THE WINFIELD COURIER
[Beginning Thursday, November 24, 1881.]
COU21.WIN
[KANSAS CLIPS.]
NOVEMBER 24, 1881.
Coal is sold at $6 per ton on the Santa Fe road.
The State penitentiary contains 637 prisoners.
It is complained that Topeka's courthouse is too ugly and too small.
Thirty-two hundred acres of land in Butler county recently sold for $25,000.
The Methodist Episcopal church has voted for missionary purposes $5,500 to southern Kansas.
Thirty youthful culprits are now housed in the State Reform school opened last June at Topeka.
The penitentiary coal shaft furnishes to the various state institutions 4,500 bushels of coal per week.
-0-
[ROBINSON.]
Winfield Courier, November 24, 1881.
The Commonwealth says that the new town of Robinson at the Black Range in New Mexico was named for Chief Engineer Robinson, of the A., T. & S. F. This is a mistake. Geo. O. Manchester named the town in honor of our M. L. Robinson, of Winfield, expressly stating that it was due him as the originator and chief promoter of the enterprise. The projected branch of the Santa Fe railroad to Robinson will be built. The following in relation thereto is clipped from the New Mexican.
A
The engineers of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe railroad, under N. M. Wells, have reached the Rio Grande with a preliminary survey for the Black Range branch from this place. The line will cross the river at the head of the rapids or go down to the mouth of the Cuchilio Negro river and go up the bottoms to the Cuchilio Negro mountains. However, the location of the road will be made as the engineers return, and it is presumed there will be a continuous survey.@
[PERSONALS.]
NOVEMBER 24, 1881.
Geo. Robinson is out again after a severe illness.
Go to McGuire Bros. and buy a barrel of choice Michigan apples. They received a carload: 150 barrels and 13 different varieties. Drop in and buy a barrel for they are selling fast.
Mr. Reuben Booth spent most of last week in Winfield attending court.
Senators Benedict and Ping, of the Kansas legislature, were in the city Monday.
E. H. Bliss spent Sunday with his family, and left on the Monday train for the east.
Winfield Courier, November 24, 1881.
Mr. and Mrs. Snodgrass were divorced the other day on the ground of extreme cruelty.
Henry Goldsmith has published a beautiful calendar for the year 1882. It is a very fine one.
The voice of late Commissioner Le Duc is again heard, declaring that sorghum sugar is a success.
MARRIED. In Winfield, Nov. 18th, by Rev. Thos F. Borchers, Mr. Edwin Gregory and Miss Lillie Perin.
Mr. Glass against J. F. McMasters and school district 125, recovers pay for material furnished the district.
Mr. William Carter and wife left Monday for a visit to friends at McVeytown, Pennsylvania. They will be absent about three months.
Subscriptions to the stock of the Building and Loan Association are coming in rapidly and the series will soon be exhausted.
Arrivals at the hotels are daily increasing and judging from the commercial travel our businessmen must be "whooping it up."
John Burroughs and Archie Stewart, of Winfield, have taken the contract to do the stone and brick work on the Caldwell schoolhouse.
The Commissioners finished their settlement with the treasurer last week. The books were found to be correct and everything in the best of shape.
An addition has been made to the firm of McDermott & Johnson. It is a small one, but promises well for the future. It is a junior member from Johnson's side of the house.
Court is grinding along slowly and will probably remain in session part of next week. Judge Torrance will leave the docket in better condition than it has been for eight years.
---
MR. CHARLES H. PAYSON HAS RECEIVED A PARDON FROM THE GOVERNOR AND WAS RELEASED FROM THE PENITENTIARY ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO. HE IS NOW, WE UNDERSTAND, IN ILLINOIS WITH HIS BROTHER.
Winfield Courier, November 24, 1881.
Conductor Miller had the address last Saturday evening to make 35 passengers, packed in a box car from Mulvane, feel comfortable and happy. His best passenger car was sent to Caldwell for troops.
Beaver township ahead! John F. Miller has just finished threshing his crop of wheat of seventy acres, making seventeen hundred and fifteen bushels, averaging twenty-four bushels per acre. Beat that if you can.
County Attorney Jennings' labors during this term of court have been excessive. He has been successful in every case but one, and furnishes the state with six wards and thirty-three and a half years service.
One Samuel M. Jarvis, of the county of Jackson in the state of Missouri, was in the city Monday. It seems to us that we have seen the gentleman before, but in those days he didn't wear a white plug hat. The disguise is complete.
Winfield Courier, November 24, 1881.
Hon. H. C. Sluss, of Sedgwick, was in the city Monday. Senator Sluss is one of the ablest men in Southern Kansas and the acknowledged leader of the bar in his county. He lives in Wichita, the home of great men. Our ex-Judge lives there also.
---
Rhinehart Erhart was tried and convicted before Police Judge Barnes this morning for keeping a tippling shop at the Pfefferie stand, and was sentenced to pay a fine of $50, and to imprisonment in the county jail for six weeks. This is just the kind of medicine the whiskeyites are crying for and we hope to see them accommodated. A man who is sordid enough to make a business of selling liquor may be reluctant to part with his ill-gotten gains, but he hates imprisonment worse. It may begin to dawn upon the minds of the rum venders by-and-by that the people of Emporia are in earnest about the enforcement of the prohibitory law. Emporia News.
Thus is the fame of Winfield men spreading day by day. Mr. Ehret sought "new fields and pastures green" in which he seems to have jumped from the frying pan into the fire. After a few more examples are made, saloon keepers and dealers in liquid lightning will come to the conclusion that the commonwealth of Kansas is a bigger man than they are, and that it is better to abide by the laws than to play checkers with their nose through the prison bars. While we regret to see Mr. Ehret suffer, we think he has got just what he deserved.
NOTE: EMPORIA ARTICLE SHOWED "ERHART"...NOT SURE IF THIS WAS A TYPO ON THE PART OF EMPORIA OR COURIER. ANYWAY, THERE HAD BEEN A SALOON KEEPER IN WINFIELD CALLED EHRET, WHO
LEFT TOWN WHEN PROHIBITION HIT!
Winfield Courier, November 24, 1881.
The new town of Robinson, New Mexico, is attaining a remarkable growth. Fifteen houses are now up and occupied, and dozens of others are contracted for and the prospective owners are impatient because material cannot be brought in fast enough. When it is remembered that the city is but six weeks old, and that as yet it has not got a post office, our eastern friends can get an idea of how a western town is built. The Socorro Miner lies before us containing a two-column article on Robinson and the mines surrounding it.
A careful perusal of this satisfies us that M. L. has "struck it rich," and that his town is bound to be the Leadville of New Mexico. Miners and speculators are flocking in by the hundreds and three newspapers will be footing within a fortnight. We are proud of Robinson and of its success for it is a Winfield institution, as it were, and we always sigh for provo-cation to assert that Winfield can beat the whole Arkansas Valley put together when it comes to building towns and railroads and other enterprises that require brains, capital, and energy.
Winfield Courier, November 24, 1881.
Our Cowley county boys in Colorado all seem to be prospering. We have just received a letter from Mayginnis & Stover, at Canon City, dated Nov. 10. "We are in the winter out here. Have had 26 inches of snow and it is snowing at present. It makes us think of sunny Kansas." It would make most any of us think of sunny Kansas to be tramping around in 26 inches of snow the first of November. A little sleet and freeze is all the winter we have experienced as yet.
---
Charlie McIntire, editor of the Democrat, spent a pleasant hour with us Saturday. We always like to see Charlie and talk over the old days when we used to set type together on the "Plow and Anvil" at fifty-cents a day and board ourselves. Frequently when the business was dull and the receipts of the office didn't amount to enough to pay our salaries, we would jointly borrow enough from a friend to appeace the boarding-house keeper until two or three delinquent subscribers could be chased down.
Winfield Courier, November 24, 1881.
A smoothe-face individual, supposed to be a detective from New York, was hanging around during the pendency of the Haywood forgery case. He left as soon as the prisoner was convicted. There would have been sport, had the jury brought in a verdict of "not guilty," over the possession of the prisoner, as Sheriff Shenneman had a requisition in his pocket from the Governor of Pennsylvania for him and the detective was certainly here for the purpose of getting hold of him if possible. We venture to say that Shenneman would have come out ahead.
NOTE: HE HAD "SMOOTHE-FACE"...NEW ONE TO ME!
Winfield Courier, November 24, 1881.
MR. GEO. W. MILLER has bought the Lindsay property in this city and located here as a permanent home. He is one of the leading cattle kings of this country and has now about 5,000 head of cattle on the range in the Territory. He has selected Winfield as his headquarters, because it has good society, churches, and schools, and a wide awake people, making it the most desirable place for his family, consisting of a wife and four children.
Winfield Courier, November 24, 1881.
The prisoners were sentenced Monday.
Armstrong, for the murder of James Riley, gets fifteen years in the penitentiary.
Haywood, forger, gets seven years.
Harmon, stealing hogs from Larson's estate, four years.
McDade, stealing $20 from Al Hon, one year.
Jackson, horse stealing, five years.
Joseph Best, horse stealing, eighteen months.
Sheriff Shenneman started Tuesday with the six criminals for Leavenworth.
NOTE: I DO NOT UNDERSTAND THE LIGHT SENTENCE FOR EWELL HARMON. AFTER ALL, HE POISONED LARSON. DO YOU RECKON THEY COULD NOT PROVE IT?
Winfield Courier, November 24, 1881.
MARRIED. Mr. Edwin Gregory and Miss Lillie M. Perrin, formerly of Kedron, Fillmore county, Minnesota, were married at the residence of Rev. Borchers Thursday evening, November 17th. Ed went about this business so slyly that even the newspapermen didn't know anything about it until the deed was done. Of course, ye local received a piece of the wedding cake. We wish them much happiness.
Winfield Courier, November 24, 1881.
Last Saturday morning, about three o'clock, a residence on the west side, yet unfinished, belonging to John A. Case, was discovered to be on fire. The house was entirely consumed and was worth about $1,000. It had been insured but a few days before for $300. Mr. Case is a young man and was building the house for rent.
---
We noticed two or three drays unloading barbed wire in front of Horning, Robinson & Co.'s hardware store Tuesday. They had just received a carload of wire alone. By the way, this extensive establishment is this fall laying in a stock of hardware and cutlery that is simply immense and is far ahead of anything we have seen in the state. They have jugs full of pocket knives and as much as twelve bushels of table knives, forks, butcher knives, and spoons of the most approved pattern. While investigating the knife business, we sat down to rest and happened to light on the edge of one of the "Old '76" axes; and if our endorsement will add any to their fame, we can safely say they are the keenest cutters we have ever come in contact with. We are glad to say that Messrs. Horning, Robinson & Co. are realizing their fondest expectations regarding brisk trade. If it keeps up much longer, we are afraid the boys will never live to enjoy the fruits of their labors. Men who work eighteen hours a day always die early. However, it is a pleasure to deal with them for a cus-tomer always receives prompt and courrteous attention and the fairest treatment.
Winfield Courier, November 24, 1881.
Mrs. A. W. Davis has gone to Geuda Springs in Cowley county for her health, which has been quite poorly for some time.
Cherryvale Globe.
Which leads us to remark that the Geuda Springs are rapidly becoming famous as a health resort. A large number of buildings are being erected and the persons who have tried the Springs talk long and loud of their healing properties. We predict that by the end of another year, these springs will be more famous than the Eureka Springs, of Arkansas.
NOTE: COURIER FINALLY GOT IT RIGHT..."GEUDA" SPRINGS.
---
The markets this week are a little weaker than last, especially on hogs. They run from $4.50 for medium to $5.25 for choice butchers. Lard is worth 15 cents and bacon 16 cents. Wheat remains about the same: 70 cents for rejected and No. 4 to $1.00 and $1.10 for No. 2. The average price is $1.00. Corn sells readily at 53 cents. Potatoes are worth from $1.50 to $2.00 according to quality. Eggs are way up: 25 cents a dozen. Butter follows along at 30 cents per pound.
