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Sheriff A. T. Shenneman of Cowley County, Kansas 1879-1880
AUGUST 14, 1879.
LETTER FROM JOHN C. ROBERTS RE SHINNEMAN.
RECAP: HE STATED THAT THE PEOPLE OF WALNUT TOWNSHIP ARE FOR SHINNEMAN
....Mr. A. T. Shinneman at the age of sixteen entered the war of 1861, served till its close, and was honorably discharged from the service. Thus early in life he was inured in the trials and hardships of the fiercest war that has raged in modern times, and which have so effectually marked his career from that time to the present. Besides he has had the requisite experience in the line of duty pertaining to the office of Sheriff. We can say of a truth, as can a great many more, that he has performed duties without any compensation whatever and that too, when the proper officials refused to act at the time called upon to do so.
For instance, when A. B. Graham's horse was stolen, not one of the proper officials could be prevailed upon to perform their duty. Not so with Shinneman. He was willing to go and did go, although he was not the officer elected to perform that duty, neither was he the deputy. Had he been Sheriff at the time the Arkansas City bank was robbed, instead of lounging around town, he would have pursued those desperadoes in person, and the probabilities are that he would have succeeded in securing them.
With A. T. as sheriff, cattle thieves, horse thieves, and desperadoes of all kinds will give Cowley County a wide berth, as they well know that they will have more than a mere pigmy to contend with.
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MURDER OF CAPTAIN SECRIST IN INDIAN TERRITORY.
TRAVELER, SEPTEMBER 3, 1879 - EDITORIAL PAGE.
Captain Secrist's Murder.
CHETOPA, KANS., Aug. 19, 1879.
Captain Secrist's body has been found. A detail of soldiers, who left Vinita, I. T., in search of Captain Secrist, conductor of the mail route, who has been missing for some weeks, found his body nearly eaten up by wolves about 180 miles southwest of Vinita, and about 20 miles from the stage line. A large bullet wound was discovered in his head. His body was identified by his clothing, and papers scattered near it. While out there the soldiers were told that there was a gang of some fifty desperadoes in the hills in the neighborhood, and they sent the soldiers word that if they wanted to see them, to come on.
If this band of cut-throats and robbers is as large as represented; and we have good reason to believe it is for the Territory is full of escaped horse thieves and murderers, the border towns of Kansas along the southern line are in great danger from frequent raids from them and some protection to these towns ought to be afforded by the United States authorities.
One town, Caneyville, has been successfully pillaged by them already, and if nothing is done to capture or prevent them they will try their hand on other and larger towns. Will the State or the government afford this protection, or shall these outlaws have things their own way and rob and murder at their pleasure?
The soldiers cannot find any trace of the other men who accompanied Captain Secrist. The supposition is they have also been murdered.
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[EDITORIAL PAGE.]
TRAVELER, SEPTEMBER 10, 1879.
The nominating convention held at Winfield last Saturday placed the following ticket in the field: Sheriff, A. T. Shinneman [?], Winfield; County Clerk, Capt. Hunt, Winfield; Treasurer, J. N. Harden, Dexter; Register, Jacob Nixon, Vernon township; Coroner, Dr. Graham, Winfield; Surveyor, N. A. Haight, Winfield; Commissioner for 2nd district, Mr. Harbaugh, Pleasant Valley township.
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[ARTICLE RE CANDIDATE A. T. SHENNEMAN.]
SEPTEMBER 11, 1879.
A. T. SHENNEMAN.
He is a native of Waynesburg, Ohio. While a small boy his parents moved with him to Illinois, where he was brought up and educated. When a mere boy, at the age of fifteen, in 1862, he enlisted in the 68th Illinois volunteer infantry, but was soon transferred to the 70th Illinois cavalry, in which he served with distinction to the close of the war.
It is a compliment on his young patriotism to state that when he entered the service, his stature was only five feet seven inches; and when he came out, he had elongated to the height of six feet one and one-half inches, his present stature, and had grown immensely in the esteem of his comrades in arms.
After the war he emigrated to Kansas as the young State of his permanent home. He was one of the early settlers in this county, where he has made a very large number of the most enthusiastic friends, as the compliment of his nomination by so overwhelming a vote over one of the best men in the county, by delegates fresh from the people and farmers of the county, fully proves.
He has had in this county much experience in the line of services which pertain to the office of sheriff, in which he has exhibited in an eminent degree the qualities which are wanted in such an officer. Cool, courageous, shrewd, energetic, and with all, pleasant and gentlemanly, we predict that will prove one of the best officers that Cowley county ever had. Such as he could not get office from the brigadiers in Congress, for his early experience in fighting for our nationality and against states rights heresies has made him a steadfast, unflinching, and working Republican.
[A GRAND SCHEME TO ELECT HARTER SHERIFF BY FOUL MEANS.]
OCTOBER 23, 1879.
A Grand Scheme
To Elect Harter Sheriff by Foul Means
Embracing Several Hundred Fraudulent Votes.
200 to be Fraudulently Registered in Winfied,
The Balance to be Voted in the Townships.
Lies to be Made and Circulated Against Shenneman.
Votes to be Bought for Whiskey and Money.
Stapleton, Benedict, and Story to be Sold Out for Harter.
A Deputy U. S. Marshal, a City Clerk, and
City Marshal Among the Schemers
To Share the Spoils of the Forced Election of the
Most Inefficient, Timid, and Avaricious
Sheriff Cowley County Ever Had.
We are reliably informed that one of the boldest and most vicious schemes is organized for the purpose of electing C. L. Harter to the office of sheriff by fraud, bribery, slander, and rascality.CThe scheme embraces the buying up by whiskey and even money the hundreds of transients now in the county at work on the railroad or looking at the country, and voting them for Harter.
It is thought that most of them have democratic proclivities, and would readily vote for a democrat, if well supplied with whiskey, even to swearing in their votes, if need be, and thus some three hundred illegal votes are expected in the townships, while in this city we are told that near two hundred persons have registered illegally with a registering officer who is a member of this Harter ring. We are told that a City Marshal and a U. S. Deputy Marshal are members of this ring; that a pretended republican, who never voted a republican ticket, named Ebert, a saloonist, brags that he has taken up and registered sixty-four of these frauds.
