JUDGE W. C. WEBB.

Father of Leland J. Webb, Winfield Attorney, Murderer.

Father of Leland J. Webb mentioned in next article.

[LAND PATENTS: PART OF THE OSAGE CEDED LAND.]

Winfield Courier, Thursday, May 27, 1873.

W. C. Webb has filed in court a petition for a mandamus on the secretary of the interior to compel him to issue land patents for certain lands in Kansas. This land is a part of the Osage ceded land, and it is said that this case is a test one in which two or three hundred thousand acres are involved.

[THE WEBB FAMILY.]

Winfield Courier, October 22, 1874.

THE WEBB FAMILY.

Judge W. C. Webb has been nominated for the legislature in the Fort Scott district, and we trust will be elected. Judge Webb is, today, in our judgment, the best practical legislator in Kansas. Even if nominated by the democratic party, we would be tempted to favor his election, for the highest practical reasons; because he is an honest, industrious, and thoroughly competent law maker, one who will save the state from the infliction of numerous foolish laws, and give it the benefit of his acute reasoning powers and his large and varied experience. He is a man of strong convictions, and a nervous, irritable temperament, not calculated to make him friends; but to those who have overcome prejudice against these surface indications of his character, and learned to respect his honesty and undoubted ability, there can be but one opinion, that Fort Scott would be doing herself credit and the whole state a favor by sending Judge Webb to the legislature the coming winter. Commonwealth.

Lowell H. Webb, of Fort Scott, son of W. C. Webb, has passed a successful examination and been admitted into the Naval Academy, at Annapolis, as a cadet midshipman.

Emporia News.

The first named gentleman is the father, and the latter, the brother of L. J. Webb, of this city, who is the Republican candidate for County Attorney of Cowley County, and one of the ablest lawyers in the southwest.

W. C. Webb...

Arkansas City Traveler, March 1, 1876.

The Apportionment Bill was worked at some in the Senate, and was turned over to a committee for the finishing touches and passed in the afternoon, 22 to 10. S. B. 104 prescribing how insurance policies shall be printed was recommended for passage in committee of the whole. S. B. 120, allowing railroads to build branches after having filed a notice in the office of the Secretary of State was also recommended. S. B. 71, exempting a years’ crops from taxation was also recommended. Senator Robinson’s bill in regard to the bonds to be given by county commissioners, was recommended subject to amendment. The S. B. giving the counsel for the prisoner at the bar the last speech. S. B. 202 occupied all the evening session. It is an able bodied bill of 69 pages, and is a codification of the school laws, but makes very few radical changes.

The House passed an exciting day over the appropriations for the Normal Schools. The appropriation ($10,348) for the Leavenworth school was the first to come up. Mr. Hackney led off in the fight on the appropriation. Mr. Taylor, of Leavenworth, made a good fight for the school. Most of the talk, however, came from the opposition, and finally Hackney’s motion to indefinitely postpone, was carried, 56 to 37. The Emporia appropriation ($13,667.50) came up next and a very bitter debate took place on Hackney’s motion to indefinitely postpone. Messrs. Eskridge, Cook, Elder and others spoke in favor of the institution. Hackney’s motion was adopted, 53 to 43.

In the afternoon the State University appropriation came up. Mr. Waters offered an amendment appropriating $3,000 to establish a normal department in the University. Mr. Glick thought that the professors were paid too much, and moved that the bill be recommended to the Ways and Means committee with instructions to report a new bill providing for a normal department and giving an itemized statement of teacher’s wages. This motion prevailed.

Mr. Hackney rushed in with a motion to indefinitely postpone the bill appropriating $22,420.56 for the Agricultural College, but was voted down, 83 to 7. Some of the items were stricken out and the bill appropriating $15,300 passed, 65 to 7.

In the evening the House complied with a request of W. C. Webb, counsel for A. J. Mowry, and the order to publish the testimony in his case was rescinded. S. B. 182 passed. As amended it provides for the appointment of the three following institutions: the Blind Asylum and the Deaf and Dumb and Insane Asylums.

[EDITORIAL COLUMNS.]

Arkansas City Traveler, December 6, 1876.

W. C. WEBB, father of the Representative of this county, is a candidate for Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives, and is among the best we have heard mentioned.

Winfield Courier, January 11, 1877.

Suspense.