---
The old case of Harris against Day, which was begun in this court about the time of the spread of Mohammedism, which was, we think, in 719 A. D., has at last been dismissed, each party paying his own costs. It looks to us as if the foundations of the court would be shaky without the case of Harris vs. Day to sit on. However, Judge Torrance has had the nerve to dismiss it.
Winfield Courier, November 24, 1881.
Judge James Christian will lecture in the Opera House next Friday evening on the subject, "Ireland and the Irish." The Judge is a pleasant speaker and handles his subject well. He has met with affliction in the almost total loss of sight, and deserves, and we trust will secure, a large audience. The admission is twenty-five cents.
QUESTION: IS HE THE ONE THEY GOT THE PENSION FOR?
---
Mr. Dan Hawkins and Miss Lena Wellman off Vernon township will be married this (Thursday) evening. We heard Dan inquiring about the price of apples Wednesday. He did not get the price of potatoes and cord wood or he would have postponed the wedding indefinitely.
---
Subscribers to the Garfield Memorial Fund are entitled to a certificate. These certificates have been received at the Winfield Bank and are models of beauty. Those who have subscribed should call and get their certificates.
-0-
[THE M. B. SOCIETY.]
NOVEMBER 24, 1881.
A number of young ladies gathered at the M. E. church Monday evening and organized themselves into a society. They propose to call themselves the M. B. Society. The following officers were elected: Miss Jessie Millington, President; Miss Allie Klingman, Vice President; Miss Jennie Haine, Secretary; Miss Ida McDonald, Treasurer.
The society will give a New England supper Friday evening, November 25, at the M. E. Church. The M. B. Ladies will be dressed in New England costume of the time of Washington.
The following committees were appointed.
Mrs. Austin, Mrs. Rinker and Mrs. Copeland: to solicit and arrange for supper.
Mrs. McDonald, Mrs. Dever, Mrs. Bedilion: to secure and prepare dishes.
Will Robinson, Will A. Smith, Miss May Roland, Miss Jennie Haine: to handle reception.
Mr. Crippen: to handle music.
Misses Allie Klingman, Jessie Millington, L. Graham, Annie Weaver, Emma Gridley, Amy Southern, M. Melville, Ida McDonald, Ida Trezise, Ella Bosley, M. Hamill, Emma Crippen Miss Stebbins, and Miss Bard: to handle tables.
Those wishing a good supper in the good old New England style can be satisfied on Friday evening.
-0-
[GLEANED FROM THE TESTIMONY: ARMSTRONG TRIAL.]
NOVEMBER 24, 1881.
The agony is over. The Armstrong trial is finished. Twelve good men have carefully weighed the evidence and decided that Tom Armstrong, while in the heat of passion, deprived James Riley of his life. The array of witnesses have returned to their homes, and curious lookers-on no longer haunt the courthouse halls to speculate as to the verdict and refix tthe penalty as each succeeding witness leaves the stand. In a few days the prisoner will receive his sentence and be consigned to a living death behind gloomy prison walls, walls his victim sleeps the sleep that knows no awakening.
This tragedy will always remain a black page in the history of Arkansas City. James Riley came to that place two years ago and opened a drug store. He seemed to be a young man of more than ordinary intelligence, and, although at times quarrelsome, his general manner was prepossessing, and he gathered about him a circle of friends and admirers. His business prospered, and a bright future lay before him. Away from home, and its restraining influences, with a nature passionate and high-strung, it is no wonder that he looked lightly upon customs and laws, a strict observance of which is necessary to the well-being of every citizen.
Fearless in the face of enemies, but generous and open-hearted with friends, Riley cared little for the wishes of the former and was confident of support from the latter. Soon he came into the possession of a horse and seemed to have formed a great attachment for the animal. A man from over east came along and a race was made. Riley was backed by his friends to a man, and the subject was talked over and over again, until an unusual interest was felt in the result. It was what horse men call "a race for blood." The day set for the race came around, hacks and carriages were brought forth, and everyone of a sporting disposition turned out.
Here Armstrong enters upon the scene. He goes to Riley's drug store and purchases two pint bottles of liquor. Armed with these he gets into a hack with four others and starts for the race track. He drinks several times on the road down. A crowd from one- to two-hundred are congregated to witness the race. Armstrong bets against Riley's horse and stations himself near the outcome. The horses are started. Riley's flies the track and the other goes through alone. Then there is much discussion as to whether the race was a fair one, or not, in which Armstrong takes an active part. Naturally of a braggadocio disposition, and inflamed with liquor, he seems desirous of impressing everyone around with the idea that he is "cock of the walk" and responsible for a large share of the fun.
Riley and the owner of the other horse are talking together apart from the crowd. Armstrong approaches them and volunteers some advice on the matter of the race. Riley says, "Go off, Tom, we're running this race," and Tom goes off. Soon he gets among a crowd of persons, talks loud, and offers to bet his coat. The name of Riley is mentioned, and he says, "G_d d_m him, I'll kill him. By G_d, I'll have him for breakfast."
After awhile Riley gets mad and calls someone a liar.
This is told to Armstrong, and he says, "I wish he would call me that: I'd like to knock a hole through him."
Soon the owners of the horses decide to run again, and Armstrong bets his watch with Riley against ten dollars. Riley is handed the watch, but turns it and the ten dollars over to Rile Farcio, as stakeholder. The race is run and Riley's horse is beaten. Armstrong asks Riley for the watch and money, and is referred to the stakeholder, who gives him the property.
Another circumstance happens between the races that bears upon the case. Armstrong is informed that Adams, a boon companion who came with him to the race, is lying under the hedge close by dead drunk. He goes out with a friend, they pick up the inebriate, and put him in the hack. While doing so Armstrong discovers a revolver in Adams' pocket, which he transfers to his own, with the remark that he (Adams) had better not have it while in that condition.
The race is over! Riley's horse is beaten; he has lost his money and his pride is wounded deeply. Human nature is much the same and he felt only as other men would feel under like circumstances: chagrined, defeated, and disposed to think harshly of those who helped to bring this disgrace upon him.
Armstrong had been loud-mouthed and arrogant, and his conduct was calculated to rankle in the mind of one more even tempered than Riley. On the other hand Armstrong had won. He had money in his pocket and must have gloried with the proud satisfaction of a successful bully over his success. A bully can make victory out of defeat by pure force of wind, and takes savage delight in administering draughts of gall and wormwood to the defeated when chance throws him on the winning side. Armstrong was a bully and Riley the least liable to take the draught without wineing. [HE WROTE WINEING.]
It is the evening of the day of the eventful race. Riley, the two Farclo boys, Capt. Rarrick, D. A. McIntire, and Charley Holloway, Riley's clerk, are gathered in the low one-story frame store, talking over the incidents of the day.
Armstrong and Adams come in. Adams is still drunk, although able to navigate. Armstrong is happy and doesn't care one cent whether the white-winged angel of peace is within one mile or fifty of the spot. He would like to see Riley squirm on general principles; and he proceeds to gratify this desire in the most subtle manner. He goes to the cigar case, calls out cigars for himself and Adams, and then turns to Riley with the query: "Riley, won't you smoke with me?" You who have studied human nature can analyze the feelings of these two men as they stood there eyeing each other over the cigar case: the victor, self-important at the other's expense, and spending with a lavish hand the money he had won.
No wonder Riley answered: "No. I won't smoke with any man who bet against my horse." A man of less spirit might have accepted the cigar as a peace offering; but no son of Erin would ever do it. He would hold out to the end and neither ask nor grant quarter. Hence, it is not strange that when Armstrong said, "You cannot smoke with a better man," that Riley was ready with money to "bet he was a better man than any two in town." This is the Irishman's way out of any difficulty; and if he can only have the privilege of fighting two, or ten, or a dozen, he will come up smiling at the end, and whether he carries the scalps or the bruises, will feel all the better for it.
Here the situation seems to have been comprehended by those around. Capt. Rarrick told them to put up their money and Charley Holloway suggested that it was time to close up the store. Riley said, "Yes, boys, let's close up," and began urging them out while Holloway commenced putting out the lamps.
Armstrong and Adams are among the last to go out. Adams is drunk and moves slowly: he gets almost to the door and Riley gives him a push and sends him out. He turns around and tries to come in again and Riley gives him another push and he falls over at full length on the sidewalk. Riley steps up and makes a side kick at him. During this time Armstrong has gone out and is standing near the south awning post in front of the building. He sees Adams come reeling out of the door and fall on the sidewalk, and Riley follow him up and kick at him.
Armstrong starts forward exclaiming, "Hold on, Riley: I can't stand that!" Riley takes a step forward, but before they come together, Marsh Farcio seizes Armstrong and hurls him off the sidewalk down eighteen inches into the street, where Armstrong falls on his hands and knees.
Riley sees that a fight is imminent and in an instant his coat is off and thrown against the side of the building. He sees Armstrong get up and face toward the north awning post, and he walks around in front of him and puts his left hand up against the post with the right thumb in the armhole of his vest and kicks out toward Armstrong, and says, "Go off home, Tom!"
Armstrong sees Riley step in front of him and sees him kick. He is blind with rage and a desire to teach people not to fool with him. He has the revolver he got from Adams in his pocket, and quick as lightning, it is brought out. The arm is raised, a loud report breaks out upon the still night air; and as the smoke clears away, he sees his victim sink down on the pavement, and the thought flashes across his mind that he is a murderer. He rushes away out into the darkness, while the by-standers carry Riley's lifeless form in and lay it on the counter.
These as near as we can write them, are the salient points brought out by the evidence. The jury brought in a verdict of murder in the second degree, and no more just and legal verdict has ever been rendered. That Armsttrong intended to kill Riley ten seconds before the deed was done, we do not for a moment believe, nor do we think there was a particle of evidence to show that he did. The threats made on the race track were but in accord with the general character of the man, such as one would expect at the place and under the circumstances.
-0-
[MORE PERSONALS.]
NOVEMBER 24, 1881.
It is not generally known among our readers that Stevenson, Emery & Taft have opened a very extensive Dry Goods and Carpet House in Topeka. It is conducted on the same principles as the large House in Kansas City, and being in our own state, is entitled to the support of our people.
Those who visit Topeka on business would do well to look through this establishment, as they will find a vry large assortment and prices to compare with any of the largest houses east or west. Mail orders will receive prompt attention.
---
The Good Templars had another interesting meeting this week. The paper edited by Mrs. Beach was a gem. It sparkled with wit, eloquence, pathos, and instruction. The address by W. C. T. Finch starled the Lodge and electrified the members, but viewing it from a critic's standpoint, I think there is great room for improvement. We have been troubled with a smoky place for some time, and last night Capt. Sivert explained the mystery by saying, "that it was caused by one of Mr. Beach's ideas getting crosswise in the flue." I will say to those of the members who have staid away on account of the smoke that they can come back now, as the obstacle will be removed and put to its legitimate use next Monday night during the debate. The attendance and interest are increasing. Let us have a full lodge at the next meeting. BY A MEMBER.
---
The people of District No. 9, "Excelsior" schoolhouse, are working up a fund with which to purchase an organ for the school. This is a worthy scheme and we hope to see them succeed.
---
The case of the State against A. H. Green for assault and battery on Rev. Tucker came up before Judge Torrance Tuesday evening. Mr. Green plead guilty and was fined $100, and costs.
---
Mr. B. B. [or R. R.] Vandeventer is making his yearly visit to look over his Cowley county property.
-0-
[SCHOOL DISTRICT APPARATUS.]
NOVEMBER 24, 1881.
