John M. Cross, Sheriff

Stevens County Sheriff's Office, Kansas

Stevens County, Kansas was just north of what was then called “No man’s land” and later became the Oklahoma panhandle. The towns of Hugoton and Woodsdale in Stevens County became embroiled in a bitter county seat war in 1886. Hugoton was finally named the county seat. John M. Cross was elected Sheriff of Steven’s County over Sam Robinson in a desperately fought race. The embittered Robinson became City Marshal of Hugoton. In early 1888, City Marshal Robinson processed some county bonds to try and encourage railroad development in the area. His opponents claimed he had illegally overstepped his authority and got a warrant issued for Robinson’s arrest. Robinson and some of his allies fought off attempts to serve the warrant in Hugoton. In July of 1888, Robinson went into “No man’s land” on a camping trip. Woodsdale City Marshal Ed Short and a posse were sent to arrest Robinson while he was away from Hugoton. Unable to locate Robinson, Marshal Short sent back word for more men. County Sheriff Cross deputized a posse of four men, Ted Eaton, Bob Hubbard, Roland Wilcox and Herbert Tooney and rode out to assist Marshal Short. In the mean time Short had lost his way and became involved in a gun battle with a posse from Hugoton that pursued him back to Woodsdale Robinson had learned that Short and his posse were searching for him and returned to Hugoton, recruited a 15-man posse and started back to “No man’s land” after Short, unaware that he had already been chased back to Woodsdale. On Wednesday, July 25, 1888, unable to find Short or Robinson, Sheriff Cross and his men were returning back to Woodsdale when they encountered some men working in a hayfield. The officers bedded down for the night in the hayfield in what is now northern Cimarron County, Oklahoma. The officers were awakened a few hours later and found themselves the prisoners of Marshal Robinson and his posse. One by one Sheriff Cross and his deputies were gunned down by Robinson and his men. The hay workers witnessed the shootings but were not harmed. Robinson and posse then returned to Hugoton. Sheriff Cross, Deputies Ted Eaton, Bob Hubbard and Roland Wilcox died at the scene but Deputy Herbert Tooney survived to testify against Robinson. Marshal Robinson and five of his possemen were tried, convicted and sentenced to be hanged by the Federal Court in Paris, Texas. They were all released later when the U. S. Supreme Court ruled that the Paris Court had no jurisdiction in the case as “No Man’s Land” was not part of the United States at the time. They were never tried again. ( “No Man’s Land” was made a part of the Oklahoma Territory by The Oklahoma Organic Act of 1890.)

Ted Eaton, Deputy Sheriff

Stevens County Sheriff's Office - Kansas

Stevens County, Kansas was just north of what was then called “No man’s land” and later became the Oklahoma panhandle. The towns of Hugoton and Woodsdale in Stevens County became embroiled in a bitter county seat war in 1886. Hugoton was finally named the county seat. John M. Cross was elected Sheriff of Steven’s County over Sam Robinson in a desperately fought race. The embittered Robinson became City Marshal of Hugoton. In early 1888, City Marshal Robinson processed some county bonds to try and encourage railroad development in the area. His opponents claimed he had illegally overstepped his authority and got a warrant issued for Robinson’s arrest. Robinson and some of his allies fought off attempts to serve the warrant in Hugoton. In July of 1888, Robinson went into “No man’s land” on a camping trip. Woodsdale City Marshal Ed Short and a posse were sent to arrest Robinson while he was away from Hugoton. Unable to locate Robinson, Marshal Short sent back word for more men. County Sheriff Cross deputized a posse of four men, Ted Eaton, Bob Hubbard, Roland Wilcox and Herbert Tooney and rode out to assist Marshal Short. In the mean time Short had lost his way and became involved in a gun battle with a posse from Hugoton that pursued him back to Woodsdale Robinson had learned that Short and his posse were searching for him and returned to Hugoton, recruited a 15-man posse and started back to “No man’s land” after Short, unaware that he had already been chased back to Woodsdale. On Wednesday, July 25, 1888, unable to find Short or Robinson, Sheriff Cross and his men were returning back to Woodsdale when they encountered some men working in a hayfield. The officers bedded down for the night in the hayfield in what is now northern Cimarron County, Oklahoma. The officers were awakened a few hours later and found themselves the prisoners of Marshal Robinson and his posse. One by one, Sheriff Cross and his deputies were gunned down by Robinson and his men. The hay workers witnessed the shootings but were not harmed. Robinson and posse then returned to Hugoton. Sheriff Cross, Deputies Ted Eaton, Bob Hubbard and Roland Wilcox died at the scene but Deputy Herbert Tooney survived to testify against Robinson. Marshal Robinson and five of his possemen were tried, convicted and sentenced to be hanged by the Federal Court in Paris, Texas. They were all released later when the U. S. Supreme Court ruled that the Paris Court had no jurisdiction in the case as “No man’s land” was not part of the United States at the time. They were never tried again.