It looks as though the whole Cowley County delegation at Topeka had gone back on the COURIER. Not a word from Walton, Lemmon, Webb, Pyburn, or Mitchell in two weeks. Even the ladies have not written. We are not so much surprised at the reticence of Walton, Lemmon, and Webb; but the silence of Pyburn and Mitchell is mysterious. Here we are all anxiety about the prospects of “our Wirt”—days and nights of suspense and no light. We think however the situation is safe or there would have been some “hollering.” But to the time of going to press this is our latest news, taken from the old, reliable morning Commonwealth, of January 9th.

“We are authorized to state that Judge Webb is not a candidate for Chief Clerk of the House. This we suppose assures the unanimous election of Wirt Walton. He will make a No. 1 Clerk in all respects and is entitled to the office.”

Judge Webb is the only opposing candidate that we have heard of and consequently Mr. Walton must have a clear field.

Winfield Courier, June 28, 1877. Editorial Page.

At the meeting of the county attorneys in Topeka, it was decided that in criminal prosecutions, where the defendant was acquitted, the county is not liable for the costs, and that upon conviction, the county is liable only when the defendant is unable to pay them. It was further decided that the county is always liable for the costs of sheriff and clerk, when the defendant, or prosecuting witness, is not adjudged to pay them.

It was also decided that the exemption law applies to fines, forfeitures, and costs in criminal cases when the defendant is adjudged to pay them. It was also decided that the boards of county commissioners have no right to accept less than the original tax, costs, and penalties assessed against any real estate, other than that conferred by Sec. 146, Chapt. 34, of law of 1876.

The convention had the advice of Judge Webb and B. F. Simpson, able attorneys.

Winfield Courier, February 14, 1878.

Brick Pomeroy in his reminiscences says he learned the printing business in Wellsboro, Pa., in the office of a man named Webb. We are informed that this man Webb was and is Judge W. C. Webb, of Topeka. How Brick could become the red-hot Democrat that he is, after learning the printing business under an old time abolitionist like Judge Webb is a mystery.

Winfield Courier, September 12, 1878.

District Court.

Tuesday, September 3, 1878.

State vs. L. J. Webb. Removed to Sedgwick County. Admitted to bail in $12,000.

Winfield Courier, September 19, 1878. Front Page.

[From the Wichita Eagle.]

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, and Sluss & Hatton, of this city. The attorneys for the prosecution are James McDermott, the county attorney of Cowley County, assisted by W. E. Stanley, Sedgwick County’s attorney.

Winfield Courier, September 19, 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 continuance because of the absence of Dr. Mendenhall, a material witness for the defense. The court held the showing sufficient, unless the State would admit the affidavit of defendant as the testimony of witness. The State consented and 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 on the part of the State. Frank Manny, Jessi Herndon, Adams, and others were examined as witnesses. There were no new features developed on the part of the State. The testimony was substantially as on the preliminary examination. The killing was proved and some evidence tending to show expressions of previous malice was introduced.

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

The evidence for the State was concluded Wednesday evening. During the night session, Judge Coldwell stated the case for the defense. The theory of the defense was insanity at the time of the shooting; that this insanity was caused by excessive excitement, loss of sleep, excessive drinking, and nux vomica, opium, and other poisonous drugs administered to him in his drinks. In his youth defendant had suffered a severe fracture of the skull, the walls being permanently pressed upon the brain, wounding and lacerating it; and in time of great excitement he is peculiarly liable to insanity, that the place of the killing was a dead-fall of the worst type.

One of the most important witnesses for the defense 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 house was conducted. The defense had endeavored to draw out this testimony on cross-examination but the court would not permit it, and he was put on as a witness for the defense. He testified as to all the occurrences of the night 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 decks and drugged whiskey; that Webb drank often that night, and Page had instructed witness to give Webb liquor from a particular bottle he called “all sorts,” which witness did; that twice during the night Page went into the bar-room and put some liquid from a small vial which he took from his pocket into a tumbler of whiskey and instructed witness to give it to Webb the next time he called for drink, which witness did; that this bottle of “all sorts” was a villainous compound of whiskey and drugs, which Page 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 drunk the whiskey prepared by Page, Page went into the bar-room and stacked a deck of cards, and instructed witness the next time drinks were called for to bring this pack under the water or server, and while Webb was engaged in 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 himself a better hand, on which he won all Webb’s money, and this concluded the game. Witness testified to some expressions of anger made by Webb to Page upon the conclusion of the game, saying he was robbed, but to no expressions of malice or threats of revenge. All the parties to the game remained an hour or more after its conclusion, Webb drinking frequently; then all left except Webb, who remained alone with witness. Webb never left the saloon from that time to the time of the shooting. Witness testified as to Webb’s condition and appearance during the day; said he looked very wild and had a jerking movement about his head, neck, and shoulders, was convulsive, and breathed hard. Witness testified that after the preliminary examination he went with By Terrill and Frank Manny to the saloon to make an examination for drugs. They washed out several empty bottles and one bottle that contained something 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 Manny that it was not right. He testified that certain vials and small bottles shown him looked like those which Page had used to fix up liquors with.