The next thing in their program is to fabricate and circulate a large batch of lies against Shenneman. This was shadowed forth a week ago in the Telegram, which asked a dozen questions, like "Did not Shenneman steal a sheep?" etc. Each question containing a mean insinuation against Shenneman. Now we have to answer each and every question in that list with a distinct and emphatic No, and weboldly assert that there is not a fact in existence which is the slightest reason why Shenneman should not be elected sheriff. But the plan of the ring is to make lies and tell them, and they will be told.
We are informed that business has been so good the past year that Harter has a "bar!" and is to use it in buying up votes and setting up the whiskey.
The program includes every kind of a trade which will make a vote for Harter. His colleagues on the ticket are to be sold out. Stapleton, Benedict and Story are to be slaughtered to get votes for Harter. No stone is to be left unturned, no means however foul are to be neglected, all to make votes against a man eminently qualified and for a man totally unfitted for it in every particular.
We have liked Harter and neglected to speak the truths which ought to be spoken of him when he is a candidate for the office of sheriff, but since we know, by his own statement, that he made a bargain and sale with Allison, two years ago, we doubt not that such a bargain exists now, and such an attack on Shenneman would not have been made without Harter's approval. Neither can we think he is not in a ring which aims at illegal means to secure his election.
So it becomes our duty to tell the following truths, which everyone who has noticed and examined the matter, knows to be true: that Harter is grossly inefficient as a sheriff, the most so of any we ever had, that he is deficient in moral and physical courage, and is by many called a coward, that he has never attacked and overcome resistance, but has backed down when resistance was threatened, that he has never run into danger, that he has been avaricious and made more money out of the office than any other sheriff ever made in the same time, that he has constantly charged and collected constructive mileage, that he charges full mileage from Winfield to the home of the taxpayer on each tax-warrant put into his hands, on one warrant for fourteen cents collecting six dollars, and sending down to Arkansas City, to another officer, a large batch of warrants, ordering that $2.80 be collected on each for his mileage though he did not travel a mile, and that a hundred other incidents illustrate the same fact. He is believed by the people here to be grossly immoral, among the other things that unfit him for the office of sheriff.
Now these things are not yarns got up for the occasion, but are susceptible of proof. We append a few affidavits, all we have room for, bearing on some of these statements, and there are plenty more to be had, even from the personal friends of Mr. Harter. We appeal to the honest voters of this county to vote for Shenneman, a capable and honest man, instead of one whose unfitness requires the aid of fraud to give him any chance. We appeal to them that they see that all attempts at fraud in the coming election be detected and punished.
Here following some of the affidavits.
ROBERT HUDSON'S AFFIDAVIT.
STATE OF KANSAS, )
Cowley County. ) ss.
Robert Hudson, after being first duly sworn, upon his oath, says that he is a citizen of Winfield, in said county and state, and has been for several years last past. That his occupation is that of house mover, that during the year 1878 James Kelly, then postmaster of this city, employed affiant to move the old post office building from Dr. Mendenhall's premises. Dr. Mendenhall commenced an action in attachment against James Kelly, and the order of attachment was placed in the hands of Charles L. Harter, Sheriff of said county, to execute, and instructed him to levy upon said building. He came down to levy upon the building, affiant at the time being at work getting it ready to move away. James Kelly was present. Harter stated his business to him and said he was going to levy upon the building and for me to stop work, and for Kelly to get out.
Kelly ordered him to leave and told him he would put a head on him if he did not go and Harter taking him at his word left. Kelly told affiant to go ahead with the moving. Affiant did so and moved the building away and Harter never did get possession of the same, and further the affiant says not.
ROBERT HUDSON.
Subscribed and sworn to before me this 18th day of October, 1879.
HENRY E. ASP,
Notary Public.
SETH W. CHASE - AFFIDAVIT.
State of Kansas, )
Cowley county. ) ss.
Seth W. Chase, after being duly sworn, upon his oath doth say, that he is a resident of Tisdale township in said county of Cowley, and has been for more than six years last past.
Affiant further saith, that in the month of July, 1878, Zeke White, William Baker, and Mrs. Wood committed the crime of theft in said Cowley county and a warrant upon the complaint of affiant was issued by George H. Buckman, Justice of the Peace of Winfield township in said Cowley county, and the same was placed in the hands of Charles L. Harter, as sheriff of said Cowley county, to arrest them. That affiant accompanied the said sheriff and showed him the said thieves. That said Harter called to them to come out to where we were. Affiant was unarmed, but the said Harter was armed. Bill Baker and White came up to where we were, and Baker told Harter he would not be taken. White made no resistance. And hereupon the said sheriff, after parleying with said Baker for some time, in a tone of voice not heard by me, turned to affiant and said, let's go, and we left. Baker and White went back to where they came from. White was unarmed. I said to Harter on our way back, what are you going to do? He replied, what can I do? I then said, Go get Titus and I will get Chaffee and his shot-gun, and we will go back and get them (the said Baker and White). He said, no; I will get the drop on them to-morrow. I replied, they will be gone to-morrow; and he replied, that will be better than to arrest them. I then said, Give me the warrant and deputize me and I will bring them in to-night. He looked at me and said, No, damn you; you would kill him. We then separated. I went home and he came on to town. All the thieves made their escape that night, except White, and he came in and gave himself up, and the other parties have never been arrested, and no attempt ever made to arrest them; and further deponent saith not.
SETH W. CHASE.
Subscribed and sworn to before me this 18th day of October, 1879.
W. P. HACKNEY,
Notary Public.
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DANIEL GRAMM'S AFFIDAVIT.
STATE OF KANSAS, )
Cowley County, ) ss.
