USA > Kansas > Wabaunsee County > Early history of Wabaunsee County, Kansas, with stories of pioneer days and glimpses of our western border.. > Part 3
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The people refused to accept the plea that the shooting was due to the impression that Woods was a horse thief.
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EARLY HISTORY OF WABAUNSEE COUNTY, KAN.
"A Precious Pair."
From the Signal of Oct. 25, 1890: Under the above heading the Kansas City Times of a recent date contained an item that was not devoid of interest to the people of Alma for the reason that the parties referred to were residents here for several months and both were well known to our people.
The parties referred to went by the name of Ben and Arthur Claire. On being arrested on suspicion by the police, they claimed to be brothers, but when the younger of the two was taken before the matron in charge of the woman's department he (or she) acknowledged that the clothes were worn as a disguise-that her right name was Arthie and that she was the wife of Ben Claire; that the disguise was assumed that she might be better enabled to travel through the country and the more readily secure work.
Ben and Arthur (or Arthie) came to Alma sometime in May last, claiming to be brothers. Ben worked in Fox's stone quarry and Arthur was porter and runner at the Commercial House.
Arthur, of course, stopped at the Commercial, while Ben boarded at Spear's restaurant-except, occasionally, when he would get a little lonesome-then he would go down and talk over business with his young brother.
Arthur was a good looking boy and some of Alma's young ladies thought he was too cute for anything. But somehow the young man's popularity wasn't of the "lasty" kind. He wasn't lavish with his funds in the way of patronizing the ice cream parlors. He seemed to care more for his brother Ben than he did for the girls. And yet, with Ben and Arthur, all wasn't sunshine by any means. One day, Ben got outside of too much "original package," and the way his little brother went for Ben was a caution.
He gave Ben a regular tongue-lashing. Several parties took in the fun and the wonder is that they didn't suspect the boy of being a woman on account of his nimble speech.
Perhaps they would, but Arthur had a way of throwing people off their guard that was effective. He carried out this part of the pro- gram by using tobacco-both chewing and smoking.
When the work shut down at the quarry, Ben and his little
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EARLY HISTORY OF WABA UNSEE COUNTY, KAN.
brother went out to Herman Mueller's and accepted a position in the corn-cutting business. Of course they slept together as brothers should. But the boys noticed that the brothers didn't get along together the best in the world. While in the field there was a con- stant war of words and somehow the little fellow (or fellowess) would always manage to get in the last word-another bit of evidence that might have revealed her sex.
When the handsome boy first struck Alma some of the girls noticed that he was awful shy. Of course they now know the reason: All girls are shy and awkward the first time they don their brother's clothes-somehow they don't seem to fit.
Some of our young men now see that they were guilty of very ungallant conduct. While acting in the role of runner at the hotel the boy slept on a cot in the office-being awakened by an alarm clock in time to make the trains
One night, some of our young men (we promised to withhold their names) thinking to have some fun at the boy's expense, tied his ankles together while he was asleep-for the fun they would have when the alarm clock should "go off." Of course the boys had their fun, but now they blush away back behind their ears when they are twitted about tying a woman's ankles. The only way they can stop the racket is to set up the peanuts.
There was one peculiarity about the boy-he couldn't be induced to play baseball-for fear, perhaps, that he would give himself away in trying to catch a "fly." Neither could he be induced to go in swim- ming. He said he couldn't swim and besides he was always afraid of the water.
Well, some of our young men have learned a lesson. Hereafter good-looking boys will be treated to ice cream in summer and to oysters when the dog-days are gone,
Item in Signal, Dec. 14, 1889: Our panther has been heard from again. As Johnnie Keagy, Fred Ross and Roland Medlicott were in the timber on Hendricks creek on Saturday last they heard the pan- ther's shrill cry. The cries came nearer and nearer until the animal was within a hundred yards of where the boys were. As the sounds increased in volume the animal's voice became less musical and the boys thereupon concluded they had no further business in that locality. It must not be supposed that the boys were afraid at all, but as the panther had never harmed them in the least, they had no ill feeling toward the brute and besides they were not looking for that kind of game.
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EARLY HISTORY OF WABAUNSEE COUNTY, KAN.
Wealth in Cattle.
From Signal, April 26, 1896: Wabaunsee county has been called the Switzerland of Kansas, for the reason, we presume, that our hills resemble mountains-to people who never saw a mountain.
But besides boasting of as fertile valleys as are to be found any- where it is true that many thousands of cattle roam over our hills and fatten on the nutritions grasses thereon-requiring little or no atten- tion from their owners.
