Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1914-02-12
JUSTICE ! J! /. SPED East
AfBIF OF, OLD ahCKINsoN CoUN-
~ HISTORY
History OF Kansas Tells OF Lynch.
ing-Lust for Gold Caused
= Murder

some OF them distinctly undesirable
as citizens, view In the light OF the
present day. the town never gained
the unsavory reputation that cloth
ed other towns further west. Brook
vile among others, was notorious.
The one case Of lynehing in Dick
inson county. as told in a History
OF Kansas, written by A. T. Andreas,
published in 1888. is OF interest. A
number OF these histories are in the
possession of older residents OF the
county. The story goes:
| so far as known there has been
but one case OF lynching in the
county, and this occurred in 1872.
The circumstances that led to It are
as follows: At that time there were
1.-TWO men in Abilene. who were part
ners In the business of tailoring.
Their names were Kelly and John
son. and their shop was a small
frame tdild1ng on First street. Here
they cooked. ate, slept and worked, |
this style Of living being much less
expensive than boarding. At that
time there was man living in the
northern part OF the county named
Elsizer, who made frequent visits to
Abilene, and during these visits he
would usually stop at Kelly's, where
he would have the free use of KEEL
ly's cooking utensils and dishes, and
also the privilege Of making himself
a bed on the floor at night.
zone Saturday Elsizer came to
town, and, as usual, stopped atl )
Kelly's. Johnson had a claim out in
the country, and before Elsizer came
in he and Kelly had divided what
cash they had, about 5000. Johnson
taking his portion with him out to
the claim. Elsizer made himself at
home as he usually did, but it so
happened that while he was there,
IN agent, named Grimes, who occa-
sionally went to Kelly's to have a
smoke and chat, stepped in to pay
MS customary visit. While he
stayed there Elsizer cook his sup
'ers end while he was doing this.
Irimes left. - : T
NeighbOrs Broke Open House q
Sunday came, and though Kelly F
i'd not make his appearance there t.
vas not much notice taken of it. d
fonday came, but Kelly's shop re-
lained closed all day. On Tuesday II
he neighbors began to suspect that
here must be something wrong, ard S,
roke open the door, where the
rst thing that met their gaze was
lie lifeless form of Kelly, with hiz
cad cleft open. Suspicion imme- az
lately fixed the deed upon John
"a. .i'
He had not been seen in town
nee Saturday. and Kelly's shop pa
I'd not been open since Saturday
6hS' oAu ne AhuoI NC CHO iuuLucTcI
was arrested, and found
mself in very critical position.
as he not Kelly's partner? Yes. or
d he and Kelly not divide $500
tween them on Saturday? Yes. ur
d he not know that Kelly had the
oney? Yes. Why should he go tir
t to his claim at that particular
ne? Here was where the diff
lty arose for Johnson, for nobody Do
ed on his claim. and there being
settlers in the vicinity Of where neJ
claim was located, to prove an
bi was impossible, and If ever an OF
accent man found himself in a
hit place 1t was Johnson. At this Sal
&c Of the proceedings Grimes OF
de 1t known that he had seen mu
izer at Keliy's ON Saturday ev- my
ng, and saw him cook his supper creI
re. box
Tho Chase for EIsizer
per-
There stood the table with one live
and saucer. just as they had ple,
n used, and there was the frying dor
with little of the meat in it n
t Elsizer had left. Suspicion now cen,
ned from johnson to Elsizer, and New
sheriff started Immediately for ed