The Supreme Court has given a decision on the purchase of apparatus by district boards that is of interest to both buyers and sellers. The clerk and director of District 51, Sedgwick county, purchased school apparatus, and gave therefor an order on the district treasurer for $47, with interest at 10 percent. The order was sold to a third party, who brought suit for collection.
The Supreme Court held the members of the school board "had no authority from the school district to purchase said apparatus, because they had never been authorized to do so by any vote or at any meeting of the school district."
"The mistake committed by all the parties was a mistake of law, and not a mistake of fact," and the defendants did not intend to make themselves personally liable thereon. And the supreme court so ruled.
This decision should be widely published by the press and by the public, for it will restrain book-agents, map-agents, apparatus, and lightning rod peddlers as well as school district officers in doing many thing unauthorized by the school law.
-0-
[REPORT FROM "P. J." - NINESCAH TOWNSHIP.]
NOVEMBER 24, 1881.
Mr. Crawford has in his wheat field a pond, or rather a lake, which the people propose to enclose for him and fit the edge with seats, so that the young folks may have a magnificent skating rink. By the way, Mr. Crawford's new dwelling is nearing completion; and if it were not for the portico over the south door and the chimney in the center of the roof, the people would call it a school house.
It is talked that Mr. P. W. Crawford is about to leave us for Barbour county, though he may change his mind and remain with us until spring.
Mr. Albert Brookshire is expounder of truths at the Blue schoolhouse and wields the birch so heartily that it is rumored that several of his large scholars (mostly young ladies) have turned their footsteps to the schoolhouse at Seely over which Mrs. L. C. Turner presides with a gentle dignity and grace that wins the hearts of all her pupils.
I hear that Will Crawford and his carpenter lost a day last week and so worked on the new house all day Sabbath last, thinking, no doubt, that it was Saturday.
P. J.
-0-
[REPORT FROM "OCCASIONAL" - HARVEY TOWNSHIP.]
NOVEMBER 24, 1881.
Box City is booming. The largest establishment in the place is the variety store of H. Mathews and Robert Barker. They keep a general supply of groceries, dry goods, and notions. We have a post office with a semi-weekly mail.
Uncle Sam Stiles will soon have his mill ready to run, and will be able to furnish Harvey and surrounding country with material for "corndodgers," as we common country folks call it that have to eat it, but what polite folks call it I don't know. I once heard a little boy say, "Oh! Ma, Ann said a dreadful wicked word." "What, my dear?" "Why, she said corndodger." Well, I think the average Harveyite ought to be partially content with their present home comforts.
George Savage has finished his dwelling near the city and taken a housekeeper. Much better, George, than batching.
Corn is selling at 50 cents in the crib.
OCCASIONAL.
[REPORT FROM "W. H." - NORTHWEST CRESSWELL.]
NOVEMBER 24, 1881.
The weather is fine and corn is being cribbed as rapidly as possible. Good work hands are very scarce in the Bend. Anyone wanting labor would do well to apply.
Billy Inman found himself a frow while visiting in Illinois, but Frank Stansbury was gone considerable longer than Bill and was unable to find one that suited him.
George Corby smiles, but it's only a six pound boy.
Billy Baruth's father is out from Illinois, and he intends finishing up Billy's fine dwelling.
D. J. Bright has returned, and he and his wife are living happily together again.
A man while crossing at the Salt City Ferry the other day was shooting at some ducks up the river and shot one of the strands out of the long rope that is stretched across the river. This may cost Will Mc. a new rope.
David Bright, George Bigger, and Billy Lee went to the Territory last week. This cold snap will pinch their toes.
Irwin Cole was around shaking last week. He says the lambs are doing well on the range yet in Harper county. He leaves his son Lawrence in our district to go to school this winter.
Jesse Stansbury is rather uneasy about his wife. He is looking for her every day, but she does not appear.
We had a nice birthday party at Mr. Smalley's on the 18th inst. His wife presented him with a fine mustache cup and saucer.
We were greatly disappointed about the grand jury. We did not get a chance to sign the petition down our way.
W. H.
[EDITOR SOUNDS OFF ABOUT PETER LARSON: STRICHNINE?]
DECEMBER 1, 1881.
G. E. Patrick, profesor of chemistry in the Lawrence university is a brick. Dr. Emerson readily found strichnine in the stomach of the late Peter Larson though he did not claim to be a practical chemist, but the great chemist of Lawrence was called in to settle the question. The professor made an analysis and pronounced that there was no trace of strichnine, months passed, and the supposed murdered is only tried for stealing hogs, is convicted, and sent for four years to the penitentiary; and now comes forward the said professor with the statement that he has analyzed the same matter again and found strichnine.
Either the chemicals or the chemist operate very slowly and with uncertain results!
[EDITOR AGAIN: A TRIBLE LIBEL.]
DECEMBER 1, 1881.
In our last week's issue the proof sheet showed that J. D. Snoddy was elected judge of the 10th district. We ordered the foreman to take J. D. Snoddy out of the paragraph and insert W. R. Wagstaff. We took no more notice of it until the edition was run off, when we noticed that Snoddy remained and that Wagstaff was inserted in another paragraph in place of Snyder, who was convicted in Lawrence for violation of the prohibitory law.
We have been expecting all the week to be arrested three times for libel, once on complaint of Snoddy, again on complaint of Wagstaff, and lastly on complaint of Snyder.
[DISTILLED FROM EXCHANGES...SOME ITEMS FROM STATE PAPERS.]
DECEMBER 1, 1881.
Osage county is happy over the discovery of an old Indian lead mine.
Wichita is to have a telephone exchange.
Independence proposes to drill an artesian well for coal.
Geo. H. Herrington, of Wichita, has invented an improved type writer.
Salina is to be supplied by gas for heating and lighting
purposes.
The Kansas Central, narrow gauge railroad, is running to Clay Center and Wirt is happy.
J. S. Danford's banks at Hunnewell, Caldwell, and Osage City are reported as suspended.
A new stock exchange bank has been started at Caldwell with $100,000 capital, John E. Woods, president, and Ed Hewins, vice president.
The Commonwealth office was a blaze of glory Thanksgiving night, being lighted for the first time with electricity. Sixteen carbons were used.
[DISSOLUTION OF CO-PARTNERSHIP (BY LIMITATION) - LYNN & LOOSE]
DECEMBER 1, 1881.
BIG AD:
DISSOLUTION -OF- CO-PARTNERSHIP (BY LIMITATION) OF THE FIRM OF LYNN & LOOSE. Will take place on the 6th day of March, 1882. Our doors will be closed for inventory about February 1st. Preparatory thereto, we will offer our ENTIRE STOCK OF GOODS -AT- COST FOR CASH ONLY! for the next 60 days. Now is the time to get BARGAINS IN DRESS GOODS, NOTIONS, CLOTHING, HATS, CAPS, BOOTS, SHOES, QUEENSWARE, AND GROCERIES.
We wish to be distinctly understood that we will not sell to anyone goods at cost except for cash. Where time is given they will be charged at our regular prices. We have $25,000 WORTH OF GOODS -WHICH WE WISH TO- CONVERT INTO CASH, And for that purpose we offer them to our trade and the public at COST FOR CASH! Hoping to see all our old customers and as many new ones that wish to buy goods cheap, we remain, respectfully,
LYNN & LOOSE.
[PERSONALS.]
DECEMBER 1, 1881.
Mr. Henry Deidrich, of Vernon, made us a pleasant call Monday.
Geo. Whitney and wife spent Thanksgiving with Mrs. Whitney's parents in Wichita.
Mr. C. G. Furry, one of the live young men of Northwest Cresswell, made us a pleasant call last week.
The old fraud and public demoralizer, Dave Payne, has gone to the Indian Nation alone and unattended.
Miss Clara Garvey spent the week visiting with Miss Jessie Millington. She returned to her home in Topeka Monday.
Judge McDonald returned to the snowy mountains of Colorado Monday after a sojourn of one week with his family.
The net receipts of the M. B. Social was $35.68. This is a pretty good beginning and is encouraging to the ladies.
THE MARKETS. Wheat holds about the same as last week: from 90 cents to $1.15 per bushel. Hogs, good heavy, bring $5.00. Corn 53 cents.
Stevenson, Emery & Taft have another four dollar advertisement in this issue. We call attention to this fact so that Abe will have a chance to yowl.
AGAIN! I CAN'T FIND THE AD HE REFERS TO! MYSTIFYING!
Mr. John Radcliff, of Dexter, was one of the panel of jurymen at this term of court and made this office his headquarters during the forced stay in the city.
ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS REWARD will be paid for the return to the undersigned of a pocket book lost Saturday evening, and no questions asked. W. T. WRIGHT.
Library Association will hold its regular monthly meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 6, at 3 p.m., in the Library rooms. Officers and members please make an extra effort to be present.
Mr. and Mrs. William Mulford, of Tisdale, are overjoyed at the advent of a young son Monday afternoon. There is about eight pounds of him. We will smoke with William.
Arkansas City is taking steps to organize a Building and Loan association. The City ought to maintain a prosperous association; one that will be a beneffit to the stockholders and the town.
Rev. C. P. Graham, of New Salem, made us a call on Monday.
Our Tisdale correspondent says Bullington & Elliot's Grouse Creek Mill flour is on sale there and is as fine as any in the market. We understand that the mills are now running at their fullest capacity.
The Court sat on the case of Kibble vs. Kibble last Friday. All the bald-headed lawyers in town had urgent business at court that day and Judge Brush came clear over from Grenola. The plaintiff got her divorce, however.
Messrs. Hodges, Myton, Rinker, et al., who invaded the Territory last week in search of game, returned Monday, bringing with them eight-seven wild turkeys and a deer. They report one of the jolliest trips on record and resolve to go again soon.
Would it not be well to form an association for the encouragement of onion culture? Unless something is done, the crop will fall short of the demand. We wish to call the especial attention of Amasa Speed, Oscar Seward, and Charlie Harter to this matter.
Winfield Courier, December 1, 1881.
Hon. C. R. Mitchell was in town Thursday.
We have received a card from C. M. Aley, at Colorado Springs. They have two feet of snow, the thermometer registers eight degrees below zero in the "Italy of America." He says the streets are dusty, but the mountains near by are weighted with the winter load of snow.
---
One of our city officers tells us, while speaking of the necessity of city scales: "I realize that fraudulent weights prevail, but what can we do about it? The city has no money to build scales and the farmers wouldn't patronize them if they were built. They would go and weigh on the buyer's scales and would get cheated and squeal the same as ever."
TO PUT IT SHORTLY, THIS SET THE EDITOR OFF...ON AND ON...HE WANTS THE CITY TO PUT IN SCALES!
---
The Brettun House served a dinner on Thanksgiving day fit for a King. There was turkey, and soup, and hash, and bread and butter, and an array of delicacies too numerous to mention. The bill of fare was served by pretty waiters clothed in white aprons who tripped noselessly around among the guests and in dulcet tones kept saying, "Roastbeef-cornbeef-pickled pigs feet-alafrancaise-fried liver with the chairon-peeled potatoes-and slapjacks-and repeating various other witty things for the edification of the guests. It was a day of feasting and rejoicing, and none enjoyed it more than the Brettun House folks.
---
Our Tisdale correspondent has something to say on the question of city scales, which we hope our city officers will read and carefully consider. That short weights occur, and that they are working an injury to Winfield and to farmers who sell their produce here no one but a deaf and dumb man will deny.
There is no question about the existence of the evil: the only question is, Shall it be corrected and what is the best method of correcting it? We ask that steps be gaken in the matter at once. We should like to hear from farmers on this subject.
---
Dr. W. T. Wright mourns the fact that he didn't keep his hand on his pocket book last Saturday. While going around among his patients he lost it, and with it a considerable sum of money. He offers one hundred dollars reward for its return. If the finder is an honest man, he will return it, and if he isn't, he will likely get himself into trouble as the numbers of the bills are known and all the banks and business houses of the country will be furnished a list so the person who triest to use the money will get into a tight place. The penalty in a case of this kind is the same as for stealing.
