GEOOOE H. WAlSER

GEOOOE H. WAlSER and

cAn~~~~

ky

aopo9!&~4b

U7ElCOME TO LIBERAL

liBERAL, MISSOURI

IS A DElIGHTFUL LITTLE COMMUNITY IN SOUTHWEST MISSOURI

ABOUT THIRTY MILES NORTH

OF JOPLIN.

IT WAS FOUNDED IN f 880 AS A SHOWCASE FOR LIBERALISM.

THE EXPERIMENT, HOWEVER, WAS A FAILURE.

THE LIBERAL THEORIES, WHICH SEEMED SO PROMISING ON PAPER, TURNED OUT TO BE A DISASTER IN REAL LIFE.

THERE ARE LESSONS WE CAN LEARN FROM LIBERAL, MISSOURI

GEORGE H. WAlSER

%6[e of Contents

CHAPTER Page

INTRODUCTION 1

I.

BIRTH AND EARLY YEARS

II.

WALSER AND THE MILITARY

III.

FOLLOWING THE MONEY TRAIL

IV.

THE FOUNDING OF LIBERAL

V.

WITH ALL HIS MIGHT

VI.

WHAT KIND OF PEOPLE CAME?

VII. EDUCATION IN LIBERAL 25

VIII. FREE LOVE 31

IX.

CLARK BRADEN

X.

THE FAILURE OF LIBERALISM

XI.

SPIRITUALISM

XII. A MILITARY PENSION? 45

XIII. THE LIFE AND TEACHINGS OF JESUS 47

XIV. WALSER MEETS HIS MASTER 52

LIST OF HISTORICAL DOCUMENTS 57

Liberal, Missouri

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GEORGE H. WAlSER

IfiTitODOCTIOfi

A rose by any other name, does not smell the same.

Vance Packard in his book "Hidden Persuaders,"

relates an interesting experiment.

Identically the same soap was placed

in three different

boxes.

One box was predominantly

yellow. The second was predominantly

blue.

The third was designed with a mixture of blue and yellow. Women were asked to test each sample. Most said the soap in the yellow box was too strong, and that in the blue box was too weak.

Though identically the same soap was in all three boxes, most preferred the sample in the yellow and blue box.

AI Ries and Jack Trout report a similar experiment in their book "Positioning."

They said that blind taste tastings of champagne have often ranked California

brands above French

ones. We taste what we expect to taste. Inexpensive

Gallo tastes much better when poured from a bottle you believe is fifty year old French Burgundy. Our perceptions of reality are influenced by our own prejudice and preconceptions.

The same is true of history. The "facts" of history are constant, but our perception of them is not. Americans celebrate July 4, as "Independence

Day." This happy occasion commemorates

our victory over England in the Revolutionary

War.

Englishmen

look at this same celebration

in a much different light.

July 4, is not a happy day in England.

The same truth applies to the story of George H. Walser, and the history of Liberal, Missouri.

Though the facts remain the same, our perceptions of them may differ.

My first exposure to this remarkable story came through the writings of two men, the Rev. Clark

Braden, and J.P. Moore.

Their views of Liberal, and their opinions

of its founder,

G.H. Walser,

were

quite

different.

Several

things

help to explain

these differences.

First, they wrote at different times in history.

Braden first published his pamphlet, 'The Fulfillment of a Dream," in 1885, and revised it in 1886. This was a particularly

trying time in the town of Liberal.

During that period, people were leaving Liberal, and property values were declining. There was some speculation that the city may even cease to exist.

Liberal, Missouri

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GEORGE H. WAlSER

The fabric of liberalism was starting to unravel. Rancor and bitterness abounded.

This was the Liberal that Clark Braden encountered

and wrote about in 1886.

J.P. Moore did not even visit the town of Liberal until 1896, and did not move there until 1899.

By this time, the situation in Liberal was much more stable.

The passing of more than ten years brought many dramatic changes.

For example, Walser had reversed his position

on churches.

In Braden's day, he opposed them.

In fact, Walser

even bragged that Liberal was "the only town of its size in the world without a priest, preacher, church,

saloon,

God or hell ...

"

By the time J.P. Moore arrived,

however,

Walser welcomed churches.

The town had also changed.

In 1899, Liberal was not as liberal as it once was. The cutting edge of militant liberalism had been dulled, and the radical nature of the great social experiment had been greatly reduced.

Secondly,

their historical

perspective was different. Braden was an opponent

of Walser,

and Moore was his friend and former employee.

At one point, Mr. Moore even lived with the Walsers.

Moore's book, "The Strange Town," was not completed until 1963. By this time, Liberal was just like every other little town in S.W. Missouri.

A blazing inferno loses much of its intensity when you are eighty years removed from the heat.

Here is an example of the way Moore's friendship with Walser may have affected his historical

perspective.

On page 151 of the Strange Town, Moore wrote that Walser "...

entered the Union army ...

and attained the rank of Lieutenant Colonel ... " This was apparently

what Walser told him, and he had no reason to doubt it.

He should have. Walser obviously lied about his military service. His friends believed him, but his enemies did not.

In this instance, his enemies were right.

Walser was not a Lieutenant Colonel, he was only a Captain.

Furthermore,

he was dishonorably

discharged

from the military.

On May 4, 1865, Captain

Walser

was dishonorably dismissed from his position as Provost Marshal in St. Joseph, Missouri.

The charge

against

him was "malfeasance

in office."

Clark Braden knew about this and mentioned

it on page 4 of his pamphlet, "The Fulfillment of a Dream." Moore claimed to have read Braden's pamphlet, but obviously did not believe the charges.

Walser apparently never told anyone the truth about his military service, not even his wives.

In the course of his life, Mr. Walser was married to four different women.

