The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-04-09
BY HARRY ROOT.

1kOO1.
Fred Beeler was one of the early
| timers in Jewell county. He went
there in time to be scared by the
Indians several times. He is probably
the best known man in the country to-
day. In spite of his wealth and his
financial ability to live in larger
places, he prefers to live on his farm
and take the world easy. He feels at
home experimenting his own affairs
He has lived on the farm he has made
his home in Jewell county for half a
century, overseeing his several farms
besides caring for his other business
He takes an active interest in all COM
munity affairs. as do his sons and
daughters, who live on farms in close
proximity to one another. He can tell
many entertaining stories of pioneer
life in Jewell county. 1t is interesting
to hear him tell of the Indian scares
he was witness to. At one time, and
before he had built home, a rumor
was to the effect that the Indians
were close at hand. The few home
steaders were panic stricken and run
ming here and there hunting places of
safety. One settler came to Beeler so
scared that it made him real angry
when he hauled off and knocked him
down. The Indian excitement con-
ttnued all thru the night, nor was
there any sleep for the panic stricken
Beeler was able to marshal enough
people to get the wagons and stock in
a circle and await the advance of the
Indians and give them a merry chase
After waiting all night without eating
or sleep, the Indians didn't put in any
appearance. Another scare was the
rumor that a band of Indians were
reported on the warpath, and guns
were fired close by The pioneers
waited and watched all the night, ex-
pecClng to be attacked any moment.
In the morning a company of soldiers
passing informed the pioneers that
they had a skirmish with them some
Instance off and had driven the
Indians away. Thse Indian scares
were trying times for the settlers IN
pioneer times in Jewell county, and
Fred Beeler was there to take them n,
Salem was for many years in MO
neer history one of the thrifty towns
IN the west corner of Jewell county,
IL never had railroad, but Burr Oak,
| ten miles east, was and is the terminus
| or the Jewell branch of the Missouri
Paclfic. This fact together with the
building of the Rock Island thru that
| county killed Salem. Your CORE
| sponoent visited the town many times
in early days on his chase for SUBJ
| scrlbers for the Atchison Champion
| and Topeka State Journal One in
mics northwest of Old Salem a stately
oak tree stood, which took part in
| an early day tragedy. II. was late at
| EiGht when a man looking for a team
| OF stolen mules turned up. Persons
| RENE mbered to have seen a team of
mules answering to description at an
other place. People from the sur
| rounding country assembled and went
1 T. the Tlace where the team was seen.
! They found the mules in the posses
| SION of man and a boy, about IL
years 90. AS usual in those cases in
| early tim es, the crowd turned to be a
| mob, who forgot the law and order
law. and hanged them both in spite
| of the older ones appeal that the boy
was innocent. Rumer says the boy
was actually innocent, but had been
| forced to participate in the stealing
| of the mules. The victims were buried
| on the prairie, and the graves are
marked to this day. Report says that
| the leaders of the mob always feared
for themselves, thinking the law
would overtake them, and that most
| of them are now dead. Law violation
/ was not the rule in Salem A splen-
| did. substantial people stayed there in
| spite of the rigors of pioneer life. The
| community was made up of good peo-
| pie, whose sons and daughters stood
| for the best things of life.
Now that political harmony ought
to prevail among the Republicans. q
| lively scrap" has broken out among
| the aspirants for postmaster of Smith
Center. Committees Of the different
aspirants are visiting CONGRESSMAN
| White before his return to Washing
ton in the hope of landing their man.
! A. c. Coolidge. former member of the
legislature from Smith county, Is