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

Further testimony for the defense from Burt Covert, 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 the wild and insane appearance, the convulsive twitching movements of the throat, head, and shoulders of the defendant immediately before and subsequent to the shooting; also showed the finding of some small bottles and vials in the counter used by Page in his saloon; that these vials were taken from the counter sometime after the shooting and preserved with their contents and are the same that are now exhibited in court; and the testimony of Drs. Davis, Rothrock, and Furley showed that these vials contained opium, nux vomica, and India hemp, and that these compounded and administered would produce the symptoms described in the defendant and would produce insanity.

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

The medical gentlemen testified that such is a frequent cause of insanity, and that any person thus afflicted was extremely liable to mental derangement or insanity in any unusual excitement, or the excessive use of intoxicating liquors, or of such drugs as had been found in the vials.

Thursday, Friday, and a part of Saturday were occupied with the testimony for the defense. Rebutting testimony was then offered by both State and defense but was of little importance. The testimony in many important points was conflicting.

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

On Monday morning, the 16th, the Judge gave his charge to the jury, and was followed by W. E. Stanley in the opening argument for the State. Stanley scored the defendant and many of the witnesses for the defense fearfully and evidently with great effect. His plea was long and pronounced to have been brilliant to a high degree. He was followed by Judge Coldwell for the defense. This is the latest news we get as we go to press.

Winfield Courier, October 3, 1878.

L. J. Webb has rented the front rooms in Bahntge’s new building for his law office, and until they are completed, he is stopping temporarily in Judge Coldwell’s office.

NOTE: I SEARCHED SOME PREVIOUS ISSUES OF COURIER TO SEE IF RESULTS OF WEBB TRIAL IN WICHITA WOULD BE PRINTED...NOTHING FOUND! EVIDENTLY COURIER DECIDED TO FORGET IT WHEN WEBB WAS ACQUITTED AND RETURNED TO WINFIELD TO PRACTICE!

Winfield Courier, December 4, 1879.

Judge W. C. Webb, father of L. J. Webb, was down from Topeka last week.

[Judge Webb offers to help Millington, Allison, and Greer over suit with Judge W. C. Campbell.]...

[STATE SQUIBS.]

Winfield Courier, June 3, 1880.

Hon. W. C. Webb does not believe in muzzling the press. The following dispatch shows where he stands. TOPEKA, KS., MAY 19.

TO D. A. MILLINGTON AND WM. M. ALLISON, WINFIELD:

Such services as I can render you on your appeal in the contempt cases are freely offered. Command me at your pleasure. W. C. WEBB.

Winfield Courier, June 3, 1880.

Messrs. Brush, Webb, and Black have returned from Topeka, where they went in relation to the contempt cases.

Winfield Courier, June 3, 1880.

Hon. W. C. Webb, whose ability as a lawyer is second to no one in the State, has prepared a book on Kansas Pleading and Practice, which will soon be published and will be valuable to the legal fraternity.

Winfield Courier, June 3, 1880.

Commonwealth: Hon. Charles C. Black, one of Winfield’s brightest attorneys, has been in the city for two or three days. He is associated with Messrs. Webb and Brush in the Allison-Millington contempt case before the Supreme Court. The Winfield editors seem to be sustained by the Winfield bar in their contest with Judge Campbell.

Winfield Courier, December 9, 1880.

Leland J. Webb came down Monday to attend court. Mrs. Webb accompanied him. When he returns he will take his household goods with him and will hereafter make his home in Topeka. He has formed a partnership with his father, Judge W. C. Webb, and will hereafter practice law at the capital.

[Leland J. Webb’s brother, remained in Winfield.]...

Winfield Courier, December 16, 1880.

G. W. Rogers was on Tuesday brought before U. S. Commissioner Lovell H. Webb, charged with selling liquor without government license. The examination was continued to Jan. 21, 1881.

[Sister of Leland J. Webb, now Mrs. R. L. Walker, visits her father and brother.]...a wee bit confusing. Her father would be Judge Webb, she could be visiting her younger brother, Lovell H. Webb, and perhaps the Judge was here also.]

Winfield Courier, January 6, 1881.

Mrs. R. L. Walker, of Wichita, is in the city visiting her father and brother. Mrs. Walker (formerly Miss Sadie Webb), resided in Topeka several years, and has many friends here.