---
Mr. Dan Hawkins and Miss Lena Wellman were married last Thursday evening, at the residence of the bride's father, in Vernon township. A large number of the friends were present, and "mirth and pleasure ruled the fleeting hours." A most generous supply of every kind of cake were reserved for the COURIER, and found its way to our table Friday morning. We wish Dan and his lovely bride a pleasant trip down the winding lane of life, and at the end may a multitude of sons and daughters, grandsons, and granddaughters be left to perpetuate an honored family and name.
---
John Wiggins, of Walnut township, died last week of malarial fever. John was an honest, Christian boy, and has been working faithfully to help support a large family of brothers and sisters. He was taken sick while working for a neighbor and was taken out of bed and hauled several miles to another place. We think this was very indiscreet and certainly anything but a human way to treat a fellow creature who was poor, friendless, and homeless. The people of the Limbacker district, however, took him in and did all they could to save him.
Winfield Courier, December 1, 1881.
Judge Christian's lecture last Friday evening was tolerably well attended and the audience was very well pleased with it. Over a hundred tickets were sold that were not taken in at the door. The net proceeds wre $80.35. Senator Hackney and all the members of the bar took hold of the matter with a will and furnished out of their own pockets money to pay half rent and other expenses, so that the Judge might get the total proceeds.
Mr. J. H. Olds returned from Eureka Springs last week. He came into our office, but had to prove his identity before we could believe it was the same man. We have never seen as remarkable a change in a person before. He looks twenty years younger, has shaved off his Burnsides, sports a luxuriant mustache, and is by long odds the handsomest man in town. We are almost tempted to try the Springs for a month.
---
The proprietors of the Clay Center Dispatch are spreading out at a remarkable rate. They have recently purchased a livery stable and outfit and will soon open up their magnificent Dispatch Hotel. With a Dispatch livery stable, a Dispatch Hotel, a Dispatch band, and a Dispatch military company, the boys seem to be in a tolerable good condition to keep the old bugle going for a time at least.
---
The Cambridge Commercial dies with last week's issue. The Burden Enterprise takes its subscription books. This leaves the Enterprise the only paper in the third representative with an excellent subscription list, and on a first rate paying basis. Enos, there are many anxious hearts who would like to know something about this business.
---
Henry Goldsmith is prepared to sell small dealers in and about Winfield Holiday goods at lower prices than they have been in the habit of buying. A call and inspection will be convincing. Our goods are bought from first hands in New York and are being sold at the very lowest prices.
---
The interior of the Capitol of Virginia is being repainted by a convict from the penitentiary. The man who painted the interior of the Capital of Kansas ought to be a convict in the penitentiary.
Winfield Courier, December 1, 1881.
Silverine for nothing. Get it from George A. Schroeter, the only practical and experienced Jeweler in this city. It brightens Silver and plated goods splendidly, and even George will smile.
---
The Dry Goods and Carpet House of Stevenson, Emery & Taft, of Topeka, to which we called the attention of our readers last week, are carrying a very large and complete Stock of Goods in their line. They are making the laudible endeavor to conttrol and supply the retail trade of the state, and being centrally located at the Capital, are entitled to the patronage of those who are compelled to go down home to get special goods not kept by some merchants.
Among their specialties are Ladies' ready made Dresses and wraps, fine silks and satins. Wedding Trousseaus made to order. Party colors in silks and satins with appropriate Garnature always on hand. A call at their establishment when in the city will repay you.
Winfield Courier, December 1, 1881.
DIED. We are pained to learn of the death of Mr. George R. Neely, at his home near Leavenworth, last Sunday morning. Mr. Neely and the writer's father came to Kansas together in 1857 and settled at Leavenworth, where he has ever since resided. He was a man of a large heart, an earnest christian, a devoted husband and father, and a valued friend.
---
We are in receipt of cards for a grand ball of the Locomotive Engineers at Chama, New Mexico, November 25th. Prominent among the reception committee, we notice the names of Col. E. C. Manning and C. C. Stevens. The ticket we received was punched, and fearing it would not be taken at the door, we did not attend.
---
[WHY NOT RAISE COTTON?]
DECEMBER 1, 1881.
We are almost certain that cotton can be raised profitably in this county. Some of the exodusters who came up from Mississippi a year ago brought seed with them and planted a few hills about their houses last spring. It did well and those with whom we have talked say they are certain it can be raised here.
HE THEN PRINTS ARTICLE FROM LABETTE COUNTY WHERE COTTON IS BEING RAISED.
-0-
[REPORT FROM "X" - TISDALE ITEMS.]
DECEMBER 1, 1881.
Joseph Fry is the proud father of a new girl three weeks old.
Sol Smith, Jr., is givving us a first class school.
Our two stores are doing a fair trade.
We notice Grouse Creek flour on sale, and understand that the mill at Bullington's has all it can do; the enterprise is bound to pay and reflects credit on the originators.
Our farmers are selling a great many hogs just now and by the way, are doing a great deal of complaining about the way certain buyers impose on them in the matter of weights. A certain man gets all the cussing. One man says d__n him, he stole a whole hog from me. Another, he cheated me out of five bushels of corn, and so on. All agree that the young man makes unwarrantable mistakes in weighing, and can't calculate what a 500 pound hog will come to at $5.15 per hundred without making a mistake in his favor.
Now such things ought not to be. Why can't Winfield have city scales as other towns of less importance have? Compel the farmer to weigh on them and the buyer to pay on that weight. You are fostering a set of rascals that are doing the city of Winfield a great injury, and will eventually ruin a trade that is of great importance. I have heard it said that the farmer would not use city scales. That is a mistake; if such measures were taken to protect the farmer, he would willingly pay for it. Winfield cannot afford to allow this swindling of her supporters to go unrebuked and the sooner something is done to remedy this evil, the better. I have spoken only of hog buyers: grain dealers are implicated as well in the steal.
Mrs. E. P. Young is away visiting her sister in Humboldt.
Bradley & Fluke are a little sensitive about their hunt in the Territory. The boys strongly suspect that the three turkeys they brought home were bought in Arkansas City.
Rease Moore has leased his fine farm to his son-in-law for the next year. Rease intends to rest next season.
But little property is changing hands this winter. Prices don't suit and we have no low priced farms in this part of the county.
X.
-0-
[SOME ADS.]
DECEMBER 1, 1881.
WANTED! Twenty teams to haul to Fort Reno, Indian Terri-
tory. Steady work for three months. Apply at once to R. C. Haywood, Arkansas City, Kansas.
---
S. S. Holloway, living in Winfield, has a large, well made and handsome Norman stallion, eight years old, which he desires to sell or trade for a span of heavy work mares or mules. He also has a fine riding and driving horse to trade for a good, heavy work mare.
---
When you want picture-frames, go to Johnston & Hill's, they are the only practical picture-frame makers in Winfield.
---
Joe Bourdette has established a Red Hot Candy factory in connection with his lunch counter. Call and get your Red Hot candy.
---
Winfield Courier, December 1, 1881.
Wanted, the farmers to know that the Illinois Grocery gives the highest price for all kinds of produce and sells groceries at the lowest prices.
[REPORT FROM "HAWKEYE" - EAST FAIRVIEW.]
DECEMBER 8, 1881.
Fair but fickle was the caller who slipped her card under each neighbor's door last night. Her name was Beautiful Snow.
The corn is being gathered rapidly.
Hands are very scarce at present. Anyone out of employment can find plenty of it here at $1.00 per day.
Mr. and Mrs. Lahr are boarding at J. H. Curfman's while the protracted meeting lasts.
Taylor McKee has taken a conttract for building a stone corral for Mr. Isom.
The people of Fairview suspect E. L. Wilson to be the author of Hawkeye's sayings. How absurd! You are not aware that the writer is within a hundred miles of Fairview. People should think twice before they speak once! I presume the people do not know it is a lady who writes HAWKEYE.
[REPORT FROM "LADY MADGE" - NINESCAH TOWNSHIP.]
DECEMBER 8, 1881.
Mr. S. Washington, who has enclosed 30 acres with post and wire fence, for pasture, has some nice calves in it.
Mr. Roach, the gentleman who bought J. F. Crawford's farm, is a man of energy and makes a good citizen, the kind we welcome to this county.
Mr. McKinlay's family is pretty well scattered. Gertie is attending school in the district where her brother is teaching. Mr. McKinlay has invested in 20 acres more, which makes 180 acres, and has quite a nice home.
Vara, Mrs. Knickerbocker's baby, is one of the handsomest and brightest babies in our township.
[REPORT FROM "E. M." - WILMOT.]
DECEMBER 8, 1881.
The farmers are improving the time cribbing their valuable bushels of corn.
Wheat looks nice in this vicinity and to prevent a large growth, the fields are pastured. There will be some pieces of volunteer wheat.
W. R. McPherson has rented the Casper farm at Floral and is moving this week.
There was a necktie festival at Summit last Thursday evening for the purpose of raising money to buy an organ for the Sunday. The proceeds amounted to $38.25, and we now have $50 in the treasury. Our organ will be on in a few days.
Miss Lizzie Parmer carried off the cake. Mr. Hanekin got away with the other cake. Mr. John Sizemore's disappearance is still quite a mystery.
Quite a misfortune happened to Lafe McPherson last Friday evening. An iron pin glanced from under a ledge hammer (of which his brother struck), striking him over the left eye. He lay in a painful condition for several hours before aid from the doctor could be had.
November 28th, 1881. E. M.
[REPORT FROM "MORE ANON" - ORCHARD COTTAGE.
DECEMBER 8, 1881.
Vernon never has shown greater signs of real permanent prosperity than those to be observed at present. Many fine residence have been erected, costing from six to fifteen hundred dollars. Among those who have built residence are Mr. Jackson, Mr. John Dunn, Mr. Isaac Wood, Mr. Corson, Mr. H. H. Martin,
A. J. Worden, Albert Hawkins, T. Thompson. Mr. Ed Allen and Mr. M. Croco have built themselves nice little barns.
Many farms are now so fenced in with hedge that the owners can utilize the rank, luxurious wheat fields for pasturing their cattle, and we see from five to thirty at nearly every farm lot instead of the solitary old cow staked out by the house as they used to be in the early days.
Mr. M. Croco has returned from Ohio looking very happy, having brought back a fine little Ohio lady to share with him the joys and sorrows of life.
Married, on the evening of the 24th, at the residence of the bride's father, Miss Lena May Wellman to Mr. Daniel Hawkins, all of Vernon, by Joseph E. Cain. One little boy, who was present, on being asked if he saw Dan married, said, "Yes, Dan is married and all kissed." There were eight young babies at the wedding, all boys but one. There were five of these put in one bed to rest, but did not learn of any mistake being made.
A. J. Worden and H. C. Hawkins are happy fathers, a son having been born to each of them. This notice is a little late, but better late than never.
Some of the boys concluded to give Daniel a waking up after the guests left (better manners than we expected), and on arriving at the house, proceeded to fire him a salute, but the old shot gun was over loaded, and bursted all to pieces, blowing one window light out of the house. Fortunately, or unfortunately, no one was hurt. If boys haven't got sense enough to leave their guns at home on such occasions, I think they should be arrested and fined heavily.
The Vernon library is prospering, and long evenings for reading is reviving the interest in the cause.
The United Brethern will soon have a fine church building completed; the first and only church building in Vernon.
MORE ANON.
[COL. E. C. MANNING - STILL AT CHAMA, NEW MEXICO.]
DECEMBER 8, 1881.
Col. E. C. Manning is still at Chama, New Mexico, and is continued in the business of furnishing supplies for the employees and laborers on the D. & G. railroad. That company after fully examining the matter have paid him the money withheld and continue him in their full confidence.