His last wife, Esther, obviously thought he was a Lieutenant Colonel.

She proudly identified her deceased

husband

on his mausoleum

as "Lieut.

Col. George

H. Walser."

She apparently did not learn the truth about his military service until 1926 when she applied for

Liberal, Missouri

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GEORGE H. WAlSER

a Widow's Pension.

Walser died on May 1, 1910.

We must remember, however, that early in his life, the liberal Mr. Walser did not believe in God. Consequently,

he had little or no incentive to tell the truth about anything.

I have written these remarks to warn you of my own biases and preconceptions. believe

in God, and the Bible.

The story of Liberal, Missouri, is a therefore a beautiful story to me. It confirms my preconceptions.

It is like a parable of conversion.

Liberalism turned

out to be a failure.

That's what I would have anticipated.

The town of Liberal changed,

just like I hope all liberals will. It is a fact of history that Liberal is no longer liberal. Touche!

The story of Liberal is a positive example. Furthermore, Mr. Walser, who once was an unbeliever,

came to describe himself as a "converted

infideL"

Wonderful! This is what I hope will happen to every unbeliever.

Some of history's most godly men were also "converted

infidels."

I see myself, therefore, as a friend of Liberal.

This is, to me, a marvelous story.

I wish I could have known Mr. Walser personally.

I hope someday to meet him in heaven. When I point to some of his sins, I do not do so in a belligerent

manner.

All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.

Everyone needs grace and forgiveness.

I hope that nothing

written

here will bring pain to the Walser's

family, or anyone else.

This is a positive story! May it encourage everyone to faith in God. The great heroes of Scripture, like George H. Walser, were also sinners in need of forgiveness

and grace.

I am firmly convinced,

however, that Liberalism

is wrong, and that Walser was wrong for promoting it. Walser'S liberal theories should not be judged by what he thought, or wrote, but by what his teachings

produced.

It is undeniable

that his liberal theories produced a mess.

That is at least one reason, why he changed.

Jesus

said: "Ye shall

know

them by their fruits.

Do men gather

grapes

of thoms,

or figs ofthistles?"

(Matt. 7:16)

The value of a teaching or philosophy

is easily evaluated by its fruit.

You may be confused by conflicting religious books, and the clash of differing philosophies.

Fruit, however, is not confusing.

Jesus taught his followers to consider fruit. You may be fooled by the writings of Mao Tse-tung, but you should not be confused by China.

Our pilgrim forefathers believed the Bible.

They had the words "In God We Trust," inscribed

on this nation's currency.

It is impossible to understand

the United States of

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Page tlambvr 5

GmRGE B. "MSER

America apart from its rich biblical heritage.

This country is the product, or 'fruit," of what they believed and taught. Every nation is a showcase for its own teaching and philosophy. Those who do not like the Bible, should perhaps be as honest as Mr. Walser was.

They should emigrate somewhere and start their own country.

Thank you for taking time to read these words. May this fascinating story be helpful and instructive

in your life. The older and wiser Mr. Walser said it like this: "I write from the standpoint of a converted

Infidel!

I have patiently investigated without bias all sides of mental and spiritual philosophies.

Alii

desire is the truth, whose footprints

I will follow wherever it leadeth; for what is truth for me is truth for all, whether that truth be divine or secular."

Boyce Mouton

Liberal, Missouri

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GEORGE H. WAlSER

CHfiPTEIt I

BIRTH AND EARLY YEARS

Thank you for your interest in George H. Walser.

Reading about his remarkable life can be a very positive experience.

The inscription on his grave indicates that he was born at Aurora, Indiana, May 26, 1834.

He was raised in the Christian faith, but early in life rejected much of orthodox Christianity. After a lifetime of struggles, he returned to the faith of his fathers.

Not much is known of his family.

A document dated, March 7, 1895, offers some limited information.

The document was certified by John G. Todd, a Notary Public in Barton Co. Missouri.

Todd was Walser's son-in-law.

He married Lena Walser in 1888. They had six children, four sons and two daughters.

Todd said he had examined family records and momentoes in a bound drawing tablet and discovered the following entries.

G. H. Walser's

father, Mark Walser, was born on March 21, 1802, and died February 13, 1882.

His mother, Sara Gray Walser, was born July 5, 1808, and died August

19, 1902.

They were married February 1, 1824.

Rannals Walser was born February 7,1825.

Barbara Walser was born November 5, 1826, and died February 6, 1840.

John Walser was born December 28, 1828, and died April 16, 1847.

Liddy Walser was born April 5, 1831, and died December 20, 1836.

George H. Walser was born May 26, 1834.

According to these records, George was the youngest of five children. He was born

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GEORGE H. WAlSER

the same year that Cyrus Hall McCormick received a patent for his mechanical

reaper.

On December 1, of the same year, President Jackson announced that the national debt would be paid off by January 1, 1835.

Robert Owen

Not too long before Walser's birth, an event was taking place in Indiana that may have impacted

his life.

An infidel by the name of Robert Owen was establishing

an experimental

community at New Harmony.

Owen's

theories

were

bold and outrageous.

He wanted

to abolish

religion, marriage, and the private ownership of property. He reasoned that without marriage there could be no immorality, and without owning, there could be no stealing.

Finally, he felt that the removal of religion would eliminate mental and emotional problems produced by guilt.

Mr. Owen purchased property belonging to the Rappites in 1824. This included the village of New Harmony and 30,000 acres. Several thousand people were attracted to his theories.

Owen was so arrogant and confident that he predicted that within three years the city of Cincinnati would be depopulated.

Owen was a man of great wealth and benevolent intentions.

Inspired by the notion that

his

plans

would

revolutionize

human

society,

he submitted

his

ideas

to the governments

of Europe and America.

