The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-09-26
George w. Martin Will Have 1t
Disturbed.
He Wants Musty and Forgotten
Records.
HUGHES is THE FIRST.
Digs Up Letters of John c..
Fremont and Ingalls,.
New Law Which Provides for
Turning Over Documents.

Geo. w. Martin, secretary of the State
Historical society, today issued cir
cuIar to be sent to county officers
throughout the state. calling their at
tention to the provisions of the new
law authorizing the deposit with the
Historical society of all old documents
and books of historical character which
the statutes do not require to be kept
in the public records of the various
counties.
1t is expected that this new law will
bring into the archives of the society
a large amount OF valuable historical
matter which has been allowed to ac-
cumulate for years in the vaults and
filing cases of the state and county
officers.
The law enacted by the last stlegislature
is as follows:
ANY state. county or other official
is hereby authorized to turn over TO
the Kansas State Historical society, for
permanent preservation therein, any
books, records, documents, original pa
pers, or manuscripts newspaper files
and printed books not required by law
to be kept in such office as part of the
public records three years after the cur
rent use of the same, sooner in the
discretion of the head of the DEPART
ment. When so surrendered, copies
ln6felTO1n S1dll De IIleule anu cSTllnCd
by the secretary of the Historical So
ciety upon application of any party in
tereSted, which eertiflcation shall have
all the force and effect as if made by
the officer originally in custody of them.
The Historical society is hereby re-
quired to make a reference catalogue
to the manuscripts, books and papers
SO surrendered.
Adjutant General Hughes was the
first official to take action under the
Iax 10
torical society old papers which for
many years have been preserved in
the archives of his Office.
At one time the adjutant general
had his desk in the office of the gov
ernor, and was sort of a clerk in
that office. Consequently he became
the custodian of many papers directed
to the governor, but relating to mili-
tary affairs. When the headquarters
of the adjutant general We're removed
some time ago, a large quantity of old
documents were collected and trans
ferred to the historical society. Miss
Zu Adams the assistant secretary, is
now at work cataloguing these old
documents.
Among other interesting documents
found in the adjutant generals con-
from John c. Fremont to Governor
Charles Robinson, authorizing Gov
ernor Robinson to raise three COM
panies of militia for service partially
at nome ana pdTlldiIS III SuPPI CoSIilS
Indian troubles in New Mexico. This
was in 1861. John c. Fremont was
major general of the United States
army, and had his headquarters at st.
Another autograph letter is from
Simeon Cameron, secretary of war,
and is dated May 21, 1851 1t con-
tains instructions to Governor Robin
son to enlist one regiment OF troops
under the call of President Lincoln for
volunteers to serve three years. or un-
til the close of the civil war.
A letter signed by Senator Ingalls,,
dated 1853, was found, recommending
the promotion of M. H. Kuhn to a
commission in the army. This letter
was dated Atchison and was written
to Governor Carney. Mr.. Kuhn and
his wife lived in Topeka during the
latter years of their life.
There are also a lot of papers re-
lating to the Cheyenne raid in 1878,
when a party of Cheyennes, 1ncensed
at their treatment by the government
started to go back to their old reSer-
walton in the north. They went up
through the western border of Kansas,
killing settlers and burning dwellings
State troops and regulars were sent
after them, and captured the whole
outfit. A number of the leaders were
imprisoned by the government and
died in prison
There were other Indian troubles in
1874 and 1875, and many papers re-
late to the organization of companies
of militia in the central part of the
state to protect the settlements. Some
of these companies became unruly.
and it is recorded that one of the
companies marched en- masse down
into the territory and participated IN
a cattle stealing expedition.
1t is expected that the operation of
the new law will bring into the his
torical society a great deal OF valuable
historical matter which will be classi-
fed, catalogued and filed away for the
use of the public.