[NATIONAL/STATE NEWS.]
DECEMBER 8, 1881.
Captain Payne and a large body of followers crossed the Red River into Oklahoma last Sunday.
Montpelier, the old house and burial place of President Madison, was sold at public auction for $19,000.
There are 1885 enlisted men in the navy service. Sixty-nine vessels have been wholly or partly equipped the last year.
A dispatch from Denison, Texas, says Capt. Paine, with a large party, crossed at Red River at the mouth of the Little Wichita, on Sunday, and is enroute for Oklahoma. [NOTICE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THIS AND FIRST ITEM ABOVE! WEIRD!] [Payne/boomer story.]
Secretary Hunt is of the opinion that unless something is done in behalf of the navy, it must soon dwindle to insignificance. He estimates that $20,013,316 will be needed to defray the expenses of the department for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1883.
An incendiary fire destroyed four business houses in Coffeeville.
-0-
[SHERIDAN NOTES.]
DECEMBER 8, 1881.
Levi Quier, George Gardenhire, and others are in the nation hunging.
Seaman Terrill and Dan Hany have returned from Colorado where they have been during the past year.
Mrs. John Partridge received a visit from her brother and family from Michigan. They remained but a few days.
There have been more good stables put up in this part of the country this fall than anytime since the county was settled.
The Sheridan concert, thanks to the efforts of the Hall Bros. and their friends from Winfield, was a success.
Miss Sallie Caster, of Liberty, has returned home from Ponca Agency, much to the joy of her numerous friends.
Mrs. Stewart and family have returned from the Territory. They all look well and hearty, and say the enjoyed their trip.
[REPORT FROM "P. A. & P. I." - SHERIDAN.]
DECEMBER 8, 1881.
The home of Mr. and Mrs. Joe Moyer has been made happy by the arrival of a lovely little daughter.
Anyone having watches to be repaired would do well to call on Divine Terrill.
Mr. Bolae is the proud father of a brand new baby boy.
Wm. Reynolds has returned from Missouri with about 80 head of fine young cows.
Sheridan schoolhouse boasts of a handsome large clock.
Last Friday night a mush and milk festival was held at the Liberty schoolhouse.
-0-
[REPORT FROM "FRITZ" - UDALL ITEMS.]
DECEMBER 8, 1881.
People mentioned at Thanksgiving observance: Miss Kate Martin, Rev. Brunker, Miss Lillie Marks, Mr. P. W. Smith, Jim Napier, Messrs. Freeman and Dale.
Miss Maggie Martin is spending the week in Udall.
Mr. George Walker gave a party attended by some of our young folks.
Miss Jennie Hicks is teaching in the Ninnescah schoolhouse.
-0-
[PERSONALS.]
DECEMBER 8, 1881.
Mrs. L. L. Hamilton came in Thursday from Colorado.
Mr. Ira McCommon lost a very valuable bull Monday evening by colic.
The pauper bills for the last year amount to $2,650.83. This would buy a very good pauper farm.
Joe Houston has gone over to Geuda Springs to bathe in mineral water and recuperate his wasted energies.
Charlie Holloway, of Arkansas City, who took Riley's drug store, has been granted a druggist's permit.
Mr. J. B. Colgate, of New York City, a son-in-law of Mr.
J. F. McMullen, is visiting here and will probably locate permanently among us.
Miss Minne Capps and Mr. Leandro Guthrie were married at Wellington last week. The bride is a sister of Mrs. W. L. Mendenhall of this city.
MARRIED. At the residence of Mr. D. Mater, in Winfield, Dec. 4, 1881, by Rev. J. H. Snyder, Mr. George B. Hixon and Mrs. Rose E. Cotrell.
Judge W. P. Campbell has assumed the control and editorial management of the Wichita Times.
The price of eggs has gone to join that of potatoes and cord-wood. They are thirty cents a dozen now, with butter a good second at 25 cents per pound.
Mr. A. G. Wilson will do hiw own weighing hereafter and has purchased a new six ton Fairbank scale, which will be put in front of his transfer office.
The four weeks session of the District Court closed Saturday. Judge Torrance crowded an immense amount of work into the session and the docket is cleared.
Mrs. Ed. Nelson, a daughter of Col. Whiting, came on last week from Cambridge, Illinois. Mr. Nelson will arrive in a few days and will make his home here in the future.
E. Hite, of Dexter, will be allowed to sell spirits for medicinal, mechanical, and scientific purposes in accordance with a permit issued by Judge Gans Tuesday.
Mr. Ansel Gridley has, we understand, taken charge of the Douglass public schools.
Winfield Courier, December 8, 1881.
MARRIED. On Posey Creek, in Pleasant Valley, Nov. 29th, at the house of the bride's father, by Rev. Thos. N. Borchers, Mr. Wm. Barber and Miss Hattie Camp.
Mrs. Fred Farrar, Mrs. Harry Farrar, and Mrs. J. L. Huey were in town Monday doing some shopping. Mrs. Huey went to Independence on the Tuesday evening train.
Mr. E. E. Thorpe is pushing his tannery along rapidly, and expects to have it ready for business by January first. He will call it the "Kansas Tannery" as it will be the only one in the State.
[Looks like this item is out of date in connection with before/after it!]
Winfield Courier, January 11, 1882.
A
The case of McNeil vs. Buckman, over the possession of the old J. W. Curns house, which got Charlie Payson into his difficulty, has been decided in favor of Buckman. Geo. will take pos-session of the property and move his family in.@SO! IT LOOKS LIKE MRS. McNEIL FINALLY LOST!
POOR PAYSON! HE LOST OUT EVERY WHICHAWAY!
Mr. George Headrick came in last week and will spend several weeks visiting his many friends here. Since leaving here, George has resided a year in Colorado and is now located at Larned, Kansas.
Quite a company came up from the terminus Monday, among whom we noticed Fred Farrar and wife and Mrs. James Huey. The ladies were the handsomest group we have seen on our streets for some time.
This year may be an off one for potatoes but it is not off on comets. Within the space of eleven months, seven comets have made their appearance, and now another one has stepped into the arena for a brief spell.
Mr. Sam Jarvis came in Saturday and spent several days in the city. He made arrangements to move his family to Kansas City. The firm of Jarvis, Conklin & Co. has moved into elegant new offices in Kansas City.
In the light of recent scientific discoveries, the architects who planned our three fine church buildings have made fatal mistakes. It is asserted as a scientific fact that the only healthy way to sleep is with the head to the north.
Owing to the fact that the lower departments of the schools are more crowded in the East Ward than in the West Ward, it has become necessary to send those children living west of Loomis St. to the West Ward schools. The Second Intermediate room in the East Ward had in attendance 48 pupils, while that in the West had 30; the First Intermediate in the East Ward had 70 pupils, while that in the West Ward had 39. It will be seen by the above comparison that the work of the teachers was very unfairly distributed and in some cases almost doubled. In addition to this was the inconvenience of crowded rooms and lack of seats. In the primary departments there are in the East Ward 132 pupils, in the West Ward 69. As there are two Primary teachers in the East Ward, a division in this department is not necessary. While the change may cause some temporary inconvenience, it was made with a view to the general welfare and advancement of the pupils.
Winfield Courier, December 8, 1881.
We see by the Winfield COURIER that the question of city scales is being agitated. We believe that it is a move in the right direction. The complaint of cheating in weight is not confined to any one town or city, but is general. When a grain dealer contracts to deliver a carload of wheat for $1.13, and pays $1.20 for the wheat, the farmer knows, or ought to know, that he is getting cheated in weight. When a hog buyer pays you for your hogs the price paid in Kansas City, you ought to know that he will cheat you in weight enough to make a good profit. Cities might take measures that would remedy this evil to a certain extent, but a state law is the only effectual remedy. Let the new Legislature make a law requiring every person who keeps a public scale, make and subscribe on oath and give a good and substantial bond for the faithful performance of his duty, to be filed and approved by the city or county officers, as the case might be. We believe something of this kind would remedy this evil. A. V. Democrat.
---
Judge Torrance has sustained County Attorney Jennings in rulings that will save the county thousands of dollars. One of them was the clause which most county attorneys in the state construe as requiring the county to pay the defendant's costs in criminal cases where acquittal is secured. When bills for such costs were presented to the commissioners, Attorney Jennings advised them that the statute did not require their payment by the county. They refused to allow the bills and they were carried up. Last week the cases came up for trial and Judge Torrance held that Mr. Jennings was right in refusing to endorse the bills. This is quite a feather in Frank's cap.
---
Winfield Courier, December 8, 1881.
"Uncle Joe" Likowski has gone on a trip to Florida for his health. He is suffering from a wound received in the army, which has broken out afresh, and we fear will in time result in his death. "Uncle Joe" is one of the old timers in Winfield, and for years until the passage of the amendment, dealt out liquid fire to our citizens. Although the calling was not a very lofty one, he followed it as decently as it could be done, and it was his only chance to make a living. He could never refuse a friend help when it was needed, and has given away enough in charity to make him wealthy.
---
The pupils of the public schools will give an entertainment Friday evening at the Opera House. A small entrance fee will be charged and the proceeds used in purchasing books and apparatus for the schools. The program will consist of songs, recitatins, and tableaux, interspersed with music. We hope to see a large audience present.
---
J. W. Schuman, with his parents and brother, has moved to Trinidad, Colorado, where he is foreman of the building department of the Santa Fe railroad. He has formerly lived in Winfield, where he will be missed.
---
Mr. John Ferguson called on us Tuesday in regard to an item which appeared in last week's paper on the death of John Wiggins. Mr. Ferguson is the person at whose house John was taken sick, and at the patient's own request and not through any desire of his own to get rid of him, he took Wiggins over to Mr. Curfman's. Mr. Ferguson claims that the item referred to did him an injustice and we cheerfully give his statement of it.
Winfield Courier, December 8, 1881.
The M. B. Society proposes to give something new in the way of entertainment during the holidays. They intend giving a Dickens party, consisting of a large number of ladies and gentlemen representing the most prominent characters from Chas. Dickens' books. These parties have been given successfully in other places and will no doubt strike our people favorably.
---
Judge Campbell went down to Caldwell to help Danford out of his difficulty, but about train time was waited upon by a committee who informed him that they did not wish to incur unnecessary expense in lawyer's fees and that he had better take the first train for the north: and to be careful and not miss the train. The Judge had become impressed with the unhealthy state of the atmosphere before, and did not miss the train.
---
Winfield Courier, December 8, 1881.
And now comes the story that Tell Walton had $180 in the busted bank at Caldwell. It taxes our credulity to the utmost to believe it. The only way we can at all account for a newspaper man's having a bank account is that he was probably saving it to pay a last year's paper bill, or that he was holding it in trust for some widow and orphan fund.
---
[NOTE: ON DECEMBER 1, 1881, THE FOLLOWING EDITORIAL WAS PRINTED
RE BANK FAILURES...I HAD SKIPPED ALL OF THIS BEFORE AS IT
DID NOT PERTAIN TO WINFIELD.]
BANKERS IN TROUBLE
We have noted elsewhere the failure of the Danford Banks at Hunnewell, Caldwell, and Osage City. On Monday it was found at Caldwell that Danford had been there and that he and his cashier Smith had left carrying with them all the cash, notes, and other movable assets of the bank. A warrant of arrest against them was issued under the charge of embezzlement in receiving deposits after the bank was in a failing condition, and they were arrested and brought to Wellington when their bail was fixed at $25,000 each to appear at preliminary examination. Some fifty depositors of Caldwell representing about $50,000 of deposits were there to appear against the bankers. These took Danford and Smith away from the officears and were about to take them to Caldwell, but D. & S., fearing they would be hung on the way, procured a special train and they were taken to Caldwell and held as prisoners in the bank at last accounts. What will be the result is not known, but the depositors are desperate.