Daniel Gramm, after first being duly sworn, upon his oath deposes and says, that he is a resident of Pleasant Valley township in said county and state and has been since about April 15th, 1879. That some time in the early part of July last he lost a span of mules, the same having been stolen, and since then has never heard of them. That as soon as affiant heard of the theft aforesaid he offered a reward of fifty dollars for said mules and applied to Charles L. Harter, the sheriff of said Cowley county, to look after the matter and wanted him to make a search. He did not seem to take any interest in the matter and affiant could get neither counsel nor assistance out of him, and the only aid he vouchsafed to affiant was "That he would look around town." Afterwards I went to him with a letter from one of the men who I think stole my mules. That the supposed thief stated that he was at Raymond in Rice county, Kansas, and for them to write him there. I begged him to go and arrest the thief, but he would do nothing, and the thief finally came down and gave himself up and was sent to the penitentiary. Whether his disgust at Harter for not doing his duty had any thing to do with his voluntary surrender, affiant can't say. Affiant applied to Harter's deputy, "Jim Finch," with same result; and further affiant says not.
DANIEL GRAMM.
Subscribed and sworn to before me this 18th dcy of October, 1879.
W. P. HACKNEY,
Notary Public.
J. C. ROBERT'S AFFIDAVIT.
STATE OF KANSAS, )
Cowley County. ) ss.
J. C. Roberts, after first being duly sworn, upon his oath, doth say that he is a resident of Walnut township, formerly Winfield, in said county and state, and has been for more than eight years last past.
That in the month of November, 1878, my son-in-law had a horse stolen in said county, and my son-in-law, A. B. Graham, and myself went to the city of Winfield and endeavored to get Charles L. Harter, the Sheriff of said county to go with us after the thieves. Harter not being at home I went to Finch, the Deputy Sheriff, and asked him to go with us. This he refused to do then and wanted us to wait until the next day as he had ridden all the way from Wichita that day and was too tired.
We then went to look for A. T. Shinneman to get him to go with us. He was absent with passengers brought from Wichita and taking them to east part of this county. Learning that he would be back that night, we waited until 12 o'clock, at which time Shinneman came home. We told him what we wanted, and notwithstanding he had the day before driven from Winfield to Wichita and that day from Wichita to Winfield and thence some 12 miles and back that night, he immediately got his shot-gun and borrowed a revolver from J. H. Finch, Harter's deputy, and we went at once after the thieves, traveling all that night and all the next day and the day following and got home at 12 o'clock that night, and while we were
unsuccessful in our search for the thieves, the facts show what the Republican candidate for Sheriff will do when he is elected, and what the conduct of our present officials has been and will continue to be if Mr. Harter is elected.
J. C. ROBERTS.
Subscribed and sworn to before me this 18th day of October, 1879.
W. P. HACKNEY,
Notary Public.
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A BATCH OF LIES.
The Telegram, of yesterday morning, finally came out with its batch of full-blown lies, such as it had intimated by its insinuations being manufactured against Shenneman. After stating the lies without the least evidence in proof, the Telegram has the cheek to say: "If they are not true, let Shenneman and his friends go to Troup, Walker, Webb, or Hackney, and get their affidavits to the contrary." That is their game. If they charge that Shenneman sometime stole a sheep or robbed a hen-roost, they expect it to be believed unless he comes forward and performs an impossibility for any man by proving he never did such a thing. Never mind. You will see affidavits enough, and your timid, namby-pamby, money-getting candidate will be somewhat shown up too, because of going into this contemptible mode of electioneering.
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["CRESSWELL" FROM ARKANSAS CITY CORRESPONDS WITH EDITOR.]
OCTOBER 23, 1879.
ARKANSAS CITY, Oct. 17, 1879.
ED. COURIER: By a late Telegram I see that Allison is paying his respects to Shenneman. Bill is at his old game, trying to make Democratic capital at the expense of the Republican nominees. Well, here is a conundrum for him and all other Democrats to wrestle with. When the Arkansas City bank was robbed, a general rush was made by all who could go to capture the robbers. "Where was Charles L. Harter, Sheriff of Cowley county, at that time?" Did he spend a nickel, or move a hoof to aid in the pursuit of these bandits? Not that anybody ever heard of.
One great, leading duty belongs to the office of Sheriff, to keep the peace, and to arrest violators of law, horse thieves and robbers. Has Sheriff Harter a record in this respect that any law abiding citizen can take pleasure in? Not that anybody knows of. CRESSWELL.
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[EDITORIAL: THAT SHERIFF BUSINESS.]
OCTOBER 30, 1879.
THAT SHERIFF BUSINESS.
Harter has made an amount of money from the sheriff's office far in excess of that of any other incumbent in the same time, and below we give one of the ways in which he did it.
He received a very large number of personal tax-warrants, and collected them, charging full mileage on each from Winfield to the residence of the tax-payer and return, notwithstanding considerable numbers of the tax-payers lived in one immediate neighborhood. For instance, he sent some forty of them to Arkansas City, to be collected for him, and though the actual mileage on each would not have averaged twenty cents, he collected $2.80 on each.
Here are some of this batch, all in the same immediate neighborhood.
Taxpayers. Taxes. Sheriff's Fees. Amount Collected.
J. J. Brown $ .85 $ 3.55 $ 4.40
N. Edwards .56 3.55 4.10
W. M. Simpson .44 3.55 4.00
Wm. Hathaway .30 3.55 3.85
J. T. Grimes .37 3.55 3.92
Wm. Atkinson .49 3.55 4.04
_____ ______ ______
TOTALS FOR SIX: $3.01 $21.30 $24.31
Other neighborhoods present similar illustrations.
Austin Fickle's tax was fourteen cents. He paid Harter, tax and fees, $6.00.
But the list would be too length for this article.
This is constructive mileage in its purest sense and of course illegal.
What shall we call such extortion? Had Shenneman been guilty of this, he would be charged with robbery and stealing.
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MORE COMMENTS ABOUT C. L. HARTER, DEMOCRAT FOR SHERIFF.]
OCTOBER 30, 1879.