Bob Hubbard, Deputy Sheriff

Stevens County Sheriff's Office, Kansas

Stevens County, Kansas was just north of what was then called “No man’s land” and later became the Oklahoma panhandle. The towns of Hugoton and Woodsdale in Stevens County became embroiled in a bitter county seat war in 1886. Hugoton was finally named the county seat. John M. Cross was elected Sheriff of Steven’s County over Sam Robinson in a desperately fought race. The embittered Robinson became City Marshal of Hugoton. In early 1888, City Marshal Robinson processed some county bonds to try and encourage railroad development in the area. His opponents claimed he had illegally overstepped his authority and got a warrant issued for Robinson’s arrest. Robinson and some of his allies fought off attempts to serve the warrant in Hugoton. In July of 1888, Robinson went into “No man’s land” on a camping trip. Woodsdale City Marshal Ed Short and a posse were sent to arrest Robinson while he was away from Hugoton. Unable to locate Robinson, Marshal Short sent back word for more men. County Sheriff Cross deputized a posse of four men, Ted Eaton, Bob Hubbard, Roland Wilcox and Herbert Tooney and rode out to assist Marshal Short. In the mean time Short had lost his way and became involved in a gun battle with a posse from Hugoton that pursued him back to Woodsdale Robinson had learned that Short and his posse were searching for him and returned to Hugoton, recruited a 15-man posse and started back to “No man’s land” after Short, unaware that he had already been chased back to Woodsdale. On Wednesday, July 25, 1888, unable to find Short or Robinson, Sheriff Cross and his men were returning back to Woodsdale when they encountered some men working in a hayfield. The officers bedded down for the night in the hayfield in what is now northern Cimarron County, Oklahoma. The officers were awakened a few hours later and found themselves the prisoners of Marshal Robinson and his posse. One by one Sheriff Cross and his deputies were gunned down by Robinson and his men. The hay workers witnessed the shootings but were not harmed. Robinson and posse then returned to Hugoton. Sheriff Cross, Deputies Ted Eaton, Bob Hubbard and Roland Wilcox died at the scene but Deputy Herbert Tooney survived to testify against Robinson. Marshal Robinson and five of his possemen were tried, convicted and sentenced to be hanged by the Federal Court in Paris, Texas. They were all released later when the U. S. Supreme Court ruled that the Paris Court had no jurisdiction in the case as “No man’s land” was not part of the United States at the time. They were never tried again.

Roland Wilcox, Deputy Sheriff 

Stevens County, Kansas

 
Stevens County, Kansas was just north of what was then called “No man’s land” and later became the Oklahoma panhandle. The towns of Hugoton and Woodsdale in Stevens County became embroiled in a bitter county seat war in 1886. Hugoton was finally named the county seat. John M. Cross was elected Sheriff of Steven’s County over Sam Robinson in a desperately fought race. The embittered Robinson became City Marshal of Hugoton.

In early 1888, City Marshal Robinson processed some county bonds to try and encourage railroad development in the area. His opponents claimed he had illegally overstepped his authority and got a warrant issued for Robinson’s arrest. Robinson and some of his allies fought off attempts to serve the warrant in Hugoton.

In July of 1888, Robinson went into “No man’s land” on a camping trip. Woodsdale City Marshal Ed Short and a posse were sent to arrest Robinson while he was away from Hugoton. Unable to locate Robinson, Marshal Short sent back word for more men. County Sheriff Cross deputized a posse of four men, Ted Eaton, Bob Hubbard, Roland Wilcox and Herbert Tooney and rode out to assist Marshal Short.

In the mean time Short had lost his way and became involved in a gun battle with a posse from Hugoton that pursued him back to Woodsdale.

Robinson had learned that Short and his posse were searching for him and returned to Hugoton, recruited a 15-man posse and started back to “No man’s land” after Short, unaware that he had already been chased back to Woodsdale.

On Wednesday, July 25, 1888, unable to find Short or Robinson, Sheriff Cross and his men were returning back to Woodsdale when they encountered some men working in a hayfield. The officers bedded down for the night in the hayfield in what is now northern Cimarron County, Oklahoma. The officers were awakened a few hours later and found themselves the prisoners of Marshal Robinson and his posse. One by one Sheriff Cross and his deputies were gunned down by Robinson and his men. The hay workers witnessed the shootings but were not harmed.  Robinson and posse then returned to Hugoton.