The Hays Daily News from Hays, Kansas • Page 14

it, BATi PATLT Miil tCTPAT. 1 AKUAtT Hfi Docket Tells Of I 4 fat Wl On 10, U7t, Illl MetlallM Itflkel Jack Wrlfht in the Tammy Dram frJejaaj, WHthVe friends came ty niflhl this je.ll to thfnts They Inld jail tntmbuMf Mfled "Pony 7 Donovan, an Maueee! (Mai. TIM tell down the fdlowhtf wMk. II WM torn this jail thai an leak Jack MaOee and lywched him on Ae ral bridge weal town Ill the dark, dusty cellar of city Mil are aranrvMl the moat extensive newoi of the wicked Mde of aartt Hays dty, CoatatfMd ifl (fie CTinHnil docket of tsrly'day jMttcef of the peace for. GttfK fOWMhlp, fltteh as DeWItt C.

Smith, William Dalton, N. Ued- 4m, tnd Martin Alton, these records data back to 1872, fe rather luting that the hook wtfft iti aawdery leather covering is tested the efty hall. It was Ml a cedar ea that Mine location that Mine ef the defendants men(tolled therein awaited trial or Jail was below a frame court- built in March or April, 1868, it a cost of $246. Pint entry in the book is Ian. 8, 1872, when James Mufty was found ilty of disturbing the "peace at City by drtlttkerl and disorderly Conduct and sentenced to pay a $5 line and $4 in court fees or to serve Jf in the toll of Ellis county." By the end af the month, is others hid been Bf6ugM to trial; eight for naming Or helping operate bfoth'els, Oflt for petty larceny and embezzlement, one for grind larceny, two for leaving cartaMM of dead horses in weeks, ana for maiming someone's dog, mother for disturbing the peace, and ttin another for beating a prostitute.

And these are just the ones proaecuiea. Actually the first Jail was er lim- Ited value to the early-day law ire taM at aae prisoner be- lag slot aad UIMd while la the Jail aaa af another toeing removed and haagei hy a lyaci mob. U.S. Deputy Marshall Jack Bridges confined Ida prisoners in the guard- Muaa at the fort, and several fellows Iooiiih enough to draw a gun on Sheriff "Witt Bill" Hickok were beyond needing a Jail. The early-day court records comment on the poor state of the jail.

A sentence of Jan, 10, 1872, reads: "it ia adjudged by tha court that the said defendant li guilty of petty larceny (iteallng a $4 overcoat) and as the jail of fiUia County is destitute of any Of being manned and conse- quently an improper place prisoners the said defendant having no means of paying a fine he is discharged on suspended sentence." Two days later Champion MayJMM of Rush County, who waa accused af wounding someone's valuable dOf, was ordered committed to the Jsfl of Saline County unless he COWtd raJft bond while awaiting trial In tha trict court of Ellis County "the Jail of Ellis County being By February the Jail was ceaahV ered safe enough for frank Ibee- pard to be ordered held there until he paid Ms fttie and ceart costs fer assaulting gad heating Nettle wla, wha had been coavkted In Jaa- uary ef ruanhig a bawdy house. Sheppard did not pay the fine till three months later, but less than a week later he was the prosecutor in the trial of Richard Cole for ing and beating P. J. Douglas. Cole also found a way around a stint in the pokey.

The docket ports that Cole was fined $6 plus Cofta of and "paid into the court tha costs of the suit and of the fine and was allowed to go after the ance of the fine and has aot Again In June a prisoner awaiting trial in the District Court Was "remanded to the County Jail of Saline County, the jail of Ellis not being deemed safe." The end for the first Jail bagaa ea Aug. 20, when William B. Ian shot and killed former State Rep. John F. Wright In the tommy Drum Saloon.

McClellan, it seems from the docket, was closely associated with Nettie Baldwin, In June, Nettie and he had been fined $10 plus costs which came to another $10 for assaulting Alice McKinsey "in this that Nettie Baldwin did strike said complainant With her fist and William Mcclatlan did take hold of said complainant and did shake and strike her and 'YOU Damn Bitch, you hush up or I will kill you'." Nettie was also land's chief witness in his trial for murder. Wright had also been around Hays City for some time as a justice of the peace, and state IS, 1MO: Of tha site ef the first Jail of Ellis County, now the cellar of the City Building, auay OM dockets are preserved telling of both criminal and civil treusjht before the Justices of the peace. Many of the early inhabitants of old ttayt CHy are meatloned either as complainants, defendants, witnesses or Juren. His name appears on several suits he brought against Hayd City residents including the notorionf Jim Curry. Whan jaatica William Diltori, who was later shot to death himself, ordered McClellan locked In the jail, Wright'i friends cwne by night to settle tha ecort, Firing down Into the jatt they shot and killed a man whom they took to be McClellan, but who In fact waa "Pony 1 Donovan, an accused horse- thief.

McClellan was not Injured, but within a few weeks fire broke perhape not accidentally and tha Jatt of feltta County burned down. "Having wag of jajaojaf tha prlfonar the order of Mftonwi waa issued confining the prisoner to tha County Jail of Saline County" on Sept 11,1872. When the District Court convened Nov. 7, McCWlan's trial for first degree murder waa given a change of venue to WeworUl County, since it seemed unlikely that tttt local citizenry would aflow him a fair trial. Word of Just what happened in the case from then on is not available here; it might turn up at the Ellsworth courthouse.