Tuesday morning's Telegram, to bolster up Harter's fortune, takes over a column to try to make it appear that Harter once had the courage to take a man by the "nape of his neck and seat of his breeches;" and that Shenneman is stingy. Now if Harter ever did such athing, we wager it was to a weak and decrepit or one-legged man. Such men as he are always tyrants over the weak and weak before the strong. Again, we will wager that the records of churches, schools, and objects of benevolence in this city will show ten dollars given by Shenneman to one given by Harter.
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The Telegram shows that Judge McDonald is opposed to the election of C. L. Harter for sheriff. Everybody who knows J. Wade McDonald knows that his opposition to Harter or any other man on a democratic ticket cannot be from personal motives. He always supports heartily every democratic nominee except in case of one who is totally unfit for the office, and he has had as good opportunities to judge of Harter's fitness as any man.
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The Winfield Democrats are straining every effort to save one man on their ticket at the expense of the balance.
Had they selected Story or Stapleton or Benedict as that man, there would be more sense in it, but they have selected Harter, the very worst man on their ticket, merely because he is a Winfield man and has made money out of the office.
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[G. S. STORY.]
Don't vote for G. S. Story for clerk under the impression that he is the county superintendent of schools. That Story is "R. C.," and a very different person in many respects.
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[MORE AFFIDAVITS RE C. L. HARTER.]
OCTOBER 30, 1879.
The following affidavits completely refute the charge in the Telegram in relation to Shenneman and confirm our former statements as to Harter.
A. T. SHENNEMAN'S AFFIDAVIT.
STATE OF KANSAS, )
Cowley county. ) ss.
A. T. Shenneman, after being first duly sworn, on oath says that he has read the affidavit of Amos Biddle, published in this morning's Daily Telegram, and the facts in this matter are as follows.
Mr. Biddle came to me and wanted to rent my farm and buy a mule team I had in July, 1877. He proposed to pay a share of the crop as rent and buy my mules on one year's time. I told him I would like to rent him the farm, but did not want to sell the team without the money as I needed it in my business. He then said if I would let him have the team, he would give me a mortgage on the team and crop to secure me, and would pay the same interest that I would have to pay to get the money.
With this understanding I came to Winfield and made arrangements to get what money I wanted for twenty percent of Mr. E. C. Seward. I told Biddle of my arrangement with Seward, and he said he would take the team and allow me that rate of interest. The papers were drawn up. I sold him mules, wagon, and harness, cover and bows, for $450.00, he giving me a note for $540.00, due in one year, and I borrowed money of Seward from time to time as I needed it, to supply the place of this money that I should have had when I sold my team.
When this note came due, Biddle had not threshed his wheat and wanted me to wait and said he would pay the interest. I, at that time, was paying J. C. McMullen 18 percent for money I had borrowed of him. I extended the time. Two or three months after the note came due, Biddle threshed his wheat, took his time to haul it to Wichita, paid me $110.00, and I gave him a receipt. About two months after this, he again threshed and again took his time to get the wheat to market, and when through paid me $150.00, and I gave him a receipt therefore. Some six weeks after this he threshed the balance and hauled it away as before, but failed to pay me any money. One of his neighbors, knowing I had a mortgage on everything, informed me that he thought Biddle was using the money instead of paying me. I saw Biddle; he said he had other debts to pay and had used the money, and wanted me to take the mules back, stating the time he would come in and we would fix the matter up. This I did not want to do, telling him that I had trusted him to haul the wheat away and pay me the money; that he knew I needed it, and he ought to pay it; that it was in the dead of winter, and no sale for the mules; that I could not realize on them, and must have money with which to meet debts contracted by me in anticipation of the payment of his note.
Finding that he could not pay me and that there was no chance to get the money from him, at his earnest solicitation I consented to take the mules and harness at his own figure: $280. He wanted to keep the wagon, it being worth $65 to $75. He brought the team in, his brother-in-law, Robert Keer, accompanying him. I threw off a part of the interest, which left, as we settled, a balance due of $322 or thereabouts, I think.
I took the mules and harness at $280, and he agreed to pay me $25 thereafter; and I threw off the balance and the matter was satisfactory to him, and his said brother-in-law afterwards told me that Biddle said it was. The matter closed, and I gave him a receipt for $280. He took the wagon home, and five days after, paid me $25; and I gave him his note. I gve Biddle a receipt for every cent he ever paid me except that $25 paid when I gave him the note and he can produce them if he chooses. I kept the mules until the following April, and in my settlement with Millspaugh of our partnership, I allowed $20 for feeding them. I paid Benj. Cox, of Winfield, $2 to take them to Wichita. He placed them in the hands of J. F. Reese to be sold. He sold them for $270, kept $10 for his trouble and expense, and gave me a check on the Wichita Savings Bank for $260, and if anyone will take the trouble this can be shown by Reese's check book. I sold the harness for $10, thus realizing but $248 on the mules and harness, for which I allowed him $280 in our settlement, to say nothing of the interest I paid for money during the time I had to hold the mules.
The note, when due, called for just $540. I got my money in installments, as above stated; and realized, all told, but $533, to say nothing of the interest paid by me for money during all these months that I was accommodating this man, and which amounted to certainly not less than $50.
Hearing that it was reported that I had wronged Biddle, I took Moses Teter and went to him and stated the facts in the case so far as our dealings were concerned; and he admitted to Moses Teter, in my presence, that they were true, and as I have here stated them, and that he had no cause of complaint against me except that I knew he was on the road and had procured another man to haul a load of coal from Wichita to Winfield, whereas I ought to have given it to him.
This is a full, accurate, and complete statement of all facts and circumstances connected with, or in any wise appertaining to each and every circumstance growing out of my trusting and befriending this man, Biddle.
A. T. SHENNEMAN.
Subscribed in my presence, and sworn to before me this 23rd day of October, 1878.
HENRY E. ASP,
Notary Public.
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MOSES S. TETER'S AFFIDAVIT.
STATE OF KANSAS, )
Cowley County. ) ss.
