The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1903-06-12
CHARGE MURDER II GOLD BLOOD
(C0liinusd iron ; = -age-

Berrys reported killed SIS 40 rnnt-d
ed Three ranch ND IS Il -i--s we're
also killed Hard fee'ifrz Las existed
between the Berrys anu the ranch en-
plOyes for two or three years past,
more OF less litigation has been on be
tween them during this time. The
Berrys have shown disposition Of late
TO attack the ranch and riders fire.
quently and By threatened and vile
language attempted to iBtimidate aud
compel these riders to quit the en-
plOy OF the Esnch.-Chauncey Dewey
The statement Of Chsuncey Dewey,
that four Of the ranehmen were wound
ed, is disproved by Clyde Wilson him
self in q letter to his father at Saline,
Kan, dated June 4, and printed in the
Salina Journal Concerning the shoot
ing be says: @We returned the FIRE
with the result that three Of them are
dead and two wounded. We had one
horse killed"
This shooting affair leaves two widows
and one little child. The woman
who has shared the fortunes Of the from
tier; the mother who has given the best
years Of her life 70 the nurture and in
structiOn Of her sons; the constant wife
Of d. P. Berry, who, with him, we're far
down the westward slope OF life, now
mOurns a husbands loss. The young
wife Of Alpheus Berry, and little child
just old enough TO cling to her apron
strings, say Mamma" and who throws
It's little arms around her neck with the
cooling of lOve-these two. have been
robbed Of husband and father. The ap-
palling character Of the crime committed
upon these western homes by the slaught-
or Of its defenders, has no parallel in the
history Of northwest Kansas.
There has been no attempt to exhOn-
crate the Berrys from all blame in the
trouble which had been brewing long,
and which ended in a climax in blood,
but it is a fact known to many people
who live not far from that part of the
country that the Dewey people were de-
termined to clear that territory of the
Berrys. Report comes from a reliable
source that Chauncey Dewey said, con-
corning the Berrys, that he would eat
them out and drive them of the face of
the earth. Another says Dewey told
him, If he couldn't get the Berrys out
any other way he would shoot them out
He has threatened other farmers in the
path marked out by the company, and
has harassed them in the possession Of
their lands.
Not more than two weeks ago Chaun-
cey Dewey Is quoted as saying that be
and the Berrys were now on Peaceable
terms, that cOuTtesies in passing we're
| exchanged and conversation INDUCED in.
No recent breach of this friendly condi-
ton was made by the Berrys, and peo-
pie have become 50 ready to place
their own construction upon reports that
/ they they even believe that Chsuncey
Dewey affected this Cancellation for the
express purpose Of getting an oppOr-
tunity to clean out his enemies, for while
the Berrys went armed and were pre-
pared for any emergency the Dewey COW
boys knew the BeTrys would sell their
lives at great cost to their opponents.
The beginning Of the trouble between
the Dewey Cattle company men and the
Berrys dates back about two years
More or less litigation has arisen be-
tween them, and bad feeling has been
the result. The controversy first started
over the possession Of land, the leasing
Of territory, etc, and is q long story. A
fact which should be understood, but not
generally known. is, the Dewey Cattle
company range over and attempt to con
! troll the use of land not their own. 1t is
estimated the company does not own .
per cent Of the territory of which its
cattle eat the grass. Its operations may
be said to be a freezing-out process, and
up to the present time the company has
| quite succeeded. Some Of the farmers
were sorry to sell when a proposition was
made to buy, but they knew it was a
case Of sell or freeze out, and they let 20
when they really wanted to remain.
The report Of the tragedy has reached
the officials at Washington, who intend
to look into the matter Of fences. A
special dispatch dated June 6, says:
"The interior department has taken Of
fetal notice Of the murder Of the Berry
family in Rawlins county, Kan, early
this week by cowboys connected with
/ the Dewey Cattle company. Secretary
Hitchcock has sent an inspector to re-
port upo5 the question whether the
/ Dewey company maintained its wires IN
defense Of law. If il is found that they
erected illegal fences, that, IN other
words, the Berrys were exercising their
right IN cutting them, the fences viii be
at once ordered down and force viii be
used If necessary. Whether the govern
ment can take any other steps In the
matter is not clear. All cattle companies
were ordered some time ago TO take
down their fences on the public lands,
and it IL believed that this is a case IL
I which the order Of the interior depart
ment was not obeyed. So far as the
secretary can do so, it is his intention to
force respect for the law, and to prevent
the recurrence Of any possibility Of fur
ther blOOdshed between cattlemen and
private citizens. The Berry murder has
made a deep impression on the officials
Of the interior department"
Costly Mistake.
Blunders are sometimes very ex-
pensiFe. Occasionally life itself is the
price Of mistake, bat you'll never be