JAMES McDERMOTT. Lawyer. Dexter Township and Winfield. (2024)

Kansas 1875 Census Dexter Township, Cowley County,March 1, 1875.

Name age sex color Place/birth Where from

James McDermott 33 m w New York Kentucky

Mary E. McDermott 28 f w Ohio Kentucky

Winfield 1880: James McDermott, 39. No spouselisted.

Winfield Directory 1880.

McDERMOTT, JAMES, lawyer, 9th avenue n. s. betMain and Millington,

r. 12th avenue n. s. bet Millington and Loomis.

[Note: McDermott & Johnson move laterin 1880 to Main Street and the northwest corner of 10th Avenue.]

LAWYERS.

McDERMOTT & JOHNSON, 9th avenue, n. s. between Main and Millington.

ADDITIONAL NAMES AND CHANGES.

McDERMOTT & JOHNSON, lawyers, moved to Mainn. w. corner 10th avenue.

BOOK, KANSAS, A Cyclopedia of StateHistory, etc., PART II, Standard Publishing Company, Chicago, 1912, Page1297.

James McDermott, ofWinfield, Kansas, is the nestor of the Cowley County Bar and is also oneof the most successful legal advocates that county has ever had. He wasborn in New York City June 6, 1841, son of Hugh McDermott and his wife,whose maiden name was Catherine Kennedy. Both the father and mother werenatives of Ireland and immigrated to America with their respective parentswhen very young. Hugh McDermott first located in New York City, where heengaged in the mercantile business, but later he engaged in the contractingbusiness, his operations being principally in Louisiana and other southernparts, especially along the Mississippi river, where he constructed leveesand ditches. The youth, James McDermott, was employed as a newsboy in NewOrleans during 1852 and 1853, and in the latter year his father took himto Concord, Kentucky, where he was employed in railway construction on theMaysville & Big Sandy railway. In the fall of 1853 he was bound outto a farmer in Lewis County. He received a common school education and taughtone year of school prior to enlisting in the army in 1861. He enlisted asa private in Company I, Fourth Kentucky infantry, but was immediately madefirst sergeant and subsequently was promoted to be second lieutenant, thenfirst lieutenant, and finally acting captain, in which capacity he servedduring the last year of the war. Just before the close of the war, however,he performed the duties of regimental adjutant. The Fourth Kentucky regimentwas one of three which President Lincoln authorized Lieut. William Nelsonof the navy, a native of Mason County, Kentucky, to raise in that statein the early summer of 1861. It became a part of the First Brigade, FirstDivision, Army of the Ohio. Its first participation in actual hostilitieswas at the battle of Mill Springs, Kentucky, and from thence it marchedvia Coffey's mill, Danville, Lebanon, and Bardstown to Louisville, whereit embarked on boats for Nashville, arriving there March 4, 1862. It tookpart in the advance on Corinth, Mississippi, and after the evacuation ofthat place pursued the enemy as far as Booneville, Mississippi, and thenreturned to Corinth, marching via Iuka to Tuscumbia. It next joined Buell'smarch from Nashville, Tennessee, to Louisville, Kentucky. This regimenttook part in the Tullahoma, Tennessee, campaign and was in action at Hoover'sGap, Concord church, and near Tullahoma. It went into action at Chickamaugawith nineteen officers and 360 men and lost thirteen officers and 160 enlistedmen in killed and wounded; and Company H, owing to the wounding of its captain,was commanded during this engagement by Lieutenant McDermott, losing nineteenmen out of twenty-three. Lieutenant McDermott was struck three times inthis battle and received one serious wound, which detained him in a hospitaltwo months. He recovered, however, in time to participate in the battleof Missionary Ridge, where he fought under General Thomas. In this battlethe Fourth Kentucky ascended the hill at the extreme left of the Army ofthe Cumberland. Early in January 1864 the regiment reenlisted and on the29th returned to Kentucky on veteran furlough. Having received orders tobe mounted, the regiment on May 16 again marched to the front, the sceneof its activity a sharp skirmish at Mason's church, and participated inthe McCook raid, forty-five out of sixty men of Company I being captured.On its return to Marietta, Georgia, the regiment was so weakened by thecapture of its members that Lieutenant McDermott was the ranking officerand in command for several days. He also served for a time as provost marshalon the staff of Major Root, commanding the brigade. The regiment was orderedback to Tennessee, however, and there participated in the campaign againstForrest. When the Confederate General Hood crossed the Tennessee, the FourthKentucky was in a sharp fight at Shoal creek, where it held a position enablingthe Union command and artillery to fall back safely. The regiment movedwith the cavalry in the battle before Nashville and took part in the pursuitof Hood. Captain McDermott was mustered out December 30, 1864, having seenhard service in some twenty-five different engagements.

After the close of the war, McDermott returnedhome and in the fall of 1865 taught one term of school. During the followingwinter he was engaged in hauling cooperage material to market and then,in the spring of 1866, began farming on a rented farm in Lewis County, Kentucky,being thus engaged one year. In August 1866 a full county ticket was tobe elected. Friends of Captain McDermott persuaded him to be a candidatefor the office of assessor. He was nominated for the office over seven othercandidates and was duly elected for a term of four years. While servingin that capacity, he took up the study of law with Judge Thomas, of Vanceburg,Kentucky, and by diligent and earnest study was prepared for his admissionto the bar, which took place in Lewis County in December 1867. He beganthe practice of his profession in the office of his preceptor, Judge Thomas,and there continued until 1870, when he responded to the call of the Westand came to Kansas. He located in Cowley County and took a claim of 160acres on the site of Dexter, of which town he is the founder, and whichnow includes within the town limits sixty acres of Captain McDermott's originalclaim, the remainder of which he still owns. He was one of the firm of H.S. Tyler & Company, who operated the first store in Dexter. He remainedon his claim until January 1877 when he removed to Winfield and took upthe duties of county attorney, having been elected to that office in thefall of 1876.

In 1872 he was elected a member of the statelegislature and served one term, being defeated for reelection by the strongfarmers' movement in the next campaign. He is an ardent Republican and hasalways taken a lively interest in the work of his party, having served asthe first chairman of the Cowley County Republican central committee. Healso served as chairman of the county temperance convention in 1880.

Captain McDermott had as a law partner, A. P.Johnson, with whom he was associated in practice from 1880 until 1901. Thefirm was the oldest and most firmly established in the county and for overthirty years enjoyed a large and lucrative practice.

Captain McDermott is recognized as a lawyerof exceptional intellectual vigor and skill, with great resourcefulnessof mind and a thorough knowledge of legal precedent. His success, however,has been won by untiring and honorable effort, so that today, when morethan three score years and ten, he is eminently worthy of the respect andesteem he commands, both as a legal advocate and as a citizen. He is servinghis fortieth year as notary public, having held eleven commissions.

Captain McDermott has been married twice. Hisfirst wife, whom he wedded in 1874, was a Miss Mary E. Bertram, daughterof Adam Bertram, who was a native of Scotland. She bore him four childrenason and three daughters. James A. McDermott is now court stenographer inCowley County. Isabella C. is the wife of J. G. Davidson of Manitou, Colorado.Mary B. McDermott is at home with her father. Elizabeth McDermott died ininfancy. The mother of these children died in 1883; and in 1884 CaptainMcDermott married Miss Tirzah A., daughter of Joseph Henderson, of Dexter,Kansas. To this second union was born two sons and one daughter: GeorgeT. McDermott, who is a law partner of Robert Stone, of Topeka, and is agraduate of the law department of the Chicago University; William F. McDermott,who is the city editor of the Evening Free Press, of Winfield, andreported the proceedings of the state legislature during the session of1911; and Margaret McDermott, who died in infancy. Captain McDermott isproud of his children, as he well may be, for each of them is striving tomake his or her life count for good and usefulness, and they command therespect of all who know them.

Captain McDermott is a member of the Blue LodgeChapter and Commandery of the Masonic order, and has served as worshipfulmaster of the lodges at Dexter and Winfield, and as high priest of the chapterat Winfield. He also served as senior deacon in the Kansas Grand Lodge oneyear. He associates with old comrades in arms as a member of Siverd Post,No. 85, Grand Army of the Republic, Department of Kansas, at Winfield, andhas served as its commander. He is also a member of the Military Order ofthe Loyal Legion of the United States. Captain McDermott and his familyare members of the Baptist church.

1870. McDermott set up his law office inDexter, Kansas.

1873. McDermott becomes Representative. Servedonly one term.

1873. McDermott has a partner in the realestate business in Dexter: Dempsey Elliott.

McDermott elected Cowley County Attorneyin November 1876 election.

January 1877. McDermott moves to Winfield.Has office in Courthouse.

February 1877. McDermott purchases stoneresidence of Col. J. M. Alexander.

By October 1877 McDermott has his law officeon the north side of 9th Avenue. On the lot west of him is located the WinfieldCourier office. On the lot east of him is located the office of J. F.Graham and John Moffitt lumberyard, located on the corner of 9th Avenueand Millington Streets.

August 1879. McDermott's office in Manning'sBuilding, corner Main & 9th Ave.

March 1880. James McDermott and A. P. Johnsonstart law partnership.

June 1880. McDermott and Johnson locate inthe W. L. Morehouse building, northwest corner of Main Street and 10th Avenue.They occupied front room upstairs.

February 1883. McDermott & Johnson moveto Manning building over Post Office.

September 1885. McDermott & Johnson locatedon 9th Avenue next to Sol Frederick's Livery Barn. [Frederick & Son(Sol Z. and Lincoln Frederick), livery and feed stable, 212 East 9th Avenue.]

[REPUBLICAN COUNTY CONVENTION.]

Cowley County Censor, October21, 1871.

Last Saturday the Republican Delegate Conventionmet at this place and, notwithstanding the day was stormy and disagreeable,all the townships were represented except Creswell.

Delegates Dexter Township: Jas. McDermott, J.H. Reynolds, and G. P. Wagner.

The convention was called to order by J. McDermott,Chairman of the Central Committee.

Central Committee for Ensuing Year: Dexter township,James McDermott; Creswell township, G. H. Norton; Beaver township, L. M.Kennedy; Rock township, John Irwin; Winfield township, L. J. Webb.

L. J. Webb was chosen Chairman and John IrwinSecretary.

[DEXTER TOWNSHIP CORRESPONDENT: "MOREANON."]

Cowley County Censor, October28, 1871.

GROUSE CREEK, Oct. 22nd, 1871.

Judging a few items from this locality willbe of sufficient interest to the readers of the CENSOR for their perusal,I will give them the few items on hand.

In the first place, our country is being settledup by immigrants rather slowly, but surely, as all those who are takingclaims now show earnestness by the improvements they are making. There isa great deal of upland to be had yet.

The controversy over the claim on which Dexteris situated, I trust is nearly over, for it has retarded the growth of Dexterand the country surrounding it. If justice be done, Capt. McDermott willsurely get the claim, then there would be an effort made to liven up mattersa little.

The crops here have done pretty well, as severalpieces of corn average 70 and 80 bushels to the acre. At present it is worth50 cents per bushel. The potato crop is good also, in fact, all kinds ofvegetables have done well.

The prairies have been burning, but little damagehas been done, except the destroying of the range for cattle.

Quite a number of teams have passed up out ofthe Territory since the issuance of the Indian Agent's orders.

[JUDICIAL CONVENTION.]

Winfield Messenger, July12, 1872.

A Convention of the Attorneys of the 13th JudicialDistrict will be held at Winfield, in Cowley County, on the 25th day ofJuly, A. D. 1872, for the purpose of recommending to the District Convention,or Conventions, to be held for that purpose, a Candidate for nominationfor Judge of said District to be voted for at the next general election.

W. S. TUCKER. J. T. SHOWALTER.

M. W. SUTTON. J. M. HOOVER.

D. F. BAYLESS. J. B. FAIRBANK.

THOMAS MASON. W. H. KERNS.

J. M. McCOLLEN. JOHN REED.

J. J. WINGAR. E. B. KAGER.

R. B. SAFFOLD. E. L. AKIN.

D. N. CALDWELL. A. H. GREEN.

T. T. TILLOTSON. D. S. HEISHEY [?HEISNEY].

L. J. WEBB. JOHN G. TUCKER.

E. S. TORRANCE. REUBEN RIGGS.

J. M. ALEXANDER. S. D. PRYOR.

E. C. MANNING. T. H. JOHNSON.

H. D. LAMB. G. P. GARLAND.

D. DODGE. J. McDERMOTT.

and many others, attorneys of said district.

Winfield Messenger, July26, 1872.

Mr. Herman, E. L. Akin, and G. P. Garland ofAugusta; Mr. McDermott of Dexter; L. B. Kellogg and C. R. Mitchell of ArkansasCity, were in attendance at court this week.

[REPUBLICAN COUNTY CONVENTION.]

Winfield Messenger, August30, 1872.

The Convention held at Winfield, Wednesday,August 20, for the purpose of nominating county officers, etc., was organizedby electing J. B. Parmelee temporary Chairman, and J. P. Short temporarySecretary. A committee of one delegate from each Township was appointedon credentials; during their absence the Convention call was read by thesecretary, and speeches were made by the different candidates notable amongwhich was that of Capt. McDermott. Committee on credentials reported thenames of sixty-six delegates entitled to vote, and at being present, orrepresented by proxy. Report received and committee discharged. J. B. Parmeleewas then unanimously elected permanent President of the Convention and J.P. Short was elected permanent Secretary. On motion L. J. Webb was electedAssistant Secretary.

On motion the Convention proceeded to an informalballot for Representative, with the following result.

JAMES McDERMOTT, 32; M. M. JEWETT, 16; S. M.BALL, 10; A. H. BECK, 4; J. B. BROWN, 3; J. B. FAIRBANK, 1. On motion thenomination of Mr. McDermott was made unanimous.

Winfield Messenger, September20, 1872.

REPUBLICAN COUNTY TICKET.

For Representative: J. M. McDermott.

Capt. James McDermott is a citizen of Dexter,where he located two years ago. He is a lawyer of ability and is a memberof the Republican party. His course, since he has been among us, has beenspotless. He is an old soldier, and the principles for which he fought willalways be maintained. He comes from the portion of the county which is thisyear entitled to the Representative.

Winfield Messenger, October18, 1872.

The candidates for the various offices to befilled this fall are now before the public.

County candidates: McDermott and Deming, theRepublican and Liberal candidates for the Legislature, are taking the leadin the campaign.

Mr. McDermott is one of the oldest and bestRepublicans in the county, is well informed in regard to the political questionsof the day, and will make a good representative.

[EDITORIAL: SAM WOOD.]

Winfield Messenger, November1, 1872.

Sam Wood spoke in Winfield last Tuesday nighton the side of the "lost cause." He came like a thief in the nightunheralded and stealthily. A Liberal fight glimmered and fluttered alongthe streets of Winfield, notifying the faithful that Sam had come and withthe aid of a tinkling sheep bell rung by a boy a crowd was called togetherto hear him. Sam spoke for two hours and fifteen minutes and convinced theaudience that he was an amusing jester of the "now you see it and nowyou don't see it" style. When Sam talks on politics, nobody, not evenSam Wood, knows how much to believe of what he says. He commenced speakingat 8 o'clock and repeated his rigmarole for the ninety-fourth time in thisfall's canvas; talking against history, truth, reason, and time, and runninghimself into the ground at fifteen minutes past 10 by the clock. No opportunitywas offered by his very "liberal" admirers to anyone present toreply to the wag. In truth, Sam did not want or intend that anyone shouldfollow him and correct his misstatements. But anyone who heard his statementsto the end readily discovered that his local conclusions contradicted themselves.To illustrate: Sam says the people in the Southern states are preventedfrom voting as they desire by Grant's bayonets but closes his speech withthe assurance that all the Southern states will cast large majorities againstGrant. Now anyone would naturally suppose that if Grant was the tyrant heis represented to be, he would not let these southern "liberals"carry all those states against his own re-election.

AT TISDALE, on Wednesday night, Sam repeateda good portion of his Winfield speech, though better "hedged."He was notified that the situation there in the matter of time and irresponsibilitywould not be his entirely.

It being the regular joint discussion meetingof the county canvas, Sam took Mr. Deming's place and spoke one hour. Capt.McDermott followed him one hour. Next in order came Capt. Payne, the Liberalcandidate for Senator, who spoke five minutes of the half hour allottedhim, and gave Sam Wood the remainder of his time. Following Payne came Mr.Manning; and following him, Sam. Sam tried very hard to so speak in theopening of the debate so as to avoid any denials or exposure, but Capt.McDermott was more than his equal as a reasoner and better posted in Nationalpolitics and history and what was of more weight his words and manner hadthe air of candor and honesty, and every sophistry put forth by Wood wastorn to atoms by McDermott. When Wood's speech was riddled of sophistryand falsehoods there was nothing left.

Mr. Manning made some pleasant remarks and exposedWood's bad reason and conclusions ably, during the thirty minutes givenhim.

The meeting closed with a little more of Wood'srigmarole and a few remarks from each candidate present.

Not a cheer for Greeley and Brown was venturedor suggested at either meeting for the reason we suppose that it would havebeen a dangerous experiment, where there were three men to hurray for Grantto one for Greeley.

Thus came and went the great Liberal comet,with more "light" in his "tale" than in his head, andcomet like the light was borrowed.

Winfield Courier, Saturday,January 11, 1873.

James McDermott, the chosen Candidate for thehonorable position of Representative from this county, passed through townon his way to Topeka. We congratulate the people of Cowley over their wiseselection.

Winfield Courier, Saturday,January 25, 1873.

[For the COURIER.]

James McDermott. Our Representative in the stateLegislature has found enough to do in Topeka and has gone to work with awill. His work before organization was to help W. W. Walton through as journalclerk, in which he succeeded so completely that there was no oppositionwhen the vote was taken. On the first day after organization, he presenteda bill to amend and define the laws in relation to voting bonds, so as toremove all doubt as to what must be done to make an election legal, anda bill to fund the county indebtedness. Both of these measures are of greatimportance to this county. COWLEY.

Winfield Courier, February15, 1873.

Legislative. Capt. Jas. McDermott was honoredwith an appointment on the York- Pomeroy investigating committee. Pomeroygave $7,000 to York, but says it was to hand to a banker at Independenceto pay up his stock in a national bank to be established at that place,and that York used it for the purpose of defeating him and to make himselfpopular throughout the State.

Winfield Courier, Thursday,February 20, 1873.

RECAP: LEGISLATIVE NEWS...Investigation Committeeis still at work...gave Mr. B. F. Simpson a rigid examination yesterday.Examination of Mr. York again resumed re private interviews held with Pomeroyat Washington, in reference to the removal of the U. S. Land Office fromNeodesha to Independence.

Mr. Sexton of Wilson County offered resolution:

"WHEREAS, Atthe joint convention for the election of U. S. Senator, Col. York, a Senatorfrom the 24th district, made statements to the effect that he knew of certainmembers of this house who have Pomeroy's money burning in their pockets,and at the proper time he would point them out; and

WHEREAS,He has as yet failed to designate such "members of this house"as the people of this state were led to expect from his statements; thereforebe it

Resolved,That it is but justice to this house that he be requested to make satisfactoryexplanation, or sustain these charges; and be it further

Resolved, Thatthe Sergeant at Arms be directed to furnish Col. York a copy of these resolutionsat the earliest practicable moment."

On motion, the resolution was unanimously adopted.

They concluded that Senator York had had hisday...and more or less branded him a liar and a villain.

Bill introduced: H. B. No. 263, by Mr. McDermott:An Act to amend an Act entitled, "An Act to provide for the regulationof the running at large of animals," approved Feb. 24, 1872.

Winfield Courier, Thursday,March 13, 1873.

Public Meeting. There will be a meeting of ourcitizens at the Court House this evening, to welcome Hon. Jas. McDermotton his return from the Capitol, and hear an account of his

stewardship.

[COWLEY COUNTY DISTRICT COURT.]

Winfield Courier, Thursday,March 27, 1873.

On Monday of this week court convened at thisplace, his Honor, Judge W. P. Campbell, presiding. We notice the followingmembers of the bar present from a distance: Hon. W. P. Hackney, from SumnerCounty; Judge M. S. Adams, of Leavenworth County; and Hon. James McDermott,of Dexter, and C. R. Mitchell, of Arkansas City.

Real Estate Partnership at Dexter: JamesMcDermott and Dempsey Elliott...

[DEXTER TOWNSHIP CORRESPONDENT: "JOKERR."]

Winfield Courier, Thursday,May 8, 1873.

The weather has been extremely hot, cold, wet,and dry for the last few weeks. The last few days augur more favorably forspringreal springone of the wags over this way thinks "dog-days"will bring warm weather. He may be mistaken, though, for it seems as ifall the signs known to the weather-wise will fail.

S. F. Graham has sold his farm near this place,with a view of moving to Texas. Several families are going with him.

The saw mill that was situated above Dexterthree miles has been moved up the river by the owners, French & Shriver.

The corn crop will be extensive. Hundreds ofacres are being put in by the "little farmer."

McDermott & Elliott is the firm name ofthe real estate agents at this place. They have had printed a circular onthe back page of letter paper a brief description of Cowley County, togetherwith a condensed history of its organization and progress. No better plancould have been devised to advertise the advantages of this county. Dozensof these circulars go in every mail to every part of the country, and Imay also say that their lists of lands for sale comprise some of the bestfarms of Cowley County.

Speaking of our mail, brings to mind the factthat its regularities consists mainly in its irregularity. JO KERR.

Winfield Courier, Thursday,May 27, 1873.

Capt. McDermott, our worthy representative,paid us a visit this week. Also, Dempsey Elliot, Esq., Mac's partner inlaw and real estate business.

[FOURTH OF JULY CELEBRATION: WINFIELD.]

Winfield Courier, Thursday,June 26, 1873.

The citizens of Winfield, in pursuance to aprevious call, met at the Methodist church this evening to take into considerationthe subject of appropriately celebrating the 4th of July, 1873. Col. J.T. Quarles was chosen chairman, and J. C. Lillie Secretary. The variouscommittees appointed by a former meeting were read and approved. The onlyprincipal question before the meeting was the selection of appropriate groundsupon which to hold the celebration.

It was resolved to prepare an arbor with seatsand rostrum for speakers, in the nearest and best adapted grove for thepurpose. The races, as heretofore advertised, to come off at 3 o'clock p.m.upon the Fair Grounds of the Cowley County Agricultural Society.

Officers of the day were chosen as follows:Chaplains, Rev. J. B. Parmelee and Lowry. Reader of the Declaration of Independence,Byron A. Snow. Marshal, Col. J. T. Quarles. Orators, J. B. Fairbank, Hon.Jas. McDermott, J. W. Scull, Esq.

It was ordered by the meeting to prepare groundsfor the accommodation of 5,000 people.

COL. J. T. QUARLES, Chairman. J. C. LILLIE,Secretary.

[EDITORIAL PAGE: THE FOURTH AT WINFIELD.]

Winfield Courier, Thursday,July 10, 1873.

RECAP: Grand march at 11 a.m., with at least2,500 in march to the speakers' stand. Rev. Lowery invoked blessing; ByronA. Snow read Declaration of American Independence; John B. Fairbank, Esq.,delivered oration. After lunch: address by D. C. Scull, speech by Hon. JamesMcDermott, benediction by Rev. J. B. Parmelee. March again taken up. Latein the evening a balloon ascension took place. Funny thing: fireworks notmentioned.

Winfield Courier, Thursday,July 31, 1873.

Hon. William P. Hackney and Hon. James McDermottcalled on us yesterday evening.

[MURDER TRIAL OF JAMES STEWART.]

Winfield Courier, Thursday,August 7, 1873. Editorial Page.

The Murder Trial.The most important case tried at this session of the District Court wasthe case of James Stewart, charged with the murder of Marcus L. Parker,Deputy United States Marshal, last spring on Grouse Creek in this county.

The prosecution was ably and faithfully conductedby the County Attorney, E. S. Torrance, and Captain James McDermott, whilethe prisoner was defended by Hon. W. P. Hackney, of Wellington, Sumner County;and ______ Putman, of the firm of Case & Putman, Topeka.

Nothing was left undone by these gentlemen toacquit their client. They contested manfully every inch of ground, and Mr.Hackney maintained his reputation of being one of the best criminal lawyersin the state. That Stewart was guilty as an accessory to the killing ofParker, there can be no doubt in the minds of those who heard the testimonyon the trial. The jury taking into consideration Stewart's youth and hithertogood character brought in a verdict of manslaughter in the third degree,for which he was sentenced to the Penitentiary, there to remain at hardlabor for the period of three years.

We cannot close this article without makingallusion to the witnesses for the prosecution: Joseph W. Vannoy, F. M. Watkins,and G. M. Carpenter. These gentlemen were the posse with Marcus L. Parkerwhen he was killed. Joseph W. Vannoy tracked this man Stewart through Missouri,and finally arrested him in Iroquois county, Illinois. Mr. Vannoy has beenin the business of hunting criminals for several years, and Marcus L. Parkeris the tenth man that has been murdered by his side while attempting toarrest criminals and although, in nearly every case he has been the targetfor the first shot, strange to say that he has never yet received a scratch.We wish Mr. Vannoy all the success he deserves in bringing the guilty tojustice.

Winfield Courier, Thursday,October 2, 1873. Editorial Page.

REPUBLICAN TICKET.

For Representative: JAMES McDERMOTT.

Winfield Courier, Thursday,October 16, 1873.

Capt. McDermott and the republican candidatesleft on the grand rounds of the county last Monday.

Winfield Courier, Thursday,October 30, 1873.

Among the lawyers in attendance at the DistrictCourt from abroad, we notice Col. J. M. Alexander of Leavenworth; Hon. Wm.P. Hackney, of Wellington; Gen. Rogers of Eureka, and Judge M. L. Adamsof Wichita. From Arkansas City are C. R. Mitchell and A. J. Pyburn. FromDexter, Hon. James McDermott. Our own bar is, as usual, ably representedby Fairbank, Torrance & Green, Webb & Bigger, Manning & Johnson,Louis T. Michener, Pryor & Kager, and T. H. Suits.

Winfield Courier, Thursday,October 30, 1873.

Last Monday night as Capt. McDermott and W.W. Walton were returning from Tisdale, where they had been speaking, thebuggy overturned and they were emptied carelessly into the road. W. W. landedupon his head and therefore his injuries were very slight, but the Captain,less fortunate, struck on his face with such force as to lose consciousnessfor a time. His injuries were not serious, however, although his proboscisis somewhat the worse for wear, and looks as though somebody had been puttinga head on him. On the same night E. B. Kager came into town balancing ona single spring.

Winfield Courier, Thursday,November 6, 1873. Editorial Page.

Recap: Due to the vote by farmers dissatisfiedwith the status quo in Cowley County, William Martin was elected by a smallmajority as Representative of Cowley County, defeating Captain McDermott.

Winfield Courier, Thursday,November 6, 1873.

McDermott says he does not so much object toa trip up salt creek as he does to the shabby crew with whom he is compelledto make it.

Winfield Courier, November20, 1873. Editorial Page.

The Telegram says the election of Hon.Wm. Martin was an anti-Manning and McDermott victory. If this be true, thenthe election of the remainder of the Republican ticket is a Manning andMcDermott victory. If all the labor and all the falsehoods spent in thecanvass by the Telegram were for the purpose of obtaining an anti-Manningand McDermott victory, so far as its interest in the election was concerned,then we are content. It ought to know its own impulses. But so far as thevote of the county was concerned, we presume that other motives enteredinto the question of electing candidates.

Winfield Courier, November20, 1873.

BIG AD. GRAND ANNUAL RE-UNION OF THE SOLDIERSOF COWLEY COUNTY, ON THANKSGIVING DAY, NOV. 27, 1873.

A CORDIAL INVITATION To participate in the festivitiesof the day is hereby extended to all the soldiers residing in the county.The following PROGRAMME will be observed.

AT 10, A.M. THE Reception Committee will commenceto make up the Roster and distribute tickets for DINNER To all whose namesare entered thereon.

AT 11, A.M. SOLDIERS will fall into line, inmarching order, on Main Street, the right resting on Ninth Avenue, underthe direction of the officer of the day, CAPT. McARTHUR, And march to theCOURTHOUSE Where an address of welcome will be delivered by Captain S. C.Smith, The Mayor of Winfield, and the organization of the Soldiers' Unioncompleted.

AT 1, P.M. SOLDIERS will fall in for dinner.

AT 3, P.M. THERE will be a meeting in the Courthouse,and addresses will be delivered by the following soldiers: Chaplain E. P.Hickok, Maj. J. B. Fairbank, Capt. James McDermott, A. D. Keith, S. M. Fall,Maj. T. B. Ross, Rev. N. L. Rigby, J. C. Bigger, Esq., and other soldierspresent.

AT 7, P.M. THERE WILL BE A GRAND BALL! And dancingwill be in order, to conclude the festivities of the day.

The proceedings of the day will be enlivenedwith appropriate music by the Winfield and Arkansas City Cornet Bands. A.A. JACKSON, Chairman Committee on Arrangements.

J. P. SHORT, Secretary.

Committee on Music. T. A. Wilkinson, Chairman,Mrs. W. D. Roberts, Miss Emma Leffingwell, L. J. Webb and John Kirby.

Winfield Courier, November20, 1873.

A. Walton is out again in the Telegramcrowing over the defeat of James McDermott. Walton has labored for the lasttwo years to destroy the Republican party, and boasts that he has succeeded.What a giant Walton is, to succeed in breaking up a party his friends failedin a four years' war to break up. He has also tried, the same length oftime, to make the people of Cowley believe that they did not want to sendsmart men to the Legislature. Knowing that if the people conclude to dropsmart men and take up ignoramus, there would be a good chance for A. Walton.

Winfield Courier, November27, 1873.

Capt. McDermott called upon us Wednesday. Helooks fat and hearty since the race.

Winfield Courier, January9, 1874.

Every person in Cowley County who can raiseenough money to pay half fare is going to Topeka as a delegate to the thirdhouse. Our worthy legislator, Hon. Wm. Martin, and his noon-day shadow,Allison, have already taken their departure and they will be followed indue time by W. W. Walton, R. L. Walker, E. B. Kager, James McDermott, JamesKelly, and others too numerous to mention.

[HON. WILLIAM MARTIN REFUSES TO GIVE UP RAILROADPASSES.]

Winfield Courier, January23, 1874.

And now we have a word to say about Rev. Wm.Martin, the reformers' representative from Cowley County. He made hasteto get to Topeka four or five days before the Legislature met to join ina grand rally of the forces organizing to break up the Republican partyunder the head of what was called "opposition." He signed a pledgeto ignore party and adhere only to reform. Railroads and railroad monopolieswere the special object of their hate. In the meantime they had all receivedand accepted passes from the railroad companies. Anthony, who is a Republican,in order to test the mettle of the reformers, introduced a resolution requiringevery member to deliver his railroad pass to the Clerk of the House to bereturned to the railroad companies. Rev. Martin and seventy-five othersvoted against allowing the resolution to be considered, thus keeping hispasses and acknowledging his obligations to the hated monopolies.

On Monday last, there was a caucus of the Republicanmembers of the Legislature at which there were present seventy-seven outof one hundred and thirty-nine members of both Houses, including SpeakerMcEckron. This number declared their fealty to the Republican party andpledged themselves to stand by it. Rev. Martin, of Cowley, went into thecaucus but formally withdrew from it saying that he belonged to no party.How does this tally with the editorial of his manager, Mr. Allison, publishedin the Telegram immediately after the election, in which it was saidthat Martin's election was not an anti-Republican victory, but an anti-Manningand McDermott victory? Martin seems intent upon "busting" theRepublican party by abandoning it, and to "bust" the railroadsby riding on them free.

Winfield Courier, February6, 1874.

James McDermott, E. S. Torrance, W. W. Walton,and James Kelly returned home last Monday night.

Winfield Courier, February27, 1874.

