Omaha daily bee., 1903-02-27
RED HOT COUNTY SEAT FIGHT
Bonesteel and Fairfax Both Want to Be
Capital Of Gregory County
ELECTION FOR BONDS STARTS USUAL ROW
OId-Timse MethOd Of A~nchOrinR LOca-
tion by Building COurtsHouse De-
feated by Equally old PIan
ofsvotinE Indiana.

7 bONboI EELh D Dst req. zo.-NSpeCldl.l-
Gregory county. South Dakota, was organ
ized about four years ago with Fairfax as
the county seat. Recently, on account Of
the prospects for the opening Of that part
OF Rosebud indian reservation within its
borders, a new town named Bonesteel has
sprung into existence as a rival Of the
county seat, which is situated about seven
miles southeast Of Bonesteel. Fairfax peo-
pie, as a last resort to hold the county seat,
succeeded in having the county commits
%sioners call an election for the purpose Of
issuing bonds to build a courthouse. A ma
jority vote Of the county Is necessary to
carry the question. Tuesday was election
day. and each town We'd with the other In
getting out the voters all over the county,
and when the results was determined It
was found that Bonesteel had won out and
bad defeated the bond proposition by a
majority Of &C votes.
Indian and other Votes.
The election was settled, but the fun
had just commenced. Fairfax alleged that
Bonesteel had drawn upon the Indian res
ervation for votes. They alleged their
Ktok-As-He-Jumps, Sucks-As-He-Bites and
Chief Red Horse and the aged warrior,
Milk, and their cohorts had voted not once,
but twice, yea, three times, and that in or
der to show their kindness of heart to-
ward Bonesteel had caused their squaws to
fold their blankets buck style. and vote
against the bonds. One exuberant Fairfax
partisan said that he counted one squaw
voting four times. These allegations are
denied by the Bonesteeleans; they say that
the Indian has a right to cote; that he's
a citizen of the great state of South Da-
kota, and has been for these many moons,
and that when a question such as bond
ing him, his ponies, squaws, dogs, oxen and
asses arises, the Indian mas a right to de-
clare himself and vote his convictions; said
Bonesteeleans also allege that in a tight
tight like yesterdays, you can't tell a
sQuaw from a buck; that in the trial OF
Colonel Forsyth for killing squaws at the
battle Of Wounded Knee. it was clearly
demonstrated that in a fight not even a
skilled plainsman could distinguish between
a buck or a squaw, owing to a similarity
of dress. So II any squsws voted in Bone
steel they are guilty Of dressing in mems
or bucks clothes for the purpose Of de-
laying and hindering Fairfax in securing
$4,000 worth Of bonds for courthouse pur-
poses.
Comes into Court.
The trouble did not end here. The Fair
fax people. through W. r. Day, ex-deputy
sheriff OF the county, made complaint
against Henry Abouretzke, and the sheriff
came in Wednesday night, about 1 o'clock
and arrested AbouretSke, hurried him of
to Fairfax, locked hin IN a room in a hotel
and early in the morning a preliminary
hearing was had, Abouretzke bound over,
and when the Homestead attorneys, W. b.
Backus, arrived IN, haste, LInting for the
lost Bonesteelite, he discovered that only a
bond OF $500 would secure Abouretzke's
release. This. bona was promptly furnished
and Abouretzke returned home.3 A grand
reception awaited him, and he's now the
hero OF the hour. {" :.
Trouble did not end here. Ten more war
rants are out for prominent citizens OF
Bonesteel, and thirty are out for Indians,
and the sheriff of this county will be a busy
man for days to come. Suck-As-He-Bites
is on a spion kop on the classic banks Of
Ponca creek; he dreams Of the day when
Fairfax will be no longer the county seat,
but that the county capitol will be near
his claim and enhance the value Of his
property OF every kind. When he's awake
he holds his old repeater close to his side,
for he knows the sheriff is after him.
Kick-As-He-Jumps PAGES the floor of his
tepee, expecting each minute that the cold.
clammy hand OF the sheriff will slap him
on the back, and a voice, You are my pris-
oner," I'LL his American ear.
waiting for the Attack.
Bonesteel is, fortified. No more citizens
will be stolen from its incorporated pre-
cinct. Committees have been appointed to
watch for FairfAxites and keep them under
surveillance while in Bonesteel. An ar
ray of legal talent has been engaged to
the, legal battle. Hon: Edwin M. Startcher,
county Judge; Theodore Landmann, states
attorney, and J. H.. Vallette, all OF Fairfax,
will, stand up for their town. Bonesteel
pins it's faith on w. B. Backus, Charles
Melner, e~x-state attorney, and French &
Orvis Of Yankton. When the next circuit
court meets there will beNa time that is
a time, and no one, at the present writing.
seems to know just what will be the out
come.
1t is conceded that Fairfax will lose the
county seat in a short time. and that the
same will be located many miles west OF
it's present location. An extra supply OF
bonds has been ordered sent to Bonesteel.
and when all its citizens and Indians have
been arrested and the supply is exhausted