He visited foreign countries and communicated directly with men of prominence.

He was privileged to present an explanatory

memorial to the Congress of sovereigns at Aix la Chappele, and had extensive interviews with Prince Metternich of Austria.

Back home, the government of Mexico offered him a district one hundred and fifty miles broad to try his experiments on a grand scale.

This grant would have included that part of California

where gold was later discovered.

Fortunately,

the California

project never materialized.

Some feel that Owen's theories were dealt a death blow by a preacher

named Alexander

Campbell.

Campbell refuted his theories in a famous debate in April 1830. Robert

Richardson

described

the debate

in his book,

"The

Memoirs

of Alexander Campbell."

On the last day of the debate, Mr. Owen ran out of material, and Mr. Campbell spoke for twelve hours. Richardson felt it was a brilliant defence of Christianity.

He wrote that it presented a "cogency of argument, comprehensive reach of thought and eloquence,

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GEORGE H. WAlSER

(that) has never been surpassed, if ever equaled."

At the conclusion

of his remarks,

Campbell

asked those who believed

in the Christian religion to rise to their feet. There were over twelve hundred people present, and they rose as one man.

Next, Mr. Campbell asked all who were doubtful of the truth of the Christian religion to stand.

Only three persons arose.

The acid test of Owen's theories, however, was not to be found in a partisan vote at the conclusion of a debate. The futility of his ideas was best exposed in the laboratory of life.

New Harmony, Indiana, did not develop into a great country to rival the United States of America.

His theories, which looked so good on paper, utterly failed in the real world.

His grandiose proposals which sounded so good in the classroom, produced only havoc and confusion

in real life.

Many years later, a preacher by the name of Clark Braden, would also prove a nemesis

to G.H. Walser.

Braden came to Liberal, Missouri,

conducted

a series of debates, and attacked liberalism with bull dog tenacity.

Perhaps it is not by accident, that Braden was a disciple of Alexander

Campbell.

Move to Illinois

At some point in his early life, Walser moved to Illinois. Walser's friend, J.P. Moore, said that he studied law and was admitted to the bar by the Supreme Court of Illinois, and began practicing at Middleport in about 1856. Moore also believes this was the year that Walser married his first wife, Harriet.

Clark Braden, the preacher, was less complimentary

about Walser's

life in Illinois. He charged that Walser spent time in jail there.

He wrote:

"G. H. Walser, the founder and proprietor of Liberal, first achieved greatness in Paris, Edgar County, Illinois, where he was running a store, on which he secured

insurance far beyond its value.

It mysteriously

got afire and was saved several times. The last time Walser was found in bed sound asleep, and hard to wake, though the wick of the candle

in his room was still smoking.

He was watched, caught in the act of setting fire to the building, and spent three years in jail, part of the time in irons, for an attempt to break

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GEORGE H. WAlSER

jail, and escaped the penitentiary

by the chicanery of D.W. Voorhees,

his attorney.

He was dismissed

from the army in disgrace

for crime and misconduct, and although he has made desperate efforts to be restored he has failed ... "

At this time,

I cannot verify either the affirmations

of J.P. Moore that Walser practiced law in Middleport,

Illinois, or the charges of Clark Braden that he was in jail in Paris,

Illinois.

I do have documentation,

however,

proving that he was dishonorably dismissed from the military, and will present it in a later chapter.

Based on the information available to us today, it seems that George H. Walser was born in 1834.

This would mean that he was twenty-two when he got married in 1856. Military records indicate that he was mustered into service on June 13, 1861. This would mean that he was twenty-seven when he became a soldier.

I have no idea where, or how, he studied to become a lawyer.

Liberal, Missouri

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GEORGE H. WAlSER

CHAPTE~ II

WALSER AND THE MILITARY

In 1861 the United States of America was plunged into a horrible War.

The World Almanac

estimates

the number of battle deaths at 498,000.

The American

People's Encyclopedia

places

the figure

at 618,000.

There

were

from

26,000

to 31,000 Confederate troops who died in Union prison camps.

The Civil War was America's most costly war regarding the loss of American lives.

Here are some events immediately preceding the outbreak of war, and Walser's subsequent

enlistment

in the Union Army.

On March 9, 1861 the Confederate

Convention at Montgomery authorized the organization

of an army.

On April 20, 1861 Colonel Robert E. Lee resigned his U.S. Army commission, and two days later took command of the Virginia troops as a major general.

On May 20, 1861, North Carolina became the 11th state to succeed and the Confederate

capital was moved from Montgomery to Richmond, Virginia.

Here is the account J.P. Moore gives of Walser's military service.

As I have said before, it is not accurate:

"He entered the Union army on the first call of President Lincoln for three- months' volunteers,

and reenlisted for three years.

He attained the rank of Lieutenant Colonel of the 20th Illinois volunteers.

Basing this statement on the understanding

of a very close relative, and as related to this writer in a letter: When the war was over, Mr. Walser felt the purpose for which he had gone to war was accomplished,

disliked to serve in the occupation

of the South, had no grievance against those people, had plans of his own for life, so simply got on his horse and left the army.

He had wished to be released and was probably tired of waiting on technicalities.

This action, of course, was against regulations,

and probably involved him considerably

with the

Liberal, Missouri

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GEORGE H. WAlSER

army; but he evidently won his point and no punitive measure was applied. He was a purposeful man and must have had his own ideas, then as well as later on." (The Strange Town, p. 151)

George H. Walser did enlist in the Union Army.

He was "mustered in" on June 13, 1861.

The next day, June 14, 1861, he received a commission as Captain of Co. I, 20 Reg't Illinois Infantry.

He was only in the service for a few months, but this was not because he was a "three months' volunteer."

It was because he was sick and apparently couldn't get along with his fellow officers.

