OCR Text |
Show THE WAR IX KANSAS. There Fromises lo b Much llloodshed T he Jttdge Armeil for Ilattle. OKAliOf, Kas., Jan. 7. Judge Botkin is here awaiting reinforcements to help him open court. Word comes from Springfield thai the Woodsdale people have taken pos-scssion pos-scssion of the court house. When seen today. to-day. Judge Botkin carried a big six-shooter in a cartridge belt, and many others were similarly aimed. His vest was unbuttoned to the cutting wind, and not one iu town wore any coverings on their hands, iu order that the greatest freedom might be preserved and the quickest action admitted in case of emergency. Botkiu's first speech to Adjutant Adju-tant Gem nil Huberts was that be wanted arms. He would rather have fifty urincd men and mounted deputies than all tile militia mili-tia men in Kansas. Botkin wired the governor again to send 100 stand of arms. He also wants troops kept here thn e weeks and the county kept under martial law. (Ieneral Roberts has telegrapiied the governor for instructions. Charles (truer ami a man named Lands, both of Springfield, wen arrested. They were in hiding in a canon near Judge Botkiu's house, three miles this side of Springfield. Word was n rein d that nil attempt would be made in rescue the prisoners tonight, upon receipt of which report Botkin ordered that tin y lie shot before .surrendered. About t o'clock company II In charge of Colonel Hii kseeker started for Springfield in wagons to aid Deputy Sheriff Lsrabee if necessary in serving thirty warrants for the nrr.sl- "i oinpani E, the regim inlal band and (ieneral Roberts remained here to a I the di puties in guarding the prisoners and to be ready to repel un attack. Com pan.v H look" plenty of provisions and the remaining company established quarters quar-ters in a vacant store building. Part of company II is at the residence of Judge Botkin to do guard duly tonight. At suu-down suu-down the judge started from here for home, accompanied by a big revolver and a Winchester. Win-chester. Topbka, Kas., Jan. 7. Governor Iluiuph-rej Iluiuph-rej arrived at the executive office. "If there la sufficient power in the state, I propose to have the leaders of this affair arrested," said he, This U about all that can be done. Attorney-General Ives, speaking of the remedy for lawlessness said: "The trouble, as near as I can ascertain, began with an atccnipt by Colonel Sam Wood to resist what In- a sserted w as a fraudulent organization of Mi veils county, which organization was subsequently legalized by the legislature. "Tie i ' seem- to be a g in r.il misconception of affairs in Unit county, and the troublo il Usually attributed to the county seat contest between Woodsdale and llugston. No such contest evet existed after the troubles resulting re-sulting from the attempt to prevent the organization of Stevens county. The proposition propo-sition for bonding the county in favor of railroads intensified the feeling already started between the different factions, finally culminating in the murder of Sheriff Cross and others on the neutral strip and at-tempi at-tempi to bring the alleged perpetrators of that crime to justice. 'Subsequently personal troubles arising between Judge Botkin and Sam Wood had a b ndency to spread hostilities. The result of an impeachment trial of Judge Botkin, winch ended In his favor, fanned the smouldering smoul-dering embers Ifito another tierce llunie, which culminated in the assassination of Sam Wood on June 33d last. The subsequent subse-quent failure to obtain a jury for the trial of Colonel Wood's alleged assassins added to the confusion, producing a feeling of insecurity among law abiding inhabitant i and has been taken advantage of by the lawless, who saw an opportunity to commit outrages for which, under the present state of affairs, it was impossible to bring them to justice. The only remedy I can see is through the legislature, which should at once disorganize disorgan-ize and atta'di the sparsely settled territory to more thickly settled counties for judicial purposes." Topbka, Jan. 7 Governor Humphreys wired Judge Botkin this morning that he could iiotjuil arms in the hands of the dep. uty sheriffs. The adjutant general further was instructed not to interfere with flic work done by the civil authorities, hut to assist them in serving warrants if called upon. Governor Humphrey received a dispatch this afternoon from the adlutant-gitneral dated al Arkalon, stating that iie had arrested and was holding four prisoners. The gi in ral anticipated hO trouble as long as the troops remained. Seiti Noi l K.i.n, Kan., Jan. 7. The intense fever of excitement under which the peo. pic of this locality have labored since the murder of Sheriff Dunn appears to bu sub-siding, sub-siding, and matters are gradually assuming tboij normal aspect. Further trouble may possibly follow, but it is not thought likely. Company II arrived here . at sundown last night and went into camp. This morning many urincd men arc seen in the streets with Winchesters. This morning Judge Botkin opened court being protected by a strong guard. He adjourned ad-journed conn immediately and proceeded by wagon protected by a strong guard, to Santa Fe, Kans. , where cour; will be opened Tuesday Tues-day morning. The coroner's jury examined three witnesses yesterday. There is a suspicion that liolkins' request for a ,-fand iff arms is for the purpose of arming his svlends, and that, had they been sent, a general light would have followed. Botkins shows no disposition to retire from the bench, and the impression prevails that he will remain, even if it becomes necessary neces-sary to place the entire judicial district under un-der military rule. |