The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-07-02
NOT A KANSAN.
Chauncey Dewey Now Resident
of Chicago.
Selling Kansas Property Fast as
Possible.
WANTS IT WIPED OUT
Another Effort to Get Rid OF
Murder Charge.
Cases Still Pending But Not
Likely to Be Tried.

Chauncey Dewey, formerly of Raw
Inns county and now OF Chicago. is in
Topeka today looking after personal
business matters, and called at the
state house to see some of his western
Kansas friends. Mr.. Dewey has just
returned from Philadelphia. where he
was elected secretary of the National
League of Republican clubs.
Asked whether he was still interested
in his western Kansas ranch, he said:
I'VE have sold large portion of our
western Kansas holdings, and the rest
of our land is on the market. West
ern Kansas land is getting too valu-
able for ranching purposes, and would
be glad to sell out all the rest of my
holdings there. 1 am through with
western Kansas
Are those western Kansas people
still waiting for a chance to take a
shot at you2. was asked.
mo. sir said Dewey enphatieally.
"They leave me severely alone. I still
own the Manhattan ranch. Ed Mcbride.
who was tried with me, is foreman of
the Manhattan ranch. and is doing we'll
Wilson, the other man of the trio, is
running the Manhattan electric light
plant, and is showing great ability in
that line of work Those two men are
both able and enterprising fellows.
Wilson was promoted for gallantry
while in the Twentieth Kansas, and
Mcbride served with credit in the reg
ular army. It is foolish to say that
men like these would go out and shoot
people down in cold blood"
The supreme court recently rejected
the application OF Dewey. Mcbride and
Wilson to have the charge of murder
pending against them dismissed with
prejudice. The case has been dis
missed by The county attorney, but it
was dismissed without prejudice
which makes 1t possible at any time in
the future TO revive the action and bring
the three men to trial for the murder
of the Berry family. In speaking of
this matter today, Mr. Dewey said.
We have made out application to
the supreme court for a rehearings and
hope TO geI&1e old charge entirely
wiped on the books. But even if It IS
not, do not have any fear of future
I trouble. do not anticipate that any
one viii try to revive the charge. The
fact is that most. of the people who
were l1ersecuting US most vigorously
are dead. The county attorney who
was oTie Of my most bitter enemies
went and drown ed himself, and most
of The with esses have also died. Our
witnesses. on the other hand are ali
alive, and can be gathered together at
any time. Tt seems as though the
gods. as well as the courts, were with
us in that trouble"
Mr.. Dewey is now taking a good deal
4 of interest in political matters. He
said:
II expect to make Chicago my home
from now on. and while it is necessary
| for me to come out to Kansas once in
! a while to look after my property, I
shall not make this state my home.
was elected as one of the delegates
from Illinois to the National League of
! Republican clubs, and much to my
surprise, was chosen as secretary of
that organization. Nearly every state
/ in the union was represented at that
| meeting Kansas as it turned out, had
no representative. One man came
| there from some place down in the
| southeastern corner of the state, but
| his credentials were defective, and he
| was not allowed a seat. We had one
| delegate there from the Philippines,
and a great many from the eastern
/ states
1t was suggested to Mr.. Dewey that
| the league OF Republican clubs en-
1 dorsed some rather radical and Popu-
| listic measures, including TIE parcels
/ post scheme, which Is bitterly opposed
4 by the small merchants, who claim it
| is a move in favor Of the Chicago mail
/ order houses.
Yes.n said Dewey. s4the league took
a very advanced position on some
matters We felt that the parcels
| post was a measure which merited our
| support, because it is q step IN advance
! We believe in following the footsteps
Of Roosevelt, who is the most progress
| sive man of the day
The fatal feud which brought the
1 DeWeys into great prominence two
years ago was one of the most inter
esting chapters in Kansas history. The
/ Dewey ranch, one of the biggest
ranches IN the west, spread over thous-
ands of acres in RaWlins, Cheyenne,
| Thomas and Sherman counties. The
other settlers complained that the
/ Dewey ranchers were committing acts
of unwarranted aggression. and among
those who felt most aggrieved was the
Berry family consisting Of Alpheus
/ Berry. the father, and his sons, Burch,
Bride and Wilson went to the Berry
4 place to get a tank they had bought at
a sale. They we're armed with Win
chester rifles. They claim that as they
rode up to the farm, they were fired
upon by the Berrys, who were in am
bush. They returned the fire, and a
fusillade ensued in which Alpheus,
Bureh and Daniel Berry were killed
and Roy Berry badly hurt. Dewey,
Mcbride and Wilson were arrested,
and the people living in that locality
were all ready to lynch them Cover
nor Bailey sent a company OF militia
to protect them. and they were safely
landed in jail Dewey was tried for
the murder of AIpheus Berry. and ac-
Quilted. The other cases we're never
tried. and were dismissed some time
ago, as before stated.
Hoch Goes to Missouri
Governor Hoch viii leave this evening