Mill Boiler Bursts and Three Men are Hut, one Fatally
El Dorado, Ka., Nov. 19 - The boiler at the Clipper Mill in this city exploded this afternoon, and as a result
three men were badly hurt, one of them fatally. Charles Dye, the man fatally injured, had just driven up to the
mill with a load of corn, when the explosion occurred. He was struck on the head and had his skull fractured. The
other two men injured are Grant Rogers and A. N. Crowther, who were employed at the mill. They are burned somewhat
with steam and otherwise hurt, but their injuries will probably not result fatally. (The Kansas Semi-Weekly Capital,
November 20, 1900, page 2)
He Got an Audience Despite a Terrific Storm
El Dorado, Kans., Sept. 17 - Despite the culmination at 7 o'clock last night of a heavy rain storm that had threatened for hours, more than two hundred people came through mud and continuous lightning and thunder and to listen to W. E. Stanley at the opera house in this city. Those who had the arrangements in charge, as well as Mr. Stanley, had no thought that anyone would brave the storm, but after some fifty persons had occupied the hall, word was sent to Mr. Stanley, who said with that keen sense of duty characteristics of him, "Well, if there are even twenty-five who will turn out such a night as this it is my duty to be there. Come, let us go down."
Not a person left the hall during his speech and the magnificent tribute he paid to the Republican party for its
many acts of patriotism and humanity brought repeated cheers from the audience.
Had the weather been propitious the opera house would not have held the crowd.
The Schley Glee club evoked storms of applause with its up-to-date songs. (The Kansas Semi-Weekly Capital, September 20, 1898, page 2)
BUGLARS MAKE A RAID AT EL DORADO
El Dorado, Kan., April 18 - Burglars made a professional visit to El Dorado last night, but so far as known they secured no booty. The safe at the Missouri Pacific depot was drilled into in three places, and prepared to explode, but the buglars became alarmed probably and fled, as no further progress was made. A mail sack which came from Wichita on the 11:40 train Monday night, and which was left at the depot until this morning, was cut open and ransacked. There seems to be no clue. (The Kansas Semi-Weekly Capital, April 20, 1900, page 8)
TODD ARRESTED. HE TURNS UP IN EL DORADO SOMEWHAT DISFIGURED
El Dorado, Kan., Dec. 22 - State Labor Commissioner Todd arrived home today somewhat disfigured, and was at once arrested upon a warrant from Florence for his assault upon Editor House.
He is being held here tonight and will be taken to Florence tomorrow morning to stand trial. (Kansas Weekly Capital
and Farm Journal, December 28, 1893, page 2)
Labor Commissioner, Todd, arrived in this city
Friday morning by way of Kansas City. It was the first time Mr. Todd had been home since his encounter at Florence
and he showed signs of the battle on his face.
Constable James Cooper of Florence arrived on the evening Santa Fe and immediately placed Mr. Todd under arrest
on a warrant charging him with assault with intent to kill Editor House, of the Florence Bulletin. He was guarded
all night, preferring to pay a guard, out of his own pocket rather than be taken to jail. He was taken to Florence
Saturday morning and arraigned before Justice of the Howe, where he plead guilt of assault and battery and was
fined $20 and costs, the whole amounting to $65.50. he paid his fine and was allowed to depart in peace. The cane
with which he made the assault was returned to him and he came home on the Santa Fe with his usual smile. G. P.
Aikman acted as his attorney.