The following information is taken from military records:

He was on the sick list from September

1, 1861, to October

11, 1861.

On October

16, 1861 he applied for a "leave of absence"

because of "remittent fever," and "diarrhea."

Also in October 1861, Capt. Walser was "placed in arrest by order C.C. Marsh for refusing to leave his Co. and return to Cape Giradeau just before the battle of Fredrickstown,

ordered into arrest Oct. 19."

On November 3, 1861, he tendered his resignation because of "iII health, to take effect immediately."

On November 4, 1861, he changed his mind, and wrote to Col. C.C. Marsh:

"I do hereby

remand the resignation

sent in by me on yesterday.

I have every hope of a speedy recovery of my health and do not wish to leave the service "

His commanding officer sent an accompanying

letter with his attempt to remand his resignation.

He wrote: "I inclose the withdrawal of resignation

of Capt. G. H. Walser

of the 20th Reg. III. Vol.

I beg leave to state that I deem that the best interests of the regiment require that his resignation be approved and accepted and would respectfully

request that his withdrawal thereof be disapproved." Capt. Walser was not allowed back into the service at this time.

REENLISTED - 1864

On October 10, 1864, G.H. Walser was mustered back into the military as a

Liberal, Missouri

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GEORGE H. WAlSER

Captain. This time he was serving with Co. I, 43 Reg't Missouri Infantry.

On November 25, 1864 he was assigned as Asst. Provost Marshal for the District of North Missouri.

On May 4, 1865 he was dishonorably

dismissed.

The dismissal letter read:

"By direction of the President on the recommendation of the Commanding General Department

of Missouri, Captain George H. Walser, 43d Missouri Volunteers is hereby dishonorably

dismissed from the service of the United States

for malfeasance

in office while Provost

Marshal

at St. Joseph, Missouri.

By order of the Secretary of War

W. A. NICHOLS

Assistant Adjutant General"

Please note that G.H. Walser began, and ended, his military career as a Captain, and not as a Lieutenant

Colonel.

I am told it is quite common for men to lie about their military exploits.

These fabrications

are commonly called "war stories."

In this regard, it seems that Capt. Walser was quite common.

Liberal, Missouri

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GEORGE B. WAlSER

CHAPTER III

FOLLOWING THE MONEY TRAIL

The Scriptures teach that the love of money is the root of all evil. When you "follow the money trail," it helps to understand many questions regarding man's behavior.

G. H. Walser came to S.W. Missouri in 1866.

I do not know why he made this move, unless it involved money. Somewhere, and somehow, he got his hands on a lot of money in S.W. Missouri.

His friends,

of course, would assume that he got it honestly.

Clark Braden charged otherwise.

Braden wrote:

"While living in Carthage, Mo., he concocted a railroad bond fraud.

By hiring villains to hold a pretended bond election in thinly settled towns, by perjury, forgery, and fraud, he loaded the towns with fraudulent

bonds, sold them, and escaped the penitentiary by compounding his villainy.

He next took part in a gigantic

land steal,

in which

the United

States

Government

was defrauded

out of tens of thousands of acres of the best land in Southwest Missouri, at a few cents per acre, as worthless, because 'swamp lands.'

He has swindled scores, in disposing of the land he stole from the government. A common piece of villainy was to show a purchaser, an excellent piece of land, giving as its number, that of a worthless piece.

The purchaser soon found that he had paid the price of good land for worthless land, and without remedy, for Walser was careful that there be no witnesses ...

" (Taken from the Fulfillment of a Dream, pages 4 - 5.)

Swamp Land

I

do

not

have

any

documentation

regarding

a

railroad

bond

fraud,

but documentation

about swamp land is available.

On September 28, 1850, Congress approved:

"An Act to enable the State of Arkansas,

and other states to reclaim the swamp lands within their limits, it is so provided that all the swamp and overflowed

lands made unfit thereby

for cultivation

within

the State of

Liberal, Missouri

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GEORGE B. WAlSER

Missouri which remain unsold at the passage of said act, shall be granted to said State. And whereas in pursuance of instructions from the General Land Office of the United States the several tracts or parcels of land hereafter described have been selected as Swamp and Overflowed

lands enuring to the said state under the Act aforesaid being situated in the District of Lands subject to sale at Springfield,

Missouri ... " These hand written words are then followed by the legal description of lands which were designated

by the state as "swamp lands."

The Act was then signed by President

James Buchanan.

Defrauding the Government?

There

are no swamp lands in S.W. Missouri.

Yet, thousands

of acres were "declared,"

or "designated,"

as swamp land.

The generally accepted theory of how this happened, involves fraud.

Enterprising land dealers were said to have placed a boat in the back of a wagon.

Then they climbed in the boat and drove over large sections of rich farm land. Then they signed affidavits that they had been over the land in a boat.

In this manner large sections of land were purchased from the government for pennies on the dollar.

I have no way of proving that G.H. Walser partiCipated in the "boat scam," but court records

indicate that he did buy a lot of land, and that a considerable

number of these purchases were designated

as "swamp land," also known as "patent land."

Barton Co. Court House records verify that Walser, or his wife, bought "swamp" or "patent" lands on:

November 9,1866

March 12, 1867

July 16, 1867

August 31,1867

November 21,1867,

Etc.

In fact, they bought sixty-three farms, or parcels of ground from March 19, 1866, to May 3, 1870. Not all of these were "swamp" lands. Some were acquired at sheriffs' sales, and others were merely on the market at what Walser thought was a good price.

Liberal, Missouri

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GEORGE H. WAlSER

Philanthropist?

Walser's friends saw him as a philanthropist.

Perhaps at some point in his life he was.

In the 1860s and 70s, however, he seems to have been characterized

by greed. Many of the old silent movies featured a wicked landlord who would take away the family farm.