Moses S. Teter after being first duly sworn on his oath doth say that he knows A. T. Shenneman and Amos Biddle, and was present in Winfield some weeks ago when Shenneman and Biddle talked over the matter connected with the mules referred to in the affidavit of A. T. Shenneman hereto attached, and which affidavit I have heard read. That in the conversation Amos Biddle admitted that the facts as stated by Shenneman in his affidavit were true, and I at that time asked Biddle if he had asked Shenneman for more time when the mules were given back to Shenneman, and he said he did not ask him for any more time. Biddle said the only cause of complaint he had was that Shenneman had hired another man to bring a load of coal from Wichita, which he might have let him haul if he had so wished. I asked Biddle whether
Shenneman had done as he agreed to and he said no. I then asked him in what way he had failed. He said he had let another man haul a load of coal down from Wichita when he (Biddle) was going up, and that he might have let him haul it. Biddle stated in the conversation above referred to, that when Shenneman took the mules back that he did it at his (Biddle's) request, and further affiant saith not.
MOSES S. TETER.
Subscribed and sworn to before me this 23rd day of October, 1879.
G. H. BUCKMAN,
Notary Public.
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J. P. MAYFIELD'S AFFIDAVIT.
STATE OF KANSAS, )
Cowley County. ) ss.
J. P. Mayfield, after being duly sworn upon his oath doth say, that I was one of the hands, and helped Robert Hudson move the old post-office building from Dr. Mendenhall's premises. I went there with the tools and went to work, the first man on the building. Hudson and Jim Kelly were present. Charles L. Harter came there and Kelly and he had some words. Kelly ordered us to hurry up and pay no attention to anyone but him. We did so, and we never stopped the building until we got it into the street. Harter left and never got possession, or levied upon the building at all that day, and the moving of the building went right along until we got it into the street, where we had to stop, waiting for the cattle to pull it away, and as
soon as the cattle came we went ahead, and if Mr. Harter ever levied upon the building his levy did not interfere with our business, and none of us ever knew of it. It is certain he never took possession or attempted to do so. John E. Allen to the contrary notwithstanding.
J. P. MAYFIELD.
Subscribed and swore to before me, this 29th day of October, 1879.
W. H. HACKNEY,
Notary Public.
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[COMMUNICATION FROM "BOOTHE" AT VERNON TOWNSHIP RE SHENNEMAN.]
OCTOBER 30, 1879.
VERNON TP., Oct. 28, 1879.
ED. COURIER: Since the combined energies of the Democratic party have been concentrated to beat Mr. Shenneman, I have severalreasons why I think Mr. Shenneman should be elected.
In the first place, the office belongs to the Republican party, and in justice to itself it can't afford to let the patronage of the office go the help of the Democratic party in the future as it has for the past two years.
Secondly, Mr. Shenneman was almost the unanimous choice of the Republican convention, a fact in connection with his peculiar fitness for the office, his experience in duties that especially belong to the office and his record in the discharge of those duties, should bring to him the hearty support of every Republican in Cowley county, assured as they must be that they vote for one who will be thorough and faithful in his duties, true to his own party, and gentlemanly to the people of the whole county.
Thirdly, his election will be a fitting rebuke to the lying spirit manifested in this county: a spirit that has sunk in shameful defeat some of the best men of the county, and show Allison & Co., that the reward for lying is in a warmer country than Cowley county.
Fourthly, it will put the patronage of the office in the hands of one who will disburse to the strengthening of sound patriotic principles and not to the help of discord, disunion, and diabolism.
I was for Mr. Waite before the convention, but influenced by the foregoing reasons, and many others, am for Shenneman as heartily as I could have been for Mr. Waite had he been the nominee. I know the bottom of every charge made against Shenneman. I knew them before the convention. If they would hold water, I would have used them; but convinced that there was no truth in them then, I would not belittle Mr. Shenneman, the Republican party, and myself, by stooping to answer them now. They have fallen into the hands of an unscrupulous defamer of character, who for his own mercenary gains would caricature the Savior on the cross, and perfert his sermon on the mount into a batch of vicious lies, would such touch a chord in the popular heart and bring him bread and butter in the end.
Allison would as soon publish a lie as the truth if it would answer his selfish purposes as well. I wonder that gentlemen, in the face of these facts, sustain in any way, Allison's slander-mill, the Telegram. I have but little patience with such a man as Allison in such a course, and hope 'ere long to say "thank God, the dog is (politically) dead."
I have no word to say against Mr. Harter nor any other gentleman on the democratic ticket because I know nothing against them. If others do, it may be their duty to say so. I shall vote the straight Republican ticket for mainly these two reasons, viz: First, I am a Republican. Second, The Republican ticket loses nothing in comparison with the democratic ticket either as a whole or individually to say the least. I know that Shenneman is a terror to other criminals beside Allison. The records show the many arrested and
brought to justice by him, some of whom are today safe in the penitentiary. Perhaps Mr. Harter has done as well, or better. I don't know. One thing I do know, the Republican party has been good to Charlie at the expense of its own children. Republicans of Cowley county: it it not time to stop this. We can stop it today; we may not be able to stop it two years hence. Victory now gives strength and prestige then. Think of these things, Republicans of Cowley, and you will have no regrets for your action next Tuesday, as many now regret their action in the past.
Yours respectfully,
BOOTHE.
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[CORRESPONDENCE FROM E. S. TORRANCE, COUNTY ATTORNEY.]
OCTOBER 30, 1879.
ED. COURIER: In response to your request for my opinion in regard to the qualifications of persons working on the railroads nowbeing constructed in this county, to vote at the coming election for county officers, I have to say:
That no person should be allowed to vote who has not resided in the State for six months preceding the election, and in the township
or ward where he offers to vote for thirty days preceding the election.
The term residence means more than the presence of a party in the state, township, or ward for the period specified in the statute.
He should be a permanent resident of the state, and an actual resident of the township or ward, having come there for the purpose of making it his home and not for some temporary purpose. A person coming into the state, or a township, or a ward, on business or for the purpose of doing a job of work, with the intention of going elsewhere when such business or work is completed, is not a qualified elector. The fact of a man having his family with him is not sufficient to entitle him to vote, unless he has acquired a bona fide residence as above indicated.
