The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-04-01
Original Celebration Of the Day
in Kansas.
Joke ON "Gusty Windy" Brown
in Spring Of 1855.
TALE OF BORDER RUFFIANS
Newspaper Row Developed
Scare i'm Lawrence.
Days Of Sam Wood, John Speer
and Slavery.

This is April Fools day.
It Is a day backed by years OF tradi-
tion and days Of imposition.
It dates back to the time when
sturdy sons Of the forest dug bear traps
for their elders and gathered the set
Elements in glee to celebrate and make
merry.
1t is a day that no one is too young
or too old to enjoy-if the spirits OF
humOr move them.
1t is a day. too, that Will be remem-
bered by scores of veteran Kansans
that Nature has endowed with life and
with a memory.
The First April Fool in Kansas!
According to staunch old warhorses
like Edward p. Harris of Topeka
men who treasure in their fertile minds
the valuable bits of history within
their life's reach-the first All Fools
day in Kansas was carried out success
fully April /. 1855.
Fifty-nine years ago today! Right
in the midst of the raids Of the border
ruffians and the internal civil war
Kansas STOPPING to add Jest to the
recognition OF All Fools day! But it's
the truth-ask one of the few men OF
those times. II their memory does not
fail them, tears of joy will trickle down
their wrinkled faces as they recall the
famous Lawrence "militiamen' of the
night of April 1, 1855.
Here is the story:
In 1855. three newspapers were oper-
ated in Lawrence-then the real me-
tropolis of Kansas: The Herald Of
Freedom" by @. w. E-own: the Kan
sas Pioneer by John speer, and the
kansas Free State by r. G. Elliott.
Very naturally, intense rivalry exist
ed between the editors and publishers
and supporters Of the papers. And
thereby hangs the tale Of the first
April Fool in Kansas.
Intimidation by tho Nlissourians.
Early in the morning Of March 81.
1856, q band Of bad men from across the
Missouri line rode into Lawrence in one
Of their frequent intipidating visits. 1t
was their custom to swing into Kansas
in those days and frighten the people
into abandoning their free state ideas.
Lawrence was picked out as an ideal
community to enlist in the proslavery
cause and early state history bristles
with Interesting features near the site
Of Mount Dread.
On this particular day the Missouri
ans were in an unusually bad humor.
Up and down Massachusetts, street they
rode. firing their guns into the air and
threatening all who dared appear out
side their homes and places of busi-
ness. They took their meals forcibly
from the old hotel and spent the day
in riotous disorder.
, The three wide awake editors of that
day, 'GuSty WINDY Brown, JOnn
Speer and r.. G. Elliott trembled in
their little print shops that stood out
prominently along the villages main
thoroughfare. They dared not print
the details of the visit from the ruff
fians. They feared the consequences of
story Of this kind. And STILL their
newspaper spirit boiled up in their
quills, clamoring to play up and feature
in true metropolitan style, the days
events.
Finally "Gusty Windy Browns
paper was issued. The Herald Of Free
dom came out that afternoon in all its
glory. The citizens of Lawrence, about
800 in number, fought to read its col
umns The employees of the sawmili.
the brick yard and the hotel desert
ed their work to sec what "Gusty
Windy" would say about the sentiment
that had brought down the wrath OF
the proslaveryites upon the prospective
city.
The Herald Of Freedom contained its
usual run of locals" The crude ad-
vertisements occupied both sides OF the
four sheets. wonderfully written ar
ticle concerning the ideal March wealth
er maintained the front page pFftion.
Another story told of the location OF
three mail routes to Topeka, Leaven-