We take pleasure in being able to chroniclethe fact that Hon. Wm. Martin has voted for the resolution submitting toa vote of the people whether we will have a Constitutional Convention, butare sorry to miss his name from the list of those who voted on the Apportionmentbill. No doubt Mr. Martin had some good excuse for being absent when thatvery important measure was voted upon, and he can, perhaps, now see thesenselessness of the howl made by his backers last fall, over the fact thatMcDermott failed to vote on the Mortgage Exemption bill.

Winfield Courier, March27, 1874

D. A. Millington, Esq., was examined by lawyersMcDermott, Mitchell, and Adams, and admitted to the bar by Judge Campbellat this term of Court.

Winfield Courier, March27, 1874

The following are the Attorneys attending atthe District Court: Hon. Wm. P. Hackney, Wellington; Hon. Jas. McDermott,Dexter; C. R. Mitchell, A. J. Pyburn, L. B. Kellogg, Arkansas City; Gen.Rogers, Eureka; M. S. Adams, Wichita; Fairbank, Torrance & Green, L.J. Webb, Manning & Johnson, Judge R. B. Saffold, Lewis T. Michener,Esq., Suits & Wood, D. A. Millington, Winfield.

[COWLEY COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.]

Winfield Courier, April24, 1874.

James McDermott was paid $2.00 for serving asan Election Clerk.

Winfield Courier, June26, 1874.

Capt. McDermott, of Dexter, was in to see usthis week. He in company with L. J. Webb, Capt. Hunt, and T. A. Rice, visitedWellington on Tuesday on business connected with the Masonic Order.

Winfield Courier, July31, 1874. Editorial Page.

WELL MERITED.The Parsons Sun, speaking of the probable nomination of Hon. Jas.McDermott for Congress, in the 3rd District, pays the Captain the followingwell merited tribute.

We see it announced that Captain James McDermottof Cowley County will be a candidate for Congress before the Third DistrictConvention of the Republican party. We don't know of a man in the districtwho would make a more energetic, resolute, and able representative.

He was a brave and gallant soldier and neverflinched to go where duty called. In one of the most critical moments ofour military life just at the dawn of day, during General McCook's raidaround Atlanta, Georgia, Mac stood fearless and gallantly by our side ashe had often done before and often did afterwards. He served his countryfaithfully, honorably, and well, and his blood mingled in the crimson tidethat attained the field at the great battle of Chickamauga.

He represented his county with great creditto himself in the legislature of 1873, and his constituents would honorthemselves by sending him to congress.

Winfield Courier, July31, 1874.

Capt. James McDermott, of Dexter, and HenrySmith, of Cloverdale, called on us last Wednesday.

Excerpt from a lengthy article...

[THE POST OFFICE RING.]

Winfield Courier, September25, 1874. [Editorial by James Kelly.]

The P. O. ring and the Telegram, havedone for two years, and are still doing their best, to destroy the Republicanparty, and to defeat its noble mission. Two years ago this fall the

P. O. ring opposed the Republican nominees andworked up the liberal ticket and supported it. Capt. McDermott, the Republicannominee, was elected to the House in spite of them. As a member of the legislaturefrom Cowley County he sent forty copies of the Commonwealth everyweek during the session, to the Winfield post office for distribution amongthe people here that they might know what the action of their representativewas. Postmaster Johnston did not distribute those papers, but destroyedthem, and Capt. McDermott knew nothing of it until his return. Not one wordof reproach can be raised against Capt. McDermott while a member of thelegislature.

Nor can one word of reproach be truthfully saidagainst any of the county officers elected by the Republican party two yearsago, save it be some acts of the county board.

[COWLEY COUNTY DISTRICT COURT.]

Winfield Courier, October2, 1874.

Court convened last Monday, the following lawyersin attendance: Webb & Millington, Pryor & Kager, Fairbank, Torrance& Green, Alexander & Saffold, Suits & Wood, E. C. Manning, W.P. Hackney, T. H. Johnson, and John E. Allen, of Winfield. J. Wade McDonald,of Wellington. M. S. Adams and Chas. Hatton, of Wichita. James McDermott,of Dexter; and C. R. Mitchell and L. B. Kellogg, of Arkansas City.

Winfield Courier, December10, 1874.

MARRIED.After four years of sojourn in Kansas, James McDermott, a former well knownresident of this city, returned to our city on Sunday last. The followingmorning he was married to our lady friend, Miss Mary E. Bertram, and onthe afternoon of the same day, in company with his accomplished bride, hestarted for his established home in the west. They have the solicitude ofnumerous friends and acquaintances for their future happiness.

Vanceburg Kentuckian.

The above tells the story. The happy pairreturned to their home in Dexter a few days ago to begin life in earnest.We extend to them our congratulations and wish them a long life of unalloyedhappiness and prosperity.

Winfield Courier, December24, 1874.

Capt. McDermott and his newly made wife werein the city last week. He came prepared, however, and dealt out the champagneliberally to the band who gave him a serenade on Saturday eve.

Winfield Courier, January14, 1875.

Captain James McDermott and Dr. J. P. Wagnerwere in town last Monday.

Winfield Courier, January21, 1875.

Esquire Ballou and other farmers living in thevicinity of Dexter, through the management of Capt. McDermott, are aboutto secure a large loan of money from a capitalist of Hamilton, New York,at the low rate of 12 percent per annum. This they propose to loan in smallerquantities to other farmers at a small advance and secure the same by firstmortgages on their farms. If this arrangement be perfected, and it is probablethat it will, none of our 36 or 50 percent men will have to emigrate.

Winfield Courier, February4, 1875.

THE COUNTY BOND QUESTION. Quite a respectable show is being made by those whofavor issuing county bonds to take up the outstanding scrip of Cowley County.The county commissioners have asked for the passage of a special law onthe subject, notwithstanding there is a general law whereby they can issuebonds by first submitting the question to a vote of the people. The countycouncil P. of H., is said to have passed a resolution to the same effect.Some of the county newspapers are in favor of it, although the publishersthereof made political capital against Capt. McDermott a little over oneyear ago because he procured the passage of a law allowing the bonding ofsaid debt. As for us, without discussing the economical features of theproposition, we still hold that a majority of the people of the county areopposed to bonding the county for any purpose. And as long as that is thesentiment of the majority, we shall not favor any bond proposition unlessit be first submitted to a vote of the taxpayers. We cannot advise any shortcut to defeat an expression of the sense of the people. When the questionis submitted in proper form, we shall have something to say on its merits.Perhaps the constitutionality of a law issuing bonds by a special act whenthere is a general law that is applicable, is worth a little consideration.

Winfield Courier, February25, 1875.

We are sorry to learn that Mrs. James McDermottof Dexter is dangerously ill.

[COWLEY COUNTY INDEBTEDNESS.]

Winfield Courier, March18, 1875.

A bill has passed both branches of the Legislatureto allow Cowley County to fund its indebtedness. We thought Cowley Countyfunded its indebtedness only two years ago. Wilson County Citizen.

Two years ago a bill passed the legislatureallowing Cowley to fund its indebtedness. No action was taken at that timeunder the bill. Capt. McDermott, who was the member at the time the billwas passed, was a candidate the next fall for the House. His action in passingsaid bill was used against him by the opposition and contributed largelyto his defeat. Now, in the present month, the County Commissioners are fundingthe county's indebtedness under said bill, and propose to fund the remainderunder the new bill. Altogether, our indebtedness amounts to about $30,000.This action of the Commissioners would seem a vindication of Capt. McDermott'scourse on the funding measure. Tardy justice.

Winfield Courier, March25, 1875.

Captain James McDermott sent a few days agoa request to Senator Ingalls to have sixty or thereabouts packages of seedssent to him for distribution at Dexter. In response the Senator sent onehundred packages of vegetable seeds to the Captain.

Winfield Courier, March25, 1875.

The District Court is in full blast, Hon. W.P. Campbell presiding. The following attorneys are in attendance: Webb &Millington, Hackney & McDonald, E. C. Manning, J. B. Fairbank, Pryor& Kager, T. H. Suits, John E. Allen, A. H. Green, Alexander & Saffold,T. H. Johnson, M. S. Adams of Wichita, C. R. Mitchell and L. B. Kelloggof Arkansas City, James McDermott of Dexter, and A. J. Pyburn, County Attorney.

[TOWNSHIP ASSESSORS.]

Winfield Courier, April22, 1875.

The township assessors met pursuant to previousnotice, to agree upon a basis of valuation of property. The house beingcalled to order, W. A. Freeman was chosen Chairman and W. M. Berkey, Secretary.

The following reported their names.

H. C. McDermott, Dexter Township.

Winfield Courier, July1, 1875.

Hon. James McDermott is to make the orationat Lazette next Saturday.

Winfield Courier, July22, 1875.

We noticed Hon. James McDermott and Messrs.Harden and Hines, of Dexter, C. R. Mitchell of the City, McD. Stapletonof Lazette, and J. R. Musgrove of South Haven, in town yesterday.

[REPUBLICAN COUNTY CONVENTION.]

Winfield Courier, October7, 1875. Editorial Page.

THE TICKET.The ticket nominated last Saturday by the Republican County Convention is,all things, considered, one of the strongest and best ever nominated inthe county.

NOMINATED AT CONVENTION FOR REPRESENTATIVE: E. C. MANNING, WM. P. HACKNEY, NATHAN HUGHES, AND WILLIAMWHITE. The first was an informal ballot, which resulted as follows: Manning32, Hackney 11, White 5, Hughes, 12. After considerable sparing, Col. Manning,for the sake of harmony, declined the nomination. The names of L. J. Webband James McDermott were placed before the Convention. The friends of Manninginsisted on still voting for him and so declared their intention, whereuponthe names of Webb and McDermott were withdrawn. The first ballot resultedas follows: Manning, 29 votes, Hackney, 22, Hughes, 9. No choice, Hugheswithdrew his name in favor of W. P. Hackney. Second ballot resulted as follows:Manning, 32 votes; Hackney, 28. Manning declared nominated.

Winfield Courier, October21, 1875.

The "Reform Central Committee," i.e., Mr. Amos Walton, declined to enlighten the good people of Dexter onhis subject of "Credit Mobelier," when called upon by Capt. McDermottthe other night. Why didn't you tell them, Amos, that owing to the recenttroubles in the South, the credit of Mobile was not good. That would answerjust as well, as they don't know anything about such a question (?). "Don'tfly your kite so high" next time. The people of this county read thepapers and keep posted.

Excerpts from Centennial Issue...

THE WINFIELD COURIER. CENTENNIAL ISSUE.

WINFIELD COURIER, THURSDAY, JANUARY 6, 1876.

PRODUCED EVERY THURSDAY BY E. C. MANNING.

A convention was held at Dexter on Sept. 3rd.That body selected H. B. Norton as the delegate from Cowley County to theState Convention, and selected a County Republican Central Committee, ofwhich James McDermott was appointed chairman and W. P. Hackney secretary.Shortly after the Sept. 3rd convention, the chairman of the Central Committee,appointed at Dexter, issued a call for a Republican convention to be heldat Winfield, Oct. 3rd, to nominate a candidate for representative and candidatesfor county offices. The ticket then nominated can be found in the "Annals."

DEXTER is situated in the valley of Grouse Creek18 miles from Winfield and contains a population of 66. It contains twogeneral stores by Hardin & Co. and F. Henrion, both carrying large stocks;one dress-making and millinery establishment, by Mrs. Black; two physicians,G. P. Wagner and Dr. Rood; one lawyer, James McDermott; one hotel by J.Williams; one blacksmith by J. Graham, and one steam saw and flouring mill;one resident minister, P. G. Smith. It has also a frame schoolhouse in whicha school, free to all, is kept for nine months in the year, and having,at the present time, an attendance of 65. It is the intention to grade thisschool at the beginning of the year. Two churches, the Methodist and Christian,have organizations at this point and maintain regular preaching. There isa considerable sprinkling of other denominations but no organizations asyet. Dexter Grange, No. 1195, P. of H., and Dexter Lodge, No. 156, A. F.& A. M., are both located here and both are prospering. The town platcovers an area of 23 acres and contains about 100 lots. It was surveyedand platted by W. W. Walton, county surveyor, Nov. 13th, 1875, and the platshave not been filed for record yet, but will be in a few days, after whichthe lots will be offered for sale. Lots will be donated to parties who desireto improve them. The lots on Main street are 25 feet front by 160 deep.The other lots are 50 feet front and of the same depth. The vacant lotsare the property of the "Dexter Town Association," and informationin regard to them or the town, or county, can be obtained either of P. G.Smith, President, or James McDermott, Secretary of the association.

In the early spring of 1870, when there werescarcely a half dozen families in the fifty miles from the head to the mouthof Grouse Creek, but a great many bachelors living in their rude cabinswith scarcely a sign of civilization around them, it was thought by somethat the beautiful valley just below the confluence of a stream, which theycalled Plum Creek, would be a good place to build a town, which should become,in time, the metropolis of Grouse Creek and possibly the county seat. Thecounty was not surveyed at that time and this point was believed to be nearthe center. All mail for this section was received through the Post Officeat Eureka, 65 miles northeast, and the railroad was reached at Emporia,50 miles further north.

Certain parties at Emporia, hearing of thisdesirable spot, organized the "Dexter Town Company" in July, 1870.C. B. Bacheller, George W. Frederick, and L. N. Robinson, of Emporia, Alex.Stevens, and Thos. Manning, of Grouse Creek, were the incorporators. Thiscompany paid the secretary of State five dollars for their charter and thenceased active operations. It hasn't been heard from since.

The settlers erected the body of a log houseand covered it sometime in the spring of 1870. In July of that year Tyler& Evans opened a small store in it. The first house, on what is nowthe town plat, was built by James McDermott, who moved into it January 25th,1871.

In September, 1870, the post office was establishedwith I. B. Todd as Postmaster, and in March, 1871, the first mail carrierarrived from Eureka. There is now a regular mail three times a week fromWinfield. In the fall of 1871 a frame schoolhouse 26 by 40 feet was erectedat a cost of $2,000. A six months school was sustained each year until 1874when the term was increased to nine months.

In February, 1874, Dexter Grange, No. 1105,was organized; and on the 28th of May, 1874, Dexter Lodge, U. D. A. F. &A. M., was established, being constituted under a charter with the number156, on the 18th day of the next November.

During the summer of 1875 a steam mill was erected,the building of stone, with two run of burrs and a circular saw.

October 21st, 1875, the "Dexter Town Association"was incorporated, and shortly afterwards purchased the land and laid outthe town as above set forth. This is a good point for business and businessmen,and mechanics of all kinds will do well to locate at this point.

DEXTER TOWNSHIP.Dexter Township includes nine miles of the Grouse Valley, all of Plum Creek,nearly all of Crab Creek, and the prairies adjoining, and contains a populationof nearly 500. There was harvested in the township last year over 30,000bushels of wheat and double that amount of corn. Timber is abundant on GrouseCreek and firewood can be bought for $2.50 and $3.00 per cord. Coal canbe bought for 15 cents per bushel at the bank 12 miles distant. There issome good land to be had at $1.25 per acre by actual settlers, and improvedbottom homes can be purchased at from $10 to $15 per acre. Improved uplandat from $3 to $6 per acre.

REPRESENTATIVES. In the order of their termswe give the names of the men who have represented the county in the KansasHouse of Representatives: E. C. Manning, 1871; Judge T. B. McIntire, 1872;Capt. James McDermott, 1873; Rev. Wm. Martin, 1874; Hon. T. R. Bryan, 1875.

Winfield Courier, February24, 1876.

Notice to Central Committee. To C. M. Scott, James McDermott, R. C. Storey, H. L.Barker, A. B. Odell, and T. W. Morris, members of the Republican CountyCentral Committee, of Cowley County: GENTLEMEN: You are requested to attenda meeting of the above mentioned Committee to be held at the COURIER office,in Winfield, Saturday, March 4th, at 11 o'clock, A. M. Business of importancewill be transacted.

A. B. LEMMON, Chairman Rep. Co. Committee.

Winfield Courier, April6, 1876.

BIRTH. Capt. McDermott had a little daughterborn about three weeks ago waiting for him over at Dexter after his week'scourting in Winfield.

Cowley County Democrat, Thursday, April 6, 1876.

The district court opened on Monday; Judge Campbellon the bench. Attorneys present: J. W. McDonald of Wellington; C. R. Mitchelland James Christian of Arkansas City; James McDermott of Dexter; Mr. Rugglesof Wichita; Byron Sherry of Leavenworth; J. M. Alexander, A. H. Green, L.J. Webb, D. A. Millington, A. J. Pyburn, T. H. Suits, W. P. Hackney, E.C. Manning, John Allen, S. D. Pryor, W. M. Boyer, and Amos Walton of Winfield.

[DEXTER TOWNSHIP CORRESPONDENT: NAME NOTGIVEN.]

Winfield Courier, April13, 1876.

Newcomers are arriving almost daily. No referenceis intended to Captain McDermott's little daughter, which arrived recently.

[COWLEY COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.]

Arkansas City Traveler, April 19, 1876. Front Page.

Be it remembered that on this 11th day of April,1876, the Board have appointed James McDermott, of Dexter Township, andH. P. Farrar, of Creswell Township, a committee to assist the Probate Judgeto count the funds in the hands of the County Treasurer at the end of thefirst quarter of 1876.

Winfield Courier, May11, 1876.

JOSEPH P. HENDERSON, of Poplar Flat, Kentucky,called upon us this week. He arrived in Cowley a day or two since, and informsus that he received a copy of the Centennial issue of the COURIER last January,and at once decided to take a look at this country in May. He finds a bettercountry than the COURIER represented it to be. Hereafter he will be oneof us for weal or woe. He is an old acquaintance of Capt. McDermott's, andwill visit around Dexter for a few days.

Winfield Courier, May18, 1876.

Capt. McDermott has four breaking teams runningupon his farm, and will raise his bread another year.

On motion the convention adjourned sine die.

From the 89th District.The Republican convention for the 89th district was held at Dexter, on the13th. On the assembling of the delegates, J. B. Callison, from Spring Creek,was chosen temporary chairman, and T. H. Aley, from Otter, was chosen secretary.The permanent organization resulted in the choice of T. R. Bryan as chairman,and T. H. Aley as secretary.

The delegates chosen to represent the districtin the State convention May 24th were S. M. Fall, of Windsor, and S. P.Channell, of Arkansas City. Alternates: A. A. Wiley, of Spring Creek andFred Brown, of Beaver. The following persons were chosen Republican CentralCommittee for the district: Hon. James McDermott, chairman, C. R. Mitchell,C. W. Jones, T. H. Aley and C. J. Brane.

[REPUBLICAN CONVENTION AT DEXTER.]

Arkansas City Traveler, May 24, 1876.

The Republican Convention of the 89th RepresentativeDistrict assembled at Dexter, May 24th, 1876, and organized by electingJ. B. Callison, of Spring Creek Township, temporary chairman, and T. H.Aley, of Otter Township, temporary secretary.

On motion, the following committees were appointed:On credentials, L. Lippman, T. H. Aley, and James McDermott. On permanentorganization, Jas. McDermott, James England, and A. A. Wiley.

The committee on permanent organization reportedthe name of Hon. Thos. R. Bryan for permanent chairman and T. H. Aley forpermanent secretary.

The Convention then proceeded to the electionof two delegates and two alternates to represent the 89th RepresentativeDistrict in the State Convention to be held at Topeka May 24th, with thefollowing result. Delegates, S. M. Fall, of Windsor; and S. P. Channell,of Creswell. Alternates, A. A. Wiley, of Spring Creek, and F. Brown, ofBeaver.

Central committee for the district: Jas. McDermott,of Dexter; C. R. Mitchell, of Creswell; C. W. Jones, of Windsor; T. H. Aley,of Otter, and C. J. Brane, of Pleasant Valley.

THOS. R. BRYAN, Chairman. T. H. ALEY, Secretary.

Winfield Courier, June15, 1876.

CAPT. McDERMOTT is spoken of as the candidatefor Representative from the south district in Cowley.

[DEXTER TOWNSHIP CORRESPONDENT: "ROMEO."]

Winfield Courier, June22, 1876.

Little Lizzie McDermott is conceded, by thosewho haven't any pretty babies of their own, of course, to be the smartest,brightest, and prettiest baby in this part of the country. All the lawyersin our village will bear us out in this statement.

Winfield Courier, July6, 1876. Editorial by E. C. Manning.

Capt. James McDermott, of Dexter, is talkedof by his friends as a candidate for District Judge. Mc. is qualified forthe position, and if nominated, there would be no doubt of his election.

Winfield Courier, July6, 1876.

Capt. McDermott, of Dexter, was the orator ofthe day at Cedar Vale on Tuesday last.

Winfield Courier, July13, 1876.

Many citizens of the southeast part of thiscounty attended the Fourth of July exercises at Cedar Vale. They reporthaving a good time. The oration by Capt. McDermott was very fine, and severalother speeches were up to the standard. The people enthused much after themanner of our own celebration.

Winfield Courier, July13, 1876.

THROUGH the solicitation of friends we publishon our first page this week our Centennial History of the county. For thefacts concerning Cowley's early history, we are indebted to the "oldsettlers," among whom we might mention Col. Manning, C. M. Wood, Jas.Renfro, Judge Ross, Dr. Graham, and others, of this neighborhood; JudgeMcIntire, H. C. Endicott, and T. A. Wilkinson, of Arkansas City; Capt. Jas.McDermott, of Dexter; S. S. Moore, of Tisdale; and J. W. Tull, through R.C. Story, Esq., of Lazette. For the courtesy of county, township, and cityofficers in placing at our disposal, books, records, etc., we are particularlygrateful.

Winfield Courier, August17, 1876.

Eighty-Eighth District Convention. Pursuant to call the delegates of the 88th RepresentativeDistrict met in Republican convention at the courthouse, in Winfield, at10 o'clock a.m., Saturday, August 12, 1876.

R. C. Story, of Harvey Township, was electedtemporary chairman, and C. H. Eagin, of Rock Township, temporary secretary.

On motion a committee on credentials was appointed,consisting of one delegate from each township present, to be named by thedelegates themselves. The following named gentlemen composed the committee:E. S. Torrance, of Winfield; Alex. Kelly, Richland; J. W. Tull, Windsor;J. S. Wooley, Vernon; A. B. Odell, Ninnescah; and A. V. Polk, of Rock. Pendingthe report of the committee, Capt. James McDermott being called, came forwardand made a brief speech, which was enthusiastically received, after which,a few remarks, in response to a call, were made by the temporary chairman.

Arkansas City Traveler, September 6, 1876.

CANDIDATES. L. J. Webb will probably be thenominee, on the Republican ticket, for Representative from the northerndistrict of Cowley County; J. E. Allen for County Attorney; R. C. Storyfor Superintendent of Public Instructionthat is, if "straws show theway the wind blows." The friends of Capt. McDermott insist on him comingout in place of Allen, but the Captain is slow to aspire for any honor.On the Democratic ticket, Amos Walton is fishing for Representative again,from this district, and the friends of Judge Christian want him to comeforward as County Attorney, and Judge Gans for Probate Judge.

Winfield Courier, September7, 1876. Editorial Page.

The Tisdale Hurrah!EDITOR COURIER: Last week the Tilden and Hendricks club, of Tisdale, challengedthe Hayes and Wheeler club of that place to a joint discussion of the politicalquestions of the day. The Democrats selected for their champion J. WadeMcDonald, and the Republicans the Hon. James McDermott. Last night the discussiontook place in the schoolhouse at Tisdale. The house was crowded and therewere enough people outside to fill another house of the same size.

The Hayes and Wheeler club of this place attendedthe meeting in uniform. McDermott opened the ball, and from the time hecommenced until the time he ended, every sentence was a "red-hot"shot into the camp of the enemy. The history of the Democratic party, itsfrauds and corruptions, were completely shown up. McDonald, who, as everybodyknows, is the orator of Cowley County's Democracy, followed, but there wasno "discussion." He did not answer a single statement made byMcDermott, but simply said, "I deny, where's your proof?" Theold worn-out story of "Grant's frauds," "Caesarism,""Military interference and bayonet rule," and a heart-rendingappeal for the rights of the "Sovereign States" of the South,closing with a denunciation of the removal of T. K. Johnston from the Winfieldpost office and the appointment of Kelly in his stead constituted his speech.

McDermott, in replying, reminded him that hehad forgotten about the removal of the maimed Union soldiers by the rebelHouse and putting in their places rebel soldiers, and gave proof of allhis assertions to be matters of record in the archives of the National Capitol,and known by the American people to be true. In fact, McDermott, insteadof being "skinned," as was anticipated by the Democrats, was theparty who performed the operation, and his opponent was the victim.

The Democrats of Tisdale are not likely to wantany more discussions.

SCALPER NO. 2.

[CORRESPONDENCE FROM "W."GROUSEVALLEY.]

Winfield Courier, September7, 1876.

Dexter will have a Hayes and Wheeler flag poleraising tomorrow. Capt. McDermott and others will address the people. Dexteris always ahead. This will be the first pole of the kind raised in the county.The Republicans of this valley are awake and "when the November idesroll around," (that's hackneyed, but stump-orators all use it) theywill send up their accustomed four-fifths majority in Dexter Township.

Winfield Courier, September14, 1876.

Hon. James McDermott spoke to a large and enthusiasticaudience at Lazette last night.

Winfield Courier, September21, 1876. Editorial Page.

THE COUNTY TICKET.The nominees of last Saturday's convention are too well known in this countyto need more than casual mention here. Our candidate for COUNTY ATTORNEY,Capt. James McDermott, is one of the ablest lawyers in this district. Hislegal ability was recognized by the House of Representatives of 1873, whenit appointed him a member of the Judiciary, its most important committee.He is an enthusiastic Republican, an able speaker, and one of the most fearlessand outspoken men in defense of his principles that has ever taken the stumpin the Southwest. Capt. McDermott can take care of himself before the baror before the people. He will be elected, without doubt, and criminals mayas well take warning.

James McDermott becomes Cowley County Attorney...

[REPUBLICAN COUNTY CONVENTION.]

Winfield Courier, September21, 1876. Editorial Page.

The nomination of county attorney being nextin order, the names of John E. Allen and James McDermott were offered ascandidates. The ballot resulted in favor of McDermott by a vote of 32 to30. On motion the nomination was made unanimous.

The following named gentlemen were selectedmembers of county central committee.

Beaver: C. W. Roseberry; Bolton: J. C. Topliff;Creswell: C. M. Scott; Cedar: W. A. Metcalf; Dexter: Jas. McDermott; Harvey,L. L. Newton; Liberty: Justus Fisher; Maple: W. B. Norman; Ninnescah: Wm.Hayden; Omnia: Wm. Gilliard; Otter: R. R. Turner; Pleasant Valley: AlbertDean; Rock Creek: Chas. H. Eagin; Richland: J. O. Van Orsdal; Silver Creek:S. M. Jarvis; Silverdale: L. Lippman; Spring Creek: R. P. Goodrich; Sheridan:Henry Clay; Tisdale: J. F. Thomas; Vernon: J. S. Wooley; Windsor: B. H.Clover; Winfield: T. K. Johnston. J. S. HUNT, Chairman.

CHAS. H. EAGIN, Secretary. J. D. PRYOR, AssistantSecretary.

Winfield Courier, September21, 1876.

JOHN E. ALLEN came within a few votes of beingvictorious last Saturday. The vote stood McDermott 32 and Allen 30.

Winfield Courier, September21, 1876.

They tried to make capital by saying that H.C. Fisher and his colleague were not Republicans. They came up from OtterTownship as delegates all the same, and McDermott is happy.

Arkansas City Traveler, September 27, 1876.

CAPT. McDERMOTT made one of the best speechesever delivered in this county at Tisdale last week.

Winfield Courier, October5, 1876.

The following attorneys are in attendance atthe present term of court: M. S. Adams, of Wichita; L. B. Kellogg, of Emporia;C. R. Mitchell, A. Walton, and James Christian, of Arkansas City; JamesMcDermott, Dexter; Webb & Torrance, Hackney & McDonald, Pyburn &Seward, D. A. Millington, J. M. Alexander, Jennings & Buckman, A. H.Green,

Pryor, Kager & Pryor, A. B. Lemmon, andJohn E. Allen, of Winfield.

Winfield Courier, October12, 1876.

THAT TIN-WEDDING.Winfield is celebrated for her impromptu weddings, social gatherings, bravewomen, and fair men. No town in the state possesses a class of citizenswho can be at "swords point," so to speak, one day, and the next,meet together and enjoy themselves socially as does our little hamlet: Whatsoevermay be their views concerning the administration of the Servian war or the"latest arrival," all is forgotten when a wedding is announcedand they meet together on neutral ground and vie with each other in makingit the most pleasant affair of the season.

But we digressthe tin-wedding is what we startedout on, and to start right, we first mention the prime movers. Dr. Howland,assisted by Frank Baldwin, Jno. Pryor, Will Robinson, Anna Newman, KateMillington, and Jennie Stewart, seem to have been the original conspirators.A leading M. C., of this city and his estimable wife, it was whispered about,were to be the subjects of this secret conclave. All unknown to them, ofcourse, were these arrangements made. Every man, woman, and child in thecity, almost, was on the tip- toe of expectation for three days, awaitingthe event that these ominous little square cut pieces of tin, bearing thewords, "Mr. and Mrs. W. G. Graham, at home 8 p.m., Oct. 5th, 1866 and1876," had so mysteriously foretold. The Doctor, all unconscious ofthe "eyes" that followed him in his daily rounds, but consciousof ten years of upright and devoted life as a true Benedict, walked thestreets, attended his business, and pursued the even tenor of his day, littledreaming that his sacred home would so soon be invaded, and he be jerkedup to answer to charges preferred by the citizens of his adopted town.

Like the gentle dew those little pieces of tinhad silently done their work, and on Monday evening at 8 o'clock, Dr. Graham'sbeautiful residence was stormed in front and besieged in the rear by thelargest party of tin-peddlers ever assembled under an October moon, allloudly clamorous for an immediate entrance.

The Doctor made unconditional surrender, beforea gun was fired. What else could he do? The ladies of the party took chargeof the kitchen, parlor, and dining-rooms, while the men hung round on theedges and in less than ten minutes the whole house was converted into amodern first-class tin shop. After this animated entree, quiet fora moment was restored, followed by the presents being brought out and subjectedto a severe catechizing by Elder Platter and a running cross-fire by theremainder of the enemy, and who, finding that the charges against them werefalse, and only existing in the imaginations of certain hungry-looking youngmen that decorated the wall, concluded to release them on the conditionthat in the future as in the past, the Doctor should build the fires andcut the stove wood, provided always that Mrs. Graham could not be prevailedupon to do it; that he, should promise to keep posted as regards the lateststyled bonnet, the latest social "small- talk," provided thatMrs. Graham did not want to perform that duty herself. These and similarpromises were extracted by the inexorable judges, whereupon the ministerdexterously encircled them with two glittering rings, pronounced them manand wife for ten years more, amidst a regular round of applause.

Mr. Baldwin then read a poem prepared for theoccasion, after which came the presentation of the tin-ware. Capt. McDermottand Dr. Mansfield did the honors in the most amusing manner imaginable.The Doctor's speech accompanying the presentation of a full set of tin dentaltools was highly appreciated. In fact, the speeches of Messrs. Platter,McDermott, and Mansfield were funny, from beginning to end, and could onlybe appreciated rightly by being heard. We almost wish for space to publishthe Elder's entire marriage ritual used on the occasion. It was the bestwe ever heard. From this time on we can't particularize. All we can rememberis that about this time supper was announced and following that, in ourmemory, cold chicken, dust pans, sweet cakes, waiters, graters, egg- beaters,coffee, etc., are so terribly confused and mixed up that we have lived inconstant dread, fearing that some hungry individual would mistake us fora lunch counter. Right here we'd like to give the name of every presentwith the name of the donor. We can't do it; we are not equal to the task.It's too big a contract. There were just one hundred and thirteen piecesof tin-ware presented (and more than that many suppers eaten), and that'sall we know about it. We enjoyed ourselves, and if it be found that therewas a single person present who did not enjoy him or herself, we insiston having a committee raised to have that person, if it is a him, "shotwithout benefit of clergy."

