Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-09-24
KIDNAPPING A JUDGE
A Thrilling Story of an Act
Long Ago.
"cARPET-BAGGER JUSTICE"
Taken From the Train by Masked
- Men.
DETAILS OF THE ABDUCTION
Kept Until After the Term Of Court
Had Expired, but Not
Injured.
DETAILS OF THE ABDUCTION

Special Correspondence OF The Star.
DENVER, Col. September II. 1900
There is probably only one case on record
where federal judge was kidnapped and
held so as to prevent him from issuing de-
crees repugnant to the wishes Of the people
of certain locality. Yet such a thing oc-
Cured in this state thirty years ago.
The details Of that thrilling event worG
narrated to your correspondent by Judge
Wilbur F. Stone. the first supreme court
justice ever elected i'll the state Of Colorado
and a relative of the kidnapped federal judge.
His story is corroborated in its principal de.
tails by Frank Halls History Of Colorado.
There were hot times in the old lays
said Judge Wilbur Il. Stone. I'm 1876, When
Colorado was infant. the McCook and
Chaffee factions quarreled over the supreme
court judges. McCook wanted a clean
sweep Of the judiciary, while Chaffee in
sisted strenuousy upon their reteation
Finally Judges James B. Bedford, afterward
known In Congress as the Red-Hatred
Rooster of the Rockies and E. T. Wells
went out and A. w. Brace, formerly of
the northern district of New York. succeed
ed Wells. while Judge Amherst w. Stone.
known as the carpet-bagger, took Belfords
place.
A Railroad Fight.
The Colorado Central railroad, now the
Colorado and Southern. was being built
from Denver to Central City and Black
Hawk. and also along the foothills west of
the Platte to the Wyoming line. 1t was
built for the purpose of developing Gilpin,
Clear Creek and Boulder counties. 1t had
behind it such men as United States Sena-
tor Henry M. Teller; W. A. H. Loveland,
founder Of the town Of that name; John II.
Wells of Longmont, Edward L. Berthoud of
Golden, John c. HummelI of Longmont.
Oren H. Henry Of Boulder. and Foster
Nichols of Central City The construction
and the people wanted to complete the
road or know the reason why. J. w.
Nesmith. later Of the dorado ICron Works,
was master mechanic, and c. s. Abbott was
master of transportation.
The Union Pacific tangled up with the
stock and began suit against the Central
company on a claim of 81 100000. represent
ing its floating debts mainly for material.
supplies and interest bonds OF course,
the object of the suit was merely to stop
the further construction and operation Of
the road by w. A. H. Loveland until the
Union Pacific could obtain control which
the Colorado men would not stand.
To cap the climax Of desperation for the
local men, the most terrible rain storm In
the history OF the state occurred on May
Y, 1876 In began with Snow In the noun
tains. falling to depth Of three feet in
Glpin and Clear Creek counties and ex-
tending with great severity far out upon
the plains in torrents Of rain. Cherry creek,
Clear creek and the Platte river, streams
in its track. were filled with rushing waters.
which created havoc among railways and
bridges. and the Colorado Central suffered
great damage. So when the Union Pacific
lawyers tried to throttle the baby railroad
Loveland and his friends resolved to use
force to gain their point.
The Union Pacific attorney obtained an
injunction from Judge Amherst w. Stone
against any increase OF the capital stock
and against making any contracts for
traffic with or leasing to any other road,
and filed a motion for the appointment of
receiver. Still these proceedings failed
in any way to interrupt or deter the Love-
land management. The case came on for
hearing at Boulder, August 15 1875. Pend
appointing David H. Moffatt receiver all
proceedings were brought to a sensational
conclusion that shook the state.
kidnapping a Judge.