Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1912-04-24
ONE TOWNSHIP IS
SOhIDLY TAFT S
LlsE MANFlELD DECLARES ONE
PLACE IN KANSAS ~ ADMIN
IsTRATION CENTER.
INTRODUCED As HORSE Thief
An Episode OF the Times of Border
uffianism-C ColuniIlng County
That II "Go Right"

Unless Lee MayfIeld is mistaken in
his knowledge Of local politics IN his
ncighborhood up in Kansas, there. IL
one township In the Sunflower state
that will not give a single vote to
Theodore Roosevelt fog the rcpubli-
can nomination for president and very
few AT the election If he should be
the choice Of the party al Chicago.
II Is the township I'm Linn county in
which Prescott Is located, Mr. May
field has lived there since before the
war ana knows every man, woman
ana child in the township, and he is
not the postmaster now, either, al
though he once held that position
among other patriotic duties he has
performed, and while he slys the
situation as regards the colonel is true
there that almost the reverse Is true
in other localities In the same county.
Mr.. Mayfeld served as sheriff of
Linn county during the SOS having
been elected as republican by
small majority when the pops" were
doing business the first time, and by
several hundred the second term,
while they were still coaxing the
people to give them most Of the Of
fices, If the Taft folks can carry the
district Mr.. Mayfield will be "A can
ddate for one Of the delegates to tho
national republican convention from
the Second, Kansas. lie is an old
Kansas friend Of Eugene Lorton and
their meeting here yesterday was
quite accidental but none the less
pleasant. Mr.. Mayfield had occa
sion to be identified at the Bank of
Commerce In order to cash a chS"k
and while waiting for "A telegraphic
confirmation of mis- credential, hap
pened TO run into Mr. Lorton whom
he did not know was located in Tulsa.
In introducing ham. Mr. Lorton eS-
planned TO President j. IL. McBirnev
that Mr. Mayfield was an old-time
Kansas horse thief. This was not ex-
actly the kind Of an endorsement
either the banker or Mr. Mayfield
was expecting and for "A minute OF
two II looked as though a newspaper
mans Identification at a bank wasn't
worth any more than his written en-
dorsement, so far as getting the
money was concerned. But just at
this embarrassing juncture. the Rev.
McBirney, father Of the bank presi-
dent, happened along and proved to
be an old Methodist conference broth
or Of the Kansas eX-sheriff, but Mr.
Lorton had already begun TO explain
the horse stealing slander in thor
oughly satisfactory manner.
During the war times It was a very
common practice OF the citizens Of
Kansas and Missouri TO help them
selves to each others horses and dur
ing a raid of Missourians over the
Kansas border the Mayfield family
round themselves one night without
a single work horse on the farm. Lee
was the oldest Of the boys and with
neighboring lad, a few days later,
took tramp over the Missouri line
to see II they could not locate their
stolen horses or some others as good.
Returning empty-handed under cover
Of darkness they came upon country
dance and observed the horses ridden
10y the Missourians tethered some dis
lance from the scene of revelry and
proceeded to appropriate the exact
number of animals that had recently
been stolen from them.
When daylight came they discovered
that all Of the animals they had taken
were the original ones stolen from
the Mayfields, and when he grew to
manhood and ran for sheriff the story
had Travelled SO far that Il could not
be used on him as an election yarn
and all the Missouriaus sent word X
there was any danger Of beating him
they would come over and colonize
the county and guarantee his election,
Notwithstanding the populisic ten
dencies OF the times
Few men In eastern Kansas are
more beloved and universally es-
teemed than Lee Mayfield and after
rounding out life of usefulness and
accumulating competency he is
spending his declining years amid the
scenes Of his boyhood. surrounded by
happy memories and smiling faces,
strong I'm the republican faith and un-
changing In his loyalty and devotion
10 the Methodist church, and legion
Of personal friends and neighbors, as
befits well-spent life.