These conditions have long been recognized by large cattle dealers in Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona, and many rich, golden harvests have been gathered in by these wide-awake dealers in succulent beef- steak. But it is only within the last few years that our home people have begun to realize the fact that the treasures carried away by others can just as well be taken care of by residents of our own county.
The result of this wise conclusion is seen in the number of our people employed in the cattle business, who, a few years ago, had never entertained a thought of acquiring a fortune, or even a compe- tency, through the medium of the cattle industry.
We give a partial list of some of our stock men residing in Alma and vicinity who hope to reap some of the benefits from our rich, green pasture lands.
Stuewe Bros 1800
M. Nicolson . . 1200
E. J. Buckingham
800
A. S. Allendorph
Kinne & Lockhart. 600
600
Scott Thompson 500
Henderson Bros 400
Albert Thoes. 400
Geo. Casey 300
Frank Brothers 200
Fred Thowe 200
Fred Crafts 130
Davis Bros. . 100
These figures indicate approximately the number of cattle now on hand, though as several of the number are large dealers the numbers fluctuate.
It will be seen that nearly 7,000 head of cattle are owned by a
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EARLY HISTORY OF WABAUNSEE COUNTY, KAN.
dozen or more of our people, the greater number of whom have but recently awakened to the fact that the profits from our pasturage may as well be kept where they rightly belong-at home.
In addition to the cattle owned by residents, nearly 20,000 head belonging to outsiders will be grazed in the vicinity of Alma.
Of this number Mr. Buckingham will have charge of 6,000 head: Frank Bros., Davis Bros., and Kinne & Lockhart will each graze 4,000 head -the number to be grazed by the three firms aggregating 12,000 head, exclusive of their own cattle. Mr. Casey will graze about 500 head in addition to his own herd of 300.
In other parts of the county large herds are owned by men who have made fortunes in cattle and who are today none the less enthusi- astic than heretofore in the belief that there is big money in the cattle business. Of this number, Mr. Frank Rickershauser of Paxico, has a large herd, as have, also, Waugh & Peters, John Rehrig and Tom Rush, of Eskridge, Fowlers, of Maple Hill, and Mr. C. Langvardt and Mr. J. W. Naylor, of Alta Vista, John Clark, of Dover, Fred Miller, of Kaw township and scores of others who years ago recognized the value of our Kansas grasses.
This is a good showing and yet the cattle industry in Wabaunsee county is but in its infancy. That there is wealth in cattle has just begun to dawn on many, who, heretofore, have seemed oblivious of a fact that should have been recognized long ago.
Since the above was written-six years-there have been several changes In the personnel of those actively engaged in the stock busi- ness. While a few have sought wealth in other avocations nearly all are exerting renewed efforts in a calling that brings sure returns to all. But in addition to those already named we give a partial list of others who are fast coming to the front either as dealers, or raisers of fine cattle and hogs, as follows:
Frank Schmidt, Win. Maas & Sons, August and Chas. Zeckser, Schmitz Bros., A. M. Jordan, and C. B. Fields, of Alma; Tom Wilson, Ed. Shumate & Sons, of Eskridge; Sebastian Wertzberger, H. W. Steinmeyer, Robert Fix, Henry Grimm and Wm. Horne, of Volland; Otto and Henry Hess, Henry Lochr, and Finney Bros., of Halifax; C. S. Kelley and the Muckenthalers, of Paxico; Henry Fauerbach, Frank and Horace Adams, and W. J. Tod, of Maple Hill; Tom Maney, Frank Ronneau and John Maguire, of Kaw township (St. Marys); Geo. S. Burt and John ()'Malley, of Wabaunsee; S. G. Cantrill, of Harvey- ville: Herman Arndt of Templin and James Cessnun of Chalk, and scores of our farmers who prove by their works their faith in Wabaun- see county as among the best stock raising centres of the world.
EARLY HISTORY OF WABAUNSEE COUNTY, KAN.
Bolmar.
RETURNING TO THE RESERVATION (1864). See pages 22 and 276.
Mr. W. W. Ross, Indian agent, and Capt. Ed. Krapp, to quiet the alarmed settlers, went to their camp on the head of South Branch, and, explaining the situation to the chiefs, induced them to return to the deserted villagesjou the Pottawatomie reserve.
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EARLY HISTORY OF WABAUNSEE COUNTY, KAN.
A Free Ride in a Gattle Gar.
