Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1903-06-11

DeweyS who own a large tract OF land
in Cheyenne, Rawlins, Sherman and
Thomas counties and the resident
ranchmen, pitched battle was pre-
cipitated on Wednesday Of last week
in which three, Daniel P. Berry and
his two sons, Alphaeus and Burch B.
Berry were killed and Roy and Beach
Berry were wounded seriously.
The feud has existed ever since the
settlement of that country and was
caused by systematic effort on Dew
ey's part to buy up at fright" prices
all the land in his vicinity. The in
flatlon of boom days and the bursting
OF the bubble threw large tracts into
their possession.
Later every conceivable investment
by tax deed or otherwise by which
possession or control of any land
might be obtained was made by them.
The people began to believe that the
commissioners and other officials we're
favoring the Dewey's so that it was
easy for them to buy up tax titles and
consequently make itmore burdensome
for the residents. Each new tract when
obtained was fenced and the people
warned to keep out or suffer conse-
Quences If gates were left open. Many
were Shut In without an outlet.
Politically, two factions arose, the
Dewey and anti-Dewey crowds. And
the feeling was so intense as to affect
results Of elections.
The leaders Of the apti-Dewey fac
tIpn were the Berry's, whose property
had been fpreplpsed by the Deweys
but who had successfully resisted all
efforts Of the Dewey's to eject them.
All were always armed, land the bloody
outcome was but question of time.
1t came Wednesday when Chauncey
Dewey, who had Bought tank on
farm near the Berry ranch at sheriff's
sale attempted to remove it, He was
accompanied by several cowboys, and
opposed by the Berry's. Shooting
bow caused unknoyn-folloWed with
results as previously stated.
Ghappcey Dewey, Clyde Wilson and
W. i. Mcbride were arrested, without
resistance charged with the murder
Feeling among the citizens became
very intense and mob formed. The
sheriff became fearful that he could
not save the prisoners lives and call
ed upon the governor for aid who sent
Co, G. End Reg. X. N. g., from Os-
borne to the scene Of the trouble. The
company arrived at Colby on Sunday
evening a few minutes after the sher.
III and his prisoners. A march was
begun Monday morning across the
country from Colby to St. Francis,
where the preliminary trial will be
held; the militia escortipg the prison
eFSl to guarantee q safe passage.
qhe prisoners do not deny the crime
neither do they admit it but claim
that the Berry'S opened BrA
them and ther. upon
returned it with terri
Bile effect.
Inc Following Is statement taken
from the Atwood PATRIOT
The scene at the Berry home beggars
description. In the house were two
widows and three small orphan children
made fatherless by the hand of a foul
assassin. In the yard back of the house
lay b. b. Berry shot through the back
of the head, cold and stiff in death, and
in corral beyond were the lifeless forms
OF Uncle Dan Berry and his son Alph-
aeus. Many Of the neighbors and friends
had arrived on the scene and words of
sympathy were spoken to the bereaved.
The minds of all were appalled, by the
awlfulness Of the tragedy there enacted
70 which the mute forms of the muir
deFed men bore witness. The story of
the tragedy as told to Patriot reporter
by two of the surviving witnesses to the
affair was in substance as follows:
Daniel and Alphaeus Berry were at
the home of Alphaeus while Beach, Bur.
hard and Roy were at the old Berry
home two miles south. About two
o'clock the boys with L. L. Capron who
had taken dinner with them left for the
Alpheus Berry home. While enroute
they noticed wagon in which four or
five men were riding and about twelve
or fourteen men on horseback approach.
ing the Alphaeus Berry home coming
from the direction of the Dewey ranch.
Abe men from the ranch, whose ostensi.
bic purpose was to haul away water
tank which had been purchased the day
before, reached the place ahead Of the
boys. They were all armed with rifles