The question is not whether the person offering his vote will lose the privilege of voting anywhere if his vote should be rejected, but the real point to be decided by the election board is whether such person has the legal right to vote in the township or ward where he offers to vote, under the laws of the state.
The judges of election have the right to reject a vote, although the person offering it takes the statutory oath to the effect that he is a legal voter, if in fact such person is not a legal voter. Hoping the officers upon whom the law imposes the duty of receiving the votes to be cast at the approaching election will have the official stamina to reject every illegal vote, if any should be offered, I remain,
Very truly yours,
E. S. TORRANCE,
Co. Att'y.
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OCTOBER 30, 1879.
The shipment of wheat from Winfield depot averages 10 car-loads per day.
Major O. B. Gunn, of the L., L. & G., was in town Monday.
J. L. Horning returned home from the east Sunday evening.
Mr. Taggart has commenced the foundation for his building on South Main street.
Licenses for two additional saloons were granted by the council on Monday evening.
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Winfield Courier, October 30, 1879.
One look at Harter's face will convince the most casual observer that he has given up all hope of another $5.80 grab at a fourteen-cent tax-warrant.
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Winfield Courier, October 30, 1879.
'Tis sad to see the forlorn, sorrowful look with which Charley Harter greets the little band of followers who still affect to believe that he will be elected. Charley knows their mistake well enough, and it is only too comical to see him nodding assent to their loud boasts of democratic majorities, while his face is as long as a broom-stick.
The vault which is being put in the new bank building will be the finest in Southern Kansas. It will be built from the basement to the second story, with a foundation and floor of solid masonry and double walls. It is placed in the center of the south wall of the building and it will be almost an impossibility to burglarize it.
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[THE REPUBLICANS WIN...A GLORIOUS VICTORY...A CLEAN SWEEP!]
NOVEMBER 6, 1879.
RECAP: I DID NOT BOTHER SHOWING THE VOTES IN TOWNSHIPS.
We give, in a table in another place, the vote of this county as far as we have returns. It appears that Harbaugh is elected Commissioner in the second district by a very flattering majority, a result that was not expected. [Beat S. B. Adams.]
Shenneman for Sheriff, has a majority of about 300, notwithstanding that the most unscrupulous fight was made on him.
The balance of the Republican ticket is elected by about 600 majority, notwithstanding the fact that a Democratic Mayor and the executive force of the city, backed by six whiskey saloons and two breweries, worked hard at the polls all day. They carried the city for Harter by only 16 majority.
Glorious Dexter has proved herself "truly loyal."
Cresswell township has wheeled into the line of stalwart Republicanism. It was claimed that this township would go Democratic this year or at least a part of the ticket.
The Democrats made a great many votes for Harter and against Shenneman by their system of trading off their other candidates, their whiskey work, their railroad votes, and other corruptions; but we do not think they made anything by their personal attack on Shenneman. That was a boomerang which returned and scooped Harter.
The election on Tuesday was "red-hot." In the city the omnibuses were out all day bringing in votes, and large crowds were around the polls urging the claims of favorite candidates and tickets, but there was no disorder or bad blood exhibited. In fact, it is remarkable that in the heat of such a contest everything was peaceful. It seems that 125 of the voters registered in the city failed to get their votes in. There were many citizens who came to the polls to vote, having been voters here heretofore, but were not allowed to vote because they had not registered. Quite a considerable number of the electors of this city failed to register, and though there were many registered who had not the right to vote, we doubt not that there were 650 voters in the city had they all registered.
Among the many who have contributed to the glorious vote in this county, our young friend, Henry E. Asp, W. P. Hackney, and J. B. Evans are worthy of special mention. They have been at work early and late and their telling eloquence has been heard over the county. Judge Caldwell, Frank Jennings, A. P. Johnson, and others have put in many stalwart blows. Jarvis, Green, Chairman Johnson, Torrance, and many others did efficient work; and though we may fail to mention others equally praiseworthy in this hurried notice, we will not neglect to state that our contemporary, the Semi-Weekly, has put a stalwart shoulder to the wheel.
One of the meanest frauds practiced by Democrats at the late election was to print a lot of Republican tickets straight with the exception of C. L. Harter for Sheriff, and then procuring pretended Republicans to peddle them among Republicans, assuring them that this fraud was the straight Republican ticket. Harter probably obtained many votes in this fraudulent way. The man that is mean enough to peddle such a fraud does not belong to the Republican party. We have been told that John Hoenscheidt was one of them.
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The Police Judge reports, for the month of October,
Fines received ................. $182.00
Fines paid ..................... 135.00
Costs assessed ................. 270.75
Costs paid ..................... 186.65
Whole amount of liquor licenses paid into the city treasury, for the year commencing May 1, 1879: $2,752.
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[COMPLETE RETURNS ON COUNTY ELECTION.]
NOVEMBER 13, 1879
Today we publish our complete table of the official returns of the election in this county November 4th. It appears there were only 3,400 votes polled. We think a full vote would have reached 4,000. The republican majorities were as follows.
Shenneman for sheriff ............ 881
Harden for treasurer ............. 745
Nixon for register ............... 739
Hunt for clerk ................... 952
Haight for surveyor .............. 1073
Graham for coroner ............... 905
The average republican majority is 1880, but this is rather above what the actual majority really would have been on a straight ticket. We should state the majority at 750 on a 3,400 vote, and 800 on a 4,000 vote.
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[A CUTTING AFFRAY: FIGHT BETWEEN SHOCK AND FOSTER.]
NOVEMBER 13, 1879.
Last Wednesday evening an altercation occurred between two young men, Frank Shock, and William D. Foster, a son of J. S. Foster, of Rock township, that came very near being fatal. The boys had been attending a dance at the residence of Frank Davis. After the party broke up, the Foster boys. W. D. and Frank, accompanied by James McCollum, started for home. As they left the house Frank Shock and John Hamel were talking together in an undertone, and soon after Shock hailed them, telling them to stop as he wanted to whip them. Will Foster answered, "I won't fight unless you are unarmed." Shock answered that he had no arms and would fight him a square fight. Jas. McCollum volunteered to search Shock and see if he was armed, but Shock said, "D___n you, keep away from me," whereupon the fight commenced.
