The New York herald., 1921-03-14
KANSANS TAR TWO
NON-PARTISAN MEN,
EXPEL EX-SENATOR
Townley's State Organizers
Forced to Roll in Grass in
Absence of Feathers.
LEGION MEN In LEAD
Bugle Calls Crowd of 200 to
Action; Whereabouts of
Victims Unknown.
OUTRAGE, SAYS BURTON
Former Member Of l.. S. SEN
ate Captured on Way to
Make Public Address.
OUTRAGE, SAYS BURTON

GREAT BEND, Kan, March 13.-De-
tails of the Anti Non Partisan League
demonstration in Butler county yes
terday and last night. which reached
a climax in the esCorting from Great
Bend of J. Ralph Burton, former
United States Senator from Kansas,
and the tarring of j. o. Stevic and
A. A. Parsons, officers of the league
revealed to-day that Stevic and Par
sons were compelled to apply a coat
ing of tar TO themselves after their
clothing had been removed. After they
had been forced by the crowd of sew
eral hundred men TO roll on the ground
their clothing was returned and they
were told to leave the county.
The whereabouts of Stevic and Par
sons. who are respectively State organ
iZer and State secretary Of the league.
We're not known tonight. Neither had
word been received here as TO the where
abouts of Burton or of a Prof Wilson.
another organizer for the league, who
was with Burton when he was forced to
leave Great Bend
Burton and Wilson were on their way
to Ellinwood, a small town in this county
where they were to address meeting
yesterday afternoon. When they did
not appear Stevic and Parsons came here
10 learn what had become of them The
latter two were then taken out of the
city and told not to return. Later when
ra1 -, -.
were tarred.
Had Everything hut Feathers.
When II became known at Lyons. a
small town near by that Stevic and Par
sons had returned to Ellinwood again.
American Legion men are reported to
have gathered for the purpose of going
there after them. Bugle calls were used
70 rally crowd to make the trip and
the gathering departed at 6 o'clock.
They interrupted a Nom Partisan League
meeting and brought Steve and Par
sons to Great Bend. arriving about . 80
p NJ
The party. numbering about 200 men,
took Stevic and Parsons out on a road
leading north from here. No opposition
town a halt was called and the men were
ordered to remove their clothes Pro-
testing they obeyed, and supply OF
tar was brought forth.
Smear that on was the command,
and the two. trembling from the cold
night air, began the application of the
substance to their naked bodies. When
they had finished they were ordered to
lie down and roll In the grass. A lack
of feathers made this imperative, mem
bers of the crowd said.
Their clothes were then returned to
them and the mob turned back to town.
warning Stevic and Parsons never TO
return. To Stevic II was explained that
this treatment was given TO him because
he had violated promises to remain out
of the county and that the purpose was
TO keep him out through rear.
Following the meeting OF the league
here and at Elinwood last summer. feel
ing has been against II. The meeting
here was marked by the eggng or
Mr. Mills. national organizer for the
league. At Ellnwood a meeting was
broken up. and Stevic at that time went
TO Gov. Allen with a protest demanding
that Sheriff Yancy be taken from office.
Yancy is now deputy sheriff
Has No Evidence. says Sheriff.
No effort. Il Is said, had been made
by the league to enter Barton county
after these disturbances, but after A. Q.
Townley, head of the league, came TO
Salina recently and launched q MEM
bership campaign It was indicated that
the league Intended to enter Barton
county again.
Preparations were made by American
Legion men and other opponents Of the
league to oppose their entrance. The
Legion men made Il plain that they
We're not acting as members OF the
veterans organizations. but as indi-
viduals
stevlc's home is In Topeka. lie has
been active In Non-Partisan League
circles more than year.
Former Senator Burton announced at
HUTCHINSON just after the Ellinwood dis
turbance that he would make a formal
statement relative TO what he termed
this outrage" when he returned 10 Sa-
lima. where ne owns newspaper.
Sheriff Sam Hill OF Great Bend said
tonight that he had been unable to get
any evidence that there had been
tarring party. Stevic and Parsons were
In town yesterday. he said. and after
there had been several near fights he
accompanied them out OF town for 1eyen
miles. following behind IN a second au-
tomobile as a matter Of protection lie
saw no other machines or any evidence
OF a demonstration, he said. He also
said that he had not seen former Sena-
TOR RurtOu