This talk of firing Mr. Todd is believed by many in this city to be all bosh. Mr. Todd is not slow to catch on
to what is going on and it believed that he "knows too much" about the party, its leaders and its policy
to get fired. (The Daily Republican, Dec. 29, 1893)
Exchange National Bank of El Dorado Robbed
Happened Last March
But it was Only Made Public Yesterday - $15,700 Stolen - Pinkerton Men on the Case - A Statement from the Bank Officials
El Dorado, Kan., April 5 - The Exchange National Bank of this city, the oldest and one of the largest banks in
this part of the state is a victim of a most daring and skillful robbery. The following statement made public today
by the bank officials explains the matter as far as is known at present:
"To the public generally and especially to patrons of the bank: On the morning of Monday, March 19, 1894 the officers of this bank discovered it had been robbed of fifteen thousand and seven hundred dollars. This is supposed to have occurred between six p.m. Saturday, March 17th and 8 p.m. Monday, March 19th. No loss can result to any depositor for the amount stolen has been made good by the stockholders. Public notice was not given at once because it was believed the money and the guilty parties could best be discovered by keeping the matter quiet for a while. We are actively pressing the investigation, but as we have not positively ascertained the guilty parties, we deem it best to offer a reward of four thousand dollars which we hereby do as follows: "Two thousand dollars for the discovery and return of the money or a proportional amount for the return of any part thereof; and two thousand dollars for the arrest and conviction of the guilty party or parties."
The particulars of the robbery are not obtainable as the bank officials positively refuse to talk. It is believed the bank was entered at night, and the safe blown open although this is only rumor, and cannot be verified. The robbers seem to have covered up their tracks so successfully that not the slightest clue can be gained. Pinkerton detectives have been working on the case for some time. (The Kansas Weekly Capital and Farm Journal, April 12, 1894, Page 3)
Negro Workman Brains G. J. Webb Near El Dorado
Former Abilene Man Once Thought Dead, but Found to Be Living - Arrested for Fraud
El Dorado, Kan., April 24, - George J. Webb, of St. Louis, Mo., a contractor in charge of a large force of Negroes filling in the big Missouri Pacific trestle in the Flint Hills, had a dispute with one of the men today over wages when the man struck him on the head with a pick killing him. The murderer is under arrest. A lynching is feared. (The Kansas Semi-Weekly Capital, April 27, 1900, page 3)
THE LYNCHING
James Hamilton Strung up to a Tree but Was Cut Down
The Negro's Statement
Also the Statement of an Eye Witness - Hamilton Placed in Jail - Trial Set for Next Wednesday
James Hamilton, colored, who killed George Webb, at the trestle Tuesday was brought to town last evening by Sheriff
Turner and placed in jail. His preliminary was to have been held today and a number of witnesses came over to attend,
but the trial was postponed until next Wednesday at 1 p.m. before Justice Avery, as Hamilton was not ready for
trial.
W. E. Turner went over to the trestle last evening and prepared Mr. Webb's body for shipment to Edwardsville, Ill.,
where it was a taken today. Two brother-in-laws arrived at the trestle today and accompanied Mrs. Webb and the
remains to Illinois.
From George Butcher, foreman of the bridge crew, we learned the following: "The negro had been fired by Mr.
Webb about 9 o'clock that morning, the killing occurred about 10:00 o'clock; I was working on the west end of the
trestle near Mr. Webb, saw the negro go to the east end, change his clothes, walk over the trestle to the west
end where Webb was, they had a conversation but I heard no loud talk, when Webb's back was turned the negro picked
up one our hand axes struck Webb on the leg cutting his leg nearly off and followed it up by another blow on the
back of the head which split the head open. ("Here is the ax that did the work," said Mr. Butcher, and
he showed the reporter a heavy hand ax about twice the size of a hatchet and with a handle about eighteen inches
long, it was very sharp and still had some blood on it.) Mr. Webb died a few minutes later. The negro pulled off
his shoes at once and fairly flew down the track, some of the fellows jumped on a hand car and took after him,
others went after him on foot, after running down the track for half a mile, the took to the prairie and was caught
after another half mile chase and brought back to the trestle."
What about the alleged lynching the reported asked to which he received the reply: "It is said that he was
strung up to a tree but I did not see him and don't know."
We talked with several others and they all seem to tell about the same thing.