Item in Signal, June 21, 1893: A tramp giving his name as Jolin Fair appeared at the Atchison (Kan.) police station one night, recent- ly, bruised from head to foot, and asked permission to sleep at the station till morning. Fair said he had come to Atchison from Omaha in a through stock train and that he had the most terrible experience of his life. Shortly before the train pulled out of Omaha the tramp said he crawled into a car loaded with steers. The steers soon began to step on him and seeing that would never do the tramp climbed on the back of one of the steers. This enraged the animal and it lunged forward, exciting the other steers and there was a panic. The mad- dened steers dashed about, hooking the tramp on all sides. He put his arms about the neck of the steer that he was riding and held his grip until the train stopped at Atchison. The tramp's head had struck the top of the car a number of times and was badly bruised.
When Hartman Bollier who, a few years later, was deputy supreme organizer of the Maccabees, read the above item in the Signal he called at the office and said: "That was rather a tough experience that tramp had in the cattle car wasn't it?" "Well, I got in just such a fix last summer down in Texas. I was dead broke and wanted to get back home but for the life of me I couldn't get employment of any kind. But roasting ears were cheap and car fare away down- provided the brakeman didn't watch too close. But there was the trouble. After being put off about a dozen times I looked up a cattle car and crawled in. The outlook wasn't very inviting but I mounted on the back of the biggest steer in the car and waited for develop- ments. They came soon enough and I got some hard knocks from the long-horns. When the horns would get too uncomfortably close I would crawl onto another steer-some would kick like blazes and others would tremble through fear. When a steer would get down I would lay close to his back to keep out of sight of the cow punchers until the train started again. This went on all right till I got to a little station down in the Indian Territory. Then one of the cow punchers spied me out. "What in the name of the great horn spoon are you doing in there," said the cowboy. "Oh, just taking a ride." "Come out of that or them - Texas steers will kill you." "Me and
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EARLY HISTORY OF WABAUNSEE COUNTY, KAN.
the steers for that." Lanswered, for tough as riding in a cattle car was it beat walking all to smash. But on being told I could ride in the caboose I bid the steers good-bye and thanked the good Lord at the prospect of getting back to Kansas. "But I wouldn't take that ride again for a million dollars." And Hartman meant every word he said.
Our Genius in Limbo.
From Signal, Jan. 14, 1893: While in prison, John Bunyan wrote Pilgrim's Progress, and Daniel De Foe gave to the world his Robinson Crusoe. Now Harry Faults may not have heard of either of his pre- decessors but he is, nevertheless, furnishing additional evidence that imprisonment may at times prove a blessing in disguise.
Since Harry got into that little trouble by taking hold of a rope with a horse attached to the other end of it he hasn't employed his time making wooden keys to get out and prospect around for more of the same kind of ropes, but he has philosophically accepted the situation and occupies his time in constructing such things as mouse cages, toy furniture, ships, etc., indubitable evidence that Harry is a genuine mechanic. He has constructed three mouse cages, each succeeding attempt being an improvement on the one preceding.
Confined in the cage last made are two mice, one a little fellow that delights to turn the wheel and the other a staid old mouse whose appearance indicates the early necessity of a further enlargement of the diminutive prison. It is amusing to watch either of the mice as they climb the sides of the rapidly turning wheel, or as they make an agile spring for the small circular opening in the upper chamber that completely hides the prisoners from view.
Then, there is a dresser, or bureau, surmounted by a glass frame and with three glass drawers below. A neatly made chair and center table complete the set.
But a year of Harry's life was passed on the ocean. At one time for more than fifty days he did not put his foot on the land-on a voyage from Galveston, Texas, to Amsterdam. Harry hasn't forgotten how ships that sail the bright seas over are built, and among other things he has constructed three models of vessels. The last one made is, of course, the best, and is a thing of beauty.
Each mast has its shrouds-or rope ladders. as a landsman or an
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EARLY HISTORY OF WABAUNSEE COUNTY, KAN.
editor would call them-made of thread. There are the hatchways, and the galley, or cook house, and, a genuine wheel with cogs to turn it. Our reporter never saw a real ship but he has seen lots of models and pictures of them and this looks just like them-it is as pretty as a picture. But Harry calls this a brigantine, which goes to show that our reporter don't know a ship when he sees one.
Harry being in jail, you may wonder, maybe, where he got his tools. You will think, probably, that he has a full kit. Well, he has, but the kit is a mighty small one-only a saw, a small nail, and a piece of glass-nothing more, and what a saw. It is about four or five inches long and nearly a half inch wide, the teeth being mere notches in the tin. But with these makeshifts of tools Harry does neat work, sawing out thin slabs from old cigar boxes-of which material the greater part of the various pieces of handiwork are constructed.