Ellis County was without a jail for two years while a new courthouse waa abuilding in the next block north. On April 6, 1874, court sat there for the first time. Surprisingly enough, ea July if, 1174, aete ether thai William B. Me- Clellaa was found guilty of disturbing "the peace and qnlet of the citizens generally of Hays City, Ellis County, Kansas, and particularly of that part ef MM town known as North Mala Street (now lota) east ef Fort Street la said tewa of Hays City." ft default Of payment ef Us SIM fine aad $7 costs, Mcdellaa "was committed to the Jail ef Bills County uatil it be paw," The new jail, however, had its flaws also. Jacob Meek and Robespierre Mills were awaiting trial on the charge of grind larceny and burglary.

They escaped Sept, IS, 1875, were recaptured and rejailed. On Jan. 31, 1876, they found their way out again. This time Week's wife Ludnda was also arrested for setting the two men free. Eventually all three stood trial in the District Court.

S. Ball Orifinally a creamery alonf B'f juet of 12th Street extended, this frame build- in! next stood on the lite of the pretent city hall. For many it was the hall of the Civil War veterans known the Grand Army of the public and MW numerous itage productions and lilt firal motion presented there. Moved affain lei 1B17 to its present site, it became the Wtoeliisati's Hall and is now operated as youth center. Old Hays City A Series Prepared By Rev.

llalnt liirkey, O.F.M.Ccp. Ol EIIU Hllterlckl SM (LibrwUn, rbertiM Prtp) A pMecr 'version ef the Anerteai Leglea, the Grand Army of the Republic started In 1M1 and was opei to UalM veterans of the Civil War. "Doc" Hugo B. Kohl, 17-year Army veteran aid hospital steward at Fort Hays, bad already Jolaed elsewhere and served aa officer fer other veteran at the formatloa ef Hays Ctty'i G.A.R. post (Vaace Pest No.J)HFebmtry,1878.

BeeMea Kehl, who later raa a drug store ea Ilk Street, the G.A.R. membership toduded Sheriffs Jtha Bauer, Charley Howard aid George Bardsley, Mayer Metz, Mexicaa-War here Charley Weati, Capt. Jack Dewalai, Hill P. Wllsea, Mike mler, aad ethers. The fall roster hangs la the hallway Presenti Slto of About IMS the waa a going eenoera a ptctwestjus) lot of haired, tobacco-chewing, gamloue old men who fired and nurtured our patriotism.

They had a drab frame hall where the City Hall now etts. On Fourth of July, Memorial Day, Columbus Day and Labor Day they ar- aviiw WM0 grams. They also had a quartet which sang loudly and often -r "Tenting To- night," "Listen to the Mocking Bird" and "Battle Hymn of the Republic" which aroused adolMoent snickers in us. Than we became ashamed and our hearts beat wtth pride, Or parhapa it was their drummer wha did that, for wizened little Jimmy Westbrook had a power Ovsr his drums and ever hie listeners. Capt.

Craig was a lone wolf. The G.A.It, was his main concern. His business centered there although he was not generally available to his talky old comrades He must have been custodian of the G.A.R. hall for he was always rushing up there in the morning to open up. The place had a stage with a front curtain of painted Greek marble columns adorned with gold tassels and a moonlit forest sceoe la tha center, tWa were painted adver WWWieH town, Thax batcher adtoftteafnaiit waa a painted brown oaw, a aMnaaj wtth the Greek cotamAi.

On the near were rowi of tha hardest chain nailed to long planks. In Cap's chilly, shabby hall were auHiMQ ow mieei UIMIUS, ow mantle longings for the world's glitter and gaiety and the somber brew of tragedy for this was our only theater and tha Captalq's productions our only contact with the arts. Cap wai feneroua wtth Ms hatt, Combined bookmf agent, arranger, house manager, he kept'his attractions coming and seldom had an empty houae. One winter ha booked "Blind Boone," tha Negro piano play er, a great favorite, and shortly afterwards a man with a highly entertaining big black bear. A Barrymore at heart, that bear danced, rotter skated and boxed with the greatest gusto and we were terrified test he might, at any minute, hear a ness call and land In our laps.

There was also annually "Uncle Tom's Cabin" with some of the edest Legreea who ever cracked their thick wnipa and Little Eva'l rise to heaven ea Ike alwiyi iWMt wlft aid ptJJoy waa simply a ajfraeM. Tke7there wereatfier road shawa, almost morality plays Witt and Ma eternal triumph el vrtue over the ftMIIMff MIL BWH out. Tempeet, wHN nvkdNaf Maafc curls, was a child of Satan wha dedal shine's saccharine love, and sank to! depths of degradation. Aa she lay dying, she was forgiven by bar sweet Sunshine, people in those days Uked SIN capital letters with no subUa On other nlghta, the G.A.R. ban was always available for school operettas, box socials, band concerts, and danooa at no When Cap started the first movie in Hays, Evangeline (Black) proved a brilliant pianist furnishing mood music to suit the character of the picture The tempo of the music was in perfect accord with the pursuit of tha cattle rustlers by William s.

Hart and tha thump, thump, thump of the pedal, Evangeline also chewed gum In harmonious coordination and took time out for various jutides to us, bar worshippers. -MeBy Madden from LfMft jMfotlM Members of Hays City's G.A.R. posing before their frame hall Include some of the most Influential aaTeelerful dtlzeat af their day (1. to Stephen T. Tourtlltott, Steve F.

Jay, Frank E. McClain, Dave Sites, Jack H. Downtag, Mike mler, Jim R. Mains, George Foreman, Adle Swlers, B. H.

Hoppers, H. D. Shaffer, Dr. H. B.

Kohl, Edgar MaUea, Bab rls, and W. S. Harrison. Fabric Sale Scmferiied Drls) Dry Sports Denim And Corduroy 3t" WM. Ui 50 Bonded Acrylic 60" Wide 1" yd One Let WaahaMa Cotton and Rayon Values To 99 Qua Lot Double Knits 40" Wide go 3.