts for their detention. as there was
nothing n the statute books making it a
crime to go upon the public lands.
The pathetic side of the struggle was
the sudden death OF Captain Payne. at
wellington, Just as he had reached the
point where he could view the land of
promise. His every contention had been
indicated by the United States courts.
and it only remained for congressional
action TO open the country. and this &C
ton was assured. The newspapers all
over the land were congratulating the
leader Of the boomers on his success, |
ana he nlr1SclI fl6u OeCIucd u avail la
vorable action by the departments. which |
he knew must soon come, before again at |
tempting to make settlement. On Novem- |
Der q. 1884, while at breakfast in the |
Barnard hotel. at Wellington. Kan. |
Captain Payne was seized with an attack |
of heart failure. and expired before medi- |
cal aid could reach him
Thus passed away one OF the bravest. !
brainiest and truest OF the many men |
who have lived to make the west famous !
for men of their kind. He was man of I
immense stature. with an intellect as
tireless as his physical nature, and he was I
always true to his friends, who followed /
him with the confidence and loyalty that \
a natural leader OF men always begets. /
He was laid 10 rest in the cemetery at /
wellington, followed by his comrades and I
his coffin wrapped in the folds of Old /
Glory. under whose colors he fought as
a captain in the Union army
Captain David l.. Payne needs no mon
ument to mark his last resting place.
Oklahoma. with her hundreds OF thous-
ands Of contented and prosperous resi-
dents, is a monument TO the great boom
er's worth and energy greater than could
be hewed out of granite or marble Many
attemps have been made BY different ter
ritorial associations 10 have Payne's re-
mains moved TO Oklahoma, ard TO their
final rest in the soil he loved so well but
these attempts have so far proved futile.
II Is to be hoped that future efforts
wnI be crowned with success a. the /
great boomer Is Of Oklahoma a part. and
here his ashes rest among the people
who revere his memory. for the great
blessings his LAHORE bestowed upon them.