Winfield Courier, October26, 1876.

Capt. McDermott is gaining ground every dayin his canvass for the office of county attorney. Vote for him, and youare sure to support an honest and capable man. "Jidge" Christian'schances are growing beautifully less.

Winfield Courier, October26, 1876.

Capt. James McDermott, on account of his "peculiarfitness," was selected as Judge pro tem to try several importantcases at the recent term of court. This is additional proof of his abilityto fill the office of county attorney.

Winfield Courier, October26, 1876.

Dr. Phelps, one of the "true blues"from Richland, dropped into our sanctum yesterday. The Doctor took the windout of "Jidge" Jimmie Christian's sails the other night when hewas abusing the Republican candidates up at Floral. The old sinner saidthat the Republican candidate for Senator was "nominated by a set of"black-legs." Phelps "spoke right out in the meeting"and said that it was false. "Jim Lane's old partner," of course,had to skin it back, which he immediately proceeded to do, much to the amusem*ntof the audience. This foreign rooster who couldn't get an office in DouglasCounty, where they knew him, needs must come down here and abuse such menas Capt. McDermott and other old reliable citizens, in the hope of securingan office. It's too thin. You'd better live here a little while first, "Jidge,"and get acquainted.

Winfield Courier, October26, 1876.

Here is a part of Jim King's Cedar Vale letter,as published in the Commonwealth of the 21st instant. It any of thoseDexter girls should ever get hold of him, there wouldn't be enough of himleft to write an obituary over.

"Leaving Winfield on Sunday afternoon,we soon came upon the little town of Tisdale, pausing only long enough toobserve that `Tis daleightful weather,' and then driving on amid a showerof oaths from an outraged community. We passed through several other smallvillagesinto towns, they might be called, because they rarely contain morethan one house. We reached Dexter just in the gloaming. (Gloaming, my dear,is gilt-edged for dusk.) Here we concluded to stay all night. Now you wouldnaturally suppose Dexter to be a fast sort of a town. But it is not. Itis situated in the Grouse Valley, and has numerous attractions in the shapeof majestic bluffs, fine farms, and beautiful landscape views. Capt. JamesMcDermott resides here, and owns a splendid piece of land adjoining thetown site. The young ladies hereabouts attain to remarkable size. They aremassive in form, loose and flowing in costume, somewhat blubbering aboutthe mouth, and, with a considerable portion of the lower part of them, turnedup for feet. There is a species of slough-grass throughout the Southwestwhich is called `blue jint,' and I am inclined to think that the women ofthe country partake of the same exuberance of growth. They loom up in corn-fedproportions on every quarter section, and are endowed with every facilityto wash dishes and hug."

Arkansas City Traveler, November 1, 1876.

CAPT. McDERMOTT made us a call last Monday.He spoke at Bland's schoolhouse in the evening to a good audience. Capt.McDermott is regarded as one of the leading lawyers of the county, and isacknowledged as one of the best speakers. When you see his name on the Republicanticket as a candidate for County Attorney, remember him.

Winfield Courier, November9, 1876.

CAPT. McDERMOTT wants to move up into HarveyTownship among his friends. Harvey polled sixty-one votes. The Capt. receivedsixty-one majority over his opponent, "Jidge" Christian.

Arkansas City Traveler, November 15, 1876.

WINFIELD WILD WITH JOY!

A Grand Ovation to the Successful SenatorialCandidate.

Bonfires, Music and Speeches!

One of the grandest ovations ever tendered anyman in Southwestern Kansas was upon Wednesday night of this week, giventhe Hon. A. J. Pyburn. Hundreds of citizens proceeded en masse tothe office of Mr. Pyburn on the corner of Main Street and Ninth Avenue,and headed by the silver cornet band, serenaded Mr. Pyburn. Bonfires werekindled and the city was wild with enthusiasm over the result of the Senatorialcontest.

When Mr. Pyburn appeared upon the balcony inacknowledgment of the serenading party, he was greeted with prolonged cheers,and it was many minutes before the crowd could be quieted so as to hearhim. He made a few remarks acknowledging the "honor conferred uponhim," and thanking the citizens for their support in the contest, and"promising a faithful representation of the interests of the County."After him Judge McDonald was called for and made a neat little speech whichwas received with wild enthusiasm, especially when mention was made of thefavorite candidate for Senator.

Seeing the enthusiasm which prevailed and beingso completely filled with bitterness that he could not hold himself, Manningsneaked across the street; and having had it arranged before hand with "backers"to call him, he passed half way up the stairs and there stopped, exclaimingthat "he thought it was about time the Republican flag was run up athalf-mast" and gave vent to his feelings in a bitter denunciation ofhis political opponents, denouncing those Republicans who voted againsthim as "Renegades," and declaring that if it had not been forthat "sink hole of Infamy, Arkansas City" that he would have receiveda majority of the votes cast," which was utterly false, for with everyRepublican vote cast in Creswell Township, there would still have been aclear majority against him.

After considerable more blubbering of the samesort in which he showed his deep chagrin at his defeat, he attacked Hon.W. P. Hackney, and then he subsided; and the crowd called on Mr. Hackney,who in a few minutes speech completely upset everything that Manning hadsaid, and again filled the crowd with enthusiasm for Pyburn and reform.

Manning and his friends, still wishing to turnthe meeting into his favor, called for several of his backersWalker, Kelly,Webb, and McDermottwho in turn pronounced a requiem over the corpse of Manning,which brought tears to the eyes of their hearerstears of joy that the Countyhad been saved the disgrace of electing such a man as Manning to the StateSenate.

Taking all in all there was on that eveninga greater display of wild enthusiasm than we have ever before witnessedin the State, and a greater display of petty spite, malice, and chagrinby the friends of Manning, than we have ever dared think they could be guiltyof. A display of good feeling on one side and a display of despair and hopelessnesson the other, which prompted them to make complete asses of themselves,thereby losing the respect of the honorable minded citizens who were presentat the demonstration.

Winfield Courier, January11, 1877.

COUNTY ATTORNEY McDERMOTT and SuperintendentStory were both over from the valley of the crystal Grouse this week andwere duly inaugurated for the next two years.

Winfield Courier, January25, 1877.

JAMES McDERMOTT, County Attorney elect, hasremoved to Winfield, where he will remain permanently.

Winfield Courier, February8, 1877.

The Grouse Valley is pretty well representedat the Courthouse: Burden, Troup, McDermott, Bryan, Story, and Gans.

Winfield Courier, February15, 1877.

Capt. James McDermott has purchased the stoneresidence in the southeast part of town from Col. Alexander.

Winfield Courier, February15, 1877.

Card. JAMES McDERMOTT, ATTORNEY AT LAW, WINFIELD,KANSAS.

Office at the Court House.

[PHILOMATIC SOCIETY OF WINFIELD.]

Winfield Courier, February22, 1877.

The next regular meeting of the Philomatic societyof Winfield will be held at the Courthouse, on Friday evening, March 2nd,1877.

PROGRAMME FOR THE EVENING.

1. Music by Miss Newman.

2. Select Reading; by Mrs. J. D. Pryor.

3. Weekly Paper, by Rev. J. L. Rushbridge.

4. Music, by Miss Gowen.

5. Answers to scientific questions.

6. Essay by F. S. Jennings.

7. Discussion. Resolved, "That thepractice of the law elevates the profession." AffirmativeJas. McDermott,W. M. Allison. NegativeC. M. Wood, J. E. Allen.

8. Scientific questions by the audience.

9. Adjournment.

Exercises to begin at 7½ o'clock, p.m.All are invited to attend.

F. S. JENNINGS, President. O. M. SEWARD, Secretary.

[DEXTER TOWNSHIP CORRESPONDENT: "NASBY."]

Winfield Courier, March8, 1877. Editorial Page.

From Dexter.

DEAR COURIER: Again I give you the news fromthis part of the county. The health of the people has improved since mylast writing. Dexter is moving along in its usual way. Business is aboutas usual. Trade is quite brisk.

Mr. McDorman, our present postmaster, has takenMr. Wiley in the dry goods business as a partner, which will add creditand prestige to the place, as Mr. Wiley is one of the most solid men inthe county and a man possessing large business qualifications.

The harness shop mentioned in my last letteris now ready for use and will be occupied by a Mr. Hoyt.

Dexter claims to have one of the finest schoolsin the county this winter; it being taught by a Mr. Ealy from Cedarvale.

Mr. Editor, I will give you an account of theeffect of the news concerning the political situation. Early this morningI noticed quite a large crowd of Democrats assembled at Democratic headquarters.And as you know that a meeting called in the interest of democracy is alwaysattended by a large number of persons and plenty of alcohol. I hastenedto answer to my name as the roll was called. "Mr. Nasby," saidthe chairman, "have you anything to say to this meeting?"

I replied by saying: "Mr. President andgentlemen of this large and respected assemblage: we are called togetherto consider the situation concerning the news from Washington, as it affectsus here more than all the other news put together. It is now certain thatHayes will be declared elected by that infamous set of radical scoundrelsassembled in Washington, and as for my part as a leader among you, I won'tstand it. I will join Mr. Hackney's command, and go there and resist hisinauguration, for you know that set of radicals that set around McDorman'swill continue to keep the post office and I will continue to be left out.

"You also know that that thief Manningat Winfield will keep Kelly in office up there and great God what will wedo? The post offices are all gone for four years, and that radical littlescoundrel McDermott has taken the printing out of the Telegram officeand given it to Manning, and undoing everything that our good brother Pyburnhas done for our party. And now you know he can't do anything at Topekabecause you know that man Manning went up there and told the radicals thatPyburn was a Democrat and not to do anything for him; if they did, it wouldbe helping the Democrats that much. So you see he can't fool anybody upthere. Great God, what will our good chairman do for an office. We expectedMr. Tilden to give him the Agency of the Kaw tribe; but alas, all is gone.

"Brothers, we can only do one thing, andthat is for us all to stick close together, and not trade with any radical,or patronize any blacksmith that adheres to the radical side. We can goand get a democratic doctor when we get sick, and let Wagner wait on hisradical friends, as you know he was the man that lit the lamps for Manning'smeeting and in consequence of that act he is unfit to practice among goodDemocrats."

With these remarks Mr. Nasby closed by saying,"May God bless the people of Crab Creek as they furnish more of thatarticle called spirit than all the rest of the Democrats of the townshipput together."

The chairman called on others to speak, butthey all declined to say anything more than endorsing Mr. Nasby's remarks.One member moved an adjournment, which was carried by loud cheers for Mr.Nasby and the corners. NASBY. Feb. 28, 1877.

[PHILOMATIC SOCIETY OF WINFIELD.]

Winfield Courier, March22, 1877.

Programme of the Philomatic Society for Fridayevening, March 23rd, 1877.

1. Music, String Band.

2. Reading Minutes.

3. Music, Vocal.

4. Miscellaneous business.

5. Song by Geo. H. Buckman.

6. Select reading by Miss Jessie Millington.

7. Music, Vocal.

8. Answers to scientific and historic questions.

9. Weekly paper. Mrs. Dr. Mansfield and J. M.Bair.

10. Proposals of questions to be answered atthe next meeting.

11. Music, String Band.

12. Discussion: Resolved, that "Incipientincertitude is the climactical culmination of moral excellence." Affirmative:Messrs. R. C. Story and Jno. Allen. Negative: Rev. J. L. Rushbridge andJas. McDermott.

13. Report of Committee on Programme.

14. Adjournment.

Music by Prof. Easton's String Band.

All are invited. C. M. WOOD, President. EMMASAINT, Secretary.

[COWLEY COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.]

Winfield Courier, April19, 1877.

[County Commissioner Proceedings...am only puttingdown amount allowed. Skipping amount claimed].

OFFICE OF COUNTY CLERK, Winfield, Kansas, April11th, 1877.

Board of County Commissioners met in regularsession. All the Board present with James McDermott, County Attorney, andM. G. Troup, County Clerk. Among other proceedings had, sundry claims werepresented and passed upon as follows:

S. S. Moore, assessor: $42.00

M. G. Troup, Co. clerk salary: $343.05

J. McDermott, Co. Attorney salary: $175.00

R. C. Story, Co. Supt. salary: $150.00

T. R. Bryan, Co. Treas. salary: $452.75

Winfield Courier, May10, 1877.

The following are the attorneys in attendanceat the Cowley County district court now in session: L. J. Webb, W. M. Boyer,J. E. Allen, D. A. Millington, Jennings & Buckman, E. S. Torrance, Hackney& McDonald, James McDermott, A. H. Green, Pyburn & Seward, J. M.Alexander, Pryor & Pryor, Henry E. Asp, Linus S. Webb, of Winfield;C. R. Mitchell, E. B. Kager, Amos Walton, James Christian, and Col. McMullen,of Arkansas City; A. L. Redden, of Eldorado; Judge M. S. Adams, of Wichita;J. D. McBryan, of Sedan, Chautauqua County; J. M. White, of Howard City,Elk County.

Arkansas City Traveler, May 23, 1877.

The following attorneys were in attendance uponthe present term of the District Court: Hon. Alfred L. Redden, of Eldorado;Mr. White, Howard City, Elk County; Judge M. S. Adams, Wichita; Mr. McBryan,Sedan, Chautauqua County; Hon. C. R. Mitchell, Amos Walton, Judge Christian,E. B. Kager and Col. McMullen, of Arkansas City; and Messrs. Hackney &McDonald, Pryor & Pryor, Jennings & Buckman, Pyburn & Seward,Jas. McDermott, Henry E. Asp, E. S. Torrance, J. E. Allen, L. J. & LinusWebb, D. A. Millington, A. H. Green, W. M. Boyer, J. M. Alexander, of Winfield.

[COWLEY COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.]

Winfield Courier, May31, 1877.

OFFICE OF COUNTY CLERK, Winfield, Kansas, May25th, 1877.

Board of County Commissioners met in specialsession. All the board present, with James McDermott, County Attorney, andM. G. Troup, County Clerk.

[COWLEY COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.]

Winfield Courier, July12, 1877.

OFFICE OF COUNTY CLERK, Winfield, Kansas, July5th, 1877.

Board of County Commissioners met in regularsession. Present: R. F. Burden, Chairman, W. M. Sleeth and William White,members of the board, with James McDermott, County Attorney, R. L. Walker,Sheriff, and M. G. Troup, County Clerk.

James McDermott, Co. Attorney Salary, $175.00.

Winfield Courier, August16, 1877.

A CORRECTION. Endeavoring always to state thetruth in the COURIER and willing at all times to correct misstatements,we now say: that having in last week's paper, said, under the head of "AnOutrage"

"In every case in which we have heardthat any choice for chairman was expressed by the committeeman himself ongiving his proxy, that expression was adverse to Mr. Johnston. But theseproxies, disregarding their instructions, voted for the very man they wereinstructed to vote against."

Our information being second hand at that timewas only partially true. These are the facts: Mr. Wooley instructed theparty to whom he gave his proxy to cast the vote for Chas. Eagin for chairman.Mr. Van Orsdal says that he instructed his proxy against Mr. Johnston; Mr.Norman was known by the person to whom he gave his proxy to be opposed tothe putting of Johnston into that important position. His instructions were:"McDermott first, Eagin next."

Winfield Courier, August30, 1877.

The District Court commenced its session onMonday with a light docket, and it is to be hoped that it will be clearedup this week. The following members of the bar present: Hon. W. P. Campbell,Judge; E. S. Bedilion, Clerk; R. L. Walker, Sheriff; M. S. Adams, of Wichita,C. R. Mitchell, E. B. Kager, and A. Walton, of Arkansas City; J. McDermott,County Attorney, J. E. Allen, A. J. Pyburn, O. M. Seward, W. M. Boyer, L.J. Webb, W. P. Hackney, J. W. McDonald, E. S. Torrance, H. E. Asp, D. A.Millington, S. D. Pryor, J. D. Pryor, F. S. Jennings, G. H. Buckman, andA. H. Green, of Winfield, attorneys.

Winfield Courier, September20, 1877.

The boys tell one on Shenneman. Our friend,James McDermott, has a young man stopping with him. He just came into thecountry lately, and is looking around with a view to locating. He is rathernew to our county politics, but Shenneman heard he was working for the Lippmandelegation, and he posted off in hot haste to electioneer him. The youngman weighs ten pounds and Mac calls him his baby. How is it A. T.?

Winfield Courier, October18, 1877.

Hon. J. McDermott, Hon. T. R. Bryan, Prof. GeorgeW. Robinson, and others, whose names we did not get, have gone to Topeka.Wonder if the horse fair was the attraction.

Winfield Courier, October18, 1877.

Hall of Winfield Chapter No. 31, R. A. Masons.

WINFIELD, KAN., Oct. 8, 1877.

WHEREAS, Death, for the first time, has invadedour circle, and taken from among us our companion, N. C. McCulloch, and;

WHEREAS, In the dispensation of Divine Providencewe recognize the ruling of the Supreme Grand High Priest of the universeand bow submissively to his will.

Resolved,That we most sincerely deplore his loss, and in the true spirit of charitywhich animates our Brotherhood, we pledge to his bereaved family our sympathyand benefactions.

Resolved,That these resolutions be spread upon the minutes of the Chapter, a copyof the same attested by the Secretary and with the seal of the Chapter attached,furnished the family of our deceased companion and the city papers requestedto make publication hereof.

Winfield Courier, October25, 1877. Editorial Page.

In the COURIER for Sept. 18th is found sideby side the announcements of M. G. Troup and J. S. Hunt as candidates forthe office of County Clerk before the Republican convention. Both were wellknown to be candidates all over the county, both canvassed to a considerableextent, and the primaries were held more with reference to the claims ofthose two candidates than of any others save those for Sheriff, and weremore fully attended than ever before; no set of delegates ever before sonearly expressed the will of their constituents, and when the conventionassembled, Mr. Troup was there busy canvassing the delegates.

It was there ascertained that a great majorityof them were for Capt. Hunt, a fact that Mr. Troup fully realized by hiswithdrawal, and Capt. Hunt was nominated without dissent. Never was a fairernomination nor one which gave more general satisfaction to the party.

The people do not know that there is anythingwrong about the Clerk's office. They hope that the incumbent has done hisduty well, but they well know that there is opportunity for many fraudsin that office, and many neglects of duty which would not be detected untila change of officers. They know that nearly all the astounding frauds thathave been unearthed, have been perpetrated by persons who were consideredabove suspicion; who not having been scrutinized on account of the confidencereposed in them, have been tempted into small peculations which have grownwith years into enormous embezzlements and other frauds. They know thatin the office of County Clerk there are fees to collect and credit to thecounty; that there are large amounts of stationery and expensive books tobe bought for the county, on which a high price is sometimes paid the seller,who in turn pays back the officer a high commission; that there are largeamounts of county scrip to control and handle, that considerable sums ofscrip are made and signed, ready for delivery, which are never called for,and should be canceled and destroyed after three years; that there are theaccounts of other officers to be kept straight; that the errors and fraudsof county officers are usually only detected when there is a change of CountyClerks; that County Attorney McDermott discovered last winter a $2,500 errorin the late Treasurer's account which the County Clerk had for three yearsfailed to detect; and that four consecutive years is as long as any personshould ever hold that responsible position.

The late convention did well to decide upona change. It expressed the wishes of nearly all the voters of the countyif we may judge from the expression we hear. It did well in nominating Capt.J. S. Hunt, a man who is in every respect the peer of the present incumbent;a man whose whole record shows that he will thoroughly overhaul the pastoperations, and discover if anything is wrong; and Republicans will, wedoubt not, vote for him almost unanimously, while the Democrats who preferthe good of the county rather than the damaging of the Republican partywill also support him.

Winfield Courier, October25, 1877. Editorial Page.

"CROOKEDNESS."

Mr. Troup asserts that during his term he hassaved this county ten thousand dollars. How, Mr. Troup? When were we indanger of sustaining such a heavy loss? Have you done any more than yoursworn duty as an officer? On the contrary, we have just come into possessionof evidence that satisfies us that this county did sustain a loss of atleast $2,561.20, that is directly charged to either your inefficiency orneglect.

October 23rd, 1876, the retiring county treasurerfiled in your office a statement of his business during his term. The boardof county commissioners intrusted you to examine that statement in detail,and ordered the county treasurer to refund to Mr. Kager any sum of moneyyou should find due him. You have, or should have, in your office such checksand balances as would enable you to detect at once any error in the countytreasurer's accounts. On the 7th of last December, after examining the statementwith Mr. Kager's attorney, you reported to Mr. Bryan that Mr. Kinne hadoverpaid the county $522.17, and that that sum should be repaid to him asordered by the county board. Sometime after this county attorney McDermottcalled your attention to the fact that District No. 5 had sustained a lossof about $300, and said that it must be an error in your settlement withthe county treasurer. You denied this emphatically, and said you knew thestatement was correct. Mr. McDermott showed you after your efficient (?)service of three years as county clerk, how to detect such errors, lookedup with you the affairs of District No. 5, convinced you that a mistakeof over $300 had been made in that instance, and left you to examine theaccounts of other districts and see if other blunders had been made.

You then proceeded to make the examination anddiscovered that in your statement to Mr. Bryan you had made a mistake of$2,561.30, and you reported that blunder to the county board April 11th,1877. Would the mistake ever have been discovered had it not been for theefficiency of the county attorney? Does not the county attorney deservethe credit for the detection of your blunder and the recovery to this countyof the lost $2,561.30? We think so.

Did you save the balance of the ten thousanddollars in the same way?

You are invited to make your defense throughthe columns of the COURIER.

Winfield Courier, November1, 1877.

TROUP AGAIN.

The following editorial appeared in the COURIERof last week.

[REPRINTS ARTICLE ENTITLED "CROOKEDNESS."]

To this Mr. Troup replies as follows:

TROUP'S DEFENSE. This is to certify that we,the undersigned Commissioners of Cowley County, Kansas, have read an articlein the editorial columns of the Winfield COURIER, entitled "Crookedness,"and find the same to be a gross misrepresentation of Mr. Troup's officialacts concerning the final statement and settlement of Mr. Kager's accountvs. county treasurer of said county. Believing in the motto of "honorto whom honor is due," we would further say that no official act ofMr. Troup's in connection with Mr. Kager's final settlement would, in theleast degree, indicate to the mind of any fair-minded person that he (Troup)was dishonest, inefficient, or unfaithful in the trust confided to his care,but on the contrary, his every act in that matter but serves to confirmus in the belief that he has been, and is, a faithful, efficient, and honorablepublic servant.

(Signed) R. F. BURDEN, WM. WHITE, W. M. SLEETH.October 27th, 1877.

Now, Mr. Editor, I deem the foregoing to bea sufficient answer to the villainous article you published last week, anddo not care to trespass further on your space with that matter. However,I desire to say that you must be supporting a most odious ticket indeed,if it requires such dirty work to carry it, as you had made use of, in yourlast issue. Does it not strike you as being a little ridiculous, Mr. Editors,for you to resort to such infamous measures to carry a ticket, that is asworthy of support as you say yours is, in a county where you have a straightmajority of 700 votes? Do you not think you could lend more dignity to theexalted position which you hold, at the head of the public education ofthis great commonwealth, if you were to devote more time to the educationalinterests of the state, and less to the publication of such articles, asemanated from your fertile brain last week? Is it not, in fine, just a littledegrading to the Office of State Superintendent of Public Instruction, foryou to come down here, 200 miles, to do the dirty work for a few politicalshysters, in a local canvass for county officers? I leave you to answerthese interrogations at your leisure.

Now, Mr. Editor, having performed my dutieshonestly and faithfully, I feel confident that all future discoveries of"crookedness" will have the same foundation of fact, as the onementioned last week. Having nothing to fear from a strict and impartialinquiry into my official career, I invite you to try again, in your searchfor "crookedness."

Yours respectfully, M. G. TROUP.

There is no principle of newspaper courtesythat would require us to publish the above strictures on Mr. Lemmon. Onthe contrary, under the rules of the press we would be justified in refusingto publish the communication, because Mr. Troup has so forgotten that heshould be a gentleman, as to call us hard names. However, we waive the discourtesyand publish the article entire.

We do not think the people care to be divertedfrom the issues in this canvass by a discussion of Mr. Troup's strictureson Mr. Lemmon. Mr. Lemmon is a citizen of this county; votes only here,has invested all his means here, returns to this county as his home whenhis official duties will permit, will permanently remain here when thoseduties are ended, feels as deep an interest in, and works as hard for thewelfare of this county as any other citizen, and has an equal right to beheard in its politics and policies. But whether he is behaving badly orwell is not an issue at this time, for he is not "running for office."Mr. Troup is a candidate for a third term as county clerk, and his officialacts are legitimate subjects for discussion. Hence our editorial in lastweek's COURIER as above. Please examine it carefully and see where the "villainy,"the "dirty work," and the "infamous measures," comein. We think we treated the subject with great fairnesseven with tenderness.We stated certain facts which are not controverted in his reply, neithercan they be successfully, for the records of his office and that of thecounty treasurer, together with the testimony of other county officers andother men of unquestioned veracity, amply prove them to be true.

The issue is made only on our conclusion, thatthe loss of about $2,500 to the county was due either to Mr. Troup's neglector his inefficiency. It is a cheap way to controvert such conclusions, towrite or dictate a denial in general terms like the above, and induce threeof his particular friends to subscribe it as a favor. It is a fact oftencommented upon that most men at the instance of a friend will sign any paperexcept a promise to pay money. Our commissioners being human are not exemptfrom such weakness. But if they really meant to stand by what that papercontains, they are in the same boat with him. There was assuredly some neglect,or inefficiency, or something worse somewhere, or school districts in thiscounty would not thus have lost more than $2,500 of the fundsa loss thatwould evidently never have been detected had it not been for the efficiencyof county attorney McDermott. The use of this large sum for fifteen monthswas lost beyond recovery.

Mr. Troup makes the commissioners deny thathis official action in this case indicates any dishonesty on his part. Pleaseexamine our editorial again and see where we intimate that he has been dishonest.We fail to find it. The idea of dishonesty has been suggested by Mr. Troupalone, and while we will not say that "a guilty conscience needs noaccuser," we think it well, now that he has called our attention tothis phase of the subject, not to brush the thought too hastily away, butto proceed to state a few more facts.

The law of 1875a law that has been on our statutebooks for two and a half years, requires the county clerk to make underoath quarterly, and file with the register of deeds a detailed statementof the amount of fees received by him during the quarter. No such reporthas ever been filed with the register of deeds of this county. We leaveit for others to say whether this is neglect, or inefficiency, or the otherthing. The same law declares that county clerks shall be allowed "asfull compensation for their services" in counties of 5,000 andless than 10,000 inhabitants, $1,200, and in counties of 10,000, and notmore than 15,000 inhabitants, $1,500 per annum, which salaries shallbe in full for all the services by law required to be performed in theirrespective offices." At the commissioners' meeting on the firstMonday of October last, Mr. Troup presented his statement of account againstthe county, in which he claimed, after deducting certain fees, a balancedue him for his services during the preceding quarter of $663.15, and thatsum was allowed and paid him. In that statement was included $300 for aduplicate tax roll. We have consulted the leading attorneys of this cityand have failed to find one who will say that the account was a just one,or that it should have been allowed and paid. There is no law authorizingit, and even if there were, the work could have been done for one-fourthof the sum Mr. Troup has received for it, and besides the work had not beendone, notwithstanding the account was verified by his oath, stating "thatthe amount claimed thereon is actually due." The tax roll had not beencompleted the first of this week, and yesterday it had not been receivedby the county treasurer.

What is the conclusion to be drawn from thesefacts? Are either of the three that are above considered sufficient? A yearago he also collected from the county in addition to his legal salary thesum of $300, for a duplicate tax roll, making with the late $300, and the$2,500, the sum of $3,100 saved to the county in his peculiar way.

The township assessors in the spring of 1875,after the law above referred to came into force, returned a total populationof less than 10,000 in the county. Mr. Troup procured an addition to bemade to the population returns of one township and raised the total to 10,020,thereby making his salary $1,500, instead of $1,200, thus saving $300 tothe county for himself, and $300 for another officer, raising his sum ofsavings up to $3,700.

So why should we doubt that the whole $10,000has been thus saved. Mr. Troup claimed to have found many evidences of thethree faults we have been discussing in the records made by his predecessorin office. What will Mr. Troup's successor find? Here we gladly leave thesubject of Mr. Troup's official record. We have stated facts onlyfacts whichwe have not searched for, but which our attention has lately been calledto, and which we would not state until we had the proofs.

We feel no unkindness toward Mr. Troup, butso long as he and his friends have been perambulating the county makingexaggerated statements about his honesty, efficiency, and faithfulness,and circulating slanderous statements about Capt. Hunt, it is due both toMr. Troup and to the republican nominee for county clerk that the peopleshould know these things that they may vote understandingly.

It is due, however, that Mr. Troup's politicalrecord should receive some attention.

After the republican convention of Sept. 22nd,last, had nominated Capt. Hunt, and up to the time of the democratic convention,Oct. 13th, Mr. Troup repeatedly stated to republicans that he would notbe an independent candidate, but would support Mr. Hunt. Was this for thepurpose of avoiding an examination of his official record until it shouldbe too late to get before the people in time to influence the election,any facts that might be discovered?

Last fall he requested to be placed on theManning ticket as a delegate in the convention, and was so placed and selecteda delegate. He entered that convention and supported and voted for Manning,as senator, but after Manning was nominated, he was among Manning's opposers,and anxious to be made a nominee for the same office against Manning. Hehas talked heavily against bonding the county for any purpose, when thatview was popular, and has afterward made speeches in favor of voting bonds.He is strongly temperance, with temperance men; signed three petitions forsaloon licenses in one season; and signed a petition and a remonstrancethe same week. He has supported bothJohnston and Kelly for postmaster at the same time. In fact, his politicalduplicity has become so notorious that it is often remarked that Troup ison both sides of every question.

He is a politician, and apparently only anxiousto be found on the winning side. Two years ago the republicans nominatedhim as a republican and the democrats as a democrat, and being on both sides,with no opposing candidate, he was sure to win. Now he is at it again, andit remains to be seen whether he will win this time with similar tactics,now that he is opposed to a regular republican nominee.

Winfield Courier, November1, 1877.

JOHN D. PRYOR, Esq.: Dear Sir: Referringto our editorial entitled "Crookedness," in last week's COURIER,will you state what you know about the transaction therein referred to inrelation to Mr. Troup's connection with that settlement with Mr. Kager?

Yours truly, ED. COURIER.

MR. EDITOR: In reply to your inquiry above,I would say that I was Mr. Kager's attorney referred to in that editorial,and acted in place of Mr. Kager in that settlement. Your statement is correctso far as it relates to Mr. Troup's connection with it.

Yours truly, JOHN D. PRYOR.

Winfield Courier, November1, 1877.

A CARD.

WINFIELD, KANSAS, Oct. 31st, 1877.

EDITOR COURIER: In compliance with your request,I herewith submit a statement of the facts in relation to the discoveryof the deficiency in the accounts of Mr. Kager, referred to in your editorialarticle entitled "Crookedness," in last week's COURIER, so faras they are within my knowledge.

To begin with, County Treasurer Bryan and myselfare both tax-payers in school district No. 5 (Dexter), in this county andboth interested in its welfare. Sometime in the summer of 1876, probablyin July, I had occasion to, and did, examine the condition of the bond taxfund of that district, and informed myself as to its condition at that timeand as to the amount of tax necessary to be levied on the assessment of1876 to meet the bonds and coupons maturing up to and including June 1st,1877. That amount (10 mills) was levied. On or about the 4th Monday in January1877, County Treasurer Bryan prepared and published his first quarterlystatement as required by law. That statement showed that district No. 5had been largely overpaid on account of its bond tax fund, I think somethingover $300. Shortly after the making of this statement, I happened into Mr.Bryan's office and he called my attention to the fact that "our district"(meaning No. 5) was in a bad fix. Upon my inquiring what was the matter,he showed me the statement and added that, in addition to the large overpaymentthere shown, the district had one bond, then past due since the 1st of thepreceding June, and still unpaid.