Harry has gone wrong and his mistake should be a warning to the hundreds of young men growing up to man's estate who are leaving their manhood in the lurch. But Harry may have a better future before him. For awhile he may be compelled to sit on the stool of repentance-then, we hope a brighter future will welcome him to a field of usefulness in the industrial world beyond the portals of the Alına jail.
Attending Gourt in the Sixties.
From Signal of Feb. 11, 1893: Mr. L. J. McCrumb was in attend- ance at court doing jury service this week and was, as usual, full of reminiscences of Auld Lang Syne. It is nearly 25 years since his first experience as a juryman in Wabaunsee county.
Court was held in the Kaufman building (our first court house), Judge Morton presided, and John Winkler kept the only hotel in town, but Uncle Henry Schmitz supplied the hungry with crackers and cheese, and as many of those in attendance at court brought along their provisions in baskets and slept in the hay-mow in Schmitz & Meyer's barn-to curtail expenses-such little inconveniences as a lack of accommodations were unworthy of mention. There were but three or four houses in Alma then and most of the jurors picketed their horses on the prairie within fifty yards of the court room.
A court incident of the term is worthy of mention here. Robert Marrs, of Dragoon creek, one of the jurors, had picketed his horse near
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EARLY HISTORY OF WABAUNSEE COUNTY, KAN.
where Falk's marble works are now located. A case was on trial and Mr. Marrs was on the jury. Looking out of the window he saw a passing colporteur pick up his bridle and drive off with it.
Bob couldn't stand that, and, rising from his seat, he said, excitedly: "Judge will you excuse me a minute? A man out yonder is stealing my bridle." Of course Judge Morton stopped proceedings and Mr. Marrs lost no time in securing possession of his bridle, at the same time giving the thief a piece of his mind. Mr. McCrumb rode to court on the back of an Indian pony of the Pottawatomie breed and during his week's stay turned his pony into Schmitz & Meyer's hay lot on the Mueller corner.
The bill for the week's feed for the pony was twenty-five cents. Mr. MeCrumb will retain many pleasant memories of the early days but not the least among them will be the recollection of his first jury Service in the courts of Wabaunsee county.
A Reminiscence.
Thirty-one years ago was the time and the little frame school house in Alma-just south of the court house-was the place-where we attended our first examination for a teacher's certificate.
Mr. William F. Cotton was county superintendent, and Mr. John T. Keagy, a young attorney just out from Pennsylvania, was the only associate examiner.
Among the other applicants for a certificate was Mr. M. K. Ander- son, of Rock creek, who, even then wasn't a young man. Mr. W. A. Doolittle, afterwards county attorney, was another applicant. His whiskers just as long as when we last saw him and the hair on his head some longer. Mr. Percival Hawes, the Alta Vista postmaster, was there, also, and he, too, had a flowing beard. Mr. Hawes, a few years later was elected clerk of the district court.
We believe there was but one lady applicant, Miss Sallie Pratt, now the wife of Mr. John Sudweeks, ex-representative, of Eskridge.
There were other applicants but their names we can't recall. Among the visiting teachers was Mr. J. M. Lingfelter, afterwards superintendent, then a teacher and resident of Wabaunsee.
The examination was oral and all received certificates. It was our first examination and our first experience in the school room was in District 27-the first term in the. then, new school house.
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EARLY HISTORY OF WABAUNSEE COUNTY, KAN.
In those days the institute was unknown. But later on it came and with it, many new conditions that are commendable. Then, the teachers were to one another unknown. They are better acquainted now.
Besides being beneficial from an educational standpoint the insti- tutes are profitable in other ways. The associations of a month are sometimes very pleasant, but, occasionally, they deprive our education- al system of a teacher.
We know quite a number who have quit the business-conditions due mainly to the institute. But if they are happier as housekeepers than as teachers who can say them nay.
At the first annual institute the teachers boarded more in clubs than now. There were even then houses to rent. One-not a very large one however-was located on the lot belonging to Mrs. J. R. Fix, of Volland-on which the Henry Pauly house was moved.
By reason of its color the house was called the "Little Brown Jug." It was afterwards moved to the corner of Main and Missouri streets, and, later, farther north-adjoining the Pries store-the front being pulled out to save that, and the adjoining buildings, from burning.
