Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1918-07-12

AS showing that each faction IN tn
county seat contests had grounds To-
suspecting the other of fraud, It may
be noted that in the year of 1876, 4
presidential year, when it is presumed
that every precinct brought out every
vote, the total number of votes cast
by Baxter Springs was 21S and the
total vote cast by Lola precinct was
$50. This was. seven years after the
county seat contest when the popula-
ton of the two precincts must have
been double what it was in 1869.
When the result Of the county seat
contest was shown, and the showing
had given it to Columbus, neither fac
ton dared charge the other with
fraud; for it was too plainly evident
that both practiced it. If Baxter
Springs had held out some precinct, as
Columbus had done, the former place
would no doubt be the county seat to-
day. 1t made its showing too early;
for this gave the friends Of Columbus
a chance to see how many votes Lola
precinct would have to bring in to car
ry the election. Such methods would
now be called fraudulent; they were
perhaps less so then. The county was
new then, and there were fewer per-
sons to be affected, and smaller inter-
ests were at stake.
Capt. Sidney S. Smiths name is al
ways associated with thrilling events
which may not improperly be called
"The County Seat War" Of Cherokee
county. He was an ardent supporter
of the change, and he left no effort
untried for carrying the matter his
way.He had unconquerable will power,
and to this was added a genius for en-
ploying expedients rarely equalled
and probably never surpassed.
Immediately after the votes were
all il and counted, and while the peo-
pie of Baxter Springs were dazed at
the result, Captain Smith counseled
with his friends there with him and
they decided to move the records at
once, without waiting for q certif-
cate from the county clerk, and GER
tainly not for the order Of the county |
The record does not
show any order; it is silent on the
natter of moving the county seat to
Columbus. A little after nighfall
md without much ado, the records
we're quickly loaded into a two horse
wagon, which was driven out Of Bax-
er Springs before it was known to
anybody, except the friends of the
movement. It is said that the man
n charge Of the wagon, after he had
riven about two miles from Baxter I
springs, transferred the records to Z
mother wagon, the driver Of which
new what he had to do. The first
ian returned with his wagon to Bax-
or Springs, in order to throw of their !
u9rd any persons who might have
cen him drive away; and It is also o
aid that the second man, instead Of l
king a direct course to Columbus, a
ought circuitious route and entered n
lie town from an opposite direction. II
II these precautions were taken, it p
ling believed that the men who had n
orked so faithfully for Baxter il
brings would not quietly give up. 1t Ii
as believed that when they recover t.
from the stunning effects Of the Ii
feat they would employ fOrceful
ethods for holding the records. CO
Following in Mr.. Allison's writing in
a history of the organization Of the d.
urt house at Columbus and the m
anges in buildings, ETC., until the OF
esent building was erected, which 1t