The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-04-01
worth and Oswatomie. Not a word
was printed about the days raid!

worth ana OSWatOm1e. MOI d WOrO
was printed about the days raid!
joke Played ON Gusty Windy Brown.
Late that afternoon the Missourians
left town. Editor Brown took ad-
vantage Of their early departure. In
haste he penned out three columns Of
upraiding editorial with direct ap-
plication to the departed guests. 1t
rivalled the famous John Speers
Defy of the following fall. The state
line visitors were called every name
| that common decency would permit.
The story was topped with the wild
est headline Of prehistoric times and
was issued to the excited populace
before sundown.
The edition made great hit In
Lawrence. Undoubtedly it was the
first .'wuxtra" edition in the history
of Kansas newspaperdOm. OF course
Kansas journalism had existed only
about six months, but the early pub
lication OF the LeavenwOrth and Law
renee papers was an event to be re-
membered in print shop annals.
John Speer, publisher of the Kan
sas Tribune, was cut to the heart. The
energy shown by his rival in getting a
paper on the streets whitfield his
newspaper jealousy.
What would he do?
He called to him his chief adviser.
Sam Wood. He also enlisted Charlie
Garrett. What a combination! All
students Of early Kansas history know
Sam Wood. He owned the first news
paper ever published in Topeka-the
Tribune. 1t was this Same paper OF
Speer's, transplanted to Topeka. Wood
was killed in a county seat fight near
Hugoton only a few years ago. He
was at one time publisher Of the To-
peka State Journal.
Well, Wood and Garrett and Speer
were brought into confidence.
% n
beat accomplished by their rival
"Gusty Windy Brown!
These three moulders of the Jay
hawker free state. opinions Of tho
middle fifties finally decided upon a
plan-and once more, thereby hangs
the tale of the first April Fool in
Kansas.
Here is what that SpeerWood-Gar-
rett combine arranged to celebrate
the first An-Fools joke in the terri
tory.
Horse Lathered With Soap.
Not far from Lawrence was an old
Quaker settlement under charge Of
took an old horse. a small boy and
cake of soap with them late the night
Of March 81 to this Quaker village.
Early the next morning they mixed the
soap with water and lathered the old
horse from head to foot. Admonishing
Lawrence, they gave him the following
note to deliver to Editor Brown OF the
Herald of Freedom:
''Ye must arm yourselves. I over
heard a party of Missourians camping
near here last night declare they would
kill thee and all the prominent citi-
zens of Lawrence. They read thy pa
per and swore vengeance. They want
thy blood first. They plan to raid frai-
rie City. then Lawrence. Beware!"
Then speer and wood slipped pack
into Lawrence to watch the run.
Brown received his note in due form
and in all haste. He surveyed the boy,
the lathered horse and nefvously tore
open the note. He read the contents
and rushing to the Methodist cnurcn
he procured the old drum, used to call
the inhabitants to a public meeting
Panic stricken he ran up and down
the streets beating this drum and call
ing the citizens to a mass meeting at
the church.
The people responded-eight hundred
Of them. men, women and children.
John Speer and Sam Wood and Charlie
Garrett exhibited the same excited in
terest manifested by the expectant
popu1ace.
Brown took the platform and read his
note to the gathering.
A hush fell over the crowd. Hor-
rors! The Missourians were coming!
Brown had a plan. Organize two COM
panies Of militia Call for recruits.
Drill constantly until the enemies ap-
peared from down the river. Organize
a defense to the fair city. the women
and children and the men who were at
tempting a free-state commonwealth!
His suggestions we're carried out The
preacher of the Methodist church was
named captain Of one company. An
other patriot was selected as captain of
the other company. Guns and lighting
arms were gathered and the drilling be-
gan.
And 1t Was the First Of April.
Sam Wood and John Speer were
members of the preachers company.
In all attempted seriousness they en-
listed and stood side by side in battle
array. BY 9 o'clock in the morning
the militia was in perfect running or
der and the brave defenders Of Law
renee were parading up and down
Massachusetts street. waiting nervous
ly for the Missourians. Sentries had
been placed on Mount Dread and all
the byways and highways into the city
were watched closely for the first
alarm.
At about noon. Speer and Wood, ex-