Rensselaer Republican, Volume 22, Number 25, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 February 1890 — BLEEDING KANSAS. [ARTICLE]

BLEEDING KANSAS.

gnriUsg Times Over a Railroad Kleetien —Two Mon Killed. A special dispatch from Wichita, Kan., says: A hundred men or more fought yri-th guns, knives, clubs and various other weapons at Harper on the 13th, and when the battie ended two men bad received their death wounds, and nearly a dozen others were cut, bruised or shot, some of them so badly that there is little ohance of their recovery. The trouble grow out of a railroad Board eleotion and the stealing of their ballot-boxes, which have not yet been found. An election was held on the 12th at Harper, to vote on the proposiion to issue SIOO,OOO in bonds, to the Sali na & Gulf Road. The projeot was bitter ly opposed by many of the leading citizens, and as bitterly advocated by others. For a week both parties had made every effort to defeat or carry the proposition. The fight over the bonds was oomplioated and made hotter by the fact that Anthony, a rival town three miles west of Harper, promised to issue the bonds if the Railroau Company would locate its line at that place. Citizens living between the two towns were also deeply interested in the struggle, ana when the election was held at Harper the town was filled with interested outsiders anxious to take a hand in the matter.

The company preferred to ran its line through Harper if the bonds oould- be voted, and had sent a large gang of graders other employees to help carry the project through. Many stormy scenes were witnessed at the polls during the day and a half dozen fightif too* p J»:e, u ut a general riot was prevented by tee ooolness of the leaders. When the pods closed it was thought test the bonds bad carried. The ballots were not all oountod, and during the night the boxes containing the votes were stolen and disposed of so effectually that they oould not be found. The only ward estimate* a* going against tea bonds was the First, and ita ballots were aot stolen. When tee affair became known there was great excitement. The railroad crou d had a number of arrests made, and warrants were sworn oat for others who could not be f«i»d. An effort was made to arrest Tom babin, wno has been a oowbuymhisda/. He made a fight* and his friends joining, a hundred men in a few minutes became engaged in a desperate battle, with tee results above stated.