Shock had a knife in his hand and commenced cutting Foster, who cried out, and the other parties separated them, Shock still striking, and cursing to be let alone until he had killed him.
Foster was taken to Frank Davis' house, and Shock followed; and while the wounded man was being examined, stood by with the knife in his hand, apparently intending to cut again if he found he had not killed him. Shock soon got on his horse and escaped, since which time he has not been heard of. Fifty dollars reward has been offered for his capture. Dr. Emerson was called to attend the wounded man and thinks he will recover. Five cuts were found on his body.
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Winfield Courier, November 20, 1879.
Last Sunday evening Mr. A. T. Shenneman brought in Frank Shock, who did the carving at Frank Davis' recently, and he is now safely lodged in the county jail. Mr. Foster offered a reward of $50 for his capture, and as none of the officers seemed to take any interest in the matter, Mr. Shenneman offered to bring him in, and Sunday evening returned with his man. He captured him in Chautauqua county while making tracks for the Territory. Mr. Shenneman learned before starting that he had gone toward the east,
and also that he had friends in Chautauqua county, and immediately started for that locality. Arriving there he played the land-agent dodge and learned in a roundabout way that Shock had been there and had left for the Territory a short time before. He started in pursuit and overtook his man before he got out of the State. Mr. Shenneman would receive nothing for his time while after the criminal, and only asked enough to cover his expenses, which was cheerfully given.
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[BOLD THIEVES: RHONIMUS AND HIRED MAN.]
JANUARY 1, 1880.
Mr. Rhonimus, proprietor of the "North end meat market," and a hired man, Henry, were arrested last week for stealing cattle. It seems that these gentlemen, in order to make the meat business as profitable as possible, have for some time been systematically stealing the beeves that supplied their market. It has been known among the stock men of this and Elk counties for some time that thieves were operating among their herds, and the matter was placed in the hands of Sheriff-elect Shenneman, who shadowed the above-named gentlemen, and at last caught them killing one of the missing beeves near the fair ground and promptly arrested them. Mr. Jones, of Windor, has lost fourteen head of cattle by these depredations, and parties on the line of Elk county have missed as many more. It seems that the gentlemen were not partial as to the kind of meat taken, and sometimes stepped aside from their regular line of business to gobble a hog or two, and sometimes three, from the large herds of W. J. Hodges, at the stock yards, near the depot.
A preliminary trial was held before Justice Buckman, last Friday, but the case was continued till this week, and the prisoners remanded to jail in default of bail.
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[PERSONALS.]
JANUARY 22, 1880.
Last Monday night Sheriff Shenneman arrested one Marion Roe for the seduction under promise of marriage, of Ella Onstott. He was brought before Justice Buckman, and his bail fixed at $1,000. "Coming events cast their shadow before."
LATER: Roe was released from custody Tuesday; and accompanied by the friends of the lady, repaired to the office of Judge Gans, secured a marriage license, and when last seen the party were in quest of a preacher.
Winfield Courier, January 29, 1880.
Mr. Frank Finch has been appointed to a deputyship under Sheriff Shenneman.
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[ONE OF THE JAIL BREAKERS CAUGHT.]
Winfield Courier, FEBRUARY 12, 1880.
Last Wednesday, Dick Rhonimus, young McMahon, and another prisoner effected their escape from the county jail in a very mysterious manner. The next morning two horses were missing from Rev. Henderson's stable. Monday afternoon McMahon, one of the escaped prisoners, was brought in, together with one of the stolen horses, by Messrs. P. F. Haynes and J. B. Splawn, of Silverdale township. The particulars of his capture are as follows.
Thursday morning a man stopped at the house of Smith Winchel, in that township, and asked for his breakfast, stating that he was hunting a man with a horse on which he had a chattel mortgage. Mr. Winchel gave him something to eat, and went with him when he started to get his horse. He noticed that the horse had neither saddle nor bridle and was being ridden with a rope over his nose, which aroused his suspicions, and he called in several of the neighbors and stated the circumstances, when it was decided to go after the stranger and make him give an account of himself.
They came within sight of their man near the state line, and had their suspicions confirmed by his putting whip to his horse and making for Salt Fork. After following the thief for about a day, two of the party turned back, leaving Splawn and Haines [FIRST TIME THEY HAD HAYNES ... ???] to continue the pursuit. They followed the trail until dark and on the following morning were again on the track, determined to take him in if it took all summer. They followed the trail all day Friday and Friday night and Saturday discovered the horse, which the thief had abandoned while trying to get back into the state. They kept the trail by learning from time to time where the thief had tried to get something to eat. Sunday morning they rode into South Haven and found their man in a livery stable.
A warrant was procured and they started for home with the prisoner. On the way up they came through Arkansas City, where McMahon's mother resides, and the prisoner was allowed an interview with her. Mrs. McMahon is a respectable, hard-working woman, and her grief at seeing her boy under such circumstances was heartrending. She sold a cow, the only one she possessed, and purchased him a suit of clothes, the ones he had on being in tatters.
On the way home McMahon conversed freely with his captors, confessing the whole affair and stating that someone opened the jail door and let them out, but refused to tell who the party was. Monday afternoon the prisoner was turned over to Sheriff Shenneman by the captors, who received the $50 reward offered for his return. The smile that illuminated our Sheriff's countenance, when told that one of his birds had come home to roost, was a sight to behold. The most remarkable fact about the matter is that McMahon's time was almost out, and on the very day when he was returned to the jail as a horse thief, his time would have expired.
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Winfield Courier, February 19, 1880.