Walser would have been perfect for the part.

Purchasing farms at Sheriffs' sales caused him to evict a great many people.

Take, for example, page 216 in the Circuit Court Records of Barton County.

Twenty-six

law suits are listed on this page, and Walser filed fifteen of them.

Here are the people listed on this single page.

Walser sued them all for eviction or collection of debt:

Robert and Charles Olive

D. H. Bowers

Abraham Nigh

R T. Cartmul

F. E. Reynolds

C.B. Couch, Hoyt, J.J. Humphreys, AG. Wray, Lee Chiswill, J.H. Neal, and Charles VanPelt

David A Olds

John Couch and Joseph A Watkin

Phillip Hamir

Thomas G. Harvey

Barton Co. and M.B. Earll

F.D.W. Arnold

J.M. Travis and D.A Olds

Chas. Newberk

Edward G. Ward, James T. Ward, RJ. Tucker and wife

If this is philanthropy,

it is a different

kind than I am familiar

with.

We must remember, however, that Walser was in a period of change and development.

Later, he would be more generous.

Billy Graham once observed:

"If a person gets his attitude toward money straight, it will help straighten out almost every other area in his life."

Liberal, Missouri

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GEORGE H. WAlSER

CHAPTEitlV

THE FOUNDING OF LIBERAL

The original plat for the town of Liberal, Missouri was dedicated and entered into county records on October 26, 1880. This cite had the advantage of being located at the convergence

of two railroads, the Frisco, and the Missouri Pacific.

The property was originally purchased as "patent" land on June 10, 1859. Twenty-one years later, Walser purchased it, and other lands, from W.C. Davis and W.H. Parker, for $5,650.

Information obtained from the Western Historical Manuscript Collection in Columbia, Missouri, provides the following perspective.

"George

H. Walser, a lawyer and prosperous business man, had lived with a colony of free thinkers at Paris, Illinois and at the close of the Civil War moved to lamar, Missouri. land was cheap in that territory at the time and he bought up several sections, paying as low as 12 1/2 cents an acre for some of it. Walser gradually organized a settlement about 15 miles west and four miles north of lamar and called the new town liberal.

The original motive for the town was announced as follows: 'To give an asylum for those noble men and women who are willing to sacrifice the comforts of life and joys of social intercourse, rather than live a life of deception and falsehood, was the incentive which actuated us in starting the town of Liberal, where we could enjoy the full benefits of free American citizens without having some self-appointed bigot dictate to us what we should think, speak, write, print or send through the mails.'

II

Streets in the new town were named for men whom Walser admired, like Ingersoll, Darwin, and Paine.

It needs to be remembered,

however, that Ingersoll, Darwin, and Paine had never seen the havoc which their social theories would produce.

These men lived, wrote, and died in the midst of Christian influence.

They never really tested their theories. They founded no cities or countries for liberalism alone, as Mr. Walser did. They were only theoreticians!

Walser sent out advertisements for his new community with this bold and optimistic

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GEORGE H. WAlSER

proclamation:

Liberal

now has such an impetus that it can smile at the combined powers of priest, preacher,

church, saloon, God or hell; and they are the happiest and purest people on earth.

The only fit home for liberally disposed persons.

Liberal is in a good country, rich in all the needs of life usually found it good countries.

Address G.H. Walser

Liberal

Barton, County, Missouri

Charles Darwin, for whom Walser named a street in Liberal, was not totally opposed to Christian influence.

In fact, he presented this compliment to Christian missionaries

in his Journals of Research (pages 414,425,

and 505.)

"They forget, or will not remember, that human sacrifices and the power of an idolatrous priesthood - a system of profligacy unparalleled

in another part of the world - infanticide, a consequent of that system - bloody wars, where conquerors spared neither women nor children - that all of these have been abolished; and that dishonesty, intemperance, and licentiousness have been greatly reduced by Christianity.

In a voyager to forget these things is base ingratitude;

for should he chance to be at the point of shipwreck on some unknown coast, he will most devoutly pray that the lesson of the missionary may have reached

thus far . . . The

lesson

of the missionary

is the enchanter's want. The house has been built, the windows framed, the fields plowed, and even the trees grafted by the New Zealander

...

the march of improvement,

consequent

on the introduction

of Christianity

through the South Seas, probably stands by itself in the records of history"

Walser, however, seemed determined to avoid the influence of Christianity.

Sadly, at this very time, his marriage with his first wife, Harriet was falling apart.

The Scriptures teach that God is a very present help in time of need (Ps. 46: 1.) Walser, however, would not admit that need.

Both he, and his family would suffer because of his unbelief.

Many years

later, Walser's

fourth wife, Esther, would write that his marriage

to Harriet

P. Cunningham

was "consummated

in 1880."

Since Walser already had two children

by Harriet at this time, I am assuming she meant that their marriage ended in 1880. They may

Liberal, Missouri

Page tlambvr 18

GEORGE H. WAlSER

have stopped

living together in 1880, but divorce papers were not filed until March 17, 1883.

The divorce was granted on October 20, 1884. Their son Mark was twenty-three at the time. He was born March 30, 1861. Their daughter, Lena, only fourteen.

She was born September

14, 1870.

There is an old saying: "When momma ain't happy, ain't nobody happy."

Obviously,

Harriet wasn't happy. I am assuming that nobody else was either.

Their family problems may have impacted the life of their son, Mark.

Clark Braden charged that Mark ...

"Spent

a part of his promising youth in a house of refuge, for crime.

In Lamar he ran in debt, wheedled friends into going his security, and ran off in the night with his goods, and left them to pay $4,000 for him. He forged the names of two friends, as securities to the notes, on which he borrowed money at the bank, and his illustrious sire had to buy him off to save him from the penitentiary.