Among the occupants of the "Little Brown Jug" at that first institute was a prominent young lady from Wabaunsee, who, several years after attended as a delegate to a temperance convention- further proof that there's nothing in a name.
But it is said that three years is the life of a teacher-in the school-room. That was ten times three years ago and a full grown young gentleman of Maple Hill now addresses that teacher of but yesterday as "Mama."
But, none the less, the days of Auld Lang Syne are recalled.
An Innocent Abroad.
He was not one of Mark Twain's creations-but a genuine speci- men of the genus homo from the rural districts of Wabaunsee county. We could tell his name, but for obvious reasons we will call him Smith-John Smith will do.
Well, in the month of January, 1892, John went down to Kansas City (that wicked town down at the mouth of the Kaw) on business, of course.
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EARLY HISTORY OF WABAUNSEE COUNTY, KAN.
When John's business was transacted he hied himself to the Union depot, to take the train for home.
John's only companion was a black carpet sack. containing a well- word suit of clothes, a pair of overshoes and a last year's almanac- not a very valuable collection-and for this reason, perhaps, John thought it unnecessary to pay ten cents at the check stand to insure the safety of the aforesaid carpet sack until the departure of his train.
lohn had but a few minutes to wait, but in that few minutes a stranger came in with an unsteady gait and a black carpet sack-the latter a perfect match to that containing John's ancient wardrobe.
The stranger sat down in the seat next to John and put his carpet sack alongside of the one John was patiently guarding
John noticed the similarity of the two carpet sacks but he failed to notice the stranger's disappearance, and with him the black carpet sack that contained John's second best suit of clothes and the last year's almanac.
But before long John's train was called and not until then was he aware that the carpet sack he picked up was not his property.
His suit of clothes didn't weigh much and the last year's almanac wouldn't make the old carpet sack pull down like-
" Brickbats "'
Yes, John had been buncoed.
That innocent, swaggering stranger wasn't as drunk as he would have folks believe.
John had read all about just such tricks being played on country Jakes, and with all his cuteness he had been buncoed ont of a snit of clothes-not a very valuable suit, but they were worth more than all the brickbats you could stuff in a dozen black carpet sacks.
But John had no idea of leaving the supposed brickbats without first having made a personal inspection of the inside of that carpet sack.
No sooner was the train under way than John was peering into that load of brickbats.
But the first thing his eyes rested on wasn't a brickbat-that is, it didn't look like one-on the outside. It seemed too long and it was round instead of square.
John unwound the paper wrapper-or rather the three or four paper wrappers, and on the inside was a bottle of John Spangler's grippe antidote.
Underneath this was another package just like the first, and a little farther down were two flat bottles, each labeled "Old Rye Whiskey, 1865."
On the other side there was a variation in the program.
In the first bundle opened was a full suit of silk underwear and
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EARLY HISTORY OF WABAUNSEE COUNTY, KAN.
besides a pair of kid gloves, two pairs of embroidered slippers, and- two half-gallon jugs-one of Jamaica rum and the other of Old Scotch whiskey."
Were it not for the fact that John is a staunch prohibitionist we would be tempted to pronounce his story a little bit fishy, but we guess it is straight goods, for John wears his good clothes every day in the week now, and every time we see him he gets up close-so we can smell his breath-and it's all O. K. There's no scent of coffee, cloves, or tangle-foot about it.
John says he's going to Kansas City again before long and they can bunco him again if they want to. He's strictly temperate, but he has a mortal fear of the grippe, and when so many folks are down with the blasted complaint it is mighty handy to have lots of prevent- ive in the house-especially in a prohibition state, where, in case of sickness, such sovereign remedies can't be had for love nor money.
If you want corroborative proof of the above write to George Foster. The last we heard of him his post office address was Kansas City, Kansas. He was practicing law down there-but it seems to us he was taking desperate chances-of being buncoed some more.
1202880
Some Jail Deliveries.
"Boys we are going out of here tonight." These were the words used by Thomas Babcock in the Alma jail on the night of June 3, 1890 The boys referred to were Ed. Gordon and Scott Holt, his two com- panions.
Babcock was a waiter on a Rock Island dining car before his arrest for stealing diamonds and jewelry to the amount of $400 from Mrs. W. S. Johnson, a lady passenger on the west-bound train at McFarland. Holt was charged as an accomplice, and Ed. Gordon was in jail for hiring a team at Romick's barn, at Maple Hill, and driving in the wrong direction. His alleged destination was Ad. Thompson's, on Mission creek, but when next heard from he was in Carroll county, Arkansas, taking his best girl riding in Romick's buggy.
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