I, referring to the information which I hadobtained in the summer before, immediately stated that there was somethingwrong. That the district could not be in that condition. That there wasan error somewhere. Reference was made to the ledger account of the districtand an item, of date January 15th, 1877, of sundries $339.01½was found charged against the district. Mr. Bryan informed me that saiditem of sundries represented a balance claimed for Kager against the districtin final settlement and which claim had been allowed by Troup and the itementered upon the ledger by J. D. Pryor.

I immediately walked into Mr. Troup's officeand called his attention the matter, claiming that there was some mistake.He produced a statement which had been filed by J. D. Pryor for Mr. Kagerand proceeded to show me that there could be no mistake. I called his attentionto the fact that I had been in his office the summer before, looking intothe condition of that district and he admitted having some recollectionof that fact.

I then asked him to furnish me with the amountof the levy for bond purposes in that district for the years 1872 to 1875,both inclusive, which he did. (I do not remember the figures.) I then requestedhim to take his bond register and tell me the amount of bonds and coupons,issued by that district, which had become due June 1st, 1876, which wasstill unpaid. This he did and thereby demonstrated the fact that, if Kagerhad paid all the bonds and coupons which had become due, in fact everythingwhich he could lawfully have paid on account of that district, there wouldstill be a small balance due to the district instead of $339.01½against it. Having thus convinced Mr. Troup that there was an error somewhere,I left him to find it out. When I next saw Mr. Troup, he informed me thathe had discovered the error and that Kager owed district No. 5 $351.69,thereby showing that, at the final settlement, Kager owed that districtthe sum of $12.67½ instead of the district owing him $339.01½,as claimed by him and as allowed by Troup.

Mr. Troup further stated that there were 12other districts in the same condition and that the whole amount was $2,561.30.

The above, Mr. Editor, is the full story ofthe great discovery, so far as I am concerned, and which, I am informed,Mr. Troup denies; I also learn that the commissioners of this county, ina card, have denounced the above facts, with others, as "gross misrepresentations."In this connection, I desire to state that neither of the commissionersknow anything about the facts herein stated, except what may have been toldthem, and either of the gentlemen ought to have more regard for their reputationas honest and sensible men, than to pronounce as false facts of which theyhave no knowledge, and I regret exceedingly, for the sake of Cowley Countyand the Republican party, that the said commissioners are not, to say theleast, thoughtful men.

In regard to Mr. Troup's denial of these facts,I desire to say that if my information is correct, Mr. Troup has, in dealingwith this matter, forgotten that he is a gentleman, and has appeared inthe role of a blackguard, and, as I do not desire to compete with him forsuch doubtful honors, I will, so far as that is concerned, "leave himalone in his glory."

In deciding as to the truth or falsity of Mr.Troup's denial, it might be well to inquire: If my statement of facts, asabove set forth, is not true, what led Mr. Troup, at that particular time,to make an examination of Mr. Kager's accounts? Mr. Troup admits that inDecember he examined Kager's settlement in company with J. D. Pryor andfound the sum of $522.17 due to Kager, and he (Troup) ordered Bryan to payKager that amount, which Bryan did. Now, if Mr. Troup was not satisfiedwith the result of that examination, he ought not, as a faithful officer,to have suffered, much less ordered, Bryan to pay Kager that money. If hewas satisfied that the statement was correct and that amount of money dueKager, then why examine it again? Surely his attention must have been calledto it in the way I have spoken of, if not then, how? Surely at some timematters of this kind must be finally disposed of, and if not so disposedof at the time they are examined and balances paid, then when? And if theyare so disposed of at that time, then why examine them again? Mr. Troup,so far, has neglected to state.

Again, Mr. Troup, by his own admission, virtuallysays, that that statement of Kager's having been duly examined by the clerk(himself) under the order of the board of county commissioners, pronouncedcorrect and balance shown to be due to Kager, being $522.17, paid, was filedaway among the completed records of his office, and, in the regular courseof business, would never be looked into again, and the snug little sum of$2,561.30 would have been wholly lost the 13 school districts to which itbelonged.

Mr. Troup, I understand, complains that I collectedthe money and charged 5 percent for so doing. Mr. Troup is right. I collectedthe money with 15½ month's interest and charged the 5 percent, whichthe statute says I shall have for such services, and I am convinced of twofacts in regard thereto.

First, that the school districts had betterpay me 5 percent than to lose the whole amount, especially as my commissionamounted to only about one half of the interest collected.

Second, that I would never have had the opportunityof charging 5 percent, or any other percent, on $522.17 of that amount,if Mr. Troup had not, on the 7th of December last ordered Bryan to pay itto Kager.

Now, Mr. Editor, I have carefully refrainedfrom calling hard names in making this statement. I have not undertakento say that Mr. Troup is either "dishonest, inefficient, or unfaithful."I have simply stated the facts and will let the public draw their own conclusions.

If it had not been for serious sickness in myfamily, I would have met Mr. Troup, face to face, before the people andwould not have asked the privilege of communicating with the public throughthe medium of your paper. JAMES McDERMOTT, Co. Attorney.

I have read the above statement and so far asit refers to me or the records of my office, it is true. T. R. BRYAN, Co.Treasurer.

Winfield Courier, November8, 1877.

DIED. The young child of Hon. Jas. McDermottdied on Tuesday last. Its parents have our sympathies.

[CORRESPONDENCE FROM WILLIAM WHITE.]

Winfield Courier, November15, 1877. Editorial Page.

LITTLE DUTCH, Nov. 3, 1877.

EDITOR COURIER: I desire through your columnto make a statement personal to myself. Some hard things have been saidof me during the campaign to which I would reply that my friends may notbe led astray. It has been said in speeches that a certain person (meaningme) was electioneering on the day of the republican convention for a nominationas commissioner because he could be used as Winfield dictated.

A report has been circulated by Mr. Gale'sfriends that E. C. Manning had stated that I could be thus used. What theeffect of these statements was I neither know nor care, but I wish to saythat I have never in any official capacity done anything favoring Winfieldagainst the interests of other portions of the county, and those who havecirculated such statements have simply given currency to falsehoods.

Mr. McDermott says the commissioners are notthoughtful men to say the least. He may admit that one of them at leastis not so thoughtless, when he learns that he was not the first man to discoveran error in the statement submitted by J. D. Pryor. I myself first discoveredsomething wrong in regard to district number 26, in which district I wasa taxpayer. I happen to know what I was doing when I signed that card.

Now, Mr. Editor, you would like to make thepeople of Cowley County believe there was something wrong about the commissioners.You say that but for the efficiency of the County Attorney, the county wouldhave lost so much money, and in another column you attempt to show dishonestyon the part of Mr. Troup and the board of commissioners in the matter ofthe duplicate tax roll.

It is a little strange that, lawyer as you are,you are not aware that you are getting your efficient County Attorney ina fix, as he is the legal adviser of the board who indorsed the claim "Countyliable." I believe that better men than Messrs. Sleeth and Burden forcommissioners never were or will be elected to that office in this county,and such stuff as the COURIER contained in relation to them is mere trashfabricated for electioneering purposes.

As for myself, Messrs. Webb and McDermott withthe COURIER man have fixed me out. Now, MR. COURIER, I have always beena republican, am now, and expect to remain so. Mr. McDermott deserves nocredit in the Kager matter because I discovered an error first, and I thinkI should have called Mr. Troup's attention to it just about as repeatedlyas I did Mr. McDermott's for six months after the mistake was discovered.

You are right about my signing Mr. Troup's card.I did it because I was his friend and believed I was stating the truth inhis behalfnot because I was fighting Capt. Hunt, whom I have always considereda gentleman and my friend.

The future will probably develop the motivesfor using my name in this campaign, while I was not a candidate. Beforethis reaches you the election will be over, so it cannot be said this isfor electioneering purposes. My object is to let my friends have the truthand not be led into error by false statements about the county board. YoursRespectfully,

WILLIAM WHITE.

[We publish the above because Mr. White feelshurt by some matter which has appeared in the COURIER, and desires to beheard in reply thereto. The strictures we made were in reply to a card whichtermed our remarks referred to therein "gross misrepresentations,"which was signed by Mr. White, knowing that it was to be published for electioneeringpurposes. If in proving that we did not misrepresent, we had to hit him,he has no reason to complain. We shall stand by our statement of fact. However,he did not accuse the commissioners of any official wrong, and we thinkwith Mr. White that they are as good men for the office as we ever had ormay expect to have. We do not think Mr. White's statement of facts warrantshis conclusion that Mr. McDermott is not entitled to the credit of discoveringthe error in the account of district No. 5, and of causing the matter tobe pursued until the total sum named was discovered.]ED.

[COWLEY COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.]

Winfield Courier, November22, 1877.

OFFICE OF COUNTY CLERK, WINFIELD, KANSAS, Nov.9, 1877.

The Board of Commissioners met in special session.Present: R. F. Burden, W. M. Sleeth, and William White, Commissioners; JamesMcDermott, County Attorney, and M. G. Troup, County Clerk.

Winfield Courier, December27, 1877.

At a stated communication of Adelphi Lodge,No. 110, A. F. & A. M., held last week (Tuesday evening), the followingofficers were elected for the ensuing year: M. G. Troup, W. M.; C. C. Black,S. W.; James McDermott, J. W.; B. F. Baldwin, Treas.; L. J. Webb, Sec.;J. S. Hunt, S. D.; J. Wade McDonald, J. D.; W. G. Graham, Chaplain; PerryHill, S. S.; J. H. Land, J. S.; S. E. Burger, Tyler.

Winfield Courier, January17, 1878.

Royal Arch Masons. At the regular convocationof Winfield Chapter No. 31, Royal Arch Masons, held at Masonic Hall, Mondayevening, January 14th, the following officers were installed for the ensuingyear: W. G. Graham, H. P.; John D. Pryor, K.; S. C. Smith, S.; M. L. Read,Treasurer; C. C. Black, Secretary; W. C. Robinson, C. A. H.; James McDermott,P. S.; S. H. Myton, R. A. C.; J. W. Johnston, M. 3rd V.; Perry Hill, M.2nd V.; H. Brotherton, M. 1st V.; F. Gallotti, T.

After the installation, an address was deliveredby P. H. P. John D. Pryor (which will appear on our outside next week),and the companions repaired to the Central Hotel and sat down to the bestspread of the season. The supper was good and the occasion enjoyed by allpresent.

[COWLEY COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.]

Winfield Courier, January24, 1878.

Co. Attorney: J. McDermott, $175.

Winfield Courier, February7, 1878.

A man by the name of Coon was on trial Mondayand Tuesday before Justice Boyer, charged with abstracting timber from thelands belonging to the Charles Johnson estate. The jury of twelve men hungout all night Tuesday and yesterday morning brought in a verdict of guilty.Defendant moved for a new trial. County attorney McDermott for prosecution;E. S. Torrance for the defense.

Arkansas City Traveler, February 20, 1878.

THE TRIAL OF BILSON AND RIDENOUR was held atPearson's Hall last Wednesday afternoon and night. County Attorney McDermottprosecuted the case, with C. R. Mitchell defending Ridenour, and Amos Waltondefending Bilson. Judge Christian and I. H. Bonsall were the judges. Bilsonwas bound over to appear at the next term of the District Court, in thesum of $600, and failing to obtain bail, was committed to jail. The evidencewas not sufficient to convict Ridenour, and he was discharged. In searchingBilson's property, in Mrs. Williams' boarding house, some goods were foundthat had been taken from Charley Balcom's house some time ago, also somearticles that were taken from A. K. Melton's trunk.

Arkansas City Traveler, February 27, 1878.

Capt. McDermott, Cowley County, is a memberof the Republican Congressional Central Committee for the third district.

Winfield Courier, March7, 1878.

COURIER office on Ninth Avenue, north side,between Hon. James McDermott's law office and Graham & Moffitt's lumberoffice. Call and see us.

[COWLEY COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.]

Winfield Courier, April18, 1878.

The board of commissioners of Cowley Countymet in regular session at the county clerk's office on the 8th day of April,1878. Present: R. F. Burden, W. M. Sleeth, and George L. Gale, commissioners;James McDermott, county attorney, and M. G. Troup, county clerk.

Bill allowed: James McDermott, county attorney.

[COWLEY COUNTY DISTRICT COURT.]

Winfield Courier, May9, 1878.

District Court Proceedings. Monday, May 6th, 10 o'clock a.m. His Honor, W. P. Campbell,on the bench. Present: C. L. Harter, sheriff; E. S. Bedilion, clerk; Jas.McDermott, prosecuting attorney; attorneys C. Coldwell, W. P. Hackney, HenryE. Asp, J. E. Allen, D. C. Beach, E. S. Torrance, J. M. Alexander, A. J.Pyburn, N. C. Coldwell, Jas. Christian, G. H. Buckman, S. D. Pryor, J. WadeMcDonald, C. R. Mitchell, J. D. Pryor, C. C. Black, R. C. Story, L. J. Webb,W. M. Boyer, F. S. Jennings, and D. A. Millington.

State vs. Nicholas Hostetler called and trialproceeded; Attorneys J. McDermott for State, E. S. Torrance and H. E. Aspfor defendant. This case occupied the balance of the day and is not concluded.It is a case in which an old man is charged with incest. The details ofthe evidence offered are not fit for publication.

The Daily Winfield Courier, Saturday Morning, May 11, 1878.

[From the Oxford Independent.] A numberof people from our neighboring city of Winfield attended services at Oxford,last Sunday, among whom we noticed the familiar faces of Capt. McDermott,Mr. C. A. Bliss, and Rev. Hickok and their ladies, with several others,whose names are not now remembered.

Winfield Courier, May16, 1878.

A letter from Hon. Thos. Ryan to Hon. J. McDermottsays: "The P. O. Department has ordered daily mail between Winfieldand Cedarvale, to take effect July 1st." This gives us a daily mailto Independence.

[COWLEY COUNTY DISTRICT COURT.]

Winfield Courier, May16, 1878.

District Court Proceedings. Wednesday, May 8. The court has been occupied all dayin the incest case of State vs. Hostetler. The evidence was all in about2:30 p.m. The charge of the court was elaborate and clear, and the argumentsof the County Attorney, McDermott for the state, and of Mr. Torrance forthe defense, were eloquent, searching, and exhaustive. Mr. Torrance addressedthe jury for over four hours, when the court adjourned until this morningat 8 o'clock, when Mr. McDermott will again address the jury, and the jurywill retire to consider their verdict. The jurors trying this case are:Stephen Elkins, James Jackson, John M. Gates, Thomas McGinnis, Abijah Howard,Daniel Hunt, Clark Bryant, A. R. Davis, Samuel Huey, J. W. Miller, and Thos.Chaffee.

Thursday, May 9. State vs. N. Hostetler. Hon.J. McDermott made his closing address to the jury, who retired, and a shorttime before noon brought in a verdict of "not guilty." The defendantwas discharged.

Thursday, May 9. State vs. Frank G. Cody calledfor trial. Jurymen empaneled were: J. M. Mark, J. B. Vandeventer, LewisStevens, W. L. Gilman, A. C. Davis, W. W. Thomas, S. Martin, James Byers,H. C. Catlin, C. Northrup, H. L. Barker, and W. E. Tansey. The prisoneris charged with mayhem in biting off the finger of a Mr. Roberts. JamesMcDermott, attorney for the state. Hackney and McDonald for the defendant.The trial terminated in a verdict of acquittal by the jury.

Thursday, May 9. State vs. Chas. H. Turner,peace warrant, was tried by the court. McDermott, Hackney, and McDonaldfor the State; and Webb and Black for defendant. Defendant discharged.

Thursday, May 9. State vs. William H. Bilson;called and trial proceeded. Offense grand larceny. Jury empaneled as follows:J. M. Mark, J. B. Vandeventer, James Jackson, W. S. Gilman, M. A. Kelsey,J. W. Miller, John W. Gates, S. Elkins, J. H. Mounts, Abijah Howard, D.A. Byers, S. Martin. County Attorney appeared in behalf of the state andE. S. Torrance, H. Asp, and Amos Walton for the defendant. The case occupiedthe whole day and will come up again this morning.

Friday, May 10. State vs. Bilson. Trial continued.This was on the charge of burglary instead of grand larceny, as stated yesterday.The case was argued by counsel and submitted at about noon, when the juryretired and court adjourned for all purposes except to receive the verdict,to Monday morning at 8 o'clock.

Saturday, May 11. State vs. Bilson. At about11 o'clock on Saturday evening the jury returned a verdict of burglary inthe second degree.

Monday, May 13. State vs. Wm. Steadman, grandlarceny. County Attorney James McDermott appeared for the state and E. S.Torrance and Henry Asp for Defendant. The following are the names of thejurors sworn to try the case, after which the court adjourned till eighto'clock this morning, when it will proceed to trial. Jurors: J. M. Mark,B. B. Vandeventer, S. Elkins, J. Jackson, John M. Gates, T. McGinnis, J.H. Mounts, A. Howard, D. A. Byers, H. C. Catlin, H. C. McDorman, S. Martin,W. W. Thomas, J. W. Miller, A. C. Davis, and W. S. Gilman.

Tuesday, May 14. State vs. William Steadman.Trial concluded. The jury brought in a verdict of guilty of grand larceny.

Tuesday, May 14. State vs. W. H. Bilson. Motionfor a new trial heard and overruled. Notice of a motion in arrest of judgment.Trial concluded.

Winfield Courier, May23, 1878.

County Attorney McDermott has received a letterfrom A. K. Melton, who is now in Texas, which says that the mason's handbook(which was produced as evidence in the case of the State versus W. H. Bilson),is his book and that a gold pen and silver pen holder which were found onthe person of Bilson, are his. The letter could not be produced in evidence;neither could a deposition be taken on account of it being a criminal action.

Winfield Courier, May23, 1878.

The addresses delivered to the jury in the caseof C. C. Harris versus Sanford Day et al., by Hon. Jas. McDermott, FrankS. Jennings, and J. Wade McDonald are all spoken of as forensic oratoryof a high order. But few cases have been tried in so thorough and exhaustivea manner as was this.

Winfield Courier, June13, 1878. Editorial Column.

The Page-Webb Tragedy.Various statements in relation to this affair have appeared in the newspapersor been told about the country which have no foundation in fact; but havegrown out of the surmises of excited men. Much interest and a desire tolearn the facts are manifested. At the preliminary examination of Webb,the courtroom was well filled, largely with men from the country, and weconsider it due to our readers to give them the exact facts as far as possible,and endeavored to do so last week. We will state that we were not much acquaintedwith Page and were well acquainted with Webb, feeling for him a personalfriendship; but we do not intend that this fact shall color our statements.Our statement last week that Webb had been taking opium to steady his nerveswas doubtless an error. It is denied, and we find no one who knows thathe ever took opium.

The statement of the correspondent of the Travelerthat Page had won from Webb $100, which Webb had collected for his clients,is in error. C. C. Black, Webb's law partner, says that Webb could not possiblyhave had any money belonging to clients. The statement in some of the papersthat Webb had threatened to kill or revenge upon Page seems to be withoutfoundation. No evidence of threats or malice was offered, or was attemptedto be offered, at the examination. If there is any evidence that Page hadplayed cold decks on Webb, drugged him, or drawn pistols on him, it wasnot produced at the examination. There are many other statements and rumorsthat cannot be taken as truth, at least not until the case is fully developedat the trial.

THE PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION took place lastweek, June 5th and 6th. Capt. McDermott, for the state, evidently endeavoredto do his whole duty in an honorable way. Judge Coldwell, E. S. Torrance,N. C. Coldwell, and Judge Webb, the prisoner's father, were present in theinterest of Webb. The hearing was before Justice Boyer in the courthouse.Four witnesses were examined on the part of the state. The following areall the material facts testified.

JESSE HERNDON'S TESTIMONY. I have been tendingbar for Page lately. On the first day of June I was in Page's saloon. Mr.Page was there. I saw L. J. Webb there; saw him shoot Page. Page was standingat the north end of the bar, front side, leaning against the bar talkingto Frank Manny. Webb came into the room at the back door, walked to withinabout ten feet of Page, took his pistol out of his pocket, and pointed ittowards Page. The pistol made a report and I saw the smoke. Page put uphis hand to his left breast and said: "See where the son of a b___hhas shot me." Page walked out of the front door. I did not see Webbdo anything after that. He gave his pistol to Mr. Hill. I did not see Mr.Page anymore until about half an hour, when I saw him in the doctor's officedead. What I have described transpired in Cowley County, Kansas, about 4o'clock p.m., Saturday, June 1, 1878.

CROSS-EXAMINATION. I have been in Page's employabout two months. Mr. Page sold whiskey and wine and allowed gambling inhis place of business. The room I have described was the retail room. Thegambling was carried on in the back room on the same floor. There were otherrooms for gambling upstairs, but they did not gamble there. There mighthave been one or two gambling games up there. The building was well constructedfor gambling purposes.

I have known Webb nearly all the time I havebeen here; had seen him about the building before. He was there the Fridayevening before; came after supper and remained all night and next day untilthe shooting took place. He did not leave the house to my knowledge untilthe shooting. Had he left I think I would have known it. He was in the backroom where they were playing poker most of the time he was in the house.Page was engaged in the game. Page would frequently go from the gamblingroom to the bar room and help his customers to some of the good things hehad there. Mr. Webb drank during the night and during the day. I think hetook the last drink about thirty minutes before the shooting. During thetime Webb was there he might have drunk more than thirty times. He was drinkingall the time. I waited on them during the time he was there. The game brokeup about daylight. Page did not play any after that. They all drank thesame kind of liquor, not mixed liquor but whiskey; they call it bean whiskey.I took some peppermint to Webb once. I prepared all the liquor they drankthat night except one round. Page gave them one round about midnight. Iwas most of the time in the gaming room. Webb was playing all the time until4 o'clock. Page then quit the game because there was no more money in it.He had got it all. Webb continued drinking all day. I did not observe anythingpeculiar about Webb when he came out at the time of the shooting. Do notknow whether Page had been in the gambling room that afternoon. If he wasin there, I do not know it. I had passed a drink through a hole in the wallinto the gambling room to Webb about twenty minutes before the shooting.

Frank Manny testified to the circ*mstances ofthe shooting substantially as did Herndon, and said he saw Webb in the gamblingroom about ten minutes before the shooting playing cards with two othermen; said Webb when he came into the room looked as though he was mad; hadhis eyes wide open and looked toward Page with a hard stare. Webb leveledhis pistol so long at Page before firing that witness thought it was a jokeintended to scare somebody. Newton Ball and H. A. Adams testified to thefacts of the shooting substantially as Herndon had, and Dr. Mansfield testifiedto the surgical results. No witnesses were produced on behalf of the prisoner.His counsel evidently preferred not to disclose their line of defense.

The Justice ordered that Webb be committed tojail to await his trial at the September term of the district court. Anapplication that he be admitted to bail was refused and the prisoner wasreturned to jail.

There is a wide difference of opinion in thiscommunity as to the merits or demerits of this case and some feeling isexhibited. We do not propose to state our opinions, but only to state thefacts as they are developed. It is probable that much other evidence willbe adduced at the trial, and until then we think all should avoid formingfixed opinions.

Winfield Courier, July4, 1878.

Hon. James McDermott, Chairman of the ThirdDistrict Republican Central Committee, returned from Topeka last Saturday.

Winfield Courier, July4, 1878.

The parties from Winfield who attended the Masonicpicnic at Dexter were J. McDermott, Rev. Randall, J. Wade McDonald, C. C.Harris, B. F. Baldwin, and A. D. Speed with the Misses Coldwell, and Ed.Clisbee and S. Suss with the Misses Finney. The Dexter people gave thema splendid dinner and the most distinguished treatment as guests, and theyenjoyed the occasion "hugely." Capt. McDermott and Judge McDonaldwere the orators, and the music was from a choir under the leadership ofF. A. Creager. The attendance was large and the picnic was a success.

[COWLEY COUNTY DISTRICT COURT.]

Winfield Courier, August22, 1878.

FIRST DAY - CRIMINAL DOCKET. August 26, 1878.

State vs. Leland J. Webb. [James McDermott;E. S. Torrance, Coldwell & Coldwell.]

State vs. Daniel P. Faler. [James McDermott;E. S. Torrance.]

State vs. John W. Blissard. [James McDermott;Hackney & McDonald.]

State vs. Louis Tournier. [James McDermott.]

CIVIL DOCKET. SECOND DAY.

A. H. Green vs. Sarah B. Requa. [Hackney &McDonald; Jas. McDermott and E. S. Torrance.]

Rufus B. Waite vs. Board Co. Commissioners.[Pryor & Pryor; James McDermott.]

Martin L. Wilson vs. George P. Wagner. [Hackney& McDonald; James McDermott and E. S. Torrance.]

CIVIL DOCKET. THIRD DAY.

State, on petition of Eugene E. Bacon vs. CliftonM. Wood. [James McDermott; Hackney & McDonald.]

Nancy J. Rose vs. James Rose. [James McDermott.]

CIVIL DOCKET. FOURTH DAY.

C. A. Bliss et al vs. W. C. Bradfield. [JamesMcDermott.]

[COWLEY COUNTY DISTRICT COURT.]

Winfield Courier, August29, 1878.

Met Monday morning, August 26th, 1878.

Present: Judge W. P. Campbell, Sheriff C. L.Harter, Clerk E. S. Bedilion, Attorneys McDermott, Torrance, C. Coldwell,N. C. Coldwell, Hackney, McDonald, Pryor, Pyburn, Allen, Jennings, Buckman,Black, Webb, Alexander, Beach, Troup, Jarvis, Asp, of Winfield; and Dennison,of Osage Mission.

Winfield Courier, September19, 1878. Front Page.

[From the Wichita Eagle.]

The Webb Trial.The attorneys retained for the defense in the Webb trial are Judge W. C.Webb, of Topeka, E. S. Torrance, Coldwell & Coldwell, and C. C. Black,of Winfield, H. G. Webb, of Oswego, James D. Snoddy, of Linn County, andSluss & Hatton, of this city. The attorneys for the prosecution areJames McDermott, the county attorney of Cowley County, assisted by W. E.Stanley, Sedgwick County's attorney.

[TRIAL AT WICHITA: L. J. WEBB, WINFIELD ATTORNEY.]

Winfield Courier, September19, 1878.

Trial of L. J. Webb at Wichita. The case was called on Monday morning, September 9th,on the opening of the court. Defendant made application for a continuancebecause of the absence of Dr. Mendenhall, a material witness for the defense.The court held the showing sufficient, unless the State would admit theaffidavit of defendant as the testimony of witness. The State consentedand the case was set for trial next morning.

All day Tuesday was spent in getting a jury.The special venire was soon exhausted and balance was made up of tradesmen.It is considered a good jury, and both State and defendant are satisfied.Most of them are from the country.

Wednesday, Jas. McDermott opened the case onthe part of the State. Frank Manny, Jessi Herndon, Adams, and others wereexamined as witnesses. There were no new features developed on the partof the State. The testimony was substantially as on the preliminary examination.The killing was proved and some evidence tending to show expressions ofprevious malice was introduced.

Col. James D. Snoddy, of counsel for the defense,cross-examined Frank Manny, and when he concluded, the witness left thestand in a rather shattered condition.

The evidence for the State was concluded Wednesdayevening. During the night session, Judge Coldwell stated the case for thedefense. The theory of the defense was insanity at the time of the shooting;that this insanity was caused by excessive excitement, loss of sleep, excessivedrinking, and nux vomica, opium, and other poisonous drugs administeredto him in his drinks. In his youth defendant had suffered a severe fractureof the skull, the walls being permanently pressed upon the brain, woundingand lacerating it; and in time of great excitement he is peculiarly liableto insanity, that the place of the killing was a dead-fall of the worsttype.

One of the most important witnesses for thedefense was Jessie Herndon, the principal witness for the State. As is known,he was Page's barkeeper and knew all about how the business of the housewas conducted. The defense had endeavored to draw out this testimony oncross-examination but the court would not permit it, and he was put on asa witness for the defense. He testified as to all the occurrences of thenight previous to the killing and made many important additions to his testimony.He said that Page deliberately robbed Webb that night by means of cold decksand drugged whiskey; that Webb drank often that night, and Page had instructedwitness to give Webb liquor from a particular bottle he called "allsorts," which witness did; that twice during the night Page went intothe bar-room and put some liquid from a small vial which he took from hispocket into a tumbler of whiskey and instructed witness to give it to Webbthe next time he called for drink, which witness did; that this bottle of"all sorts" was a villainous compound of whiskey and drugs, whichPage kept for the express purpose of giving to men with whom he was gaming;that shortly before the conclusion of the game, and after Webb had drunkthe whiskey prepared by Page, Page went into the bar-room and stacked adeck of cards, and instructed witness the next time drinks were called forto bring this pack under the water or server, and while Webb was engagedin drinking to leave them under the server on the table, which witness did,and then Page dealt from this cold deck, giving Webb a full hand and himselfa better hand, on which he won all Webb's money, and this concluded thegame. Witness testified to some expressions of anger made by Webb to Pageupon the conclusion of the game, saying he was robbed, but to no expressionsof malice or threats of revenge. All the parties to the game remained anhour or more after its conclusion, Webb drinking frequently; then all leftexcept Webb, who remained alone with witness. Webb never left the saloonfrom that time to the time of the shooting. Witness testified as to Webb'scondition and appearance during the day; said he looked very wild and hada jerking movement about his head, neck, and shoulders, was convulsive,and breathed hard. Witness testified that after the preliminary examinationhe went with By Terrill and Frank Manny to the saloon to make an examinationfor drugs. They washed out several empty bottles and one bottle that containedsomething that Page had used to put in liquor; what it was he did not know.When they emptied it out and washed the bottle, he told Terrill and Mannythat it was not right. He testified that certain vials and small bottlesshown him looked like those which Page had used to fix up liquors with.

This witness suffered considerably in the handsof W. E. Stanley, attorney for State, on cross-examination. His attentionwas called to statements he had made before Justice Boyer at the preliminaryexamination in direct contradiction to his present statements. These contra-dictions witness explained by saying he had been advised by certain friendsof Page that if he told anything he knew about these transactions in thesaloon they would let Webb go and send witness up; that from those threatsand the general excitement he was afraid to tell all he knew about thatsaloon.

Further testimony for the defense from BurtCovert, G. L. Walker, James Fahey, P. Hill, A. H. Green, R. F. Baldwin,Ed. Bedilion, and Dr. W. R. Davis corroborated Herndon in relation to thewild and insane appearance, the convulsive twitching movements of the throat,head, and shoulders of the defendant immediately before and subsequent tothe shooting; also showed the finding of some small bottles and vials inthe counter used by Page in his saloon; that these vials were taken fromthe counter sometime after the shooting and preserved with their contentsand are the same that are now exhibited in court; and the testimony of Drs.Davis, Rothrock, and Furley showed that these vials contained opium, nuxvomica, and India hemp, and that these compounded and administered wouldproduce the symptoms described in the defendant and would produce insanity.

The jury than examined the indentation whichis apparent on defendant's head. From inspection it appeared that a considerableportion of the skull had been formerly removed, and that the left side ofthe skull is pressed in upon the brain.

The medical gentlemen testified that such isa frequent cause of insanity, and that any person thus afflicted was extremelyliable to mental derangement or insanity in any unusual excitement, or theexcessive use of intoxicating liquors, or of such drugs as had been foundin the vials.

Thursday, Friday, and a part of Saturday wereoccupied with the testimony for the defense. Rebutting testimony was thenoffered by both State and defense but was of little importance. The testimonyin many important points was conflicting.