His last exploit as far as heard from, was to draw out of the bank in Ft. Scott between five and six thousand dollars, as his father's clerk, and use it - overdrawing

his father's

account and embezzling

the money ... " (The Fulfillment of a Dream, p. 5)

Someone

has observed: "If your philosophy of life does not work at home, don't export it."

At this time, however, Walser was in the "export business."

No matter how many personal problems he was facing at home, he was confident that his philosophy

of life could solve the problems of the world.

When the blind lead the blind, however, both fall into the ditch.

Walser's

personal

frustration

with religion

must have been intensified

by the presidential

elections

of 1880.

James A. Garfield,

a Christian

minister,

became the twentieth President of the United States. As you know, Garfield was killed by an assassin in 1881.

1880 was also the year that Thomas Alva Edison was granted a patent for his incandescent

electric

lamp.

Unfortunately,

George

H. Walser

was still walking

in darkness.

Liberal, Missouri

Page tlambvr 19

GEORGE B. WAlSER

CHfiPTEit V

WITH ALL HIS MIGHT

The book of Ecclesiastes offers this sage advice: "Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might, for there is no work, no device, nor knowledge,

nor wisdom,

in the grave whither thou goest" (Eccl. 9:10.)

The point of the Scripture involves action.

When you die it is too late to pursue your dreams.

Whatever criticism we may level at G.H. Walser, we can never accuse him of being lazy, lukewarm, or indifferent.

He was a man of action.

Even though he was wrong, he deserves some credit for not sitting on the sidelines.

Wise

King Solomon reminded his readers that when you die, it is too late to do anything.

There is no work, device, knowledge,

or wisdom in the grave.

These four different words describe a wide variety of human activities.

Many come down to the last days of their lives regretting

the fact that they had been too restrained,

cautious,

and careful.

Their major theme is "if only."

George H. Walser never had these regrets.

There is another passage in the Bible that offers some consolation

to people like Walser.

The following words were written to the church at Laodicea. "I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou were cold or hot. So then because thou are neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth II (Rev. 2:15-16)

It seems that God prefers people to be anything but lukewarm.

Hot is best, cold is next best, lukewarm is last. Walser's coldness to Christ may have been an advantage. Like

Saul of Tarsus,

he was an opponent

to Christianity.

It seems,

however,

that opponents to Christ are easier to convert than those who are not opposed to anything.

It seems

that Walser

was opposing

God with "all his might."

He was risking everything.

Proving his liberal theories seems to have been the all consuming passion of his life.

Among

the town's first buildings,

was a small frame structure

that Walser constructed

for his law office.

Liberal, Missouri

Page tlambvr 20

GEORGE H. WALSER

The first newspaper in Liberal was initially called "The Liberalite."

Its Publication started within a year or so after the town was founded.

G.H. Walser was the first owner and editor.

The first hotel was called the "Ozark House." It was also started by Mr. Walser.

Liberal's first park was called "Catalpa Park."

It also was Walser's

project.

Ruth Black Aten describes Catalpa Park on page 163 of her book, "She Kept Men Standing."

''This Catalpa Park, a thirteen-acre

plot a half mile south of town, was designed and built by Mr. Walser, Liberal's founder, at a cost of some forty thousand

dollars.

He maintains

it at his own expense

for the public's enjoyment.

It surely is beautiful.

It has many flower beds and ornamental fountains;

twenty latticed, vine-covered

pergolas; an artificial

lake that is used by bathers

and boating

enthusiasts

in summer and ice skaters

in winter;

and a wonderful

picnic area in a grove of catalpa trees.

Nobody seems

to know why Mr. Walser

chose

the catalpa,

but he ordered

a thousand from a nursery and had them planted in his park in his town.

In the park there are summer cottages, an excellent boarding house, and an ice cream and lemonade stand.

For indoor events there's what is called the 'Celestial

Dome.'

It is a large octagonal building, complete with stage and moveable

seating.

Three public lectures are held each Sunday.

On Wednesday and Saturday afternoons there are band concerts, and at night there is dancing.

Lighted by kerosene lamps, this place is large enough to accommodate

as many as twenty-eight

sets or 224 square dancers at one time.

The caller is a Freethinker by the name of Guffy."

The Liberal City Cemetery was Walser's project too.

It was fashioned

in a circle, and every person buried there is facing the center.

The center lot is a perfect circle, ninety-eight

feet in diameter.

It is neatly bounded by a concrete retaining wall about six inches high. This, of course, is where Mr. Walser planned to be buried.

It was commonly believed

that he designed

the cemetery

so that should there be a resurrection,

his followers would rise to hail him as their leader.

As I have said before, Walser was wrong!

His great gamble did not work!

His theories

failed!

At least, however,

he had the courage to try.

His long and difficult pilgrimage brought him at last to faith in Christ.

At the end of his life, when his health was

Liberal, Missouri

Page tlambvr 21

GmRGE B. WAlSER

gone, and his money was gone, he changed.

He deserves credit for this too.

In his last book, written in 1909, he described himself as a "converted infidel."

The late Jim Elliot observed that a man is not a fool for giving up those things that he cannot keep, to gain those things that he cannot lose. We cannot take it with us, but we can send it ahead so that it will be there when we arrive.

Liberal, Missouri

Page tlambvr n

GEORGE H. WAlSER

CHfiPTE~ VI

WHAT KIND OF PEOPLE CAME?

Howard R. Russell, in his book, "A Lawyer's Examination of the Bible," provides this interesting quotation from James Russell Lowell.

