The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-03-21
HAS HEARD LANE.
John Burns, Ex-Slave, Arrested
for Selling Liquor.
Is Character of Characters at
Silver Lake.
HAD FOUR MASTERS.
Born a Slave in 1874, Was Fin.
ally Sold for 81, $50.
Old Man Denies His Guilt ON
BOOtlegging Charge.

Hale and hearty, 66 years of age,
weighing over 300 pounds, and wearing
| a regular ''KuhneP' beard, John Burns,
| an old ex-slave of Silver Lake was
| brought to the county Jail Saturday
| night charged with selling liquor. His
| arrest by Deputies Judkins and Sauls
| came as a result Of an inquisition held
| by County Attorney Schenck after the
| trial of Dutch Billy" Kuhrt for shoot
| ing up the town and wounding Charles
George. The best evidence against the
old colored man is that he has a federal
liquor stamp.
THAT revenue man, Wilson, begged
me to take out that license to sell
| liquor. I wouldn't a done it but I amt
got no education and 1 didn't know
what signed. He said, You just sign
that Then he took it over to the reve-
nue. collector, Simpson, at Leavenworth
| and then he asked me for $25. 1
wouldn't pay it. I was just over to
LeavenwOrth las Monday to see about
it but I couldn't find him.
Now that's all I know they got
against me. 1 ordered me some whisky
once, but 1 never sold none and didn't
have nothin' in my house but a bottle
a. Angelina (Angelica) wine that had
there for near 15 years as sort Of
keepsake
John Burns is the character of the
little town full of characters. He is
place there as a long shanty about 20
by 10 feet In front of which the old
darby was sitting when arrested In
the front room of the two roomed
house, Burns has his barber shop.
The room in the rear is one typical of
the old darky shanty. 'Possum skins
hang over the walls, old boxes and
trunks and relics are piled among the
living utensils and scant furniture. and
a passage could hardly be cleared
through the room.
Burns has been there since Nov. 6,
1877. Born in Platt county, Mo-, a slave
of George Stiger in 1874, the boy at 10
was taken to Leavenworth and tSa%ne1
to r. c. Foster, now an attorney at
Denison, Tex, for 160 acre farm. Then
he was sold to d. d. Burns for $500.
Burns, whose name John bears, bought
him, says John, for speculation. That
it was a good speculation is evidenced
by the next sale. In 1859. Burns went
to New Orleans with this slave and
there sold him to F'renchman, Price
Lander, for 1850, a top price in the
slave market.
81 hoped carry the first boat load of
shingles that covered a plater's home
at LeavenwOrth, said the ex-Slave. Il
remember when used to go and listen
to the speeches of old Jim Lane.
But after I was freed at New Or
leans came back to Kansas again and
settled in Johnson county at Lenexie.
There my mother Joined me but she
mo, I was never married. 1 amt
got no children
Was Doing on.
John gave some very peculiar testi-
mony during the trial of William Kurht
or Dutch Billy" He said he was
asleep when all the shooting was going
on in the little main street. He had
gone over to the hotel to get bucket
of water and sat down. He heard
shot, he said, but didn't think it
amounted to anything and dozed off
into sleep, leaving the town to it's fate.
Asked about the testimony today, he
said:
Eyes. I was asleep 1 guess. I sat
down there by the hotel. I nodded
some and dozed off. Yes, heard 'em
shootin' but they used to do that all
the time when I went there. I didn't
s'pose there was anything goin' on"
The day Dutch" Billy shot up the
town and John Burns slept by the hotel
was a hot summer Sunday and the
town ball club was entertaining the
marshal and others out by the edge of
the village in a true sports pasture.
The scene was a most peaceful one 1T
the little hamlet.
John Burns laughed little when he
recalled his testimony and the way It
sounded to the court but switched back
to the newer topic-his own arrest. ct
don't know nothin' they got against
me. That revenue stamp was all had.
Wilson begged me to get that