On Saturday evening the evidence was all inand the court adjourned to Monday morning, when the court will give hischarge to the jury and the arguments of counsel will be heard.

On Monday morning, the 16th, the Judge gavehis charge to the jury, and was followed by W. E. Stanley in the openingargument for the State. Stanley scored the defendant and many of the witnessesfor the defense fearfully and evidently with great effect. His plea waslong and pronounced to have been brilliant to a high degree. He was followedby Judge Coldwell for the defense. This is the latest news we get as wego to press.

Arkansas City Traveler, September 25, 1878.

Webb Acquitted.The Webb trial is over and Mr. Webb has returned home a free man. The evidencewas all in by Saturday night last, the Court read his charge for the jury.At nine o'clock Monday evening the argument was opened for the prosecutionby Mr. Stanley, of Wichita, who was followed by Judge Coldwell of this city,for the defense. The judge was followed by Col. Snoddy of La Cygne and JudgeH. C. Webb, of Oswego. Jas. McDermott closed for the state, and the casewas submitted to the jury on Tuesday evening at two o'clock. On Wednesdayafternoon at 2:30 they returned a verdict of "not guilty," whichmakes Mr. Webb a free man. Owing to the large volume of evidence taken inthe case, we are unable to give it to our readers this week, but will devotemost of our space next week to giving it and the charge to the jury by theCourt. We congratulate Mr. Webb and his family upon his acquittal. Telegram.

Arkansas City Traveler, October 9, 1878.

Republican Nominating Convention. At the nominating convention held at Winfield lastSaturday, E. S. Torrance was nominated for County Attorney, E. S. Bedilionfor Clerk of the District Court, R. C. Story for Supt. Public Instruction,J. W. Millspaugh for Probate Judge, and G. L. Gale for Commissioner of thefirst district. The vote was as follows.

COUNTY ATTORNEY. E. S. Torrance, 51; James McDermott,23.

[ATTORNEYS' CARDS.]

Winfield Courier, Thursday,November 14, 1878. Front page.

JAMES McDERMOTT, ATTORNEY AT LAW, WINFIELD,KANSAS.

OFFICE IN STONE BUILDING, 9TH AVENUE.

[COWLEY COUNTY DISTRICT COURT.]

Winfield Courier, December5, 1878.

Judge Campbell came down from Wichita on Mondayand the session of court commenced.

Present: His Honor Judge W. P. Campbell; C.L. Harter, sheriff; E. S. Bedilion, district clerk; J. McDermott, countyattorney; and Messrs. J. E. Allen, C. C. Black, S. D. Pryor, A. J. Pyburn,J. M. Alexander, F. S. Jennings, C. R. Mitchell, L. J. Webb, E. S. Torrance,N. C. Coldwell, W. M. Boyer, W. P. Hackney, O. M. Seward, C. H. Payson,H. E. Asp, G. H. Buckman, J. D. Pryor, D. C. Beach, W. M. Boyer, C. Coldwell,M. G. Troup, S. M. Jarvis, A. H. Green, attorneys.

Winfield Courier, January2, 1879.

Listed as a Courier Advertiser:

McDERMOTT, J., is an attorney at law of veryhigh character, talents, and reliability, and of wide experience. He isthe county attorney for Cowley, has been a member of the state legislaturefrom this county, and chairman of the republican congressional committee.

[COWLEY COUNTY OFFICERS.]

Winfield Courier, January2, 1879.

Judge 13th Judicial District.Hon. W. Campbell.

Board of County Commissioners.R. F. Burden,G. L. Gale, W. M. Sleeth.

County Clerk.M. G. Troup.

County Treasurer.T. R. Bryan.

Probate Judge.H. D. Gans.

Register of Deeds.E. P. Kinne.

Supt. Pub. Inst.R. C. Story.

Sheriff.C. L. Harter.

Coroner.W. G. Graham.

County Attorney.James McDermott.

Clerk District Court.B. S. Bedilion.

County Surveyor.N. A. Haight.

Deputy County Surveyor.J. Hoenscheidt.

[COWLEY COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.]

Winfield Courier, January16, 1879.

Board of County Commissioners met in regularsession [January 6, 1879]. Present: R. F. Burden, W. M. Sleeth, and G. L.Gale, commissioners, James McDermott, county attorney, and M. G. Troup,county clerk.

J. McDERMOTT, COUNTY ATTORNEY, SALARY: $250.00.

[BAPTIST CHURCH OFFICERS FOR 1879.]

Winfield Courier, January23, 1879.

The Baptist Church elected the following officersfor the year 1879.

James McDermott, treasurer; Rev. Mr. Rigby,clerk.

C. A. Bliss, Lewis Stevens, James McDermott,R. C. Story, and E. S. Bliss, trustees.

Col. J. C. McMullen and John D. Pryor have beenadded to the board of trustees as a building committee. Plans and specificationsfor a new building will be submitted soon.

Winfield Courier,May 22, 1879.

The contract for the excavation on the Baptistchurch has been let to Mr. G. Bullene, and will be pushed rapidly forward.Persons desiring to bid on the stone work and examine the plans can findthem at Mr. Jas. McDermott's office.

[COWLEY COUNTY DISTRICT COURT.]

Winfield Courier, August21, 1879.

CRIMINAL DOCKET. FIRST DAY. [STATE OF KANSASVERSUS .]

STATE ATTORNEY: E. S. TORRANCE.

DEFENDANT: Thos. Gibson. [Lawyer: J. McDermott.]

[Lawyers for first and second parties namedseparated by a semi-colon.]

CIVIL DOCKET. SECOND DAY.

C. C. Harris versus Sanford Day, et al. [Lawyers:Hackney & McDonald; J. McDermott.]

Mercy M. Funk versus Cynthia Clark, et al.

[Lawyers: Hackney & McDonald; J. McDermott.]

CIVIL DOCKET. FOURTH DAY.

H. P. Mansfield versus Estate W. Q. Mansfield.

[Lawyers: Torrance & Asp; McDermott, Alexander.]

CIVIL DOCKET. NINTH DAY.

Field, Leiter & Co. versus Turner Bros.

[Lawyers: Guthrie & Brown and J. McDermott;Hackney & McDonald.]

[ATTORNEY CARDS.]

Winfield Courier, August28, 1879.

JAMES McDERMOTT, Office in Stone Building, 9thavenue.

Arkansas City Traveler, September 3, 1879.

To Sunday School Superintendents. It is requested that all Sunday schools in the 2ndS. S. District, including Bolton, Silverdale, Beaver, and Creswell Townships,make out a report of attendance and condition of school at once, and sendto J. H. McDermott, Winfield, or to W. D. Mowry, Arkansas City, Kansas.

Arkansas City Traveler, September 10, 1879.

TO SUNDAY SCHOOLS.It is requested that all Sunday schools take up a collection on the secondSunday in September to defray the expenses of the County Convention, andour share of the State expenses. Superintendents will please attend to it,and send your collection to J. H. McDermott, Winfield, Kansas.

[ADELPHI LODGE, NO. 110: OFFICERS FOR 1880.]

Winfield Courier,December 18, 1879.

The officers of Adelphi Lodge, No. 110, A. F.& A. M., for 1880.

W. M.: James McDermott; S. W.: M. G. Troup;J. W.: E. P. Kinne; Treas.: C. C. Black; Sec.: W. W. Perkins; S. D.: R.C. Story; J. D.: James Simpson; S. S.: S. H. Myton; J. S.: J. C. Roberts;C.: E. T. Trimble; T.: S. E. Burger.

Law Partnership started: James McDermott& A. P. Johnson...

Winfield Courier, March4, 1880.

Messrs. Jas. McDermott and A. P. Johnson haveformed a co-partnership in the practice of law under the firm name of McDermott& Johnson. This will make a strong team. Mr. McDermott is an old residentof Cowley, has occupied many prominent positions in gift of the people,and is a man of acknowledged ability. Mr. Johnson is tolerably well knownhere, is a graduate of Ann Arbor law school, and ranks well in his profession.We wish the new firm abundant success.

[TEMPERANCE CONVENTION.]

Winfield Courier,April 1, 1880.

The temperance convention met in Manning's Halllast Friday. R. C. Story was elected president; A. Limerick and J. E. Platter,vice presidents; J. S. Allen, secretary. A committee on Plan of Operationswas appointed, and reported in favor of a Campaign Committee of seven members,who should superintend the canvass of the county for the prohibition amendment.The following gentlemen were appointed as such committee: James McDermott,chairman; R. C. Story, secretary; H. S. Silver, treasurer; J. W. Millspaugh,W. D. Mowry, S. S. Holloway, and J. S. Allen.

Saturday afternoon and evening the Opera Housewas crowded to its utmost capacity to listen to speeches from Gov. St. John.In the evening it was almost impossible to get standing room and the enthusiasmwas immense. The Governor's speech was a sound, logical, and eloquent appealfor sobriety, and law and order.

The results of this convention have been highlysatisfactory to the temperance workers, and the interest manifested showsthat Cowley is awake to the importance of the amendment, and will roll upa large majority for it in November. . . .

[HON. JAMES McDERMOTT AND OTHERS: ADDRESSAT FLORAL.]

Winfield Courier,April 8, 1880.

Hon. James McDermott, and others, will addressthe people of Floral on the issues of the day, on Friday evening, April16th. An effort will be made to organize a club of "War Veterans."Let everybody turn out.

By order of Committee, J. O. VAN ORSDAL, Ch'm.Floral, April 5, 1880.

[STATE NEWS: CAPT. JAMES McDERMOTT.]

Winfield Courier,April 22, 1880.

To the list of candidates for attorney general,can be added the name of Capt. McDermott, of Winfield, a good man. Capital.

We see by the Winfield papers that the nameof Hon. James McDermott, of that place, will be presented as a candidatefor Attorney General. Mr. McDermott has been a resident of Cowley Countysince the first organization, has represented the county in the Legislature,been county attorney, and is now in the successful practice of law at Winfield.He is regarded as a sound lawyer, a fine pleader, and good on the stump,being a gentleman of pleasing address. Beside these qualifications, he comesfrom a county that generally gets what it asks for. It always sends mento conventions strong enough to be a power. Commonwealth.

[We thank the Commonwealth for the abovekind words. Cowley has always got what she asked for and has never had anygrievance or complaint. She has been careful never to ask for anything unreasonable,has before this never presented but one name as a Republican candidate fora State office, and only presents a name when she thinks she has the bestman, one who has the enthusiastic and united support of its Republican voters.Such being the case, now we present the name of Capt. McDermott with confidence.]

Winfield Courier,April 22, 1880.

Fifty-six signatures were obtained in Vernontownship, Monday night, to the prohibition pledge. The meeting at the Vernonschoolhouse was well attended, Capt. McDermott, Superintendent Story, andMr. Millspaugh speaking on the temperance issues. A strong resolution waspassed by the meeting. Said resolution calls on candidates for office toclearly and positively define their position on the amendment question.The workers in Vernon are thoroughly organizing and are determined on thoroughwork.

Excerpts from a lengthy article...

[COMMENTS: ARKANSAS VALLEY PRESS ASSN. MEETING.]

Winfield Courier,April 29, 1880.

The convention met at 2 o'clock p.m., Mr. Hoisington,of the Great Bend Register, president, in the chair; Mr. Walker,of Peabody, Secretary. The introduction of Mr. McDermott, who welcomed theeditorial association in behalf of the citizens was done very gracefullyby Mr. Black. Mr. McDermott in well chosen witty and eloquent words welcomedthe editors and their friends to the City of Winfield, and tendered thehospitalities of their citizens.

GOLDEN GATE, NEWTON, KANSAS.

"The A. V. E. A. held at Winfield on Saturdaylast proved, as a social gathering, a grand success, the enjoyable featuresof which far exceeded any former meeting of the association; as a businessmeeting, it waswell, yes, it wasvery pleasant.

"Through the courtesy of the officers ofthe Santa Fe road, a special train of three coaches, under the charge ofMajor Tom Anderson, and Ass't Supt. of Newton, was placed at the disposalof ye editors and invited guests.

"Leaving Newton at eight a.m. with thegenial Geo. Manchester at the helm, we were soon speeding southward, ourengineer throwing gravel in the prairie chickens' faces at a lively rate.A special committee of three, consisting of State Supt. Lemmon, Maj. McDermott,and Lafe Pence, Esq., came up from Winfield on the morning train, and weresoon circulating through our train, distributing badges to the fraternity,together with `bus tickets and hotel and private house billets. All werefull of mirth and jollity, and all "went merry as a marriage bell"until we came within about six miles of Wichita, when snap went our bellcord, and looking out, our engine was seen flying down the track envelopedin a dense cloud of steam and fast widening the distance between it andour train. Coming to a halt, it backed slowly up and we found that an engineflue was burst and the boiler was empty. Taking in the situation at a glance,Maj. Anderson started for a farm house, and securing the services of a barebackrider, dispatched an order to Wichita for another `motor.' While waiting,Dickey undertook the task of supplying the ladies with a yaller nosegay.After securing THREE, begged off on the ground that long understanding anda crick in the back interfered with graceful stooping, and he was excused.After a delay of an hour and a half, we were again in motion, and exceptinga `hot box' and the loss of the train chest, no further accident occurred.. . ."

Another report: "The Editorial Associationheld at Winfield on Saturday last was the largest convention of the associationthat has yet been held, sixty members being in attendance. The conventionmet in Manning's opera house at 2 p.m., and on behalf of the mayor and citizenswas warmly welcomed to the city in an appropriate address by Capt. McDermott,extending the hospitalities of the city. This very able address was respondedto on behalf of the editorial association by H. X. Devendorf, of Topeka.Shortly after these formal addresses the convention adjourned until 7 o'clockp.m."

[FINAL REPORT: TOPEKA COMMONWEALTH.]

Winfield Courier,April 29, 1880.

The Arkansas Valley Editorial Association heldits regular quarterly meeting at Winfield Saturday. The occasion drew togethermany besides the editors. Some ten or fifteen went down from Topeka, andothers joined the procession at different points. From Newton not less thantwenty, fully one-half of whom were ladies, went down on a special trainfrom that place Saturday morning. The special train was run by the A., T.& S. F. railroad to accommodate the editors from the Upper ArkansasValley, who, by this act of the railroad, saved one day in time. That railroadcompany, by the way, is all the time doing something to accommodate thepublic, and we sometimes think that because of their generosity on so manyoccasions whenever asked, that more is expected of it than from any otherrailroad company in the state.

There can be no doubt that the A., T. &S. F. do more in the matter of accommodating the public on such occasionsthan any road in the state, and we guess than any road in the United States.

It was our first visit to Winfield, and whilewe supposed we were acquainted with the condition of things there, we confessthat we were disappointed. We did not suppose it possible for a town overforty miles from a railroad, as Winfield has been till within the past fewmonths, to be built up so substantially and to give such evidence of wealthand solidity as the place shows. Winfield has finer residences than Topekaand the business blocks are fully equal to any here. We presume that ourreaders in the eastern part of the state will open their eyes wide whenthey read this, but it is true. There is on every hand signs of wealth andstability that is astonishing to those who stop to remember that it is onlyabout ten years since the first settler went into Cowley County.

The stone quarries, which are just coming intonotice, from the fact of the stone from them being accepted with which tobuild the new post office in Topeka, must take a good deal of money thereand help to build up Winfield. The quarry from which the stone is to bebrought here is about a mile and a fourth from the depot of the K. C., L.& S. and 1¾ from the Santa Fe depot. A track will undoubtedlybe laid soon to one or both of these roads. There are in Winfield twelvemiles of walk laid with this stone, and it has been used in many buildingsin that city. We visited the quarry and should judge that it is inexhaustibleand easily got out.

The people of Winfield treated their visitorsright royally, taking them over the city and surroundings, giving them boatrides, a ball, and banquet, and opening their houses to them.

It was our good fortune to be cast upon thetender mercy of Frank Williams at the "Williams House," one ofthe coziest, cleanest, and most homelike places we have been at for a longtime. On the Walnut is a little steamer about twenty-five feet long, withten feet beam, and a nicely fitted up cabin. This runs with pleasure parties,we believe, up to Arkansas City, some twelve miles. A good many of the editorsand their friends took a ride on this steamer, and enjoyed it hugely.

The ball at the Opera House, owned by our oldfriend. E. C. Manning, was a perfect success. The music was perfect, betterthan we have heard on similar occasions for a long time. The attendancewas large, but not so much so as to be over-crowded. For elegance of dressand appearance, the ladies of Winfield are fully equal to those of any ofher sister cities in Kansas. The banquet, which was served at the CentralHotel, was excellent.

State Supt. Lemmon, whose home is in Winfield,was master of ceremonies. We should not neglect to mention that Major T.J. Anderson was with the party from Topeka, and, as usual, kept everyonein a good humor on the way and while at Winfield, especially at the banquet.He was assisted by Judge Hanback and others in story telling and singing.

We would be glad to give a more extended noticeof Winfield and her big-hearted generous citizens, but time forbids. Wecannot, however, close without returning thanks to W. M. Allison, of theTelegram, and his family, and General Green, for particular favorsshown us.

We have given so much space to Winfield thatwe have little left for the Association. For the present it is enough tosay that this meeting was more largely attended than any previous one.

The address of welcome by Mr. McDermott waschuck full of wit and humor. The response on behalf of the Association byH. X. Devendorf was much more than usually well written and eloquently delivered.

[POLITICAL SLATES.]

Winfield Courier, May6, 1880.

The Telegram plumes itself on the factthat we did not deny its version of how some Republicans had been makingup political slates. Its editor is too modest when he supposes that hisinventions will be taken as truths unless contradicted. That yarn was apretty good joke on certain Republicans; and is so taken and needs no denial.

But if it is of any interest to anyone to knowwhat part we have taken in making up slates, we will say that we have namedas our choice the following.

Gen. U. S. Grant for President.

Hon. Thos. Ryan for Congress.

J. P. St. John for Governor.

Prof. Thomas for State Superintendent.

Capt. McDermott for Attorney-General.

E. S. Torrance for District Judge.

F. S. Jennings for County Attorney.

R. C. Story for County Superintendent.

We have been asked why we do not put Mr. Hackney'sname on our slate. We confess that we are strongly inclined to do so, becauseof his activity, influence, and ability to secure for our county what wewant, but not because we would expect personal favors for ourself or friendsat his hands.

McDermott & Johnson: move into W. L.Morehouse building [northwest corner of Main Street and Tenth Avenue. Occupyingfront rooms upstairs]...

Winfield Courier, May27, 1880.

McDermott & Johnson will move their lawoffice into the Morehouse building this week.

Winfield Courier, June3, 1880.

McDermott & Johnson have removed their lawoffice to the new building of Mr. Morehouse on the northwest corner of MainStreet and Tenth Avenue. They occupy the front rooms upstairs and will beglad to see their friends at all times.

Winfield Courier,June 10, 1880.

McDermott & Johnson have removed to theirnew office in the Morehouse building.

[REPORT FROM "L. J. N." - NORTHRICHLAND.]

Winfield Courier, June10, 1880.

Our township is in favor of Torrance for DistrictJudge, T. R. Bryan for State Senator, Frank Jennings for County Attorney,James McDermott for State Attorney, and A. B. Lemmon for Representative.

McDermott began career as a newsboy in St.Louis, Missouri...

[HON. JAS. McDERMOTT OF COWLEY COUNTY.]

Winfield Courier, June10, 1880.

Hon. Jas. McDermott, of Cowley County, is beingurged by his friends for the position of attorney general. This gentlemanbegan his career as a newsboy on the streets of St. Louis. He has foughthis way up the ladder and his acknowledged position with the foremost mindsof the state is due to his own individual efforts. While representativefrom his county, we know that he made a good record and will do as wellas state attorney. Newton Adversary.

[DEXTER TOWNSHIP CORRESPONDENT: "JLAN."]

Winfield Courier, July15, 1880.

We have had St. John's day, and a jolly, rousingtime, too. The Davis family discoursed sweet music. Judge Adams' orationwas fine and well received. Outside of the encampment was a circular swing,propelled by horse power and going around at the rate of 2.40. This swingwas a paying institution, judging by the number who availed themselves ofthe pleasure of riding. Mr. McDermott officiated in a speech appropriateto the occasion, followed by the usual accompaniment of music. Right onthe heels of St. John's day came the Fourth of July, in the same grove,and an oration by Mr. Asp, of Winfield.

Winfield Courier, July15, 1880.

FOR SALE. Four good farms near Winfield at reasonablefigures. We have some choice town lots at low prices. Call on McDermott& Johnson.

[LAYING THE CORNER STONE: BAPTIST CHURCH.]

Winfield Courier,July 29, 1880.

Last Thursday a large concourse of people assembledin this city to witness the ceremonies of laying the corner stone of thenew Baptist church, under the auspices of the Masonic fraternity.

Hon. James McDermott acted as master of ceremonies,and the ritual was beautiful and impressive. A box containing a varietyof documents, statistics, and newspapers was duly deposited, and the heavycorner stone, weight 2700 pounds, was lowered to its place. At the conclusionof these ceremonies the crowd adjourned to the Methodist church, where abeautiful and historic address for the occasion was delivered by Judge Soward.Short addresses were delivered by other speakers, and the occasion was oneof interest and enthusiasm.

Winfield Courier, August19, 1880.

Winfield is partly depopulated by the greatexodus to the Knight Templars triennial reunion in Chicago. Last Saturdayand Sunday the trains were loaded with excursionists, many of whom weretaking this opportunity to visit friends in the east with the excursionrates for fares. A great many went from here whose names have not been givenus, but the following are some that we know of: Dr. W. G. Graham and wife,Capt. S. C. Smith, E. P. Kinne, J. E. Conklin, Capt. James McDermott, Rev.J. Cairns and wife, Rev. J. A. Hyden and wife, J. D. Pryor, R. D. Jillsonand daughter, Mrs. D. A. and Miss Jessie Millington. C. C. Black and wife,J. W. Johnson and daughter, J. P. M. Butler and wife, Miss Jennie Melville,G. H. Buckman, J. C. and Miss Ioa Roberts, Will Baird and wife, Mrs. N.L. Rigby, Jacob Nixon and wife, J. S. Hunt, and T. R. Bryan.

[CONVENTION NOTES.]

Winfield Courier, September9, 1880.

The trouble with Col. H. L. Taylor, of Sedgwick,E. B. Brainard, of Butler, and James McDermott, of Cowley, was that theirlocal delegations were cold or lukewarm. In the latter case no canvass hadbeen made in the State, or among the delegates, while opposing candidateshad made a vigorous canvass and their local delegates were for them firstand ready to trade anything else for them. Our delegates were for St. Johnfirst and were not solid for McDermott in any event. It was generally admittedthat McDonald made the best impression and was the equal in other respectsto any candidate. The only way to secure a nomination is to have some localdelegation composed of effective and experienced workers who are for himso earnestly that they will be ready to sink all other preferences in hisinterests.

Winfield Courier, October14, 1880.

The Baptist Association held a session in theM. E. Church at this place last week. Over seventy ministers were present.Rev. Jas. Cairns was elected moderator and Jas. McDermott clerk and treasurerfor the ensuing year. The session was a very successful one and much workwas done.

Winfield Courier,March 31, 1881.

LOST: A dark red milk cow strayed from my yardin Winfield last Monday morning. Anyone leaving information of her whereaboutsat my office over Spotswood's store will be rewarded. JAMES McDERMOTT.

[MR. C. A. BLISS: A PLEASANT SURPRISE.]

Winfield Courier, June2, 1881.

Monday evening Mr. C. A. Bliss was purposelyinvited out to tea, and, returning home at about 8:30, found his parlorsfilled by about fifty of his personal friends.

When he entered, the Rev. Mr. Cairns, on behalfof the guests, in an appropriate address, presented him with twelve richly-boundvolumes of standard literature. Mrs. Bliss, though absent, was rememberedwith a magnificent illustrated volume.

Mr. Bliss responded in a feeling manner: afterwhich the leader of the surprise was himself made the victim of a surprise,by the presentation by Captain McDermott, on behalf of friends, with a splendidvolume of "The Life of Christ."

Mr. and Mrs. J. S. Mann acted the part of hostand hostess; and ice cream, strawberries, cake, etc., were served amid musicand general social enjoyment.

The whole affair was a neat recognition of theChristian, social, and business character of the recipients of the mementoes,which they so justly merit.

The married couples present were Mr. and Mrs.Wright, McDermott, Story, Johnson, Hendricks, Trimble, Wilson. D. Bliss,Baird, E. H. Bliss, Gilbert, Cairns, Jarvis, Adams, Tipton, Silliman, Stevens,Trezise, and Fuller. There were also present Messrs. Borchers, Arment, Applegate,Rigby, Wood, F. Finch, and Mrs. E. S. Bliss, Mrs. H. Bliss, Mrs. Jewell,Miss S. Bliss, Miss Smith, Miss Corson, and others, whose names we failedto obtain.

[HARVEY TOWNSHIP ITEMS.]

Winfield Courier, June23, 1881.

The people of Box City and neighborhood aredetermined to celebrate the Fourth of July at home this year. George Savagewas called to the chair and S. Neer appointed secretary. The committee fixednear the Hickman crossing on Grouse; this location is beautiful and commodious.Elder Thomas and Mr. McDermott have agreed to speak on that occasion. Vocalmusic will intersperse the various exercises of the day. Wheelbarrow andsack races, croquet, etc., will among the exercises to enliven the occasion.Last, but not least, will be the ascension of a mammoth Caloric balloonfrom the ground during the afternoon.

[COWLEY COUNTY FUNDS REFUNDED BY COUNTY OFFICERS.]

Winfield Courier,August 11, 1881.

The amount refunded by the county officers havingreceived excessive salaries, principal, and interest, is as follows.

Story: $178.61.

McDermott: $178.61.

Bryan: $1,500.00.

Troup: $595.37.

Total: $2,452.59.

Amount due and soon to be paid in:

Bryan: $728.00.

Torrance: $222.00.

T : $250.00.

GRAND TOTAL: $3,402.59.

[COWLEY COUNTY DISTRICT COURT.]

Winfield Courier,November 10, 1881.

Court is in session: the lambs and the lionsare mingling together in harmony under the soothing influence of Judge Torrance'spresence. Among the lions we notice Henry H. Asp,

T. H. Soward, Frank Jennings, G. H. Buckman,D. C. Beach, O. M. Seward, J. E. Allen, Jas. O'Hare, S. D. Pryor, JamesMcDermott, A. P. Johnson, A. H. Green, W. P. Hackney, A. B. Taylor, LovellH. Webb, C. R. Mitchell, Joe Houston, Cal. Swarts, Charlie Eagin, and others.The list of lambs can be found in our Court docket of last week.

Winfield Courier,November 17, 1881.

If O. F. Mackey will call at the office of McDermottand Johnson, Winfield, he will learn something to his advantage.

Winfield Courier,November 17, 1881.

Hon. James McDermott has for visitors his fatherand adopted brother, whom he had not seen for sixteen years. They have beenresiding in Texas.

Cowley County Courant, November17, 1881.

McDERMOTT & JOHNSON, ATTORNEYS AT LAW. [JAMESMcDERMOTT/A. P. JOHNSON] Office in Morehouse block, corner Main streetand 10th avenue.

Winfield Courier, November24, 1881.

An addition has been made to the firm of McDermott& Johnson. It is a small one, but promises well for the future. It isa junior member from Johnson's side of the house.

Cowley County Courant, December22, 1881.

Winfield Commandery No. 15, Knights Templar,held their annual installation of officers on Friday evening. The followingare the officers: W. G. Graham, E. C.; J. C. McMullen, G.; James McDermott,C. G.; Chas. C. Clack, S. W.; J. W. Johnston, J. W.; S. H. Myton, Treas.;J. D. Pryor, Rec.; S. A. Cook, W.; Mr. Stafford, Std. B.; S. H. Myton, Std.B.

Winfield Courier, December29, 1881.

The Masonic lodge had a public installationof officers at the hall Tuesday evening. A large number of our people werepresent and addresses were delivered by Messrs. Black and McDermott. TheArion quartette rendered some excellent music.

[ANNUAL BUSINESS MEETING: BAPTIST CHURCH.]

Cowley County Courant, January12, 1882.

The annual business meeting of the Baptist Churchwas held at the Courthouse on Saturday evening, December 31, 1881. The reportof the officers show the following facts.

Total membership: 192.

Additions during the year: 30.

Money collected and paid out during the yearfor general expenses, including pastor's salary: $1,063.88.

For the new building over $3,000 has been collectedand expended, and over $300 of this amount by the ladies' society.

The Sunday School has 19 officers and teachers,and 214 scholars, and had an average attendance of 141.

There was collected and expended for the SundaySchool about $78.

The following officers were elected for thenext year:

Clerk, J. C. Rowland.

Treasurer, James McDermott.

Trustees, C. A. Bliss, A. P. Johnson, J. S.Mann. B. F. Wood, and A. B. Arment.

Organist, Miss Lola Silliman.

Chorister, Geo. Cairns.

The church and Sunday School starts the newyear under favorable circ*mstances, and it is hoped that beginning withnext Sunday, they will be able to occupy their new house of worship, nownearly completed.

Cowley County Courant, February2, 1882.

M. G. Troup, James McDermott, and J. R. Bryanhave been chosen arbitrators to adjust the Tunnel Mills difficulty betweenHarter and Harris. No better men could have been chosen for this work.

Arkansas City Traveler, February 8, 1882.

Mr. Johnson of the well known firm of McDermott& Johnson was in the city on Saturday last.

Winfield Courier, January5, 1882.

Messrs. James McDermott and D. A. Millingtonwere appointed by the Board to assist the Probate Judge in counting thefunds in the treasury.

Winfield Courier, January12, 1882.

The business meeting of the Baptist Church washeld Saturday evening. The church is in a most healthy condition. The membershipis 192 and thirty new members have been admitted during the year. The followingofficers were elected for the next year.

Clerk: J. C. Rowland.

Treasurer: James McDermott.

Trustees: C. A. Bliss, A. P. Johnson, J. B.Mann, B. F. Wood, and A. B. Arment.

Organist: Miss Celina Bliss.

Chorister: H. E. Silliman.

Officers of the Sunday School.

Superintendent: James McDermott.

Assistant Superintendent: B. F. Wood.

Secretary: J. C. Rowland.

Treasurer: J. S. Mann.

Organist: Miss Lola Silliman.

Chorister: George Cairns.

Their elegant new church building is fast nearingcompletion and will be ready for occupancy in a few weeks.

Winfield Courier, March9, 1882.

Capt. McDermott should have been a journalist,as the bright columns of The Visitor fully attest.

Cowley County Courant,March 9, 1882.

We have before us a neat and dainty publicationcalled The Visitor, published monthly for the First Baptist Churchof this city, and devoted to our church and school interests. We think werecognize the guiding spirit of James McDermott on its pages.

Cowley County Courant,March 16, 1882.

A fellow lectured in Winfield the other nighton mesmerism. He had a good deal of difficulty in getting a subject to comeforward and be operated upon. Finally after much whooping and yelling, JohnAllen was hustled up. The lecturer placed a glass of water in John's hand,and after putting him thoroughly under the influence, he had him drink ofthe water alternately as whiskey, brandy, wine, and beer. John showed hisappreciation of the several drinks both by word and action, and in eachcase pronounced the beverage a very superior article. After the lecturerwas through with John and called for another subject, McDermott and Sowardand about forty other men instantly rose and started forward. WichitaTimes.

The Wichita man is liable to make a reputationas the loudest sounding lyre that ever lied.

Winfield Courier, April13, 1882.