When Mr. Lowell was Minister of State to England, he rebuffed critics of Christianity with these pointed words:

"I will challenge such skeptics to find a place ten miles square on the globe, where a man can live in comfort, security, and decency, where he can find education

for his children,

reverence

for infancy and old age, honor for womanhood, or any sacred regard for human life, where the gospel of Christ has not gone and cleared the way, laying a foundation for such a condition of affairs.

If they can find such a place, it will then be in order for them to emigrate thither and advocate their unbelief.

Scoffers against religion are dependent

upon the religion they discard for every privilege they enjoy as citizens of a Christian community." (Pages 191-192)

In this regard, we must admire Mr. Walser for having the courage to put his theories into practice.

He didn't like Christianity,

thought

it was wrong, and therefore

tried to improve on the efforts of the pilgrims.

Unfortunately,

things did not go as smoothly as he had planned.

Again,

I quote from Clark Braden.

Mr. Braden visited Liberal during those early turbulent years when liberalism was unalloyed by the moderating influences which came later.

These words were written in 1886:

"No doubt there are infidels all over the United States and Canada, who long for a sight of this infidel land of Canaan, and its new Jerusalem, as devout Mohammedans

long for a sight of Mecca, and for the same reason, they have never seen it. Hundreds have been duped into making the pilgrimage to this Infidel Utopia, only to waste time and money in the journey, or worse, to be swindled and losing all they invested ...

there was no lack of free love ...

Liberal was famous for its lawsuits.

If an infidel got mad at another, he rushed before a magistrate or to Lamar, and charged his enemy with some

Liberal, Missouri

Page ltambvr 21

GEORGE H. WAI.SER

crime or misdemeanor

There was no trouble to get men and women to swear what was wanted

perjury was gross and infamous . ..

profanity has ever been the commonest form of speech in Liberal."

Braden

alleged

one particularly

distressing

incident

that involved

Mr. Walser himself:

"The town was notorious for its rows and scrapes. We have mentioned the brutal assault of the Walsers on Grayson.

Walser tried to swindle Gilmore, the man who opened his mines.

In a suit Gilmores evidence was believed ...

the cowardly Walser ruffians followed him into a store, and while old Walser stood before him and abused him, the cowardly ruffian, Mark Walser, sneaked up behind him and knocked him down with a weight.

Then, the two ruffians

stamped and kicked their helpless victim, splitting his ear, his lip, and fracturing his jaw. Old Walser tauntingly yelling at him, 'God damn you, why don't you lie stili?'"

If you think

Braden was wrong, or that he overstated

the sad state of affairs in Liberal, why don't you try the same experiment on your own?

First, either move to some remote place on the globe where there is no Bible or Christian influence, or start a city on your own as Walser did.

Make sure you emphasize that you do not want the Bible and Christian influence.

Do not be surprised if such a community becomes a sewer, filled with the dregs of human society.

J.P. Moore regretted Braden's approach, though he did admit that there were a ''few rotten apples in the barreL"

Moore cited Mr. and Mrs. J.K. Belk as an example of people whom

he considered

to be "an honorable

and highly respected

couple,

and useful citizens."

He said they would have "abhorred

any thought of Freelove"

though some accused them of being "votaries of that cult."

Alii know about the Belks is related by Moore in his book, The Strange Town.

The essence of what he told about them, however, defeats his own arguments.

The history of the Belks actually

substantiates

the theory that people came to Liberal to escape the responsibility

of moral restraints.

On page 135 Moore relates that:

"Mr. and Mrs. J.K. Belk came to Liberal from northwestern Kansas in 1881.

Liberal, Missouri

Page tlambvr 24

GEORGE B. WAlSER

They were Freethinkers, and because of that they were attracted to Liberal. They were wealthy,

and through their daughter,

Mrs. Lillian Myrtle Belk- Branson-Sibley,

the city of liberal

and the Liberal school district came into a considerable

portion of their wealth, by bequest."

On page 160 Moore informs us that Belk had two sons by a previous wife.

This information was obtained "by chance."

It seems that a resident of Liberal, Mary Burgess, made a trip to California.

While she was there, she just happened to meet a woman by the name of Belk.

It turned out to be Mr. Belk's first wife. The first Mrs. Belk was amazed to hear that her husband was still alive.

Belk was a stage coach driver, and when he didn't come home, she assumed he had been killed in an Indian massacre. She had no idea that he had a new "Mrs. Belk" and was living in Liberal, Missouri.

Moore continued the story on p. 161:

"This story was corroborated by one of these sons, who came here after his father's death in 1917, on behalf of himself, his brother and their mother, and demanding

a share in their father's estate.

He found that title to the real property

had been transferred

to the daughter.

But he did receive

a substantial cash settlement.

In proof, this son, who was a frequent visitor in my office while here, exhibited

to this writer a check and a bank draft, totaling $20,000, that had been given to him by Mrs. Belk, to satisfy his claim without litigation.

If there was to be more, he did not say."

I think it was Ross Perot who said: "If a man's wife can't trust him, why should I?"

Liberal, Missouri

PClge tlambvr 25

GEORGEB. '" AlSm

EDUCATION IN LIBERAL

One of the first laws regarding public education in the United States was enacted in 1642. It was called the "Old Deluder Satan Law." The principal reason for this law was to make people literate so that they could read the Bible.

Our ancestors in Europe were persecuted for possessing, or reading the Bible. The founders of America did not want to repeat this error. The Bible was, therefore, an integral part of their educational

philosophy.

The

first college

in America

was Harvard

College

in Massachusetts.

It was established by the Puritans less than ten years after their arrival in America.

The official motto of Harvard was: "For Christ and the Church."

One hundred and six of the first one hundred and eight colleges in America were founded on the Christian faith.

George

H. Walser

had a different

philosophy

of education.

He founded

"The Freethought

University,"

which would pursue education without the Bible.

