The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-05-20


kill you for lying to me.
.sHe didn't get the chance to XIII me
then for at that juncture Vaughn or
dered all to leave the store, saying he
intended to burn it. When we ali got
outside Vaughn, thinking Bell was con-
cealing money from him. ordered the
storekeeper to re-enter the building and
not to leave it on penalty OF being i'm
mediately shot. Bell oDeyed and then
Vauhn'S men fred the building. [ was
thoroughly Mortified. Evidently it was
Vaughn's intention to burn Bel alive
I tried to expostulate with them. but
the two bushWhackers guarding me told
me to shut up and threatened to kill
me if I didn't obey.
Finally, when the building was in
flames Vaughn called out to Bell:
g Come out if you're alive
BELL was alive. He came jumping
through the door like a mad man.
vaughn ordered him held prisoner until
the store had blazed ten minutes longer.
Then the bushwhacker determined to
take Bell down into the timber and
hang him. About that time Armstrong;
horse came up the road riderless and
knew the bushwhackers had killed the
Fort Scott man. we afterwards found
his body by the roadside.
Before starting for the timber to
hang Bell, Vaughn questioned me close
". He could find nothing to show that
I was in sympathy with the FederaIists
kill me. Then he changed his mind He
questioned me further and told me to
stand aside a minute while he held a
consultation with another of his men.
It was then that I was cured of lying
The man who had so kindly promised
to kill me was right behind me. Sud
denly I heard revolver click and,
turning quickly, I saw the bushwhack-
er's gun cooked and leVeled at my head.
A Case of Nerve.
" I'm a-goin' to keep my promise, ,
he said with ali oath. The cold sweat
started on me. I lodged between the
horses of two other bushwhackers and
just as he was shifting to get another
bead on me a woman, whom I knew
slightly, came running up and yelled
to Vaughn not to let the man shoot
me Vaughn knew the woman and
accede'd to her request. The bush
whacker was ordered to put up his
gun. It was then that I decided I'd
never lie again. Finally Vaughn let
me go and his men started for the
timber with Bell. They took my horse
along with them, making Bell ride
him. but I knew he'd come back. He
wouldn't lead we'll and I figured
they'd get tired pulling him along and
turn him loose. That was just what
happened. The horse did come back
and Bell was not hung. After reach
ing the timber for some reason never
learned Vaughn let Bell go.
BELL was a man of great nerve.
When he came back he smiled and
said to me: I'm sorry I had to ride
your horse away, I asked him how
he had kept alive in the burning store,
and he said he breathed through a
knothole in the wall.
BELL was afraid, mainly for his
family's sake, to remain at Aubrey,
and he moved up near Kansas City
and bought a farm between that city
and Rosedale. That farm increase
in value until it made him very rich.
I often used to say that Bell had a
fortune forced upon him by the bush
Whackers.
After burning Bells store the bush
whacl0ers went to the place Of a man
named Lusher and set his house on fire
I remember we'll how Mrs. LusheI
rushed out and implored the bush
whackers to save a cupboard full OF
chinaware she had in the house
Vaughn said he'd save it for her. He
called a couple OF his men and they
carried the cupboard to the door ano
pitched it out on the ground upside
down. OF course every dish in it was
Simeon Bells Luck.
That" concluded Mr.. Wellhouse
was the last raid the bushwhacker:
made into Kansas. The flames from
the Bell store and the Dusher house at
tracted the attention of the Federal sol
and drove Vaughn and his men back
into Missouri. I haven't lied since thai
bushwhacker asked me if I had any
more money. That lie brought me face
to face with death, and 1 resolved i
would be my last"
Mr.. Weuhouse. since he came Il
Kansas several years before the Civil
war, has raised and sold 49s,00o bush
els of apples, exclusive of culls, being
more than any other one man ever
grew For his apples he received al
average net profit of % cents a bushel
He now owns ], 200 acres of bearing ap-
pie orchard. 500 acres of which are il
Usage county. Kan. This year he hopes
to break all records for apple raising
by harvesting 100, goo bushels. His bes
record heretofore was $4,000 bushels
Simeon B. Bell recently gave the pro
perty valued at 100000 to the Universe
ty Of Kansas for the purpose of found
ing a medical college at Rosedale. He
will be 50 years of age May 10. He Is
stiu in good health, and is preparing
to visit the Lewis and Clark exhibition
at Portland. Ore, soon. Mr.. Wellhoust