A representative of this paper called on James Hamilton, and was given the following statement:
"I came from Little Rock, Ark., a week ago Monday and went to work for Mr. Webb; on last Monday noon I was
sick and told Webb that I wanted to quit, he told me to stay until the men he had sent for arrived, I finally agreed
to stay and went to work in the afternoon; Tuesday morning about 6 o'clock I was whipping the mule team I was driving
to make them keep up with the other teams going down the fill when Webb came up, took the blacksnake from me and
struck me in the face and on the head several times, cursed me and told me to get off the place at once; I said
nothing to him but grabbed the whip to keep him from hitting me again; he snatched it away from me; I ran up the
dump, Webb followed me; I then went down to camp to get my clothes, he followed me shortly afterwards, got his
revolver and carried it in his hands; I got my clothes and went up on the trestle to wait for the passenger train,
Webb followed me but put his gun in his pocket; I was sick, Webb asked me what I was there for, I told him I was
waiting for the train; Webb said no and told me he would give me a few minutes to disappear from there and that
if I did not go they would have to carry me away; I believed he was going to kill me, he kept his hand in his bosom
all the time; I picked up a bridgeman's hatchet struck him on the leg and then on the head; I ran down the track,
then across the prairie and stopped, being tired out; they caught me, took me back to the trestle, put chains on
my hands and feet and a rope around my waist, one man ran a gun in my mouth; took the rope off my waist, put it
around my neck, took me to a tree; there were five men in the crowd and they held up their hands and swore never
to tell anything; they threw the rope to another limb and left. I hung there a long time when a farmer came along
and cut me down and took me up to the dump; the Sheriff came shortly afterwards and got me; I never received but
75 cents for my work and did not intend to kill Mr. Webb."
James Hamilton says he is about 19 or 20 years old and weighs 184 pounds. He was very nervous when seen by the
reporter and his face and neck were terribly swollen. (The Daily Republican, April 27, 1900)
A PREACHER
BROKER'S HARD LUCK
Wellington, Kan., Nov. 16 - Rev. Frank Talmage, the South Washington avenue second hand store proprietor, is experience an era of ill luck. Only last week he lost $22 on two stolen bicycles which he purchased not long since. This morning Joe Bowers of El Dorado arrived in the city and identified a watch which Rev. Talmage bought about two weeks ago for $5 as one which was stolen from the former at El Dorado about a week before. Mr. Bowers secured the watch, which was worth about $25, and returned home this morning.
The watch was stolen by two El Dorado young men. The name of the one who stole it was Harry Pullins and he is now
in Oklahoma. His accomplice, the man who sold the watch to Rev. Talmage, now lives in El Dorado. His name could
not be ascertained. Mr. Bowers will cause the arrest of both these young men as soon as he can have the warrants
issued. (The Kansas Semi-Weekly Capital, November 19, 1897, page 3)
El Dorado, Kan., March 17. - A. Haines and E. Ross were arrested in this city yesterday morning by Sheriff Middleton
and placed in jail, charged with shooting, J. W. Ison, near Latham, this county, Saturday night. They had a lawsuit
at Latham Saturday over the killing of Mr. Ison's dog, and it is supposed that this was the cause of the affair.
It is alleged that Haines and Ross met Ison on the way home and shot him with a Winchester, the ball passing through
the stomach. Ison returned the fire with a revolver, but did not hit either of his assailants. It is thought that
Ison will recover. Haines and Ross claim the shooting was done in self-defense. (Kansas Weekly Capital and Farm
Journal, March 22, 1894, page 2)
McCAHAN, L. E.
Loses Life When Struck by a Car
L. E. McCahan, Inmate of County Infirmary, Fatally Injured Last Evening
L. E. McCahan, 76, an inmate of the County Infirmary, lurched or stumbled into the path of a motor car on Highway
No. 54 at 6:15 o'clock last evening, and received injuries from which he died about 7:20 at Allen Memorial Hospital.
The car was a Ford, driven by Hal C. Smith, of 319 North Atchison Street. Mr. Smith was going east at moderate
speed, accompanied by his daughter, Miss Nan, who teaches school in Seglem District, south of Rosalia, and to which
place he had started to take her.