Col. J. C. McMullen entertained his class, witha few others of the Baptist Sabbath school, at his residence on last Thursdayevening. His class is principally young ladies and gentlemen; therefore,the party consisted of young folks, with only a sprinkling of older onesjustenough to tone them down and make it very agreeable. The Colonel had a "crowto pick" with Capt. McDermott, the superintendent, on account of hisoften tapping the bell just as he was explaining to his class the most interestingpart of the lesson. So he seized this opportunity of "heaping coalsof fire on his head" by calling on McDermott for an address answeringthe question, "Why should we read the Bible aside from a religiousduty? He limited him to five minutes, when all knew that it would take twicethat length of time to do the subject justice. Mr. McDermott fully occupiedthe time and proved conclusively that all should read the Bible becauseit is a wonderful history, etc. The party were then entertained for a fewmoments with selected readings from some of our best authors by Mr. WilliamColgate, son-in-law of J. F. McMullen. He is a fine elocutionist, and hisselections were highly appreciated by the guests. After the reading an excellentsupper was served by the estimable hostess and her daughter, Nellie, andsome splendid music was furnished by Master Ed., and Miss Zulu Farringer.The party was a very enjoyable one, and the guests fully appreciated thehospitable and agreeable manner in which they were entertained.

[COWLEY COUNTY DISTRICT COURT.]

Winfield Courier, April27, 1882.

This is Court week and our lion-like attorneysare in clover. The following gentlemen are present: A. J. Pyburn of La Mars,Missouri; C. R. Mitchell, of Geuda Springs; Senator Hackney, Judge McDonald,Judge Tipton, Jas. O'Hare, Henry E. Asp, S. D. Pryor, J. F. McMullen, D.C. Beach, O. M. Seward, J. E. Allen, A. P. Johnson, James McDermott, P.H. Albright, T. H. Soward, Geo. H. Buckman, M. G. Troup, and County AttorneyJennings.

[A. H. GREEN SOUNDS OFF AGAINST TUCKER.]

Cowley County Courant, May25, 1882.

CARD NO. 2. Mr. Editor: It will be rememberedthat immediately after the difficulty between myself and Tucker, there wereindividuals in this town misrepresenting me and trying to create the impressionthat the said trouble was the forerunner or the initial step of an organizedfight against the ministers of the gospel, or in other words, the commencementof a war between ruffianism and vice, against Christianity and morality.Upon hearing this I published a card denying the same in toto. Now thatthe matter is all over and the smoke has cleared away, and, as many aredaily enquiring of me as to the particulars, I desire to recapitulate thishuge affair briefly.

On the morning of the 24th of October last,I was told by many of our reputable citizens that on the night previous,Tucker, a professed christian minister, in a speech in the opera house beforean audience of some five or six hundred persons, had singled me out, namedme, and charged me with having misrepresented and lied to obtain signatures,to a certain paper circulated a week previous by Mr. Lynn and myself. Thatday I met the Reverend gentleman and quietly told him what I had heard,whereupon he in a very haughty, sarcastic, and insulting manner, said "heguessed I had heard what he said about me." At this time I took occasionto slap the gentleman, which of course I do not claim to have been a christianact nor even right in a moral sense, but yet I believe the average mortalunder like circ*mstances would have done the same.

Now, I have the word of a resident ministerthat Tucker told him about the time the suit for damages was institutedagainst myself that a certain lawyer had volunteered his services to prosecutethe case against me. This minister asked Tucker who that lawyer was, andTucker replied it was Capt. McDermott. I have the word of a lawyer in thistown that about the time said suit was started that the said volunteer attorneyboasted on the street that he would make me sick before he got through withme.

These acts of an eminently moral gentleman willevidently be considered by the community at large as emanating from a truechristian spirit, especially when they learn that of $250 damages allowedby the jury and already paid by me, Mr. Tucker gets nothing, but that thesame is divided up among the lawyers who tried the case, McDermott &Johnson, as I am informed, getting $150, and Hackney & McDonald getting$100 of the spoils, leaving poor Ben. Henderson, who made the only legalon the side of the prosecution, out in the cold, without a penny for hisservices.

And I also was reliably informed that Mr. Tuckeris honorable enough to object to this course and demands that Hendersonmust have at least a small portion, but our Winfield christian lawyers,I understand, don't like to give any money up. It's too soft a thing especiallywhen ordinary law practice is light. I have paid the money and the lawyersand their client are now quarreling over it. Of course, it is hard to payout hundreds of dollars to such a purpose, but I do not regret it. I wouldfeel that I had lost my manhood and disgraced my parentage if I would takesuch a wanton insult slung at me without cause or provocation without resentingit. If I had been permitted, I could have proven that I was not guilty ofthe charges made against me by Mr. Tucker, and that they were entirely withoutfoundation. I love a christian gentleman, but a hypocrite I hate.

I believe the community will bear me out inthe assertion that my actions have proven that I have no fight against churchesor christians, but to the contrary have always endorsed all religious organizationsand helped them financially. My father and mother have been members of theM. E. church ever since I can remember. I believe they are christians, butthe religion they taught me was not the kind practiced by some in this town.The question is, has this affair had a tendency to strengthen the causeof christianity? Did the language used by Mr. Tucker in the hall, with referenceto myself, indicate a christian spirit, or did it sound like the rantingof a third-rate ward politician?

Did the money I paid into court belong to Mr.Tucker or myself, or was it confidence money? If the suit was brought throughgood and honest motives, for the good of the community, and for the benefitof society and Mr. Tucker combined, why was it the lawyers forgot Mr. Tuckerin dividing the spoils? I may be wrong, and hope I am, but it appears tome that the whole affair would look to an unbiased mind like a robbery underthe cloak of a prosecution in the interest of morality and in vindicationof the law. Again, is it not a strange coincidence that after Judge Campbelland Mr. Tipton (two gentlemen who never made any pretension toward beingpossessed of an extraordinary degree of moral virtue) had addressed thejury in my behalf, without making use of a single expression reflectingupon the character of Mr. Tucker. That in the closing argument the gentlemanwho professed to have the love of God in his heart should so far forgethimself as to resort to blackguardism and billingsgate as I am informedhe did. Among other things referring to myself and insinuating that I wasa coward. Now I desire to address myself to this christian statesman andsay to him kindly, but firmly, that he dare not undertake to substantiatethat charge of cowardice on any ground, at any time, or in any manner hemay choose. A. H. GREEN.

Cowley County Courant, June29, 1882.

Capt. James McDermott, Judge Soward, and otherswill unfurl the flag of this free for all but Chinamen country, at Torranceon the 4th.

Winfield Courier, July20, 1882.

A CARD.Hon. Jas. McDermott, Winfield, Kansas.

DEAR SIR: We the undersigned citizens of CowleyCounty, Kansas, anxious that an able and faithful man represent us in thecoming legislature, and ever mindful of the important legislation that willcome before that body, unite in requesting you to become a candidate forthe office of Representative from this district, July 11th, 1882.

Hackney, W. P.; Gridley, A.; Bethel, Jas.; Millington,D. A.; Greer, Ed. P.; Finch, Frank W.; Siverd, H. H.; Pryor, J. D.; Wilson,W. J.; Hunt, J. S.; Bryan, T. R.; Curns, J. W.; Harris, T. J.; Arrowsmith,J. W.; Hendricks, A. D.; Soward, T. H.; Story, R. C.; Reynolds, E. M.; Buckman,G. H.; Haight, N. A.; Cook, S. A.; Webb, L. H.; Fuller, C. E.; Hudson, W.;Wood, B. F.; Kelly, James; Short, J. P.; Platter, Jas. E.; Gridley, A.,Jr.; Asp, Henry E.; Trimble, E. T.; Roberts, W. D.; Moore, Wm. H.; Hackney,J. F.; Waite, R. B.: McMullen, J. C.; Lee, W. A.; Holloway, S. S.; and others.WINFIELD, KANSAS, July 17, 1882.

Hon. W. P. Hackney, T. H. Soward, D. A. Millington,and others:

GENTLEMEN: I have received your very flatteringcall to become a candidate for the legislature in this district, and afterdue consideration, have concluded to consent to the use of my name in thatconnection. At first I did not regard the proposition favorably, owing tobusiness interests which I thought might suffer thereby but upon the representationsof friends that I might be able to assist to some extent in making the temperancelaws more effective; in guarding the interests of Cowley County in the Congressionalapportionment; and in securing any other advantages that may be desiredfor the county and which may be attainable; I have overcome my reluctanceand hereby authorize my friends to use my name as a candidate before theRepublican District Conventionand if nominated and elected I will hold myselfbound to consider the interests of the people of Cowley County as of paramountimportance to all other interests, and will give my best efforts to maintainand protect them. Respectfully yours, JAMES McDERMOTT.

Winfield Courier, July27, 1882.

McDERMOTT. Somepersons object to the Hon. James McDermott as a candidate for Representative,that he is proud, self-sufficient, domineering, does not go out and workfor his nomination, and is therefore unpopular. The charges are true tothe extent that he usually has something to do and his mind on his businessso much so that he does not always notice those whom he meets and is notfound on the street corners gassing with the boys; that he is self-reliant,and thinks the conclusions he has arrived at after earnest thought and investigationare correct, and that he is quite sensitive about soliciting support forhimself. But he has done stalwart work in the support of the candidacy ofothers, and when you get down to the facts, he is a very genial, warm-hearted,entertaining companion. No one questions his ability, his intensity to theinterests of this district and county. No one questions his stalwart Republicanismor his devotion to prohibition. All concede that he is the strongest andmost influential man we can send and will do us the best service in theimportant matters that will come before the next Legislature. All concedethat he has the nerve and sand to do the right thing in spite of all opposition,to attack the railroad power, the rum power, or any other power that oughtto be attacked; that he would be a power in the Legislature. We cannot butbe aware that the most bitter opposition to him comes from those who arethe most bitter enemies of prohibition.

[TORRANCE, WINDSOR TOWNSHIP, CORRESPONDENT:"DIXIE."]

Winfield Courier, July27, 1882.

We had a grand, good time at the celebrationon the Fourth. The "Declaration" was ably declaimed by littleBobbie Scott. We had a short speech by Jas. McDermott, which was an ablereminiscence of the early settlement and struggles of Grouse Creek. Thenwe had one of Judge Soward's grand, loyal speeches in the afternoon; wehad but one objection to its brevity. There was but one thing occurred tomar the beauty and pleasures of the day. The Dexter band agreed to dispensemusic for us and as they were new hands at the bellows, said they wouldnot charge us anything; but we might give them something, if we wanted to,but on the morning of the Fourth after the people had assembled, they tookadvantage of our necessity and informed us that they would not strike anote unless we raise them $20. Now the amount is not what we look at butthe manner in which they obtained it. One of the band is an aspirant forthe Superintendency; but we fear if we elect him, he would get mad rightin the midst of a Normal, and wouldn't play unless we raise him a bonus.

[TISDALE TOWNSHIP CORRESPONDENT: "CITIZEN."]

Winfield Courier, August3, 1882.

Baker for Representative. EDS. COURIER: As youhave put forth the qualifications of Mr. McDermott in an article in yourissue of the 27th, we, the citizens of Tisdale Township, will speak to theRepublicans of the 66th district through the columns of your paper, andput forth the qualifications of the Hon. J. S. Baker. He is a man that canbe approached by anyone on any subject, is courteous and sociable with all;is a man that is quick to perceive ideas on any subject; a man of good abilityand a man with the nerve to stand up for the interests of his district andto combat with the rings and lobbyists that infest our legislature. A manthat will work in the interest of the farmers, and as he is a farmer, hecan be relied upon. He is a life-long Republican, is and always has beena temperance man, and has the solid support of his own township.

Mr. Baker is a man of fine education and anold settler of the county; was here when the county was organized and notan office seeker. He did not solicit the position of Representative, butwas urged to make the race by a host of his friends in Tisdale and othertownships. The best recommend we have for him is that he is not only supportedby Republicans at home but by all parties regardless of politics. We allfeel that with Hon. J. S. Baker in the legislature as Representative ofthe 66th district, our interests are in safe hands.

CITIZEN TISDALE TOWNSHIP.

Winfield Courier, August3, 1882.

County Caucuses. A dozen or so township caucuseshave been held and delegates elected as follows.

Vernon sends delegates for Baker, Millspaugh,Gans, and Rude.

Walnut sends delegates for McDermott, Gans,Bedilion, and is divided on Limerick and Mrs. Caton.

Dexter is for Maurer, Gans, Bedilion, and Rude.

Silver Creek elects delegates for Henthorn,Gans, Bedilion, and Limerick.

Windsor is for Maurer, Gans, Bedilion, and Albert.

Sheridan is for Henthorn, Gans, Bedilion, andSmith.

Tisdale is for Baker, Gans, Bedilion, and undecidedon Superintendent.

Maple is for Henthorn, Gans, Bedilion, and Limerick.

Of course, they all went solid for the renominationof Frank Jennings.

[COMPLAINT: WINFIELD GETS ALL THE COUNTYOFFICES.]

Winfield Courier, August10, 1882.

A complaint was made in the representative conventionthat Winfield gets all the county offices, and that when a farmer is a candidatehe gets left. It was claimed that the reason that Baker would not be nominatedwas that he was a farmer and not a Winfield man. It is true that McDermottis a lawyer and now a Winfield man. The city and Walnut Township were ineffect instructed for him by large majorities, and Fairview Township votedfor him in accordance with the evident will of the majority. Tisdale, Ninnescah,and Vernon delegations voted for Baker, but it was evident that a majorityat the Vernon primary preferred McDermott. One delegate from Walnut votedfor Baker contrary to the will of the majority as expressed by the votesat the primary meeting. There is no reasonable doubt that the majority inthe townships outside of Winfield were for McDermott. The votes for Bakerwere 10 farmers and one physician. The votes for McDermott were 11 farmersand laborers, 1 lawyer, 1 editor, 1 lumberman, 1 constable, 1 clerk, 1 realestate agent and farmer, and 1 mill owner. Had all but the farmers and laborersneglected to vote, McDermott would have been elected by 1 majority. . ..

[REPUBLICAN COUNTY CONVENTION.]

Winfield Courier, August10, 1882.

66th REPRESENTATIVE CONVENTION: M. N. Chafey,chairman; W. B. Weimer, secretary.

Delegates

Fairview: J. H. Curfman, A. J. McCollim, W.B. Weimer.

Ninnescah: J. A. Hood, Wm. Crawford, D. W. Pierce.

Tisdale: Dr. Rising, W. C. Douglass, S. W. Chase.

Vernon: D. M. Hopkins, C. M. Skinner, JosephHann, W. J. Bonnewell.

Walnut: J. L. King, E. S. Bliss, W. W. Limbocker,M. N. Chafey, G. W. Prater.

Winfield, 1st ward: J. E. Conklin, James Bethel,D. A. Millington, J. W. Craine, T. R. Bryan.

Winfield, 2nd ward: B. F. Wood, Wm. Whiting,W. J. Wilson, J. H. Bullen, Frank Finch, T. H. Soward.

Votes for Representative from 66th District:James S. Baker 11; James McDermott 18.

McDermott declared the nominee.

CENTRAL COMMITTEE, 66TH: T. H. Soward, chairman;Wm. White, secretary.

Winfield Courier, August24, 1882.

Sabbath School Mass Meeting and Convention.The New Salem Sabbath school has made arrangements for a "Sabbath SchoolMass Meeting and Convention," to be held on Thursday, August 31st,in Mr. R. Steven's grove, on Timber Creek, three miles northeast of theold New Salem schoolhouse.

While all who come will receive a hearty welcome,the following neighboring schools have received special invitation to bepresent, and to also furnish music: Queen Village, Prairie Home, PleasantHill, Moscow, Floral, Tisdale, Silver Creek, Burden, Walnut Valley, Fairview,Prairie Grove, Summit, Richland, Maple Grove, and Baltimore.

Addresses are expected from the following speakers:Rev. J. E. Platter, Messrs. S. H. Jennings, S. S. Holloway, and Jas. McDermott,of Winfield; Revs. S. B. Fleming of Arkansas City, Irvin of Floral, Knightof Burden, and Firestone of Baltimore.

Exercises will begin promptly at 10 a.m. Pleasecome early, bring your "Gospel Hymns," and let us do good workfor the Master.

To prevent the annoyance that often creeps inon such occasions, no swings will be allowed on the ground, and no standsfor sale of refreshments will be allowed, except one under the control ofthe parties who granted us the use of the ground for the Convention. Incase of heavy rain on the day appointed, the Convention will be held onthe day following.

BY ORDER OF COMMITTEE.

Winfield Courier, September7, 1882.

J. J. Johnson, of Tisdale Township, was namedas the opposition candidate to Mr. McDermott for the legislature by a smallmeeting of citizens who gathered at the Courthouse last Saturday. As themeeting made no platform and passed no resolutions, we are unable to stateon what issue Mr. Johnson proposes to make his canvass, unless, perchance,his mission is simply to oppose. We understand that he will continue onthe track until November.

Arkansas City Traveler, September 13, 1882.

Hon. James McDermott, of Winfield, was in ourcity on legal business last Monday.

Arkansas City Traveler,September 13, 1882.

The case of Freylinger vs. Nolle tried beforeJustice Bonsall on last Monday resulted in a verdict for the defendant.Johnson & McDermott appeared for plaintiff and C. L. Swarts for defendant.

Winfield Courier, November9, 1882.

ELECTION RETURNS: FROM THIS COUNTY.

In this county we elect on the Republican ticketthe four county officers, the Representative of the 67th and 68th districts:Mitchell and Weimer, while McDermott in the 66th and probably Harbaugh forcommissioner in the 2nd district, are defeated. Next week we will try togive the full returns.

Winfield Courier, November16, 1882.

SOME PORTIONS OF THE OFFICIAL VOTE OF COWLEYCOUNTY.

J. J. JOHNSON, GREENBACK/DEMOCRAT, DEFEATEDJAMES McDERMOTT, REPUBLICAN...651 TO 627. [REPRESENTATIVE 66TH DISTRICT.]

Winfield Courier, December14, 1882.

Hon. James McDermott and family left Tuesdayfor Kentucky, where they will spend the winter among friends.

McDermott and Johnson again move: Manningbuilding over post office...

Winfield Courier, February8, 1883.

McDermott & Johnson have removed to theManning building over the post office.

Winfield Courier, May10, 1883.

Mrs. James McDermott has been very sick in Kentucky.For some time her life was despaired of. We learn she is now much better.

Mrs. James McDermott dies in Kentucky...

Winfield Courier, May24, 1883.

DIED. Mr. A. P. Johnson has a telegram fromJames McDermott, dated May 18th, stating that his wife, Mary, is dead. Shehas been ill and in a critical condition ever since they arrived in Kentuckylast December. She leaves a baby 2½ months old.

Capt. James McDermott returns from Kentuckywith his three children...

Winfield Courier, May31, 1883.

Capt. James McDermott returned Saturday evening,bringing with him his three children. Since leaving the old home, the brightface of the wife and mother has passed away forever and he returns to ahearthstone drear and desolate. He has the sympathy of many friends in hisbereavement.

Winfield Courier, October18, 1883.

Another Union Temperance meeting was held onlast Sunday evening, at the Baptist Church, and a large crowd was in attendance.An exceptionally good essay on "Temperance Principle" was readby Mrs. Emma Smith. Mrs. Smith's essays, given from time to time at publicgatherings, show her to be an essayist of no small ability. Capt. JamesMcDermott made one of his usual good, sound addresses, after which the gentlemenwere given an opportunity to become honorary members of the Woman's ChristianTemperance Union, by whom the meeting was conducted, and quite a numberresponded. The regular Baptist choir was present and added greatly to theenjoyment of the meeting.

[PERMANENT ORGANIZATION: EX-SOLDIERS.]

Winfield Courier, October25, 1883.

Ex-Soldiers of War Organizations. During theSoldiers' Re-union last week it was determined to effect a permanent organization,and the soldiers present from each state were requested to appoint one memberof a committee to recommend a form for such organization and the officersfor the first year. The committee met and organized by electing comradeJames McDermott, chairman, and comrade A. H. Limerick, secretary. The rollof the committee was called and the following members were found present.

James McDermott, 4th Kentucky Infantry.

A. H. Limerick, 93rd Illinois.

Geo. W. Robertson, 3rd Missouri Cavalry.

A. V. Polk, 3rd Pennsylvania.

H. W. Stubblefield, 6th Kansas Cavalry.

S. F. Gould, 2nd Minnesota Cavalry.

J. C. Evans, 14th New York Infantry.

J. W. Millspaugh, 37th Iowa Infantry.

L. B. Aldrich, 12th Wisconsin Infantry.

G. H. Williams, 2nd Colorado Infantry.

John W. Wolfe, 8th Michigan Infantry.

J. B. Corson, 13th Maine Infantry.

Wm. White, 155 Ohio Infantry.

J. A. Brown, 12th Indiana Mounted Infantry.

C. F. Vaughn, 5th West Virginia Infantry.

The committee made the following report, whichwas adopted by the soldiers at dress parade on Friday evening, October 18,1883. The committee of one person from each state represented at this Re-union,appointed to recommend a plan of organization for future Re- unions, begleave to recommend the adoption of the following:

That an association be formed to be called "TheArkansas Valley Re-Union Association," for the purpose of holding annualre-Unions. The association shall be composed of all old Soldiers and Sailorsof the United States residing in the counties of Chautauqua, Elk, Greenwood,Butler, Cowley, Sumner, Sedgwick, Harvey, Reno, Kingman, Harper, and Barber.The officers of the association shall be a president, a secretary, a treasurer,and one vice-president from each county. The officers named shall constitutean Executive Board. The officers shall be elected at the annual Re-unionsand shall hold their offices until the next annual Re-union, and until theirsuccessors are elected. The Executive Board shall determine the time andplace of each Re-union, but the time shall be between August 1st and October1st, and the Re-union shall not be held in connection with any fair or otherpublic gathering. The president, secretary, and three vice-presidents shallconstitute a quorum of the Executive Board. The Executive Board shall havepower to fill all vacancies in offices in the intervals between Re-unions.

The officers for the first year shall be:

President, T. H. Soward of Winfield.

Secretary, A. H. Limerick of Winfield.

Treasurer, James McDermott of Winfield.

Vice-presidents:

Cowley County, H. W. Stubblefield.

Sumner County, John H. Wolfe.

Chautauqua County, Ward.

Butler County, Charley Durham.

Barber County, James Springer.

Harper County, J. P. Horton.

Vice-presidents for the other counties to beappointed by the Executive Board.

It is further recommended that the present Re-unionbe designated the first annual Re- union, and that future Re-unions be numberedaccordingly.

Respectfully submitted, JAMES McDERMOTT, Chairman

A. H. LIMERICK, Secretary.

Winfield Courier, November15, 1883.

Recap Divorce Petition: Mary A. Butler, Plaintiff,vs. Samuel E. Butler, Defendant, filed November 9, 1883. She wanted custodyof minor children and alimony in the way of tracts of land. Her attorneyswere McDermott & Johnson.

Winfield Courier, January3, 1884.

The Baptist Church held its annual businessmeeting on Monday evening. The reports of the various affairs and societies,including the Sunday school, show that the year has been a prosperous onein most respects. There were 102 persons baptized during the year and quitea number received by letter, the total membership at present being 301.The following officers were elected for the next year: Church clerk, A.P. Johnson; church treasurer, C. A. Bliss; trustees, B. F. Wood, C. A. Bliss,L. B. Stone, H. E. Silliman, and John Tyner. Officers of the Sunday school:superintendent, John M. Prince; assistant superintendent, B. N. Wood; secretary,James McDermott; treasurer, John Tyner.

Winfield Courier, January10, 1884. Editorial.

THE NARROW GAUGE. Maj. Hanson and Col. Doniphanwere in town Saturday on the narrow gauge business and flattered us by callingon us to argue us into abandoning our position on the conditions which shouldbe included in the proposition to make it worthy of support. They are ablemen, but even abler men have called us the past week on the same errandand in every instance we thought we came nearer to convincing the missionarythan he us.

Probably the best way to convince us is thecourse that Mart Robinson has taken for the last three weeks, that is torent a few columns in the Telegram and fill them with not very flatteringeulogisms on the editor of the COURIER, attributing to him many awful things.Feeling as Clark did that it was better to be abused than not to be noticedat all, we have found nothing which we cared to reply to, and we are muchobliged to him for spending so much of his valuable time both in writingand talking to everybody he meets in advertising us and soliciting his supposedfriends to sit down on us. When he really gets down to business and sayssomething worth noticing, we may unbend and give him another racket, butnot now, for we have more important matters in hand. We will merely remarkin reply to his statement to the effect that we were waiting to be subsidized,to be bought up, before supporting the narrow gauge proposition that heis one of the men who knew from certain experience in that direction thatit is, sometimes, at least impossible to buy us up. We do not apprehendthat the great numbers of our friends who think about as we do of the presentproposition will fear that we are going to sell out and abandon them. Theywill not be disappointed who expect us to adhere substantially to the positionwe have taken and stay with them.

THE MEETING. Well, a narrow gauge railroad meetingwas held at the Brettun House, Saturday morning, and quite a crowd of Winfieldmen attended. To spike our gun, we suppose, we were chosen chairman, andC. C. Black was made secretary. Maj. Hanson and Col. Doniphan made excellentspeeches showing advantages of narrow gauges and this projected one in particular.M. G. Troup made a bright short speech, the only point of which was thatwe were captions, but M. L. Robinson was the orator of the day and occupiedmost of the time. The chairman's views being asked for, he asked the readingof the petition to be circulated or in circulation and then pointed outa great many amendments that should be made to render it worthy of the supportof the voters of this county. The parties objected to making any of thechanges asked for, stated that they intended and expected to do many ofthe things asked for, but objected to putting their part of the contractin writing by the side of the part of the county.

The meeting passed the following resolutionoffered by M. L. Robinson and then adjourned.

Resolved, That,whereas the great needs of Cowley County and Southern Kansas are coal, lumber,wood, posts, lower rates for transportation, and new markets, and believingthat the early building of a railroad connecting the systems of a narrowgauge railroad of the south and east with those of Colorado, Utah, and thewest, would be of incalculable benefit to this whole country and to CowleyCounty in particular putting us at an early day on a through line acrossthe continent. It is therefore the sense of this meeting that it would befor the best interest of Cowley County to aid such an enterprise by votingaid thereto in the sum of one hundred thousand dollars under the laws ofthe state: one half of said aid to be delivered to said enterprise whenthe railroad is completed and cars running thereon to Winfield, and balanceof such aid to be delivered when the line is completed and the cars runningacross the county. And we hereby pledge ourselves to support such propositionswith our best efforts and that this resolution be published in our citypapers and such papers be invited to use their best influence to carry suchproposition.

When we entered the meeting we did not knowthat there was a single man present who sympathized with our views on thisquestion, but Hon. J. McDermott supported us by a short pointed speech andthere were about seven or eight noes in the vote on the resolution. Afterthe adjournment some of the most intelligent men in the meeting, men whohad been supporting the proposition heartily as it is, came to us and toldus our position was right, said they would be with us, and would opposethe bonds unless substantially the amendments we demanded were made. Weare satisfied from what we have heard through the county that in its presentcut-throat form, the proposition would be snowed under by an overwhelmingmajority; but that if placed in the form we recommended, it would be carried.

Mind we do not consider the COURIER the leaderin this matter. It is the mouthpiece of the sentiments of the people generallyas we believe and as expressed to us by many. We give them such facts aswe have learned by rubbing against railroad builders. They draw the conclusionsand any sensible man should know what they will be.

Winfield Courier, January24, 1884.

Presentation. Col. McMullen has a very interestingBible class of thirty-five members in the Baptist Sunday school. A few daysago the class determined to surprise the Colonel and so proceeded to hisresidence in force, and after spending a pleasant evening, Capt. McDermott,on behalf of those present, in a short speech presented the Colonel witha handsome photograph album containing the pictures of the class. The Colonelin a very neat speech accepted the present with thanks. Altogether the gatheringwas very pleasant, and all retired with the hope that all might enjoy moresuch occasions.

Winfield Courier, January31, 1884. [Court Notes.]

Bliss & Wood brought action against theWater Company to have it restrained from taking water from their Mill pond.The demurrer was argued at last before the court last week, by McDermott& Johnson for plaintiff and Wade McDonald for defendant. On Monday theCourt rendered judgment in favor of the plaintiffs. The Case will go tothe Supreme Court.

McDermott mentioned in lengthy editorialby D. A. Millington...

[THE NARROW GAUGE.]

Winfield Courier, March6, 1884. Editorial.

The object of this article, the last we shalllay before our readers before the election of March 11th, is not to influencevotes either against or for the pending railroad proposition, but to giveour readers a fair, honest, manly, and impartial statement of all factsand acts bearing upon the question before us which we have not heretoforestated, an account of what has been done the past week, what is now beingdone in relation to the matter, and what are our conclusions on points ofcontroversy, leaving the effects to be what it will on the vote of March11th. The voters are the jury who are to decide this case and we chooseto come before them at this time, not as a partisan attorney on either side,but to talk as a judge might talk to a jury about to decide an importantcase.

We do not expect to please either side by thiscourse and it will be easy to accuse us of mulishness and fogyism by theone side, of "flopping" and selling out by the other, and of straddlingby both; but we shall satisfy our own sense of justice and right, and meritthe approval of all fair minded citizens, whether we get it or not.

Rustlers of younger, warmer blood like the junioreditor, are not content to take such a position as we indicate. They havean impulse to be foremost in every controversy on one side or the other;they scent the battle from afar and promptly take an active and vigorouspart. We have several youngerly men in this city of vigor, energy, and snap,who when they work together in a good cause can perform wonders. We admireand appreciate them and always want them on our side, but we are older andthe great many conflicts of opinion we have encountered and passed throughtend to make us slower to engage in a heated controversy and to contentus with smaller results. Yet we have courage and fearlessness sufficientto make a pretty strong fight when there is an important interest or principleto fight for and to continue the struggle as long as we are confident thatwe are serving the best interest of our community by doing so.

SOME HISTORY NOT HERETOFORE MADE PUBLIC. Butbefore we assume the judicial ermine, we cannot forbear to state some ofthe facts that have placed this proposition in the bad predicament in whichwe now find it. We must be indulged in one last kick at the bad managementwhich has placed us in this ambiguous position. We have earnestly desiredto give this company a fair chance to build this road if it can be builton a basis which will do no damage to any Cowley County taxpayer, propertyowner, or citizen, and to make it of value to all. The first time we wereapproached on the subject by the representatives of the railroad company,we told them that if they would put a proposition before the people to votea reasonable amount in which proposition the interests of the people wereamply secured in clear and unmistakable language, we would support it heartily.The company ought to have given us such a proposition in the outset, oughtto have consulted with leading citizens of the county representing all thevarious interests, and made such concessions as to the details of the propositionas they could, to accommodate these interests, before their petition wasprinted and circulated, ought to have made all the concessions then, thatthey have since made by stipulations, and more too. They ought to have givenus a clear cut honest proposition that would be final and not need any coddlingup with stipulations of doubtful validity. Instead of that, we have beforeus a proposition conceived in duplicity, blotted all over with badges offraud, and then patched up with stipulations to cure most of the defects,yet leaving many in doubt whether they are cured or only covered up.

This is the first railroad proposition thatwas ever put before the people of this county for their votes in this way.Former propositions have been read before meetings of citizens and beendiscussed and amended in various ways to meet the views of the people, beforethe petitions were circulated.

The excuse that they did not know that theseconcessions would be demanded is too frivolous and not true. It is onlya presumption that the people would consider all railroad propositions alikeand would take down anything bearing that name without scrutiny or questionas coming from superior beings of unselfish attributes, instead of comingfrom men not unlike other men who want to drive a sharp bargain.

An attorney of this city was consulted on legalpoints about the drawing up of that petition. He stated that it would benecessary to include in the proposition each of the points since concededby the stipulations and some others; his advice was unheeded in all pointsexcept as to the form of ballots.

