A Farmer Vanished Near Mica, and His Neighbors Blamed a Populist 'Shotgun Club'

THE GLOVSTEIN MYSTERY.

Resolutions Adopted by the Spokane Republican Club.

At a recent meeting of the Spokane County Republican Club the following resolutions concerning the supposed murder of Charles F. Glovstein were unanimously adopted:

"Whereas, It is now a well-settled belief among the people of this community that Charles F. Glovstein, a Republican farmer living near Mica, Spokane county, was, on the 28th day of July, 1894, foully murdered for his adherence to and advocacy of the tenets and doctrines of the Republican party; therefore be it

"Resolved, By the Spokane County Republican Club, that it condemns this crime as an outrage upon civilization, humanity and the laws under which we live, and we urge upon the officers of justice the energetic pursuit of the perpetrators of the crime and their prompt arraignment before the bar of justice.

"Resolved, That inasmuch as this particular crime, as well as other outbreaks of lawlessness which have recently occurred throughout the West, are the direct outgrowth of the false and anarchistic teachings of Populism, we condemn that party as the enemy of public welfare and well-ordered government."

KILL KU-KLUX. Walla Walla Union.

If there is a ku-klux organization in this state no effort should be spared to eradicate it and send its members to the penitentiary. The mystery involved in the strange disappearance of Charles Glovstein indicates that such a band exists, and that they are plying their nefarious business. Who its members are has not been proven individually, but that collectively they are members of the Populist party seems evident. The only motive for the outrage of which Glovstein was a victim was the animosity which the leaders of the Populist party in his neighborhood bore for him. This hatred and wicked character of his enemies was displayed in threats implied by the posting of pictures representing the skull and crossbones and a heart pierced with a dagger, and the hanging in effigy of the man who had incurred their displeasure through the legitimate exercise of his inherent right to express himself on political issues.

HE OFFERED THE REWARD. Spokane Spokesman-Review.

"I see that some of the officers of Spokane county are inclined to censure the governor for not offering $5,000 for the apprehension of the murderers of Glovstein," said Private Secretary Macdonald last evening. "I can assure you that he is as anxious as any one to solve the mystery, in which he takes a deep interest. His hands are tied, however, by subdivision 9 of section 61 of Hill's code, which provides that 'The governor may offer rewards, not exceeding $1,000 in each case, for the apprehension of any criminal who has escaped from the state prison or of any person who has committed or is charged with the commission of a felony.' The full amount allowed by law was offered cheerfully. The Glovstein case is creating almost as much interest on the Coast as in Eastern Washington. The general opinion is that the good name of the state is in a measure involved in the solution of the problem."

SPOKANE'S SHOTGUN CLUB. Walla Walla Union.

It seems almost impossible to believe that an organization such as the Freeman's Silver Protective Association could exist in this country. It is antagonistic to society, to labor, to business, to life. A member of the organization writes a letter to the Spokane Spokesman stating that he has no doubt but what the association is responsible for the disappearance of Charles Glovstein. "In that society," he says, "there is but one penalty, one punishment—death—and all that disobey must suffer."

Regarding the manner in which they secure their membership, the writer says: "I wish to state here that I am a member because, through lies, I was enticed into it, and once in you cannot get out. You are bound to them for life. All you can do is to keep away from them and make excuses for not attending, or else leave the country. If I was not a poor man, or if I had no family to support, or nothing but myself to look after, or if I had enough money to get out of the country, I would tell all I know about the murderous curs."

What a condition of affairs! Can such organizations exist with impunity, intimidate men with threats of summary punishment, coerce submission to the dictates of bloodthirsty men and breed terror and outlawry in a community? When the search for Glovstein has ended, be it fruitless or successful, the attention of the authorities should be turned toward breaking up this Ku-Klux organization. Members of it should be prosecuted, and if the laws now upon the statute books are insufficient to effectually take hold of the case, such a one as will can not be too quickly enacted.