Mr. Smith says that it was just turning dusk, that he had the lights of his car on and could see clearly, and that
another car with headlights turning was approaching from the east about two hundred yards away. He noticed Mr.
McCahan walking along on the side of the pavement headed east. When the car was twelve or fifteen feet away from
him, Mr. McCahan suddenly stepped on the pavement directly in front of the Ford car. Mr. Smith who bears a reputation
for being a careful driver, swerved the wheel sharply but could not avoid striking him. The right front fender
of the car threw him to the pavement fracturing his skull. Emergency measures at the hospital were unavailing.
The point where the accident occurred is about a quarter of a mile west of the infirmary.
WAS PARTIALLY BLIND
Mr. McCahan was deaf and also partially blind. He had been warned by Frank Knust, commissioner of the poor, against
going out alone. The opinion is that he was confused by the lights of the car from the east, and totally unaware
of the Ford coming from behind him.
Immediately following the accident, and after summoning aid, Mr. Smith returned to El Dorado where he reported
the matter to the police. He is generally absolved of any blame in the unfortunate affair.
"The accident has disturbed me greatly," said Mr. Smith this morning, "but I had no chance to avoid
striking the man with my car."
BEEN HERE TEN YEARS
McCahan had lived in El Dorado for the past 10 years and operated a pop corn vending machine for several years.
He had been at the County Infirmary for two years. Previous to coming to El Dorado he had resided in Oklahoma and
was a salesman for the International Harvester Company for a number of years. He was born on April 6, 1855, in
Bremer County, Iowa.
One daughter, Mrs. E. A. Thurston, of Davenport, Iowa survives, and she was notified immediately. Mr. McCahan was
a regular attendant at the Christian Church here.
Funeral services will be held at the Byrd Funeral Home tomorrow morning at 10 o'clock with Rev.Fred W. Condit,
pastor of the Christian Church, officiating. Interment will be made in West Cemetery. (El Dorado Times, January
9, 1933)
McCahan Funeral Is Held Today
Funeral services for L. E. McCahan, an inmate of the County Infirmary, who died Sunday evening from injuries received
an hour earlier when struck by an automobile as he was walking along Highway No. 54 east of El Dorado were held
this morning at the Byrd Funeral Home. Rev. Fred W. Condit, pastor of the Christian church, officiated.
Three organ numbers, "The Old Rugged Cross," "Some Golden Daybreak" and "No Night There,"
were played. Friends of the aged El Doradoan were pallbearers. Interment was made in West Cemetery. (El Dorado
Times, January 10, 1933)
SNODGRASS,
FLOYD
BOY ACCIDENTALLY SHOT BY BROTHER
Floyd Snodgrass, Age 12 Years, Towanda, dies Late Saturday Afternoon
Accidentally shot by his younger brother, Edward, while target practicing near their home in Towanda late Saturday
afternoon, Floyd Snodgrass, 12 year old son of Mr. and Mrs. A. S. Snodgrass died within half an hour without regaining
consciousness.
Floyd and his brother, who is 10 years old, were playing in a barnyard about a half a block from their home and
were shooting at a target with a .22 caliber rifle and a B-B gun when the fatal accident occurred.
The youth had gone to rearrange the target when the rifle in his brother's hands was discharged, the bullet striking
Floyd directly between the eyes. An ambulance was called but before it could arrive at the scene of the accident
the boy was dead. The body was brought to El Dorado where the Alderson Mortuary is in charge.
Funeral services were to be held this afternoon at the Mooney Memorial church in Towanda with Rev. R. L. Hendrickson
in charge. Interment was to be made there. Classmates of the dead youth were to be pallbearers.