The first we were permitted to know of thismatter was an invitation to meet representatives of the road and citizensat the Brettun House for consultation and discussion, and we went. The timeof the meeting was taken up with speeches to explain the great advantagessuch a road would give to this county, but no proposition was read or producedand no indication of details were given except that the company wanted thiscounty to vote them $100,000, which we objected to as too much. They alsostated that they would make the stipulation that the road should be completedto and through the county in a year from the voting of the bonds if we recollectright. We told them that the time was too short in the present conditionof the money markets, and we advised them to take plenty of time so as toobviate the necessity of forfeiture, but to make the time certain. No draftof a petition was presented, no further opportunity was given to make suggestionsas to what it should contain. When we asked to see their petition, we wereanswered that it was not ready, but that we would have a chance to see itand make suggestions before it was finally decided upon. The meeting adjournedand the very next morning a printed petition was in circulation for signaturesand it was evident that it was printed and ready before the meeting wascalled at the Brettun House. The object of this duplicity was evidentlyto get as many committed in advance to the support of an unseen proposition,and to get so many signatures before attention was called to its defectsthat it would be accepted to save doing the work over again.

We then began the fight, not against the road,but against the proposition, and another meeting was called at the BrettunHouse, to which we were invited, and Maj. Hanson, Col. Doniphan, and otherrepresentatives of the company were present. This meeting was also largelyoccupied with speeches about the great advantages of such a road to us;but we got a chance to state many of our objections to the proposition andto urge amendments, but all the satisfaction we could get was that of coursethe company intended to do most of these things we demanded, would be afool if it did not, but they did not want the proposition lumbered up withall this frivolous stuff presented in a carping and fault finding spirit,and besides, it was too late to alter the petition for it had already beensigned by near eight hundred taxpayers.

Now we do not wish to treat Maj. Hanson, Col.Doniphan, and the other gentlemen of the company with discourtesy, for wethink that if they had managed this business, we should have got a fairproposition in the first place, but they apparently did not manage it.

We learned that it was a Winfield man who wasgetting up the proposition and engineering it along. We observed that itwas a Winfield man who swept aside our objections as frivolous; a Winfieldman who said the several things we have mentioned in answer to our suggestionand who gave the cue for what should be said by others and otherwise managingthe machine. We noticed that the gentlemen from St. Jo. and other partsseemed to be only figureheads to make a show of eastern capital and railroadbuilders. We think that if they had managed the business, we should notbe now in this predicament.

REPORTING FALSEHOODS. We must also give onekick at the manner we were treated last Friday and since by friends of theproposition. While every means in their power was being tried by committeesand delegations to convince us that we ought to support the propositionnow, and we were standing squarely against such a course in our replies,a report was being busily circulated all over the city and county that wehad agreed to support the proposition. From Friday noon up to Monday nightwe had occasion to dispute this falsehood, perhaps a hundred times, by assertingthat we had not agreed to any such thing and should not. We had not givenany indication that we might even lean a little in that direction. If wesay anything in this article that leans in that direction, it will be whollyincidental and not in pursuance of any promise or understanding with anyone.Some folks seem to think the only way to carry their ends is by lying.

Having thus ventilated this scrap of history,we now state WHY WE WITHDRAW FROM THE FIGHT.

After carefully considering all that we havesaid in the past issues of the COURIER, we find nothing that we desire totake back and little which we will modify. We think our position has beenthe right position and that it has brought forth fruits which are of advantageto the county. We stand upon our record. The result has been the filingof a stipulation with the county clerk by the president and secretary ofthe railway company which concedes to the people of the county several ofthe most important points which we have demanded. It concedes that the roadshall have all the attributes of a first class narrow gauge road, severalof which are specified, or no bonds shall be delivered. It concedes thatthe first $50,000 of the bonds shall not be delivered on the mere buildingof the road from the west line of the county to Winfield. It concedes thatno bonds shall be delivered until a first class narrow gauge road is builtfrom Joplin to Winfield and trains of cars running thereon. It concedesthat no bonds shall be delivered, but that all shall be forfeited, unlessthe road is built and completed in first class order and cars running thereonfrom Joplin, Missouri, to Winfield within eighteen months from the filingof the stipulations. It concedes the construction of such stations and sidetracks as seems to bee the wants of the people along the line as a conditionprecedent to the delivery of the bonds.

THE ATTITUDE OF WINFIELD. Another reason wehave to give is the attitude of the citizens of Winfield. We live in Winfield,have lived here since 1870 when it was a raw prairie. We think we have contributedsomething to its prosperity. The citizens of Winfield are our friends andneighbors and heaviest patrons. They are as a body energetic, honorable,and intelligent businessmen whom we highly respect, whose interests arethe same as ours, and whose opinions are entitled to great weight. Theyhave since our last issue held meetings and resolved almost unanimouslyto accept the stipulation as good and binding and to support the propositionwith the stipulation with their time and money. They are so sanguine thatit is best to support it and carry it if possible that they have gone downin their pockets and brought out the liberal sum of a thousand dollars toexpend in canvassing the county to advocate the proposition. They will turnout every day and among them make several speeches every night until theday of the election when they will work at the polls everywhere. If theyare at work for their own interests as they fully believe they are at workfor the whole county and perhaps a lesser degree, how can we stand up andfight against them under such circ*mstances?

They have treated us handsomely in this matterand have used on us able arguments and the powers of eloquence to convinceus that it was our duty to turn in with them and use the influence of theCOURIER to support this proposition and we candidly confess that the pressureon us is so great that we can hardly resist it.

But we owe a duty to our readers and friendsin other parts of the county, to those who depend upon us for the factsin cases of movement in our county affairs, who depend upon us for impartialconclusions in such cases, and these duties we must not ignore. We shalltry impartially to give them all this, all the facts about what is goingon affecting this question and not trying to influence their votes furtherthan facts, and what we conscientiously believe are just conclusions, willdo it. They are the jurymen and must do their own voting. We cannot do theirvoting for them if we would. They must each decide for themselves whetherthey will vote at all, how they will vote, and how much they can affordto do to get their neighbors to vote.

LEGAL VALUE OF THE STIPULATION. Up to the filingof the stipulation, a week ago, there seemed to be no reasonable doubt thatthe proposition would be defeated by an overwhelming majority. Much nowdepends upon the opinions held by the voters of the binding force of thatstipulation. We stated last week that we did not believe it is of any bindingeffect. We have investigated the matter as much as possible since and havegot the opinion of several attorneys on that matter. Messrs. Jennings, McDermott,and we suppose, McDonald, state as their legal opinion that the stipulationis valid and binding, while the others we talked with expressed some doubt.No decisions were found exactly in point, but general principal is laiddown that a proposition to be voted upon must be advertised as a whole accordingto law, thirty days in this instance. We form the conclusion from what weget from the authorities, that only that part of a proposition which hasbeen advertised thirty days could be considered as a part of it, but weconclude that a party can waive a part of the benefits accruing to himselfunder it and that such waiver for a consideration such as to induce acceptanceof the main proposition would be enforced. At worst we do not think it probablethat any court would compel the issue of the bonds on technical groundsunless the conditions of the waiver had been fully complied with. This isthe opinion of all our attorneys. This is a modification of the opinionwe expressed last week and the result of further inquiring and investigation.We think there is little danger of any bonds being issued unless the stipulationis fully performed and within the time named.

The clean and sure way to amend was to withdrawthe proposition and suspend the election; then draw a new proposition expressingeverything on both sideseverything the company will now concede in clearand unmistakable languagethen circulate it and get the signatures of twofifths of the taxpayers and have the commissioners call an election givingthirty days notice. But some of the attorneys say that this cannot be doneand that the election once called cannot be stopped, and they support theirpositions by arguments a little paradoxical and conflicting, but they maybe right. Anyway, the election will be held and if the bonds are voted down,another election cannot be called unless on a petition of the majority ofthe voters of the county.

The representatives of the company say thatthis will never be done and that they will, if voted down now, either goaround us or submit township bonds along the same line. We do not know whatthey would do in that event if they themselves do, which is doubtful. Theywould doubtless do what appeared to them to be the best thing for them todo when the time should come.

THE VALUE OF THE ROAD. We print in another columnan article sent us by Mr. Thos. McDougal, which was published in the CincinnatiCommercial Gazette of the 28th ult. Mr. McDougal is the owner of thetower brick building, corner of 10th and Main Streets, in this city, andis otherwise interested in this city and county and it seems fair to givethe article a place. We do not expect a narrow gauge road would be nearas valuable to us as a standard gauge over the same route would be, butit should be considered that no company proposes to build a standard gaugeover this route and there is no present probability that such a projectwill ever be worked up. The route is one on which a road is very much needed.It brings a market and railroad facilities close to the homes of the peopleof a large section of one county in the central and southeastern part ofthe county, who are now far from such facilities and who have contributedtheir quota to paying for and procuring such facilities for other and morefavored sections of the county.

Again it is fair to state that the narrow gaugeroads complained of in the article referred to were so near failures simplybecause they were so shabbily built, built to make all the money possibleout of the construction, and were not compelled to make good roads in orderto get their bond subsidies. This is different. The stipulations compelthis company to make a first class road in every particular in order toget the bonds voted by this county, and if they don't do it, they won'tget the bonds.

Then these Ohio narrow gauges were only shortsnatches of roads without any narrow gauge connections. This must be builtat least 150 miles long, from Joplin to Winfield, in a specified time, toget our bonds. If they can do that they can readily add 150 more miles toLarned in about the same time or a little longer and 300 miles of road ina string is not one of those short snatches of road. Again this road aspiresof magnificent narrow gauge connections not less than the great Denver &Rio Grande system, a system of assured permanence and success, to say nothingof the Paramore system from St. Louis to Texas and other projected systemseast of here. But the company is not compelled to build to a connectionwith either of these systems in order to get our bonds, and it depends whollyupon the ability of the company to make these connections and whether itcan make money by doing so, to settle the question whether it will be doneor not.

But it must be conceded that 200 miles of roadalready constructed and in operation would give the company a wonderfulimpetus and power as well as standing in financial circles and it couldreasonably be expected that they would be able to succeed; and if they havethe ability, we doubt not the promise of profit on the construction wouldbe amply sufficient to induce them to make every effort in that direction.

ABILITY TO BUILD THE FIRST TWO HUNDRED MILES.We have heretofore expressed a strong doubt of the ability of the companyto build the first two hundred miles in the time named in the propositionbefore us on account of the present depressed condition of the money marketwhen even no new standard gauge bonds can possibly be placed, for standardgauge bonds have always been looked upon with more favor than narrow gaugebonds. We must concede however that the depression of the market is "lettingup" of late, that there is an abundance of idle money in the east seekingsafe investment, and that there is every reason to expect that the marketswill return to their normal condition within the next ninety days. Thenfrom the accounts from other counties and townships along the line of thisroad, it looks like, that if these bonds are voted in this county, it willgive such an impulse in the other counties and townships that bonds willbe voted in addition to what are already voted, sufficient to secure $600,000of municipal bonds along the first 600 miles of the road, an average ofat least $2,000 per mile from Joplin to Larned.

Now we still hold that a first-class narrowgauge road can be built over this whole route at not far from $6,000 a mile,and we have no doubt that the company can put money enough into it to buildthe first twenty miles, say, $120,000. They have then that much of a basisof mortgage bonds. They can negotiate with a money syndicate and hypothecatethe $600,000 of municipal bonds to it, prior to delivery, which will serveas security to the mortgage bonds. Then the syndicate through its financialagent can dole out the money on these bonds to pay the bills for constructionas fast as the work is done; and as fast as the municipal bonds are delivered,they can be sold or taken by the syndicate and the proceeds applied on thedebt or on the construction. The small amount of money that must be raisedon the mortgage bonds, not over $4,000 per mile, will be amply secured bythese hypothecates, the first twenty miles of the road wholly paid for andthe first mortgage on the whole road.

So we conclude that if these bonds are voted,the road will be built and on time. But we must further concede that asthe expense of this election must now be borne anyway, there would be nodamage to the county if these bonds are carried and the road should notbe built.

WOULD IT BE WORTH TO THE COUNTY WHAT IT WOULDCOST? While we have contended that $100,000 is too much to vote to a narrowgauge by at least $20,000, and that much more than the county need to havegiven had the matter been properly handled in the start by those who oughtto have done so, the question is reduced to whether we can afford to takethe risk of holding out for better terms, and whether the road would beworth $100,000 to the county. The COURIER had the courage to shoulder therisk of holding out, up to now, but having accomplished something by it,we now shift the further risk on the shoulders of the voters.

If the road is built, there can be no questionthat it would be worth much more than $100,000 to the county. It would makeproduce sell higher all over the county and reduce the prices of coal, lumber,and other things brought in, to an extent largely beyond that sum. It woulditself be taxable property which would be assessed not less than $150,000in the county and in consequence of it probably enough other property wouldbe brought into the county or be enhanced in value sufficiently to increasethe assessment another $150,000, making $300,000 the sum it adds to theassessment rolls, and so long as the tax levy for all county purposes is20 mills or more to say nothing of school district and township taxes, thecounty tax on this property will be sufficient to pay the $6,000 yearlyinterest on the bonds. So at the worst, no man in any part of the countywould be any worse off for the building of the road and the issue of $100,000six percent county bonds, even in the matter of taxes.

THOSE ALONG THE LINE MOST BENEFITTED. It isnatural to expect that the most unanimous support of the proposition willbe found along the line of the proposed road and the most general oppositionwill be found in places most distant from the road, because along the lineof the road people are benefitted most by it. In addition to the benefitof nearness to the accommodations and the greater enhanced value to property,the railroad is taxed for the townships and school districts it runs throughwhile townships and school districts in the county which the road does nottouch get no benefit from township and district taxation of railroads. Thisis neither fair, just, nor right, and should be remedied by a constitutionalamendment if, as is concluded, it cannot be remedied without. But this injusticeis not in itself a reason that persons not benefitted by these taxes shouldvote against the bonds, for they are benefitted in other ways to such anextent that they are better off with the bonds than without them becauseof taxation for county purposes alone. It cannot help them to vote againstwhat will do them good because the same thing will do the others more good.

BONDING RATE. If the bonds are carried nextTuesday and if the road is built in full compliance with the stipulation,$100,000 of the bonds of the county will be issued, and the interest onthese bonds will be $6,000 a year with 40 miles of road to tax. The rateof bonding is $2,500 a mile. This will not be so bad as the $4,000 a milewe gave the C. S. & S. F. on 32 miles of road on which we issued $128,000of bonds on which we are paying $7,680 a year interest. Notwithstandingwe gave this road so much it is a fact that this road has been a benefitto the taxpayers of this county as it is paying into the county treasuryabout $9,000 a year, which is $1,320 more than enough to pay the yearlyinterest on the bonds issued to it. This of course is not all county taxbut much the larger portion of it benefits the whole county in reducingtaxation. Then there is unquestionably in this county property, includingthis railroad, that would not be in the county but for the building of thisroad, sufficient to make the assessment rolls at least $600,000 higher thanthey would otherwise have been. The taxation of this property raises doublethe amount for county purposes alone, that it takes to pay on the bondsissued to that railroad, and relieves the taxpayers all over the countyto that extent. But this is but a small portion of the advantages that thisroad has given the whole county over and above what it has cost us.

The K. C. L. & S. K. though, is the cleanroad for benefits to this county notwithstanding these benefits are reducedby being taken out of competition with the Santa Fe. The stock we got forthe bonds sold for enough to cancel all the county bonds issued to it except$22.500, on which the yearly interest is only $1,575, while the road paysover $9,000 per annum into the county treasury. If we could have got thisnarrow gauge into such a shape as this, we could have howled for the bondswith all the vim in our power. . . .

Winfield Courier, March6, 1884.

Railroad Meeting. A large and enthusiastic railroadmeeting was held at the Courthouse last Thursday evening. Speeches weremade, the present status of the railroad proposition discussed, and theopinions of all the lawyers present called out as to the validity of thestipulations. They all said they were good and binding in law. The benefitsof the road were set forth in glowing colors by Messrs. Jennings, Soward,McDermott, and others. After becoming satisfied on the question of the legalityof the stipulations, the meeting resolved itself into a committee of thewhole on the prospects for carrying the bonds. It was plain that if thevalue of the proposed road to the county could but be put fairly beforeevery taxpayer, the bonds would be carried. Committees were then organizedand over five hundred dollars subscribed for the purpose of printing andcirculating information and holding meetings.

[OTTER TOWNSHIP CORRESPONDENT: "OTTERITE."]

Winfield Courier, March13, 1884.

Most everyone is interested now about the D.M. & A. railroad. They think that those last stipulations that the Companyfiled with the county Clerk are enough, and that it is to their interestto vote for the bonds. Hon. Jas. McDermott of Winfield addressed quite anumber of the sturdy yeomanry of Otter Township at the Cedar Creek schoolhouseon Wednesday evening and convinced, it seems, most all the doubting Thomasesthat they should fall in with offered mercy before it is too late. OTTERITE.

Winfield Courier, April10, 1884.

The Baptist Sunday school celebrated its sixthanniversary on last Sunday evening with a concert. The history of the schoolwas tersely reviewed by James McDermott, some excellent remarks on Sundayschool work were made by Rev. Cairns, and the little ones gave interestingrecitations and songs. The regular choir, which is hard to excel, was presentand discoursed beautiful music. The Baptist Sunday school exhibits muchprosperity and good feeling.

[EXCHANGES.]

Winfield Courier, April17, 1884.

DEXTER EYE.James McDermott, of Winfield, was in town yesterday. He was returning fromChautauqua County. He says the Santa Fe will build from Howard, throughGrenola, down the Caney Valley to Cedar Vale and the Territory line.

Arkansas City Republican, May 3, 1884.

James McDermott and the surveyors will arrivefrom Winfield Monday morning for the purpose of laying off the additionsto the town site of Dexter. Dexter Eye.

[DEXTER TOWNSHIP CORRESPONDENT: "UNCLESAM."]

Winfield Courier, July10, 1884.

The Fourth was celebrated in the grove nearDexter. Everything passed off quietly and pleasantly. We noticed Hon. JamesMcDermott on the grounds. Mc. has many warm friends in this community andhis presence is always heartily welcomed.

Arkansas City Traveler, August 6, 1884.

The announcement of Albert P. Johnson as a candidatefor the office of county attorney appears in this issue. The gentleman isa member of the firm of McDermott & Johnson, attorneys of Winfield,and has been well and favorably known throughout the county for severalyears past. He is in every way qualified for the office, both by educationand experience, is a staunch Republican, a temperance man, and in the eventof his securing the nomination would be elected by the usual Republic majority,and would doubtless discharge the duties of the office with profit to thecounty and credit to himself.

ANNOUNCEMENTS. I am a candidate for county attorney,subject to the decision of the Republican county convention to be held atWinfield, Saturday, August 23.

ALBERT P. JOHNSON.

James McDermott gets married again...

[MARRIAGE LICENSES.]

Winfield Courier, August7, 1884.

The Probate Judge has issued MARRIAGE LICENSESduring the week as follows.

James McDermott to Tirzah A. Henderson.

Winfield Courier, August14, 1884.

MARRIED. We neglected to announce the marriageof Hon. James McDermott to Miss Tirzah A. Henderson, of Dexter Township,which occurred at the home of the bride on July 31st. The bride is one ofeastern Cowley's fairest daughters. They have taken up their home in Winfield.The COURIER, with many other friends, extend congratulations.

[LETTER FROM W. P. HACKNEY.]

Arkansas City Traveler, Wednesday, October 29, 1884.

TO THE REPUBLICAN PARTY OF COWLEY COUNTY.

GENTLEMEN: As is usual at the close of our campaignsin this county, you are insulted and outraged by a characterless sheet publishedin Winfield and misnamed "The Telegram," and known allover Cowley County as a dirty, filthy sewer through which vile slandersare annually heaped upon the unoffending candidates of the Republican party.This sheet does not advocate Democratic principles, unless to peddle liesand slanders, and to paint men in false colors, to their shame and thatof their families and friends, in Democracy. I cannot call to mind now asingle editorial in that paper intended or calculated to increase the Democraticvotes of this county by legitimate argument or the enunciation of a singleprinciple. Its whole stock in trade consists in the peddling of lies, vilificationof men, and the repeating of slanders.

In this community where it is best known, itis recognized as the mouthpiece of the vile, vicious, and venal. If it hasa character for honesty or decency, it has covertly and designedly hid thelight under a bushel. In its issue of the 16th, it contained a base andinfamous charge against Henry E. Asp, who has lived in this community fromhis boyhood up, and who is respected by every decent man in Cowley Countywho knows him. This charge was made by that paper at the instance and inthe interests of Joseph O'Hare, his political opponent, and is in keepingwith the character of O'Hare and in accord with the past record of thatpaper. Six years ago in this county, when the man who today honors the benchand is the respected judge of this district, was a candidate for countyattorney, that paper made the same kind and character of charges againsthim. And yet today that paper, knowing that the upright and honorable conductof Judge Torrance upon the bench has placed him beyond the power of thatinfamous sheet to encompass his defeat with a Democrat, now endorses hiscandidacy. Again, five years ago, this same outfit vilified and blackenedthe character of A. T. Shenneman, who gave his life in the discharge ofhis duty. Again, four years ago, this vile and dirty sewer of all filthmade the same kind of a fight on myself, and with what result we all know.Again, two years ago, this sheet made the same kind of a fight on JamesMcDermott, whose honesty and integrity cannot be questioned, and succeededin defeating him with a man whose whole career in the legislature was opposedto the interests of the people of Cowley County. And last year this samepaper vomited forth its vile and infamous lies about George McIntire, TomSoward, and Capt. Nipp, and sent its satraps and parasites forth to repeatit* charges for the purpose of deluding Republicans and thereby obtainingvotes under false pretenses for its candidate.

Why is it that you never hear their candidatesupon the stump advocating their election because of the principles of theirparty and in the interest of their party? Why is it that they go out intothe campaign and sneak up to your homes and peddle the libels of that paperto the disgust of decent men, instead of magnifying their own fitness forthat position? Because their candidates, as a rule, are not able to do so,and for the further reason that as a rule their countenances of themselvesare a breach of the peace.

How long must the Republicans stand such treatment,and are we to retaliate? I answer, we must submit to it so long as thatpaper is controlled by the moral leper who now directs its course and mouthsthe excrement vomited by that sheet each week of its filthy issue. We cannotretaliate because no decent Republican can get low enough in the purlieusof filth to compete with them.

Are their candidates better men than ours? Notat all; they never claim that. They engage in that conduct because theyhope to steal into office thereby, and because without the employment ofsuch means to deceive the thoughtless and unwary and thereby procure theirvotes, they could not hope to succeed.

The paper and its siders and abetters in thiscity, are to decent politics what a peat house is to a healthy community,or a pig stye in summer to a near neighbor.

The abuse of this paper is and should be treatedby men who are familiar with the facts as an honest man's endorsem*nt.

Our candidates are all men who have lived inour midst; they were unanimously nominated by the largest and best conventionof men ever assembled in Cowley County, and all fresh from the people ofeach township; and that convention by its nominations certified to the goodcharacter of each, and nothing that this infamous sheet can do or say inthis campaign ought to win any Republican from his allegiance. Let us rememberthat the enemy is virulent, that he is exasperated by defeat, and poisonedwith malice, and let us this year, as last, down this dirty outfit again.

Hoping that we may win a grand victory on Tuesdaynext, I am, W. P. HACKNEY.

P.S. Business in court is my excuse for notvisiting you in person. H.

[COWLEY COUNTY DISTRICT COURT.]

Winfield Courier, November6, 1884.

Read & Robinson vs. W. A. Wright. Commissionersreport confirmed and cash dividend between plaintiffs and defendant, includingJas. McDermott's Attorney fee, $25.00; McDonald & Webb's Attorney fee,$25.00; $5.00 each for Commissioners and summons, $7.00.

Arkansas City Traveler, November 19, 1884.

Below we give the registers of the differenthotels in the city for Saturday, November 15, 1884. Nothing we could saywould show, so clearly, and unmistakably, the bustle of activity and theappearance of business of our little city.

WINDSOR HOTEL. Jas. McDermott, Winfield.

[COWLEY COUNTY DISTRICT COURT.]

Winfield Courier, Thursday,February 19, 1885.

Assignment of Daniel Read. Jas. McDermott appointedto examine assignee's final report. Commissioners' report approved and heallowed $25 of the remaining amount and balance allowed the assignee forhimself and attorneys, after paying accrued costs.

McDermott mentioned in the following article...

[COURIER'S TOPEKA CORRESPONDENT.]

Winfield Courier, Thursday,February 26, 1885.

DEAR COURIER: For four days the House was delugedwith a volume of discussion on the railroad question. It was discussed fromevery point by able men and by men who didn't know any more about controllingrailroads than biblical soldiers do about Paul's wife. There were two billsbefore the body. The one by Mr. Gillett, of Kingman, known as the "Gillettbill," was on the commissioner system with but few changes and certainlyno improvements over the present law. The other was the "Simpson bill,"introduced by Mr. Simpson of McPherson County, establishing a maximum ratefor the heavy products in carload lots and making it the duty of the Boardof Railroad Commissioners to fix the rates on all other freights. The questionwas, which of the two bills would the House take up for consideration, andupon this the seventeen volumes of talk began to pour forth. After the firstday the question was entirely lost sight of, and after three days when thepossibility of a vote being reached seemed eminent, the records had to besearched to find out what the motion under discussion was before the Speakercould put it. The whole range of railroad building, operation, and management,the relation of transportation charges to the producer and consumer, weregone over again and again until the array of facts and "figures"were as bewildering as one of my friend McDermott's arguments to a juryin a sewing machine case. During the discussion Gov. Anthony advanced thestartling proposition that "the transportation tax attaches to theconsumer and not to the product," and came very near proving it. Hadhe enlarged his proposition by saying "when the consumption exceedsthe production," his conclusions would have been correct. However,it will be very hard for even so logical and eloquent a debater as the distinguishedex-Governor to convince an intelligent Kansas farmer that high or low railroadrates do not affect the value of the products. Theory has no place wherefacts exist, and they confront the gentleman's proposition in this caseon every side. The vote was finally reached and the friends of the maximumrate bill won by a majority of four. Then a fine piece of parliamentarywork was executed by the defeated side. Mr. Clogston, of Greenwood, movedthat a committee of five be appointed by the chair to prepare a substitutefor the two bills, said substituted to "clothe" the Railroad Commissionerswith power to fix rates on freights. This proposition was a kind of side-wheelerto the friends of the Simpson bill because many who voted with them didnot believe in maximum rates but preferred the Simpson bill as containingmore and better features than the Gillett measure. These persons were likelyto favor the committee and a new law compromising the two extremes. An effortwas made to amend the motion so as to instruct the committee to make it"the duty" of the Board of Railroad Commissioners to fix ratesand placing the appointing power in the hands of the governor in place ofthe executive council. The motion to this effect was made by your member,but the railroad men wouldn't support it, and the maximum rates men weremad and like the fellow from Arkansaw, wanted a "whole hog or none,"so the amendment was lost and the committee go out simply to "clothethe commissioners with power," and from the composition of the committee,your correspondent fears that the garment wherewith they will propose toclothe the Board will be too thin in the places where it should be verythick. It will take a careful eye to detect these threadbare spots but anearnest effort will be made to do it. A majority of the members believein a fair and equitable but stringent legislation and if they work together,can accomplish it. Whether they will or not remains to be seen.

The contest over the re-establishment of Clarkand Meade counties was one of the most exciting that has been seen hereaboutsfor many years. The fight was a sort of three cornered one, first betweenopposing factions in the counties named, next on the part of the cattlekings who desired to defeat all organizations and retain possession of thecountry as a pasture for their herds. In this they were assisted by delegationsfrom Dodge City, who saw the speedy downfall of that longhorn rendezvousin thus shutting up the great trail from the south to their city. Finallya compromise was effected between the different factions in the two counties.The cattle men were defeated and the bill passed the House.

Senator Hackney was up last week and is responsiblefor the biggest sell of the session. In the early stages of the effort tocreate the Nineteenth Judicial district, which takes Sumner County fromJudge Torrance's jurisdiction, Mr. Hackney opposed it and wrote severalletters to friends here on the subject. This came to the care of the Wellingtonfellows and they immediately sat down on their tails and commenced to howl!After further consideration of the matter and in conformity to the wishesof many friends, Mr. Hackney withdrew his objections, and the bill passedthe House and went to the Senate. Thursday evening a giant scheme was concoctedand the following dispatch was sent.

TOPEKA, KAS., Feb. 18, 1885.

WM. A. McDONALD, Wellington, Ks.

Hackney with a Winfield mob is here with theircoats off fighting Judicial bill. Senators Jennings, Buchan, and Blue arewith them. I am powerless. Come and bring every man who will on first train.Don't delay. Important sure. Don't pay any attention to any dispatch sentfrom here in my name. Look out for a trick. Treachery everywhere. Signed,LINK.

Senator Lingenfelter is the member of that bodyfrom Sumner and the signature was very easily construed to mean him. Inaddition to this a dozen other dispatches were sent to the mayor, clerk,and other leading citizens, referring them to the above dispatch. As everyman, woman, and child in Sumner has been staking their hopes of future happinesson the new judicial district bill, one can imagine what consternation thesedispatches created. Immediately the hosts were collected, a picked crowdof the bravest and most valiant warriors selected, a collection taken up,and with blood in every eye they proceeded to march on the capital. On Fridaymorning just at break of day they filed by twos into the corridor of theCopeland, commander-in-chief McDonald and A. Q. M. General Reed leadingthe van and proceeded to stack arms and provide ammunition. Senator Lingenfelterwas aroused from slumber sweet to counsel with the warriors on the terriblesituation. When the "true inwardness" of the matter began to unfolditself, there was roaring and gnashing of teeth followed by scenes thatwould make a peaceable prohibitionist shudder to repeat, but suffice itto say that from that day until it falls into the hands of some county-seatcensus taker, the Copeland register will contain the names of a long listof Wellington's distinguished citizens as "guests of Bill Hackney andDick Walker." If it will help the matter any, I might intimate thatSenator Ed. Hewins wasn't an entire stranger to the scheme. The bill finallypassed the Senate with but two opposing votes on the day they were here.The occurrence was the talk of the town for several days.

The session is drawing to a close and the calendaris still encumbered with two or three hundred bills, with as many more inthe Senate. Most of them cannot, by any possibility, be got through beforethe fifty days for which the members can receive pay expires. It requiresa great deal of patriotism to "work for nothing and board yourself,"so the possibility of a "raid on the treasury" for postage stampswith which to pay board bills is imminent. I sound this warning note sothat my legal friend who hurls Blackstone at the court with one hand andwrites of the deep and damnable corruption of the servants of the peoplewith the other, may throw himself into an undivided state into the breachand save the one millionth part of a mill which a thieving legislature mightrob him of. Up, Brutus, and at him!!

[COWLEY COUNTY DISTRICT COURT.]

Winfield Courier, Thursday,April 23, 1885. Courier Supplement.

There were no cases put through the mill ofjustice today. The only business transacted was the examination of T. J.Stafford and W. M. Jenkins, of Arkansas City, and P. Hills, of this city,for admittance to the bar. The committee of examination were James McDermott,J. D. Pryor, and Will T. Madden, who have not yet reported. W. J. Burge,having plead guilty to selling whiskey, came up from Arkansas City and paidhis fine and costs today, amounting to $125. A petition was presented tothe Board of County Commissioners yesterday, signed by a large number ofArkansas City people, praying that the order of commitment be rescinded,on the ground that he was not able to pay his fine and to give him a chanceto earn it. The petition called him a man of "fair moral character."The Commissioners, one dissenting, refused his little request, and withthe iron grates running through his imagination, he chose the better way,and "whacked up." There were ten counts against him, but in considerationof his pleading guilty to the tenth, County Attorney Asp nollied the rest.

Winfield Courier, Thursday,April 23, 1885.

TUESDAY. County Attorney Asp went over to Dextertoday to prosecute an assault case before the justice there. It is a casewherein some boys shied too many dangerous stones at an innocent individual.James McDermott was for the defendant.