Winfield Courier, February 17, 1881.

Lovell Webb, Esq., of Winfield, a thoroughbred young lawyer, son of Hon. W. C. Webb, of this city, arrived this morning and will remain in Topeka a few days. Topeka Capital.

UNCLE, LELAND J. WEBB.

BROTHER, JUDGE W. C. WEBB.

#1.

Webb, H. G., Uncle of Leland J. Webb, Attorney, Murderer.

Walnut Valley Times, February 21, 1873.

JUDGE H. G. WEBB.

The testimony in the case of the recent investigation of Judge H. G. Webb, who has resigned to avoid impeachment, is of a very damaging character. It shows that Webb sat as a judge in a case in which he had been previously employed as counsel for one of the parties, and that his rulings and decisions were all in favor of his former client; that he had improper communication with a juror in the case of Phillips vs. George in the Cherokee County district court; that in the cae of the State vs. Hopkins and Hopkins he drove a witness, Charles Butts, a Cincinnati detective who had been employed to work up the case, from the stand, telling said witness that he was a professional liar and hypocrite, and “you cannot testify in my court.” That the books of one Wiggins, of Baxter Springs, contain entries proving that Wiggins paid him (Webb) $275 in money and goods for Mayor Boyd, of Baxter, who killed Taylor, the city marshal of that place, and who was acquitted before Webb when tried for the offense, etc.

H. G. Webb...Uncle of Leland J. Webb.

Winfield Courier, March 2, 1876.

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1876.

The apportionment bill that passed the Senate last Friday giving Cowley County one Senator and two Representatives, still hangs fire. It went to the House Saturday morning and was a firebrand. All day Saturday was spent in its consideration. The House first disagreed to the Senate amendments. The bill went back to the Senate. That body then voted to postpone the consideration of the bill until Monday at 2 P.M. This frightened the House. It feared there would be no apportionment bill passed at all. The House then passed a resolution calling the bill back from the Senate. This soon brought the bill back into the House. It was then moved to concur in the Senate amendments and following this the previous question was ordered. This cut off all filibustering and the roll was called. Fifty votes were obtained for final passage or concurrence, which was all that was necessary. The Chief Clerk did not announce the result, but gave the roll to his assistant to figure up while he went among the members and succeeded in having two or three votes changed from aye to no, and thus defeated the bill.

Then the bill was returned to the Senate with the information that the House would not concur in the Senate amendments. Sam Wood and H. G. Webb fought the bill in the house vigorously. What will be the final result I cannot tell. But it is of so much importance to Cowley County that I feel that I ought to remain here and help to save Cowley as a Senatorial District if possible.

The Committee on State affairs which has been hunting up the bogus school bond business have got trace of some fraudulent school district bonds from Cowley County. They interviewed me upon the subject and I ventured the statement that no County Clerk or Superintendent of Public Instruction in Cowley County ever lent his name or seal to any such swindle.

While I have not had the highest opinion of some of the aforesaid officers in our county, I cannot believe that they were bad enough to be parties to a bond swindle. I pronounced the bonds, if any such have been issued, to be forgeries in toto and do not believe the parties thereto ever lived in Cowley County.

The names are suppressed at present in the hope that the rascals can be caught. The reputation of Cowley County is excellent here. It is looked upon as a first-class agricultural county and as being filled with honest men, and the representative men from that county command respect everywhere. Of course, we all hope that no citizen of our county will be found guilty of paying bonds of any kind, or of attempting a swindle of any character.

I have no railroad news to write.

Comments by Manning: “I am a looker on in the Legislative Halls. The session will close next week. It has been a boisterous one in the House. Very few laws have been passed. Some very much needed Legislation has been neglected. Buncomb speeches and resolutions have been mainly indulged in.”

Winfield Courier, September 12, 1878.

District Court.

Tuesday, September 3, 1878.

State vs. L. J. Webb. Removed to Sedgwick County. Admitted to bail in $12,000.

Winfield Courier, September 19, 1878. Front Page.

[From the Wichita Eagle.]

Winfield Courier, September 19, 1878.

Trial of L. J. Webb at Wichita.

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

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

#2.

C. M. Webb, Uncle, Leland J. Webb, Lawyer, Murderer.

No information on him.

#3.

J. H. Webb, Uncle of Leland J. Webb, Lawyer, Murderer.

No information on him.

1925. William C. Webb, of Fort Scott, First head of State Insurance Department.

Source: History of Kansas State and People.

Written and Compiled by William E. Connelley, Volume II, 1928.