Floyd was born on April 23, 1920, and was well known in that community. He is survived by his parents, four brothers
and four sisters. (El Dorado Times, January 16, 1933)
IN CUSTODY, A MAN CHARGED WITH ROBBING HIS PARTNERS IS ARRESTED AT EL DORADO
J. H. McDonald, of the firm of McDonald, Fellers & Finton, jewelers and platers, 114 East Fourth street, who is charged with having stolen about $300 worth of jewelry, watches and other property from the store last Sunday night was arrested Wednesday evening in El Dorado, Sheriff Fuller, who had sent letters to the officers of the various cities and towns in Kansas describing McDonald, received a letter yesterday morning from the sheriff of Butler County stating that McDonald was in his custody, having been arrested on a charge of larceny, which had been standing against him at El Dorado since last December, but owing to his absence from that city since that time he thus far escaped the strong hand of the law.
The letter further stated that McDonald had been in the custody of the peace officers before; in fact, had been released from a six months' sentence in this county jail just previous to his arrival in Topeka on December 15 of last year. The sheriff further said that if prosecution was instituted against Mr. McDonald on the charge of grand larceny by his partners in business, Butler County would give him up.
McDonald, who is somewhat of a jeweler, came to
this city from El Dorado last December and entered into partnership with Fellers and Finton. He put no money into
the business, but did all of the watch and jewelry repairing, and looked after the business in general. He was
rooming with Finton and came in late Sunday night while Finter was asleep, and it is charged, removed from the
bedroom a valise belonging to the latter gentleman. This, with another valise belonging to himself, served his
purpose for packing the goods stolen from the store. McDonald's partners will prosecute him. Sheriff Fuller will
send an officer to El Dorado today, who will bring the prisoner back to this city. (The Weekly Capital Commonwealth,
February 28, 1889, page 7)
AN ELDORADO
MAN MISSING
El Dorado, Kan., May 23, the city is excited over the disappearance of ex-County Treasurer Milton Bradley. He left his home in this city four weeks ago for a hunting trip to southeast Kansas, Arkansas and Missouri. He was alone, in a single buggy, and was last heard of at Leon, Kan. He is known as an upright man and very prompt in attending to business affairs. He is a prominent Odd Fellow. (The Topeka Weekly Capital, May 29, 1890, page 2)
El Dorado, Kan., Sept. 23, - Camp Lincoln was crowded to its utmost on the second day of the soldiers' reunion. Most of the forenoon was taken up with an appropriate program, tendered by the W. R. C. The parade took place this afternoon, and was participated in by members of the Grand Army. Woman's Relief Corps, Sons of Veterans, the Second Regiment Hospital corps, Company H. K. N. G. school children and teachers and wheelmen. (The Kansas Semi-Weekly Capital, September 24, 1897, page 7)
El Dorado Kan., Jan. 31 - H. H. Gardner, one of
the leading citizens of El Dorado, died at his home this morning, with a complication of diseases resulting from
grip. Mr. Gardner was born in Canada and was a little over 50 years of age. His early life was spent at sea. He
entered business in the Chicago dry goods house of Farwell & Co. and opened a store here in 1870. He soon engaged
in banking, remaining in that work until his death, when he was cashier of the Farmers and Merchants National Bank.
He leaves a wife and three charming daughters. (The Kansas Semi-Weekly Capital, February 3, 1899, page 3)
A County Seat Struggle in Kansas
There is no witter chapter in the whole range of humor than that where in Dickens delineates the papers and editors of Eaianswill.
But we occasionally come across some extravagances in American journalism which excel anything that was ever pictured in the maddest freaks of fancy and humor.
We have a case in point.
Among the other counties in Kansas there is one known as Butler. The locality which rejoices in the imperial honors and dignities of the "County Seat" is, at present, the town of Augusta. But Augusta has her rivals, and they are bitter. The embryonic metropolis now known as El Dorado lays claim to the immunities and privileges enjoyed by Augusta.
And this great issue is now convulsing the County of Butler - even unto its extremist limits. Both sides are thoroughly organized, and animated by an abiding faith in success. "Augusta" and "El Dorado", are the respective war cries of the embattled hosts, by whom (we refer to the electors of Butler) the county seat question is to be settled on the 18th of Aprill, Anno Domini, 1871.
