The National tribune., 1910-11-17
THE REIGN OF THE VIGILANCE COMMITTEE
At Baxter Springs Kan. Winter of 1866 and 1867
ROBERT umbc
opyrght by Morris eek
gs, Kan, Winter of 1866 and 1867.
III.

Curran had wormed himself into tn
good graces OF JEFF Davis and hi
chums; had found out that they wer
regularly organized, with JeM Davis al
captain of the band; had proposed i
join them; was accepted ANA mustere'
in with mysterious ceremonies; took
blood-curdling oath prescribed by thei
ritual; was given the grip, signs an
password: and was then declared
member in full fellowship. SO he tot
the Committee.
lie had found the organization NOR
extensive than we had suspected, VIII
active members in every direction thru
out the surrounding country. Thei
rule was never to meet together iii grea
numbers for fear OF attracting TOT
much attention: but Jeff Davis woul'
meet small gatherings of them at Ger
tain times at the houses of some o
the fraternity in different localities ant
there formulate plots.
Their time and place of meeting a
Baxter Springs was at night in a littl
log cabin in the Spring River timber
on the farm of ]. S. Van EDps, the oi'
Baxter place. This little cabin was Oc
cupied by one Simmons member o
the gang-who "bached'' there. and wa!
ostensibly engaged in chOppinS wooC
and splitting rails for Van EpDs.
The Gangs Methods.
Whenever horses or cattle were stol-
en- by one or more of the gang the
stock would be run off a few miles and
transferred to some other member to
be carried farther and he in turn would
transfer TO another, each hurrying back
and showing himself in his respective
locality to ward off suspicion and to be
prepared to prove an 'alibi' if accused
rthe theft. In this manner they CO.
operated over long distances.
Our detective was given the names
and locations. of certain members of
the band in different directions in the
surrounding country, on whom he was
told he could depend for assistance in
time of need.
= The Vigilance Committee held their
mec tings in the school house, on the
outskirts of town, at night, with dark
ened windows and a watchful sentinel
on the outside. Here we formulated
constitution, by-iawS signs, grip and
password, discussed the eligibility of
proposed members and the evidence
against suspects. received and consid-
cred the reports of our detective and
others, decided on plans of action. etc.
Each member on being sworn in was
given a number, by which, and not by
his name, he was 10 be known and des-
fgnated in the committee
Strict secrecy, Of course. was neces-
sary in order to succeed in circumvent-
ing our adverSaries and this was en-
Joined on all members Every man
was to keep well armed and hold him
self in readiness To turn out and go on
the order OF our President a. any hour
of the day or night--possibly many
miles into the counuy--to make ar
rests or for any other official duty.
Tie Vigilance Committee. .--
Our first President was Capt. VIM.
Hyiand, who was IN the hotel business.
He was an excellent man and an eff
eient leader, but finding that the duties
of President OF the comnittee took him
away from his hotel work 4 great deal,
he resigned the aiiice, but continued an
active meIaber tiruont.
On Hyiand's resignation Albert Will
lard was chosen President, which office
he continued TO tili 10 our entire satis-
faction during the remainder of the
reign of the committee.
Before we had opened up; for busi-
ness from some cause JEFF Davis and
his immediate followers about Baxter
had got to suspccting our detective, Ed.
Curran, OF being a spy, and they seemed
10 nave uctEit itftIEitO 10 IuEc MIN OUT 10
a special meeting, called for the pur-
pose, and put him out OF the way Jeff
came to Carran one day, and told him
that there was TO be an important
meeting Of a few members Of the band
that night at the log cabin in the tim
ber. and that 1t was essential that Cur
ran should be there; a matter of vital
Importance 10 the fraternity was TO be
discussed and settled, anc il was desir-
o.-i.. Gh he
present in order TO be thoroly posted
In the gangs future plans.
Our man promised to be there. but,
the truth, he failed TO put
in an appearance at the appointed time
and place.
Next day JEFF called on Curran to
know why he had not joined them, in
of which the detective had
wrapped up one foot in a lot of rags,
was walking with much apparent diff
Guilty by the use Of a cane, and excused
his non-appearance by pretending he
had badly sprained an ankle.
Davis then informed him that few
of the robbers had met at the cabin,
but not having a quorum they had ad-
journed the meeting to the next night.
when, as a safer place, they had agreed
to meet at an unoccupied house several
miles out on the prairie, urging Curran
tC come ana insisting that il was OF the
utmost importance that he should at
tend this gathering, Offering to bring a
horse and buggy and take him TO the
place.
Our man again promised to go, but
when jeff called for him with the rig
his foot was so much worse and so
painful, as he said, and the weather
being very cold, he could not possibly
stand the trip, but was very sorry, in
deed.
The Gang Is Suspicious.
Davis was sorely disappointed, and
could not conceal his chagrin at not
being able 10 coax the detective out.
That evening after dark, as Curran
was hobbling across the hollow from
HigginbOtham's store, where he had
been loafing, to Zen Morris's restau-
rant to get his supper, a man, who, as
near as Curran could make out in the
dark, resembled JEFF Davis, stepped
suddenly out from behind a house and
took shot at the detective, at short
range, too, but missed him.
Forgetting for the moment that hor-
ribly crippled ankle, Curran did some
lively sprinting till he reached the res
taurant, and thereafter for several days
some of us had to escort him back and
forth to his meals.
At a called meeting of our commit
tee few days after this occurrence it
was decided that the time had arrived
for action. 1t was evident now that the
robbers suspected that we were form
ing some plan to operate against them,
and longer delay on our part would
be dangerous. The sign was right"
and We must strike before they had
time to gather their forces.
Next morning, just before breakfast,
while JEFF Davis. Doc" Armstrong and