-0-
BACK TO PERSONALS: DECEMBER 8, 1881.
When the safe of Danford's bank was broken open, all that was found was a pile of nickles and a newspaperman's note for ten dollars. They seem to have carried away everything in which the bulk anywhere near equalled the value.
---
According to George Miller, Winfield is blessed with one of those "too awfully utter" girls about which our excahnges rave so much. She went into George's butcher shop the other day while he was skinning a calf, and after watching for a moment, she exclaimed: "Oh, what a cute little beefe-weefe." George was so impressed with the remark that he made her a present of the beefe-weefe's tail.
---
Tell Walton dropped in Monday morning fresh from the seat of war at Caldwell. Having deposited all his money in Danford's Bank, it is fair to presume that he walked over. The conductor wouldn't accept a certificate of deposit as legal tender.
---
Conductor McBeth was very severely injured Saturday while coupling his train. His foot caught in a brake and his leg was twisted out of shape. He was brought here and kept over till Monday morning, when he was taken to Cherryvale, where his family now are. This is a very sad accident for Mc. and we fear will permanently injure him.
---
Amos Mounts, the seven year old son of J. H. Mounts, three miles southeast of this city, who was kicked by a mule six weeks ago, died Sunday morning; and his funeral took place on Monday. The little fellow suffered excessively, but bore it with remarkable fortitude.
---
If Sam Wood was up to snuff, he would be building us a few flat eggs instead of blowing around in country schoolhouses. With this most indispensible fruit going at thirty cents per dozen, he would confer a favor on suffering humanity, and put ducats in his own pocket, by going industriously to work with pencil and paper on the egg market.
---
Mrs. R. D. Jillson has opened a coffee and lunch room in the building formerly occupied by the Star Bakery. In making a delicious cup of coffee, Mrs. Jillson has never had but one equal in Winfield, and that was Mrs. Frank Williams.
-0-
[CITY SCALES.]
DECEMBER 8, 1881.
The feeling among the farmers of Cowley County, who sell their produce here, on the subject of unjust weights, is gathering in force and volume as the frauds go on. The following resolution passed by the New Salem Farmer's Alliance at their meeting last Friday evening is but the forerunner of an avalanche that will come before many days unless steps are taken to protect them in the sale of their produce.
Resolved, That we, the members of the New Salem Alliance, do hereby favor the establishment of city scales in Winfield that we may receive a just weight for what we may have to sell.
W. C. BRIANT, President.
JOHN COFFEE, Sec'y.
The city council met Monday evening. A representative of the COURIER was present and placed the matter before them, and it was discussed at considerable length, though no action was taken. The council recognized the existence of the evil and seemed to think that something must be done to stop it, but as to what was the best course to pursue they could not decide.
The majority seemed to think that there was no way by which the city could compel buyers and sellers to use its scales; that unless there was some way, dishonest buyers would refuse to weigh on any other scales than their own scales, and farmers would sell to them if they got a little better bid than an honest buyer could possibly offer and give just weights; thereby taking from the city most of the weighing and throwing the burden of supporting a weighmaster on the tax-payers.
It seems to us that the council has full power to forbid the erection of scales on the public streets or alleys. The passage of such an ordinance would take all the scales off of the streets and city scales placed conveniently would naturally get most of the business. HE RANTS ON AND ON!
-0-
[BRIDGE SUITS.]
DECEMBER 8, 1881.
The King Iron Bridge Co. has sued the townships of Vernon, Pleasant Valley, and Walnut, and the City of Winfield in the United States Circuit Court for the sum of $1,879.67 and interest, on five township orders of the old Winfield township, all issued for building the approaches to the South bridge April 10, 1879, except $330.00, Dec. 31, 1878, for iron bridges. Rossington, Johnston & Smith of Topeka are attorneys for the plaintiff. The petition asks for the appointment of a master in chancery who shall take proof of the territorial extent and taxable property of the parts of the old Winfield township now in each of the defendant limits and apportion the indebtedness to each, and that an order issue that each of the defendant municipalities pay their proportion immediately. This is in addition to the suit of Carpenter brought by M. G. Troup in the district court of this county for the payment of $2,036.10 of bridge scrip of Winfield township and interest from October 15, 1881. This is one of the results of bad management in the past in the disruption of Winfield township. Now there is no other way to pay the indebtedness legally except at the end of a suit in chancery.
-0-
[REPORT FROM "NOVUS HOMO" - NORTHWEST CRESSWELL.]
DECEMBER 8, 1881.
Wheat is green and fine. This warm weather makes it liven up and makes one think of spring.
Joe Disser is the first man to get his corn all cribbed. Joe always tries to be ahead.
A good many hogs have beenn marked this and last week.
Art Leeper might be compared with the magnetic needle, he always faces the north only about two miles.
Will McCormick, with an outfit of men and dogs, started for the Territory on a hunt. Will will make the turkies fly with his fifty dollar shot gun.
Dave Carder and John Turner have done a rousing business in threshing wheat and oats this season. They threshed 20,720 bushels of wheat and 1,500 bushels of oats, which makes in all 22,220 bushels. This at 4 cents per bushel will bring them in some checks.
Let us have the city scales by all means. I don't see how the citizens of Winfield and the farmers can do without them as a great deal of complaint has been made about unfair weights.
Mr. Ramage is erecting himself a commodious dwelling.
Mr. Summervill's new corn crib adds much to the looks of his farm. He will have about 1,500 bushels of corn.
Ross Merrick has bought 80 acres more land of O. P. Houghton. This now makes him as good a farm as there is in the bend.
There is but very little more land for sale around here
anymore.
Mr. Neal Fuller expects to leave us soon as he will move to his farm over on Crab Creek. The citizens of Crab Creek might be proud of getting as good and honorable a citizen as Mr. Fuller.
NOVUS HOMO.
-0-
[CARRIAGE FACTORY.]
DECEMBER 8, 1881.
The proprietors of the carriage factory have invented and patented a new and valuable improvement in buggy and carriage springs, and are putting up a number of buggies with them. They now have ready to turn out, an elegant paheton of the latest pattern and most elegant design.
-0-
[MARKETS.]
DECEMBER 8, 1881.
The markets this week are about the same as last. A large amount of corn and hogs are being marketed. Corn is worth from 52 to 55 cents per bushel. Hogs are active at $5.25 to $5.35; wheat receipts are not large and prices range from 90 cents to $1.15 per bushel. Butter and eggs are scarce, and high; eggs to at 30 cents a dozen, and butter at 25 cents per pound.
[REPORT FROM "B. H." - CRAB CREEK.]
DECEMBER 8, 1881.
School has opened at Fairview with Miss Taplin as teacher. She seems to be liked.
Mr. William Meredith is preparing a basement for his house. He is also making extensive pastures for his cattle.
Mr. Hamet will soon move into Mr. Henry Coleson's house.
Mr. Thanill Moor is talking of moving to Arkansas City, where his brother has taken a contract on the canal.
Mrs. Burdette is quite sick.
Mrs. Hamel is convalescent.
Some farmers are plowing for corn.
There have been more beeves killed here this fall than usual.
Mr. Standford has moved his sheep to winter quarters.
It is said that some crops have failed. The crop of babies has not.
The saw mill on Cedar is doing good work.
Wheat looks well, though there was not enough sown on Crab Creek.
B. H.
-0-
[REPORT FROM "T. C. ANTE" - UDALL FIELD NOTES.]
DECEMBER 8, 1881.
Bright, clear weather. Growing wheat. Pasture getting green. Plenty of game.
A little child of H. Hanson has been very sick, but is better.
Hunting parties are now the order of the day, and Mr. D. Green, who has not been out of the store for two years, is going to the Territory this week.
Mr. Bunker, the Congregational minister, held a protracted meeting last week, and will commence another next week.
Mr. Robert Gillett celebrated his 21st birthday Sunday, by a dinner. His mother can gladden the heart of a hungry man.
The Udall Sunday School Choir, of which P. W. Smith is chorister, had a meeting Wednesday eve. After the inhabitants of the village and the choir had retired, a lady told her husband she heard them singing at the schoolhouse yet. Her husband replied that it was a dog barking. "Well, I don't care," said she, "it sounded just like Smith's voice." It is understood the dog on which the unjust aspersion was cast, has since gone mad.
T. C. ANTE.
-0-
[REPORT FROM "OLIVIA" - NEW SALEM.]
DECEMBER 8, 1881.
Mr. Beasley has painted his house and it is discernible miles away.
Mr. Pixley has concluded to have a dry time of it, or has put a new roof on his dewelling.
Mr. Buck and the Misses Nellie and Annie are combing pleasure and business in a trip to Missouri.
Winfield Courier, December 8, 1881.
Mr. and Mrs. Nelson, from Indiana, are visiting their daughter, Mrs. Miller.
Mr. Hoag, of Moscow, calsomimed the schoolhouse, and the old discolored walls are now nice and clean; and it is beautiful to what it was.
Mr. Root, of Winfield, visited Mr. Brooking's lately, and also looked to the interest of his sheep.
Mr. Johnson recently sold quite a drove of calves to Mr. Hughston, of the Walnut.
Mrs. Crane has been quite indisposed and a victim to the chills lately.
Mrs. Dalgarn escaped being seriously hurt, by a vicious cow throwing her down and trying to gore her; tthe timely passing of a neighbor probably saved her life.
The social at J. E. Hoyland's was largely attended and from all appearances was a very enjoyable affair. The next one will be at the home of Mr. J. A. Shields.
Mrs. Watsonberger has an addition to her family of a Mr. Smith. He is holding sheep in this vicinity.
Mr. Thomas Wilson is the champion corn husker in Salem.
Mrr. Rowe and sone are again in our neighborhood and think they cannot give up getting a home in our midst.
There are three new buildings going up near the (imaginary) station. Mr. Read, of Floral, is putting up a store. Mr. Allen intends to have a coal and lumber yard. Wonder who will be our editor! Well, we are not that far along yet.
Mr. James Demarel, an old time Salemite, is again in this vicinity. We are always glad to welcome back the temperance brothers and sisters too, if they chance to leave their homes for a time.
Mr. Q. E. Johnson has a pet toe that has to be slippered.
Mr. C. C. Chapell is still on the invalid list.
November 28, 1881.
-0-
[CANEY VALLEY COAL MINES: W. O. JOHNSON.]
DECEMBER 15, 1881.
GRENOLA, KAS., Dec. 5, 1881.
EDS. COURIER: As time hangs heavily this evening, I thought I would pen you a few lines and extend to you an invitation to visit the Caney Valley Coal Mines, situated nine miles southeast of Grenola. If you are a geologist, you will find many things to interest you. As this is a Winfield enterprise, you are doubtless interested in its success.
We are beginning to take out coal, and are getting the mines in good condition to put in miners as fast as we can get them. Miners are rather scarce, and right here I will say that prohibition is in part the cause of it. Now don't go and say that I am talking against prohibition, for I am not. I only wish it was more rigidly enforced. But I must say that it makes coal miners in demand. There is a large local demand for coal, teams coming a distance of thirty miles for coal.
I do not think the coal company will be able to ship any coal this winter as the local trade will consume all that will be taken out at present. Coal sells here for 16-2/3 cents per bushel, and is in great demand.
The country around here is rather thinly settled, and is used principally for grazing purposes, as it is somewhat broken and hilly, although there is very good valley land. It has been rather lonesome for me here. I get the COURIER every week, which is a welcome guest, and read it, ads and all, until I wear the print out. I guess I had better close before I wear you out.
Again, extending to you the hospitalities of our shanty, I subscribe myself. Very Respectfully,
W. O. JOHNSON.
-0-
[STATE/LOCAL NEWS.]
DECEMBER 15, 1881.
J. P. Baden of Winfield wants turkies till you can't rest. He must have 300,000 between the 18th and 21st for cash at the highest prices. This means business.