In Kansas, as in the Republic generally, there can be no such thing as an institution or "organization" of any character - social, political or religious - without a full pledged accredited, "organ."
Neither Augusta nor El Dorado is backward in this "essential" of a first-class town organization. Augusta has her "Crescent" and El Dorado her "Chronicle."
And now we reach the very thickest of the fight as we open the two belligerent journals, hurling death and damnation at each others respective heads with those of their supports and abetters thrown in.
The "row" is actually enjoyable!
And we allow the Augusta editor to introduce himself, and present his cause by making the following opening extract!
With petty competition and the contemptible scrambling of rival towns for county seats in ordinary cases we have no sympathy.
That's good, and now for something a little more emphatic from the same source:
The very name of El Dorado is associated with bad whisky. The fumes of alcohol meet you at the corner of every street, and drunkenness, with its kindred vices, profanity and loaferism, is shamelessly common.
This is a little out of the way of hightoned journalism, but the fact may, perhaps, justify some feeling, and so we pass on to still another "remark" of the "Augusta" champion:
The citizens of El Dorado have aided and operated with horse thieves, murders and highwaymen, ever since the town was started. They have endeavored to kill or run off all good citizens and the town was started. They have endeavored to kill or run off all good citizens and the town has the unenvisble reputation of being the rendezvous of the hellish gangs which have been the scourge of the Walnut Valley.
Another "pointed" extract will suffice for Augusta, and we have it in the following:
But in all the annals of political corruption, fraud, scoundralism and sculduggery, no place has attained a deeper infamy than El Dorado.
And here we will have to leave poor El Dorado, according to the Augusta oracle, and Then Presto! And
We have before us the accredited "organ" of El Dorado. Every column bristles. Headlines display heads, dashes, italics, exclamation points, and double and treble leaded editorials, are all interwoven and consolidated into one grand onslaught on the "vileness, depravity and low-down-dog-on-worthlessness of the town of Augusta!"
We give a characteristic paragraph by way of an opening for "t" other side."
"Of all the God forsaken, trukeytrodden, man-for bidding holes of creation the present county seat of Butler County - Augusta - is the meanest and most despicable."
From this our readers will see that El Dorado is not without her defender after all the re-criminations of the Augusta editor, and so we give the El Dorado editor another chance:
"We are too much of a gentleman to say anything about women in our editorial remarks. We have always believed in our mother and we never allow ourselves, even in anger to denounce the sex to which she belonged, but which compels us to state that a woman must fall awful low to marry a fellow who would reside in such a hole as Augusta. They must have lost all their own self-respect as well as that of all other decent people."
The playful mixture of maternal love, bad English, chivalry, profanity, reverence, and other "compounds" in the above constitutes one of the most readable paragraphs we have come across this many a day.
A final extract and we must leave El Dorado as
we left Augusta, to her accredited champions and defenders.
Says the El Dorado editor:
"If the people of Butler county vote to continue the county seat at the whisky hole of Augusta, every decent man will leave it soon as the result is known, and there will be nothing left but skunks, pole-cats and such human vermin which abounds so unanimously at Augusta. May God forbid such a fearful calamity to the civilized world and to the State of Kansas. Heros are Patriots of old Butler rise up on the 18th of April like one man and slash the Augusta pukes into everlasting oblivion, and the whole State will bless you and say you done right - come one - Come all El Dorado forever and death and destruction to Augusta."
And here we must take leave of our terrible El
Dorado warrior, as we have already done of the Augusta champion. In parting, however, we cannot refrain from expressing
the hope that the world will not be utterly destroyed on the 18th, let the Butler County seat question be decided
as it may. This may seem a very cold-blooded view of the struggle from a Butler County point of view, but it is
the best we can do, besides thanking both for the enjoyment they have given us and our readers through their fantastic
capers in the columns of their respective "organs" in the rival towns of Augusta and El Dorado. (The
Leavenworth Bulletin, April 1, 1871, page 2)
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