Last week Sheriff Shenneman got on the track of Rhonimus, the escaped cattle thief. Rhonimus had relatives in Elk City and dropped in to see them; but the constable had been notified of his escape, and was on the lookout for him. As soon as the constable learned of Rhonimus' presence in the vicinity, he laid his plans to capture him. Rhonimus, hearing that he was in a bad fix, made a break for his horse, but was compelled to leave it and take to the timber on foot. The constable telegraphed to Sheriff Shenneman, who started at 1 o'clock Friday night and by Saturday was on the thief's trail. After following for some time, all trace of the thief was lost, and Mr. Shenneman returned home Sunday. The horse, belonging to Mr. Henderson, was recovered; but was too lame to bring along and was left at Elk City.
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Winfield Courier, March 4, 1880.
Sheriff Shenneman started to Leavenworth with Reynolds, who was convicted of grand larceny at the last term of court and sentenced to one year in the penitentiary.
Winfield Courier, March 4, 1880.
Sheriff Shenneman has notified all persons against whom he holds tax warrants that the same were in his hands for collection. Many have come in and settled, thereby saving mileage. He now notifies those against whom he holds warrants that on and after the 9th inst., 10 cents per mile will be added.
Winfield Courier, March 11, 1880.
Last Friday evening one Ollie Martin was arrested by Sheriff Shenneman and turned over to Constable Wilson of Cedarvale. Martin is charged with attempting to rape Mrs. Garrigas of that place, the Tuesday preceding his arrest. He will probably learn a trade at Leavenworth, which is a smaller punishment than such villains deserve.
Winfield Courier, March 25, 1880.
Sheriff Shenneman, after a most diligent pursuit, captured Moore, the second of the escaped prisoners, in Kansas City last Friday. Moore had just got into a fight and been arrested by the police.
[PERSONALS.]
THE WINFIELD COURIER MARCH 31, 1881.
Sheriff Shenneman returned from an ineffectual effort to bring back a man who forged a draft for five hundred dollars and sold it to the Arkansas City bank. The police in Chicago captured the man and sent for Sheriff Shenneman. On the way back, when the train was pulling out from a station early in the morning, the prisoner jumped off. The train was immediately stopped and the sheriff got off and spent several days and nights trying to recover his man, but was compelled to return home Monday evening without him. The Sheriff purchased shackles for the prisoner in Chicago, but after reaching the train found that the locks were defective. He then resolved to stay awake and guard his prisoner. He had been up two nights, had traveled over a thousand miles, and was worn out; and as the night advanced, began to get drowsy. The prisoner took this opportunity and jumped off as the train started from a station. The sheriff has offered $100 reward for his capture, and as he escaped with hand-cuffs on, he will certainly be re-captured.
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[COMMENT ABOUT SHERIFF SHENNEMAN.]
MAY 19, 1881.
MR. EDITOR: Please allow me through your paper to correct a little false report in regard to Sheriff Shenneman. It was circulated through town some two or three weeks ago that he had acted ungentlemanly in regard to allowing me to visit the prisoners at the jail. On the contrary, he has always acted a perfect gentleman with me, and I must say I think it would be a little difficult to find one who would act his part as well as he does.
REV. G. M. KELLY.
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Winfield Courier, June 2, 1881.
Sheriff Shenneman captured two horse thieves last week. They had stolen horses from Labette county, and Friday he took them to Chetopa. After turning his prisoners over to the proper authorities, he learned that the "Vigilantes" were gathering, and intended to hang the prisoners that night. He imparted this knowledge to the constable; but that officer, not seeming to heed the warning, prompted Sheriff Shenneman to take the prisoners around a back alley, get them into a hack, and he drove them to Oswego without being interrupted. He afterwards learned that about twelve o'clock that night, a large party of men surrounded the jail, and their cuss words were long and loud when they found that their prey had flown.
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[SHENNEMAN VICTORIOUS: RECAPTURES ESCAPED PRISONER.]
JUNE 30, 1881.
Our readers will remember that several weeks ago, Geo. Haywood, whose real name is Richard Lennix, was arrested in Chicago, on the strength of a photograph sent there by Sheriff Shenneman, who wanted him for passing forged paper on the Cowley County Bank, that Shenneman went to Chicago, and through many difficulties, got his prisoner, and started home with him; and that on the way, the prisoner jumped from the train in full headway and escaped. Shenneman had taken from his pockets a letter written in a female hand from Canton, Illinois, and signed "S." By means of this letter, he found who "S" was and concluded that sooner or later Lennix would visit this "S", who was his sister. So he employed the post master at Canton, the marshal of Canton, and the sheriff of that county to watch for him.
Last week he got a telegram from the sheriff informing him that the prisoner was caught. Shenneman answered at once to hold on to him until he got there, and started for that place. Habeas Corpus proceedings were instituted for procuring the prisoner's discharge, and when Shenneman arrived, the Habeas Corpus was being heard before the County judge, who soon discharged the prisoner.
Shenneman grabbed him at once and there was a row, the judge leading the mob and threatening due vengeance on Shenneman. By rapid motions and strategic generalship, Shenneman got his prisoner slipped into a wagon behind the fastest team that could be procured, and putting the horses to their best speed, rushed through opposing crowds and escaped, followed by many pursuers. He beat them all in the race and got his prisoner to a station twenty miles distant, put him on board, and sped back to Winfield, where he has his bird safe within the walls of the Cowley county jail.
Mr. Shenneman is enthusiastic in his praises of Sheriff D. J. Waggoner and other officers of Fulton County, Illinois: Thos. Burleigh, City Marshal, and John Sutton, night watchman of Canton, Illinois. They assisted in securing the prisoner and helping Shenneman to get him away. He noted their unbending integrity, for he knows positively that they were offered five hundred dollars to allow Lennix to escape.
This Lennix proves to be one of the most wily and successful counterfeiters in America. He has victimized large numbers of businessmen in various parts of the United States and Canada, has many smart accomplices who have aided him to escape many times, and who still work to get him out of limbo. He has finally got a sheriff after him who never gives up and will keep his eye on him to prevent him from escaping again. The prisoner has plenty of money and his accomplices have plenty more, so that everything will yet be done that can be done to get him out.