The story that Judge Campbell escaped from Caldwell by riding a bicycle all the way to Wichita is a base slander.
The reform school has forty inmates.
Wirt Walton is trying Webb's "onion cure."
J. S. Danford was once a strict member of the M. E. church at ElDorado.
The State Institution for Imbecile Children, located at Lawrence, has eleven inmates, and applications for twenty-seven more are on file.
Danford is at home at Osage City with his family. It is thought that his matters will be amicably settled.
Sixty-five distillers in Kentucky have been indicted for manufacturing distilled spirits without complying with the requirements of the law.
[PERSONALS.]
DECEMBER 15, 1881.
Col. McMullen is in Kansas City this week.
Major Sleeth took in our city again last week.
Mr. D. C. Stevens, of Richland, spent Tuesday in the city.
Ex. Saint and family are coming home to Winfield to spend Christmas.
Dr. Vawter, of Arkansas City, was up pulling teeth at Mulvane last week.
100 pounds of wood for sale, call on or address John B. Walker, Arkansas City, Kansas.
Mr. J. S. Loose enjoyed a visit from his brother, J. L. Loose, of Chetopa, last week.
Mr. W. A. Freeman and son returned from New Mexico last week and will remain here this winter.
Dr. Irwin, of New Salem, has resumed practice and will open a drug store at the new railroad center.
Winfield Courier, December 15, 1881.
Dr. Wilson left Friday morning for La Cygne, this State, where he has purchased a stock of merchandise.
Col. Alexander will leave for Florida January 1st, where he will spend the winter, and will return about April.
25,000 feet of native lumber for sale. Enquire of James Nicholson, Dexter, or at my office, Winfield. T. R. Bryan.
Mayor Troup and S. D. Pryor went over to Independence Tuesday morning to look after some cases in the Montgomery court.
The Hunnewell Independent is sick and has not been out for two weeks. It is probably "malaria," same kind that made Judge Campbell think it was unhealthy at Caldwell.
MARRIED. Dec. 8, 1881, by Rev. P. B. Lee, at his residence in Vernon Township, Mr. Benson M. Rupp and Miss Nannie J. Ward.
Dr. Green has removed his office to very nice quarters in the second story of the McDougal building, and has fitted it up in fine style.
Hacney and Jennings have been over to Independence this week to attend to cases changed from the district court of this county.
One of Vernon township's citizens, Mr. Joseph Tyree, had his collar bone broken Saturday by being thrown from a horse. The injury is not serious.
S. M. Fall, farmer, stock raiser, and one of Cowley's leading citizens dropped in to see us. He reported favorably on matters and things in Windsor township.
The water was turned into the raging canal at Arkansas City last week. The banks and the fall gates stood the pressure first rate and the managers feel sanguine. The mills will not be ready to grind for a month.
Bring on your horse thieves! We notice in the clerk's statement of expenditures that the county has bought seventeen dollars worth of cemetery lots. Five dollars and a half a lot and six to the lot: it don't cost much.
Winfield Courier, December 15, 1881.
A proposition has been received from the Bell Telephone company to put up their wires and instruments in Winfield if twenty-five subscribers can be secured. The prices at which instruments are put in is $50 per year for one in a business house, and $36 in a private house. Wichita has an excellent exchange and the people are delighted with it. It is a splendid thing and if we once get it, people would not part with the privilege for twice fifty dollars a year.
Let every businessman take hold of this idea, hire an instrument, and in a few weeks we can sit in our offices and transact business all over town, at the depots, at the hotels, at the grocery stores, and everywhere else. When we don't want to go home to dinner, all we will have to do will be telephone the cook to send down a slice of cold ham and that piece of corn bread left over from breakfast.
---
The markets today (Wednesday) are stiff, with lively competition among hog buyers. Prices on hogs, $5.50 for extra choice, $5.25 for mediums, and $5.10 for light porkers. Sellers as a general thing weigh two or tthree times before selling. Wheat, choice, brings $1.28, medium 85 to $1.00; corn 51 to 52 cents. The produce market shows light receipts of butter and eggs; butter bringing 25 cents and eggs about the same. Turkeys are in great demand at 5 cents per pound, gross; the average weight of turkeys being received is 9 lbs., though Baden took in a bunch of thirty-five yesterday that averaged 11 pounds each. Chickens bring $1.50 to $1.75 per dozen.
Winfield Courier, December 15, 1881.
The New Salemites are a wonderful people. They concluded some time ago to have a depot and switch, and made a proposition to the railroad company to do the grading if they would lay the track. The people did the grading at a cost of over $1,000, and the switch is laid. A depot is being built, several buildings are going up, and a general boom is about to take place. Sam Allen will open up a coal business. Dr. Irwin will run a drug store, and deal out physic, and Dan Reed will keep the grocery. Who will be the "village blacksmith?"
---
The total indebtedness of the county is nearly a hundred and ninety-two thousand dollars. The assessed value of the county is nearly three and one-tenth millions of dollars. Therefore, if our creditors had the power and took a notion to foreclose on us, we could pay them off and have about ninety-three and one-fifth percent of our property left to start anew on. Not a very bad showing for a ten-year-old, is it? Besides, we have blocks of railroad stock, a good courthouse, and a lot in the cemetery in which to bury any man who says we are not good financiers.
---
Dawson & Son have just completed a double monument to be erected over the graves of William and E. Gilchrist, at Belle Plaine. It is formed of two beautiful marble columns connected at the top by an arch and set on a large marble pedestal. The engraving is on three sides and the front of the pedestal is lettered in large characters with the name "Gilchrist." It is a very fine piece of work and will stand for ages as a tribute from loving hearts to the memory of those who "are not dead but gone before."
Winfield Courier, December 15, 1881.
R. W. Scott, a young man who for some time resided here, clerking for J. S. Mann and Eli Youngheim, has been arrested at Eldorado on a charge of forgery. He went from her to act as local agent for Jarvis, Conklin & Co. at Eldorado, and of late his actions have been suspicious and Mr. S. M. Jarvis came down to investigate, and found him a defaulter to the tune of two or three thousand dollars. He seems to have forged notes and mortgages and secured money on them.
---
Felix Duncan, Guy Solomon, and Hennesson Duncan, colored boys, were arrested last week for stealing goods from Mr. Higgin's second hand store. One was sentenced to jail for ten days and the others for thirty. These little colored boys have been blamed for a good deal of petty pilfering of late, and we hope this will be a lesson for them.
---
Winfield Courier, December 15, 1881.
Mr. O. F. Boyle came in from Colorado Saturday, and will remain a part of this week. He reports all of Winfield's people at Durango as doing well. Judge Boyer has lost a part of his clear-cut rotundity, but is still "phat an' jolly." Young Owens is there keeping books in a grocery store.
---
Mr. Loomis and family returned from Colorado last week and are stopping with their daughter, Mrs. J. C. McMullen. Mr. Loomis is past eighty, but says he has come back to Cowley to "grow up with the country." He is still well and hearty and bids fair to reach a hundred.
---
Mr. James Kelly resigned his position as Justice of the Peace Monday evening. The names of Messrs. Beach, Buckman, and Soward have been spoken of in connection with the succession.
---
A little child of Mr. Lindsay's was run over on Main street Monday by a team and was knocked senseless. Fortunately no bones were broken, and the little one is able to be about again.
---
Judge Webb has just returned from a trip to Kansas City, and we learn is quite sick. Labette Democrat. Judge Webb is old enough to have know better than to have visited Kansas City.
---
Mr. E. E. Thorpe came down with the cigars right handsomely Monday, the cause of which was the advent of a bright little nine pound boy, come to gladden his home and make life worth living.
---
Mrs. Will Holloway last week brought a habeas corpus action for the recovery of her child, now in possession of its grandparents. The case was adjusted Monday, by the voluntary surrender of the child.
Winfield Courier, December 15, 1881.
The lady who will share the joys and sorrows of our friend, Lafe Pence, is Miss Clara Vawter, of Franklin, Indiana, a relative of Prof. Story. The ceremony will take place Thursday afternoon, December 22nd, at three o'clock. Lafe Pence will be married at his old home in Indiana to his old girl.
---
A young son of Joe Furguson, of Walnut township, received the premature discharge of a shot gun in his arm Monday, while out hunting with some companions. The arm was terribly mangled and had to be amputated near the shoulder.
---
Winfield Courier, December 15, 1881.
Mrs. Lavinia Mason, of Pleasant Valley township, had a very severe stroke of paralysis last Thursday and is lying very low. One side of her body is completely paralyzed and she has almost lost all power of speech. But little hopes are entertained of her recovery.
---
Lovell H. Webb has taken a position with the firm of Hackney & McDonald, and will be found hereafter helping with the immense law business of the firm. Lovell has one of the best legal minds of our bar and will do valuable service for Messrs. Hackney & McDonald.
---
I must have eighteen thousand dozen turkies to fill a conttract for shipment west before Dec. 21st. I have got to have them and will pay the highest market price in cash. This is the best opportunity to sell your turkies you will ever have, and you can not take advantage of it too soon. J. P. BADEN.
---
Charlie Payson delivered a lecture at Ummethums Opera House, in Leavenworth, Saturday evening, on the subject of "Crimes and Criminals." Mr. Payson is a very fine orator, and has had abundant opportunity to study the subject on which he lectures. Charlie has at least opened up a new field for lecture bureaus to draw from.
---
Mr. Fred C. Hunt has taken an editorial position on the Courant. As a writer Fred has no equal among the young men of southern Kansas. Possessed of extraordinary natural qualifications, with a mind well-stored with information, and bright and keen as a Damascus blade, he must soon rise to a commanding position in the calling for which he is so well fitted.
[OUR SCHOOLS BY TOWNSHIPS.]
DECEMBER 15, 1881.
We publish on the fourth page this week a tabular statement of our schools by townships, instead of school districts. It shows the number of districts in each township, the school population, percent enrolled, average number of mills levied and last, but not least, the amount of property in each township that escapes taxation for school purposes. There is annual in this county property to the amount of nearly four hundred thousand dollars which escapes taxation for school purposes.
It is directly due to the negligence of district clerks, whose duty it is to make out a list of all persons owning personal property, for use by the county clerk in making up the tax rolls. This, district clerks have in a large measure neglected, as the discrepancy between their returns and those of the township assessors plainly show. District clerks should be more careful in this matter and make an effort to get all the property in their district. Our school interests are paramount to all others, and the greatest care should be exercised by those in whose hands these interests are placed.
The township of Cresswell, with the immense school interests of Arkansas City and a very heavy school tax, has ninety thousand three hundred and eighty-eight dollars worth of personal property that bears no part of the burden. The township of Vernon has forty-five thousand dollars worth of property that pays no school tax. Pleasant Valley has twenty-seven thousand of the same kind, and Windsor follows with nineteen thousand. Parents and taxpayers, examine this table and see that your district shows as much property taxed for school purposes next year as for any other. The table was prepared by Prof. Story, at a great expense of time and labor, and puts the matter in a better shape than it has ever been. This condition of affairs is not alone confined to Cowley, but is general all over the State. In fact, the law is a bad one and needs attention from our legislature.
Winfield Courier, December 15, 1881.
TOWNSHIP STATEMENT.
BOY! HARD TO READ...HARD TO SET UP!
WILL USE NUMBERS TO SHOW ITEMS...
IN PLACE OF #1 I WILL SHOW TOWNSHIPS: BEAVER, BOLTON, ETC.
#2: NO. OF DISTRICTS.
#3: SCHOOL POPULATION.
#4: PERCENT ENROLLED.
#5: PERCENT - AVERAGE ATTENDANCE.
#6: AVERAGE NO. WEEKS OF SCHOOL.
#7: AVERAGE NO. MILLS LEVIED.
#8: PROPERTY NOT TAXED FOR SCHOOL PURPOSES.