Winfield Courier, Thursday,May 21, 1885.

The case of the Wheeler & Wilson ManufacturingCompany against Peter Thompson and wife, which was taken up some time agoupon error, has been reversed by the Supreme Court and remanded for newtrial. This case is rather peculiar. It was commenced in January, 1880,tried twice before Justice Kelly, three times in the District Court, andtwice in the Supreme Court, and now it will go through the mill again. Letthe good work go on, and cursed be he who first cries enough. S. D. Pryoris the attorney for the plaintiff and McDermott & Johnson for the defendant.

[COWLEY COUNTY PROBATE COURT.]

Winfield Courier, Thursday,June 4, 1885.

John D. Maurer, Administrator, estate of JonasMaurer, deceased. Attorneys: McDermott & Johnson. Date: August 10, 1885.

Winfield Courier, Thursday,June 4, 1885.

Mr. and Mrs. James McDermott had a new arrivalat their home last eveningweight unknown.

Arkansas City Republican, June 20, 1885.

Rural Pugilism. Dexter Township is shaken fromcenter to circumference by a youthful slugging match that ended in somedangerous blows, and possibly a term in durance vile for the attacking Sullivan.

Frank S. Ridgway and William D. Callison, boysof twenty, were the sluggists. They met at Sunday school last Sunday, and,with blood in his left eye, Ridgway followed Callison along the road andgave him a belt on the head with an awfully wicked, home-made billy. Callisonwas knocked senseless; but on coming to, he began to chew his antagonist'sthumb, took away his billy, and with his thumb still in his mouth, gaveRidgway such a pounding as he will long rememberlaying him up for repairs.They were brought before Justice Hines yesterday and Callison fined $10and costs and Ridgway bound over to the district court. Senator Hackneyappeared for the state and Jas. McDermott for the defense. There were sixty-fourwitnessesmen, women, and childrenwith about five hundred spectators. Ridgwaysand Callisons are connected by marriage and the feud seems to have beenthe result of a family row. Winfield Courier.

Winfield Courier, Thursday,July 16, 1885.

At first R. H. White, in the bastille chargedwith the brutal murder of his wife, Julia Ann, was undecided as to whetheror not he would wave preliminary examination, and had the matter put off.When his brother came on, arrangements were made to get $600 for the defense.Then a preliminary hearing was instituted and began before Judge Snow yesterday,with County Attorney Asp prosecuting, and Jennings & Troup and McDermott& Johnson for the defense. No new facts have been introduced. The evidenceis almost verbatim to that published from time to time in THE COURIER andwhich has become trite to the public. There was a difference in the testimonyof Doctors Emerson and Graham, regarding the flat iron. Dr. Emerson thoughtthe wound was undoubtedly produced by the iron, while Dr. Graham thoughtthis very improbable. W. C. Allen, representative of Johnson County, whois visiting in this county, was introduced and testified as to the goodcharacter of White and his family when he knew them, a few years ago. Thetrial is still in progress and will not be decided before tomorrow. Whitewaived the jury in his trial.

Winfield Courier, Thursday,July 23, 1885.

What seems to be the last chapter in the deepestand most damnable murder that ever stained the history of any communityclosed Thursday. Robert H. White, charged with the awful crime of havingcrushed in the skull of his wife with a flat iron or other instrument, languishedin the county jail until ten days ago, undecided as to whether he wouldwaive preliminary examination or not. His brother came out from Illinoisand proffered $250 or more to his brother's defense. Jennings & Troupand McDermott & Johnson were secured as counsel and Tuesday afternoonthe preliminary trial began. County Attorney Asp conducted the prosecutionand Senator Jennings and A. P. Johnson the defense. The evidence presentedwas a repetition of that given at the coroner's inquest, which appearedin full in THE COURIER, and is perfectly known to all. The only new witnessesof importance were W. C. Allen, legislative representative of Johnson County,Illinois, who has been visiting friends in this county. He knew White andhis family in Illinois, and testified to their good character. The evidenceof J. H. Rendleman, father of Mrs. White, corroborated the statements asto the perfect felicity always existing between White and wife, and thatWhite always had a terror for storms. He said that, on his place in Illinois,White had a cave where he always went in times of storm. His wife seldomwent with him. Doctors Graham, Emerson, and Marsh differed as to the flatiron being the instrument of murder. Dr. Graham claimed it very improbablethat the iron made the wound, while Doctors Emerson and Marsh were positivethat it was used. Witnesses were also introduced to show that the bloodon the victim's shoes was caused by one of the children's straw hats beingpicked up from the pool of blood at the head of the bed and thrown backunder the table, lodging on the shoes. But Sheriff McIntire, Dr. Marsh,and others who examined the shoes the morning of the murder still maintainedthat the blood on the heel of each shoe was the print of a hand. The evidenceclear through was the same as before, when summed up, and so well knownthat a resume is unnecessary. County Attorney Asp's opening and closingarguments occupied an hour and showed a careful study of the case. Everybearing was dwelt upon with ability and zeal. A. P. Johnson's speech occupiedforty minutes and Senator Jennings spoke an hour and ten minutes. He broughtout the theory that the simple lunatic who was found in that neighborhooda day or so afterward was the murderer. His own vicious habits had madehim an imbecile and the likelihood of an attempt at outrage by him, as hepassed by the door coming from the woods, was shown probable. But CountyAttorney Asp, in his closing argument, showed by the evidence of the shoetracks around the house and the fact that no clue was found on her personby the physicians that would lead to the belief that any outrage had beenattempted, was uncirc*mstantial.

Winfield Courier, Thursday,August 6, 1885.

The following are the real estate transfersfiled in the office of Register of Deeds since our last issue.

James McDermott et ux to James H Bullen, lot12 and 11 frac lots blk 282 Dexter: $150.

Albert Gilkey et ux to Albert P Johnson andJames McDermott, lot 16 blk 148, Winfield: $700.

Winfield Courier, Thursday,August 27, 1885.

James McDermott and Walter Seaver went overto Chautauqua County last Friday, loaded with D., M. & A. documentsand a zeal to make the bonds carry on the 25th or bust. C. C. Black hasbeen there for several days.

Winfield Courier, Thursday,August 27, 1885.

Hon. James McDermott returned yesterday morningfrom Chautauqua County, where he had been canvassing for a week or two forthe D., M. & A. bonds. He has borne the brunt of one of the biggestfights on record against powerful odds led by the sharpest spirits in thestate and if he has won, as he thinks he has, in the election of yesterday,it will be another bright feather in his cap.

[COWLEY COUNTY DISTRICT COURT.]

Winfield Courier, Thursday,August 27, 1885.

1869. Winfield Bank vs William A Hybarger, etal. J F McMullen for plaintiff; D C Beach, McDermott & Johnson for defendant.

2026. Ada M Rice vs Lewis M Rice. W. P. Hackney,McDermott & Johnson for plaintiff; Jennings & Troup for defendant.

2032. Jeremiah Weakley vs Burton D Guinn etal. Jennings & Troup for plaintiff; McDermott & Johnson for defendant.

2033. Frances M Mallett vs Burton B Guinn etal. Jennings & Troup for plaintiff; McDermott & Johnson for defendant.

2034. Wesley Mallett vs Burton D Guinn et al.Jennings & Troup for plaintiff; McDermott & Johnson for defendant.

2056. Wm Wilt and Martha Wilt vs The MutualBenefit Life Ins. Co. et al. Leavitt, McDermott & Johnson for plaintiff;McDonald & Webb for defendant.

2096. Winfield Bank vs J B Nipp, Co. Treas.McDonald & Webb for plaintiff; Hackney & Asp, McDermott & Johnsonfor defendant.

2100. S M Jarvis vs Elijah E Craine et al. A.J. Pyburn for plaintiff; McDermott & Johnson for defendant.

2113. Justin Hollister vs Board of Co Com. McDermott& Johnson for plaintiff; Henry E. Asp for defendant.

2115. James Bruington vs Board of Co Com. McDermott& Johnson for plaintiff; Henry E. Asp for defendant.

2130. The City of Winfield vs J M Stayman. W.P. Hackney for plaintiff; McDermott & Johnson for defendant.

2134. N M Persing et al vs Oscar Henderson etal. Saml. J. Day for plaintiff; McDermott & Johnson for defendant.

2149. J A Kendall et al vs Lemuel LafayetteWise et al. Dalton & Madden for plaintiff. McDermott & Johnson fordefendant.

2166. Leonard Farr vs Archibald F McClaren etal. McDermott & Johnson for plaintiff.

2167. Amos I Allison vs Sylvester T Hocket.McDermott & Johnson for plaintiff.

2184. Ellen Riley [Riely] vs Theodore Faircloet al. McDermott & Johnson for plaintiff.

2186. Levi Weimer vs Board County Commissioners.McDermott & Johnson for plaintiff. Henry E. Asp for defendant.

McDermott & Johnson move again: NinthAvenue, next to Sol Fredrick's livery barn...

Winfield Courier, Thursday,September 3, 1885.

McDermott & Johnson have moved their lawoffice to Ninth Avenue, next to Sol Fredrick's livery barn.

Winfield Courier, Thursday,September 17, 1885.

The following are the real estate transfersfiled in the office of Register of Deeds since our last issue.

James McDermott to Elizabeth J Hendry, lot 5,blk 5, Dexter: $10.

Winfield Courier, Thursday,September 17, 1885.

The case of Uncle Sam against D. D. Kellogg,of Udall, was before U. S. Commissioner Webb on Tuesday. He was chargedwith selling cigars, at a Baptist social at Kellogg station, without governmentlicense. It was proven that Mr. Kellogg took a box of cigars to the social,but that he intentionally sold any could not be proven. He had no intentionwhatever of selling any, if he did. He took them to treat the band boysand others. W. W. Campf made the complaint. No malice was proven. JamesMcDermott defended and Lovell Webb was both Commissioner and prosecutingattorney. Kellogg was dismissed.

[COWLEY COUNTY DISTRICT COURT.]

Winfield Courier, Thursday,September 17, 1885.

The District Court convened Monday morning,Judge pro tem Dalton presiding.

James McDermott was appointed guardian ad litemof the minor heirs of Camilla R. Bigler; and Frank F. Leland, guardian adlitem of the heirs of John Deffenbaugh.

[COWLEY COUNTY DISTRICT COURT.]

Winfield Courier, Thursday,October 8, 1885.

A short session of the District Court was heldThursday by Judge Pro Tem Dalton. The sheriff's sale in W. C. Robinson vs.Andrew J. Cress was confirmed. Minnie Taylor was given a divorce from W.L. Taylor, on grounds of abandonment. James McDermott, Jos. O'Hare, andLovell H. Webb were appointed to examine Aus. F. Hopkins and P. M. Stormsfor admission to the bar. The examination is unfinished at this writingCourt will adjourn to next Monday.

[COWLEY COUNTY DISTRICT COURT.]

Winfield Courier, Thursday,October 8, 1885.

A. F. Hopkins and P. M. Storms were examinedin the District Court Thursday by a committee composed of James McDermott,Lovell H. Webb, and Joseph O'Hare, appointed by Judge Pro Tem Dalton, andadmitted to the bar as counselors at law in the courts of Kansas. Theirexamination was highly creditable, showing a keen studiousness that willdo much toward pushing them to the front in legal affairs. They have thezeal and ambition, which, if properly applied, insures success with increasingyears. They are of our best young men, in good character and general attainments,and their admission to the bar, with credit and honor, is the legitimateresult of the labor and determination that make our most successful men.

Winfield Courier, Thursday,October 15, 1885.

A CHEEKY MAN.James McDermott, upon returning home to dinner Monday and as he drew nearhis house, noticed a party just mounting a horse with a buggy whip in hishand. The party seemed to be a little hurried, which raised Mr. McDermott'ssuspicions, seeing that the man came from his barn and that he was oncethe possessor of a bran new buggy whip, so he went into the carriage roomand investigated. The whip was gone: taken right before his eyes. This isone of the cheekiest and coolest steals out. The villain taking it shouldhave it worn out on his back.

Winfield Courier, Thursday,October 22, 1885.

The little child of Mr. and Mrs. James McDermottis very sick.

Winfield Courier, Thursday,October 22, 1885.

The bright little child of Mr. and Mrs. JamesMcDermott died Friday, of inflammation of the brain, and was buried Saturday,the ceremonies being conducted by Rev. Reider.

[DEXTER TOWNSHIP CORRESPONDENT: "MOSSROSE."]

Winfield Courier, Thursday,November 5, 1885.

L. B. Bullington bought 21 head of calves ofJames McDermott one day last week.

Winfield Courier, Thursday,November 19, 1885.

Mr. James McDermott, one of Winfield's prominentattorneys, was in the city Thursday. Mr. McDermott thinks we ought to havethe new schoolhouse by all means. Further, he offers a half block as schoolgrounds, if it is built immediately. Dexter Eye.

[COWLEY COUNTY DISTRICT COURT.]

Winfield Courier, Thursday,December 10, 1885.

CIVIL DOCKET. SECOND DAY.

J C Fuller et al vs L B Stone et al, J F McMullenand McDermott & Johnson pros; Jos O'Hare and Hackney & Asp defense.

Winfield Bank vs William A Hybarger et al, JF McMullen pros; D C Beach, McDermott & Johnson and Hackney & Aspdefense.

O M Stewart vs David A Merydith, McDonald &Webb pros; McDermott & Johnson defense.

CIVIL DOCKET. THIRD DAY.

Jeremiah Weakley vs Burton D Guinn et al, Jennings& Troup pros; McDermott & Johnson defense.

Francis M Mullett vs Burton D Guinn et al, Jennings& Troup pros; McDermott & Johnson defense.

CIVIL DOCKET. FOURTH DAY.

Wesley Mallett vs Burton D Guinn et al, Jennings& Troup pros; McDermott & Johnson defense.

William Wilt et al vs The Mutual Benefit LifeInsurance Co., Leavitt and McDermott & Johnson pros; McDonald &Webb defense.

CIVIL DOCKET. FIFTH DAY.

Winfield Bank vs J B Nipp Co. Treasurer et al,McDonald & Webb pros; Hackney & Asp and McDermott & Johnsondefense.

Justin Hollister vs Board of Co. Commissioners,McDermott & Johnson pros; Hackney & Asp defense.

James Bruington vs Board of Co. Commissioners,McDermott & Johnson pros; Hackney & Asp defense.

CIVIL DOCKET. SIXTH DAY.

The City of Winfield vs J M Stayman, Jos O'Harepros; McDermott & Johnson defense.

N M Persing et al vs Oscar Henderson et al,Samuel Day and Hackney & Asp pros; McDermott & Johnson defense.

J H Kendall et al vs Lafayette Wise et al, Dalton& Madden pros; McDermott & Johnson defense.

CIVIL DOCKET. SEVENTH DAY.

Ellen Riley [Riely] vs Theodore Fairclo et al,McDermott & Johnson pros; Hackney & Asp defense.

118, 1296. Levi Weimer vs Board of Co. Commissioners.McDermott & Johnson pros; Hackney and Asp defense.

CIVIL DOCKET. EIGHTH DAY.

123, 2195. Plum Creek Stock Co. vs Joseph Tetrichet al, McDermott & Johnson pros.

Winfield Courier, Thursday,December 17, 1885.

PEARL PARTY.One of the pleasantest parties of the season assembled at the hospitablehome of Mr. and Mrs. J. S. Hunt last Saturday evening to celebrate the thirtiethanniversary of their wedding. The spacious rooms were well filled and thehost and hostess were everywhere present with their careful attentions which,seconded by Miss Anna, made the enjoyment complete. During the evening theRev. Mr. Reider was brought forward and in a neat and appropriate speechpresented to the host and hostess a beautiful set of silverware as a testimonialof the high appreciation of the contributors for the recipients, accompaniedby a card with the compliments of the following: Mr. and Mrs. R. E. Wallis,Mr. and Mrs. J. A. Cooper, Mr. and Mrs. Jno. Keck, Mr. and Mrs. E. P. Hickok,Mrs. Whitney, Mrs. McClellan, Mr. and Mrs. E. S. Bliss, Mr. and Mrs. E.H. Bliss, Mr. and Mrs. C. A. Bliss, Dr. and Mrs. T. H. Elder, Mr. and Mrs.W. H. Shearer, Mr. and Mrs. N. J. Young, Rev. and Mrs. Reider, Mr. and Mrs.D. A. Millington, Mr. and Mrs. J. C. Fuller, Mr. and Mrs. M. L. Robinson,Mr. and Mrs. H. B. Schuler, Mr. and Mrs. H. E. Silliman, Mr. and Mrs. T.H. Soward, Mr. and Mrs. Col. Whiting, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Brown, Mr. andMrs. A. E. Baird, Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Albro, Mr. and Mrs. M. G. Troup, Mr.and Mrs. E. D. Taylor, Mr. and Mrs. D. Taylor, Mr. and Mrs. G. L. Rinker,Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Dalton, Mr. and Mrs. Sam Pryor, Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Johnston,Mr. and Mrs. Geo. Emerson, Mr. and Mrs. J. S. Mann, Mr. and Mrs. Jno. Crane,Mr. and Mrs. H. S. Silver, Mr. and Mrs. A. D. Hendricks, Mr. and Mrs. Jas.McDermott, Mr. and Mrs. A. B. Arment, Mr. and Mrs. G. S. Manser, Mr. andMrs. R. H. Handy, Mr. and Mrs. C. Collins, Mr. and Mrs. F. M. Pickens, Mr.and Mrs. Wm. McGraw, Mr. and Mrs. F. M. Friend, Mr. and Mrs. Geo. Crippen,Mr. and Mrs. G. C. Wallace, Mr. and Mrs. J. J. Carson, Dr. and Mrs. W. T.Wright, Mr. and Mrs. C. D. Austin. This silver tea set embraced cake basket,berry dish, six teaspoons, and sugar spoon. Dr. and Mrs. Geo Emerson, pearlcard case. Mr. and Mrs. F. C. Hunt, silver fruit dish.

Capt. Hunt responded as happily as the emotionsof this surprise would permit.

A magnificent collation was placed before theguests, which was highly enjoyed, and after music and other entertainments,the party dispersed with many thanks to their entertainers for the pleasuresof the evening. Those present were: Mr. and Mrs. R. E. Wallis, Mr. and Mrs.H. S. Silver, Mr. and Mrs. John Keck, Mr. and Mrs. E. P. Hickok, Mr. andMrs. M. L. Robinson, Mr. and Mrs. H. E. Silliman, Mr. and Mrs. Col. Whiting,Mr. and Mrs. R. H. Handy, Mr. and Mrs. J. J. Carson, Mr. and Mrs. C. D.Austin, Mr. and Mrs. G. C. Wallace, Mr. and Mrs. A. B. Arment, Dr. and Mrs.W. T. Wright, Mrs. McClellan, Mrs. Whitney, Sr., and Mrs. A. E. Baird, Mr.and Mrs. H. B. Schuler, Mr. and Mrs. E. D. Taylor, Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Shearer,Mr. and Mrs. T. H. Soward, Rev. and Mrs. J. H. Reider, Mr. and Mrs. C. A.Bliss, Mr. and Mrs. G. S. Manser, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Brown, Mr. and Mrs.M. G. Troup, Mr. and Mrs. James McDermott, Mr. and Mrs. Jno. Crane, Mr.and Mrs. A. D. Hendricks, Mr. and Mrs. D. A. Millington, Mr. and Mrs. S.D. Pryor, Dr. and Mrs. T. H. Elder, Mr. and Mrs. Wm. McRaw, Mr. and Mrs.Elbert Bliss, Mr. and Mrs. J. C. Fuller, Dr. and Mrs. Emerson, Mr. and Mrs.C. Collins, Mr. and Mrs. Spencer Bliss, Mrs. J. A. Cooper, Mr. and Mrs.F. C. Hunt.

Winfield Courier, Thursday,December 17, 1885.

Adelphia Lodge No. 110, A. F. & A. M., electedits officers for 1886, last night, as follows: W. M., James McDermott; S.W., Q. A. Glass; J. W., H. H. Siverd; Tr., W. G. Graham; Sec., B. W. Trout.The installation occurs Wednesday evening of next week.

[NOTICE TO TAKE DEPOSITIONS.]

Winfield Courier, Thursday,December 31, 1885.

Recap. McDermott & Johnson, Attorneys forPlaintiff, State of Kansas, in District Court, Robert O. Bradley, Plaintiff,against Emily M. Bradley, Defendant. Notification to Defendant that Plaintiffwill take depositions of sundry witnesses to be used as evidence in hisbehalf in trial against Defendant in office of Geo. E. Towne, situated overthe store of Montgomery & Talcot, at the corner of Dunkirk street andthe Square, in the town of Silver Creek, Chautauqua County, New York, onThursday, January 21, 1886.

Winfield Courier, Thursday,January 14, 1886.

Asa Owens, Orderly Sergeant of Capt. McDermott'sCompany, was here for a few days last week visiting his old comrade. Mr.Owen had started east, from the western counties, got snow-bound at Newton,and ran down here for a visit, which was very enjoyable to both. He tookthe S. K. Saturday evening, for the east.

Excerpts from a lengthy article...

Winfield Courier, Thursday,February 4, 1886.

When the written proposition was received byM. L. Robinson from the general manager of the Santa Fe railroad, offeringto build from Douglass to Winfield, if sixty thousand dollars in bonds werevoted as aid, a meeting was called at McDougall Hall, of a number of theprominent citizens of the townships of Rock, Fairview, Walnut, and the cityof Winfield. The sentiment at that time was well nigh unanimous that thetownships would not vote such an amount of aid, but a promise was obtainedfrom those present that the effort should be made, by hard work, to enlista sufficient number of electors. The opposition then commenced their workand two weeks ago the prospect for carrying the bonds was dark indeed. Thenthose who saw the grand possibilities and appreciated how tremendous wasthe stake for which we were striving, got down to their work. Local committeeswere organized, every voter was seen, meetings were held in every district,which were addressed by speakers who thoroughly believed what they advocated,and the result was that the bonds began to gain friends hourly; the oppositionweakened, and in the last two days preceding the election, the revolutionin the sentiment of the electors was something marvelous. Good men who believedthat the practice of voting bonds was both wrong and dangerous, went tothe polls undecided; but, when they saw how life-long friends and neighborswere talking and how they felt, the pressure was greater than they couldstand, and they joined the procession and voted the aid asked. All gloryto the noble citizens of these townships; they will never regret their action,and the opposition as well as those who were friends and advocates of theproposition will have cause to rejoice that Wednesday's vote was the bestday's work ever done in this county. The official vote stands as follows.

ROCK TOWNSHIP: For, 140. Against: 40. Majorityfor: 100.

FAIRVIEW TOWNSHIP: For, 163. Against: 73. Majorityfor: 90.

WALNUT TOWNSHIP: For, 175. Against: 46. Majorityfor: 129.

WINFIELD.

First Ward: For, 194. Against, 3.

Second Ward: For, 121. Against, 2.

Third Ward: For, 133. Against, 0.

Fourth Ward: For, 98. Against, 0.

Total: For, 546. Against, 5.

Wednesday night, with the bonds for the SantaFe extension carried beyond a doubt, by splendid majorities, was the timefor jollification.

"Fairview" was responded to by Capt.McDermott, who finely complimented the handsome majority this township rolledup in favor of the bonds. The Captain made a number of telling points.

Winfield Courier, Thursday,February 18, 1886.

The following are the real estate transfersfiled in the office of Register of Deeds since our last issue.

James McDermott to F A Wagner, lot 6, blk 5,Dexter: $12.00.

Winfield Courier, Thursday,February 18, 1886.

James McDermott left Monday for Topeka to attendthe Grand Masonic Lodge in session there.

Winfield Courier, Thursday,February 25, 1886.

James McDermott has returned from Topeka andreports a good time.

[COWLEY COUNTY DISTRICT COURT.]

Winfield Courier, Thursday,March 25, 1886.

Jesse Taylor, son of D. Taylor, East Ninth avenue,was examined by a committee (Samuel Dalton, Joseph O'Hare, and James McDermott)and was admitted to the bar. He has been here but a short time. He is ayoung man of keen legal talent and starts off in his profession with goodpromise.

Arkansas City Republican, April 3, 1886.

A. B. Elliott, the Dexter murderer, had hispreliminary examination Monday and Tuesday. The Judge decided that althoughthe warrant charged murder in the first degree, there was no evidence toconvict Elliott of being the murderer outside of his own statement. Thathe would release Mr. Elliott on $10,000 bail. The bond was prepared andthe following named persons stepped up and signed it: R. C. Maurer, J. A.Harden, T. G. Elliott, John R. Smith, Azro G. Elliott, I. H. Phenis, T.G. Hawkins, J. Wade McDonald, and James McDermott. The bond was approvedand Mr. Elliott was released.

Arkansas City Republican, April 24, 1886.

On Wednesday morning court convened at 8:30,and the case of the state vs. Alfred B. Elliott, for the murder of Dr. Chastainat Dexter a short time since was called. The trial is still going on. CountyAttorney Swarts and Lovell Webb appear for the State. James McDermott, J.Wade McDonald, W. P. Hackney, and H. E. Asp appear for the defense. Rev.Chastain, the father of the murdered man, is at Winfield attending the trial.Three murder trials at a single term of court is pretty good for our county.

Excerpts...

Winfield Courier, Thursday,April 1, 1886.

The preliminary examination, before Judge Buckman,of Alfred B. Elliott for the murder of Wilborn M. Chastain, at Dexter, onthe 22nd, closed at five o'clock last evening. The defendant was grantedbail in the sum of $10,000, which was promptly given. The court room wasthronged with anxious listeners. The interest was intense and when the casewas declared bailable, signs of approbation were noticeable all around.

The examination of Alfred B. Elliott for themurder of Wilborn M. Chastain was begun Tuesday at 10 o'clock at the courthousebefore Judge Buckman. The court room was crowded, Dexter being over en masse.Next to the defendant sat his wife; near her was Mrs. Rev. Elliott, fromMissouri. Laura Elliott, of Torrance, a niece, and William Moses, a son-in-law, included the relatives present. Mr. Elliott listened to the testimonyattentively and without the least nervous agitation visible. County AttorneysSwarts & Webb conducted the prosecution and Judge McDonald, Henry E.Asp, and James McDermott represented the defense. There was little crossexamination. The witnesses sworn were: Lee Richardson, G. M. Hawkins, J.D. Ward, W. H. Culp, J. V. Hines, Joseph Church, G. P. Wagoner, H. L. Wells,L. C. Pattison, Geo. W. Dunlap, Geo. Callison, Frank Ross, and J. B. Nicholson.

The Judge said the evidence warranted the chargeof murder in the first degree and the prisoner would be held. "I believethe prisoner is entitled to bail and as he is able to give sufficient bond,I will place his bond at $10,000."

Mr. Elliott was warmly congratulated at hisfortune in getting bond. All over the audience and especially among theDexterites, could be seen a strong leaning in favor of Elliott. The attorneysfor the defense immediately prepared the bond. Plenty of men were on handto sign the bond. The bondsmen are: Alfred B. Elliott, Rowland C. Maurer,John B. Harden, S. G. Elliott, John R. Smith, Azro O. Elliott, Isaac H.Penis, Tully G. Hoyt, George M. Hawkins, John M. Reynolds, J. Wade McDonald,James McDermott, H. R. Branson, and J. M. Jacksonfourteen names. The bondwas approved. The bondsmen were not required to qualify. The bond aggregatesbig wealth.

In twenty minutes after the examination, thedefendant's attorneys, Judge McDonald, James McDermott, and Henry E. Asphad the bond made, signed, and approved.

[COWLEY COUNTY DISTRICT COURT.]

Winfield Courier, Thursday,April 8, 1886.

CIVIL DOCKET.

27. 2032. Jeremiah Weakley vs Burton D Guinnet al, Jennings & Troup for plaintiff, McDermott & Johnson for def.

28. 2033. Francis M Mallett vs Burton D Guinnet al, Jennings & Troup for plaintiff, McDermott & Johnson for def.

29. 2034. Wesley Mallett vs Burton D Guinn etal, Jennings & Troup for plaintiff, McDermott & Johnson for def.

33. 2056. William Wilt and Martha Wilt vs TheMutual Benefit Life Insurance Company, C M Leavitt and McDermott & Johnsonfor plaintiff, McDonald & Webb for def.

45. 2096. Winfield Bank vs J B Nipp, CountyTreasurer, and G H McIntire, as Sheriff of Cowley County, Kansas, Hackney& Asp for plaintiff, McDermott & Johnson for def.

54. 2134. N M Persing and Irena Persing vs OscarHenderson and Henry Pryson, Samuel Day, Hackney & Asp for plaintiff,McDermott & Johnson for def.

59. 2149. J A Kendall, Lemuel Boone, and JohnH all vs Lafayette Wise and Wilkins Wise, Dalton & Madden for plaintiff,McDermott & Johnson for def.

61. 2152. The City of Winfield vs J C McMullen,Jos O'Hare for plaintiff, J F McMullen and McDermott & Johnson for def.

62. 2153. The City of Winfield vs J C McMullen,Jos O'Hare for plaintiff, J F McMullen and McDermott & Johnson for def.

73. 2184. Ellen Riley [Riely] vs Theodore Faircloet al, McDermott & Johnson for plaintiff, Hackney & Asp for def.

77. 1473. Wheeler & Wilson ManufacturingCo. vs Peter Thompson and M A Thompson, S D Pryor for plaintiff, McDermott& Johnson for def.

Arkansas City Republican, Saturday, February 5, 1887. From Monday's Daily.

A. P. Johnson, of the law firm of McDermott& Johnson, of Winfield, was in our city today. He informs us that Winfieldhas a veritable boom and was going to hang on to it like a drowning manto a straw. Mr. Johnson is a pleasant gentleman and a thorough Winfieldman.

1891.

Winfield Monthly Herald, September, 1891.

J. McDermott and wife have been on an extendedvisit East.

[MORGAN MONUMENT UNVEILED.]

Daily Calamity Howler, Monday,October 19, 1891.

THE MORGAN MONUMENT UNVEILED.

The Ceremony Takes Places in the Presenceof a Large and Interested Assembly.

As was previously announced the unveiling ceremoniesof the Morgan monument took place at 2 p.m. on the Central school groundsSunday. The day being warm and clear, the crowd was larger than expected.

Just as the clock struck the hour of two, CaptainSiverd stepped upon the platform and made the opening speech in an earnestand impressive manner. He spoke in a way that touched every responsive heart,of the death of our young hero and the noble sacrifice of his life for afriend.

At the close of Mr. Siverd's speech the unionchoir, composed of the best singers of the city, under the direction ofProfs. Gordon and Snyder sang "A Few More Years Shall Roll." Rev.Enright then offered a short, earnest prayer after which P. H. Albrightwas introduced and delivered the unveiling address in behalf of the monumentcommittee. He presented the monument to the school board in a touching andsolemn oration that was well suited to the occasion.

S. E. Fink, President of the Board of Education,accepted the tribute in behalf of the Board in a well-worded speech thatdid credit even to our eloquent Fink.

Next was a duet, "Morning Land," byMrs. C. B. Snyder and Mr. Dudley Eaton.

Hon. John Eaton was on the program at this pointfor an oration, but being absent, his place was filled by James McDermott,who compared Thomas Morgan's heroism to that of the men who laid their liveson the altar of the nation and died that posterity might enjoy the blessingsof free institutions.

Next, "Heroes Sweetly Sleep," wassung by the union choir, which was immediately followed by the benedictionof Rev. Payne.

The exercises throughout had a solemn grandeurthat did credit to the committees who had them in charge.

The monument stands fourteen feet, five incheshigh, and cost $675. It is composed of a shaft of American granite and afigure, representing the crowning of a hero, of Italian marble. The designis good, the execution is good, and the impulses that erected it were noble.

This is the first event of the kind in the historyof Winfield and no more fitting occasion could have been selected. May thosewho admire and emulate the heroism of Tom Morgan ever live in our midst.