#2 #3 #4 #5 #6 #7 #8
BEAVER 6 274 87.4 57 18-2/3 12.5 $ 9,589
BOLTON 7 337 81.8 47.1 22-7/8 12.5 6,948
CRESSWELL 8 522 86.2 50 18-1/2 10.5 90,388
CEDAR 5 218 91.7 46.7 12-3/4 9.3 18,735
DEXTER 6 289 83.23 51.55 22 16.6 10,751
FAIRVIEW 5 231 87,87 49.77 23-1/4 16 11,290
HARVEY 4 217 75.5 41.4 11-1/4 12.5 4,364
LIBERTY 5 267 65.9 37.4 18-3/8 12.9 2,219
MAPLE 5 171 76.6 48.53 17-7/8 9.7 2,940
NINNESCAH 5 219 76.25 47.48 23-1/4 9.
OMNIA 4 143 73.42 40.55 16 9.6 5,052
OTTER 3 149 62.4 34.8 13-1/2 5 3,319
PLEASANT VALLEY 6 295 76.61 46.4 26 8.9 27,667
RICHLAND 7 309 96.1 61.8 23 14.75 5,630
ROCK 5 226 88.49 54.4 25-3/8 12.6 8,984
SILVERDALE 5 247 88. 49 24 18.2 3,239
SILVER CREEK 5 333 76.57 42.34 24 13.5
SHERIDAN 4 209 84.68 44.9 16-7/8 10.9 1,878
SPRING CREEK 4 185 74.58 38.9 18 15 13,389
TISDALE 6 329 91.79 50.75 26 10
VERNON 5 281 77.58 44.12 28 11 45,100
WALNUT 4 156 66.6 43.94 29-1/2 12
WINDSOR 9 388 58.5 35.3 12 9.5 19,906
WINFIELD CITY 1 992 68.34 44.1 24 8.
NOTES: In the statement by townships Ninnescah, Silver Creek, Tisdale, Walnut, and Winfield show no property not taxed. This arises from the fact that districts lying in part only in these townships are estimated as belonging wholly to said townships. The rule followed has been to place the school district in that township to which the greater part of its population and property belong.
The fact stands out very clearly, that, by negligence or oversight of district clerks, $383,567 escape taxation for school purposes. This should not be.
-0-
WITH REFERENCE TO ABOVE--
NOTE: RECKON SOME OF THESE FIGURES WRONG! CHART SHOWS SILVER CREEK AS NOT SHOWING PROPERTY NOT TAXED...COURIER TYPESETTER ENDED UP IN "NOTES" SHOWING SILVERDALE...I CHANGED TO SILVER CREEK TO CONFORM WITH TABULAR MATERIAL! LORD ONLY KNOWS HOW MANY MISTAKES WERE MADE!
-0-
[REPORT FROM "OLIVIA" - NEW SALEM.]
DECEMBER 15, 1881.
The last social at J. A. Shields was quite largely attended, and although the host was compelled to be absent, the genial hostess made everything pass off pleasantly and the supper was so good that some had to be choked off almost. The next social will be held at the Salem schoolhouse on Tuesday night, December 20th, and all the vicinity are invited.
Rev. C. P. Graham surprised his friends lately by bringing home a nice, new buggy, and Banty was putting on all sorts of style in a new shining harness.
Some of our farmers are still husking, some are plowing, and each and all seem very busy.
Mr. Crowel was here to look after his sheep last week.
Mr. Miller and wife are boarding at Mrs. Watts.
Maggie Graham is seriously ill with fever.
Three new buildings in Salem, and the depot will soon be here.
December 10th, 1881.
-0-
[LETTER FROM "JOE K. LITTLE" - NEW SALEM.]
DECEMBER 15, 1881.
The bold stand taken by the COURIER in exposing the frauds and swindles in the county has gained it many warm friends. Lay it on thick and heavy and the farmers and laborers of Cowley county will thank you for it.
Fall wehat looks well, but little sown.
Stock in good flesh.
Hogs sold off close. Corn scarce and high.
New Salem has got the "boom" bad, business and dwelling houses springing up as if by magic.
I notice your correspondent from New Salem calls out town an imaginary station, but am inclined to think that Olivia is a stranger to this vicinity. Olivia, let me say to you that the imaginary station you spoke of must be away up east where "youens" made such an effort to get a station and failed. But, Olivia, you and friends of the east come down and we will shake hands over the "bloody chasm" and then we will show you a "live town, and a station the result of the pluck, energy, and 'bulldog' tenacity that characterizes the people of this
vicinity."
Our Sabbath school is still at work. Mr. Nichols is superintendent.
The Farmers' Alliance meets each Friday evening.
But this letter is longer than I intended it should be when I began. JOE K. LITTLE.
-0-
[REPORT FROM "N" - MAPLE TOWNSHIP.]
DECEMBER 15, 1881.
Here in Maple township the subscribers to the Winfield COURIER are pleased at the efforts being made by yourself in favor of city scales and just weights. You, Mr. Editor, have some knowledge of the amount of complaint, and yet even you can scarcely realize the wide-spread dissatisfaction that exists among farmers on that subject. Some persons, I am sorry to say citizens of Winfield, are ready to pooh pooh the matter and treat it as of light consequence, avering that you could not give satisfaction even by city scales; that farmers as a class were ever grumbling, suspicious, and many of them downright dishonest; hence, their readiness to charge others with like practice, and that their grievance was more imaginary than real, etc.
Now, Mr. Editor, that there is substance to the complaints was verified by three of my neighbors last Friday, December 9, in this way. Two of them had each a load of wheat, the other a load of hogs; before offering to sell, each had their loads weighed on Brotherton & Silver's scales, taking tickets, then sold their loads, all weighing on the same scales. When these men had delivered their loads, each weighed their wagons on the B. & S. scales, taking tickets, then weighed on the scales they sold by. Result: one bushel of wheat short to each load and one dollar short on the load of hogs. When attention was called to the fact and B. & S.'s weigh bills shown, in justice be it said, the deficiency was paid over without demur. N.
-0-
[NOTICE BY BRADT & GIBSON: CONCERNS WEIGHTS.]
DECEMBER 15, 1881.
FARMERS, READ. Owing to the dissatisfaction existing in regard to weights, we take this means of soliciting your business for our scales. We keep them always accurately balanced and give none but correct weights. Having no connection with either buyers or sellers of produce, we have no other desire than to do justice and make a dime on each load weighed.
BRADT & GIBSON,
Champion Furniture House.
[SOME ADS: DECEMBER 15, 1881.]
Messrs. G. B. Shaw & Co. have opened a coal office on South Main Street at the Champion Furniture House. They keep both wood and coal, and deliver twenty hundred for a ton.
---
First class Stereoscopic views of the prominent public buildings, private residences, and streets of Winfield. Also a fine variety of Indian pictures at Beck's Gallery.
---
LOOK HERE. If you want any piece or part of a sewing machine, whether the machine is an ancient or modern one, you can get it at D. F. Bests. Same is the case regarding musical
instruments.
---
We are still loaning money to the farmers of Cowley county at as good rates as any firm in Kansas. If you think of negotiating a loan, drop into our office at our old stand and get our rates. Jarvis, Conklin & Co.
---
Hand painted "Jardiniers," plaques, toilet seats, etc., just received at George Schroeter's. Ladies please call and examine.
---
Fresh bread and cakes at the Star Bakery on Tenth Avenue, east of Main street. [The Star Bakery has been removed to Tenth Avenue back of the McDougall building, where those wanting nice fresh bread and confectionaries can find what they desire.
-0-
WHITING BROS., (SUCCESSORS TO SIMMONS & OTT), MEAT MARKET, -KEEP THE BEST- FRESH, SALT -AND- SMOKED MEATS (POULTRY, GAME AND FISH IN SEASON) - MAIN STREET, WINFIELD, KANSAS. We take the greatest care in the selection of beeves and stock for market, and are prepared at all times to furnish our customers with the very best. Farmers who have CHOICE STOCK FOR SALE, please call on us. Cash paid for Hides.
WHITING BROS.
-0-
[COUNTY EXPENDITURES.]
DECEMBER 15, 1881.
The following is a statement of county expenditures for which your Honors have issued orders on the general county fund.
County Treasurer: $3,269.14
County Clerk: 2,114.77
County Attorney: 1,300.00
County Superintendent: 1,070.38
County Commissioners: 400.50
Sheriff's fees: 2,080.70
District Clerk's fees: 135.60
Justices of the Peace: 63.90 (Fees in criminal cases)
Constables fees: 72.40 (Fees in criminal cases)
Coroner: 25.00
Grand Jury: 307.80
Petit Jury: 784.40
Witnesses, Grand Jury: 94.40
Stenographer: 60.10
Bailiffs: 141.00
Duplicate tax roll: 200.00
County printing: 998.13
County maps: 300.00
Foundation for Sheriff's Office: 13.00
Architect, for vaults: 136.00
Books and stationery: 981.07
Fixtures for court house: 113.90
Survey and view, county roads: 348.40
Rent for jail: 60.00
Expenses of insane: 96.93
Express, freight, postage, etc. 138.03
Fuel: 513.98
Elections: 734.90
Completing vaults: 2,695.19
Repairing courthouse: 1,859.92
Drawing jury: 18.00
Drawing grand jury: 6.00
Examining county treasury: 22.00
Meals for jury: 41.90
Abstract of entries: 68.20
Journal index: 25.00
Bond Committee expenses: 243.73
Insurance: 150.00
Acknowledging tax deeds: 3.00
School examiners: 61.50
Road damages: 1,046.60
Assessors: 1,731.00
Repairs on jail: 63.60
Rewards: 50.00
Courthouse lots: 935.00
Lot in cemetery: 17.00
Dirt on courthouse lots: 222.80
Boarding, merchandise, and
medical attendance of
prisoners: 1,509.60
Pauper expenses: 2,659.83
Sheriff, Sumner county: 14.80
__________
TOTAL: $29,859.10
The following is a report of the resources and financial condition of the county for the fiscal year beginning on the 12th day of October, 1880.
Amount of State tax levied: $15,394.43
Amount of County tax levied: 26,839.78
Amount of Bounty Bond tax levied: 3,078.64
Amount of Railroad tax levied: 13,185.49
Arkansas City sidewalk tax levied: 2,041.62
Winfield City sidewalk tax levied: 456.60
Bolton township tax levied: 325.65
Bolton township bond tax levied: 1,042.05
Bolton township road tax levied: 80.86
Cresswell township tax levied: 1,325.72
Cresswell township bond tax levied: 3,314.32
Cresswell township road tax levied: 323.99
Dexter township tax levied: 90.68
Old Winfield township bond tax levied: 3,192.58
Liberty township tax levied: 132.11
Liberty township road tax levied: 75.50
Maple township tax levied: 180.95
Otter township tax levied: 100.98
Richland township tax levied: 120.42
Rock Creek township tax levied: 86.18
Vernon township tax levied: 380.22
Walnut Township tax levied: 388.07
Walnut township road tax levied: 272.57
Arkansas City tax levied: 314.36
Arkansas City bond tax levied: 1,571.80
Arkansas City interest fund tax levied: 471.53
Arkansas City sinking fund tax levied: 314.38
Winfield City tax levy: 1,409.54
School districts tax levied: 31,016.57
School districts bond tax levied: 11,445.19
___________
TOTAL LEVY FOR ALL PURPOSES: $118,972.83
Rate percent, on each $100: $3.86.
The following is the indebtedness of the county.
Ten percent county bonds ............ $ 31,500.00
Six percent C. S. & F. S. RR Bonds .. 128,000.00
Seven percent S., K. & W. RR Bonds .. 29,500.00
County warrants outstanding ......... 2,262.40
____________
TOTAL INDEBTEDNESS OF COWLEY COUNTY: $191.262.40
T