I obtained a catalog

to this university

from the Western

Historical

Collection,

of the University

of Missouri in Columbia, Missouri.

Walser wrote in this catalog:

"THE

FREETHOUGHT

UNIVERSITY

offers

to the

Freethinkers

of America

the advantages

for which they have so long waited.

Here the growing, inquiring minds of innocent children, just merging into manhood and womanhood,

may

be trained

and

educated

free

from

the

chains

of superstition and mental slavery that have weighed so long and heavily upon our entire educational

system.

Here, untrammelled

by bible, creed, or ism, the truth will be sought for the truth's sake alone, and the warfare upon error be unflinchingly

and unceasingly

carried out."

"Liberals

of America, for years you have been looking forward to the inauguration

of a Freethought

institution

of learning

where

creeds

and dogmas would cease to wield their poisonous influence over the world ... Therefore, by all means, let every Liberal who has children to educate send

Liberal, Missouri

Page tlambvr 26

GEORGE H. WAlSER

them to the Freethought

University ...

Liberals, let us not delay our efforts to advance this enterprise.

Whatever we may be able to do let us not wait until next month or next year, but let us act immediately ... "

Walser continued: ''The citizens of Liberal are honest, sober, industrious and moral as a class.

They are free from religious dogmatisms

of every kind.

Every person here is esteemed for his manly bearing rather than his religious faith ...

We expect Liberal to become an educational

point, and to that end we invite to our midst all lovers of learning ... "

O.E. Harmon said that the first educational institution was the "Instructional

SchooL" This developed into the Liberal Normal in 1884.

Later this merged into The Freethought University. This educational

experiment began with seven professors but went down hill almost immediately.

In 1886 Clark Braden wrote: ''The school never had more than fifteen pupils ... " Obviously, the Freethought

University did not develop into a great center of learning to compete with the Christian colleges back east.

The University of Mental Liberty

O.E. Harmon also described

the U.M.L. Hall in his book "The Story of Liberal, MissourL"

This book was published by the Liberal News in 1925.

Harmon wrote:

''This building was erected for public purposes; the main object being to provide

a place where any person could come and speak on any subject providing he kept himself within the rules of parliamentary

decorum.

It was to be to Liberal what Faneuil Hall was to Boston in old New England days. U.M.L. Hall was the scene of many a fiery debate; and we can easily imagine the

diversity

of views

that

would

be expressed

when

Free-thinkers, Spiritualists,

and Orthodox Christians aired their opinions.

There was one occasion that deserves notice. It was the Sunday evening before the Presidential

election of 1888. The meeting was held in the hall, and the usual liberty of speech was to be allowed, only the speakers were to be limited to ten minutes' time.

Mr. G.W. Baldwin was chairman of the meeting. Various persons had spoken, and it came Mr. G.H. Walser's time to speak.

He was brim full of ideas, and when the ten minutes had expired he found he was not nearly through of what he wanted to say; so he kept on talking.

Mr. Baldwin called him to order, whereupon Mr. Walser talked on,

Liberal, Missouri

Page ltumbvr 27

GEORGE H. WAlSER

and Mr. Baldwin reminded him that his time was up. Mr. Walser finally quit under protest, but with the deep feeling that liberty of speech had been suppressed.

This was the last public meeting held in the venerable U.M.L. Hall.

In the next issue of the paper was the following

notice: 'U.M.L. Hall closed for repairs.'

The building was soon after sold to the Methodists and used as their place of worship until the new church building was erected a short time ago.

The new church was dedicated in 1923.

The above incident is interesting from the fact that Mr. Walser and Mr. Baldwin were leaders in their respective fields of thought.

Both were well read men and good speakers. Mr. Baldwin was a strong Agnostic, while Mr. Walser

was a strong Spiritualist.

Baldwin was a Democrat, Walser was Republican.

So it is easy to see that when they came in conflict, either in debate or otherwise, something was doing." (Pages 25-26)

It needs to be noted that the sale of the U.M.L. Hall to the Methodists was a reversal of Walser's

previous

position.

Some attribute

this change,

not only to a moderating attitude toward Christianity,

but also to his arrogance.

Mr. Walser owned the hall.

The very idea that he would be limited to only ten minutes speaking time in his own building was

not to be tolerated.

Since the Methodists

had been the most evangelistic

in attempting to convert the infidels, the sale of the U.M.L. Hall to them, may have seemed a good way to get even.

Freedom of Speech and Thought

The St. Louis Daily Globe Democrat featured an article about Liberal on May 2, 1885, p. 10. It is titled: "An Infidel Experiment."

Here is a brief excerpt:

"'What

do you think of Walser?' Mr. Adams was asked.

'I think,' said he, 'he is a man who wants to rule or ruin.

He is the worst fanatic I ever saw.'

'But don't you think he is honest in his intentions?'

'No; he is a man who is richer than anybody else around here.

He owns the land the people live on, and he has it in his power to make things lively for anyone he doesn't like.

He is a lawyer and involves everyone he has a

Liberal, Missouri

Page tlambvr 28

GEORGE H. WALSER

quarrel with in a lawsuit, compelling them to pay attorney's fees, costs, etc., even if they don't lose the case.'

'But he invites everybody to speak in the U.M.L. Hall.'

'Yes, he invites preachers to hold forth in his hall, but when they attempt -----------zt-=o~dlcooc-cs~o~hr=-=e

interrupts, bullyrags, contradicts and controverts them until life is a burden to them. Walser, when anyone goes to preach, jumps up every ten minutes and fires questions at him ...

'"

The same article related that Walser had interrupted a religious meeting outside of the U.M.L. Hall:

"He insisted

on criticising

and controverting

the various

points in the sermon of the day, justifying the imposition of his views on the people with the statement that the town was a liberal one, that free speech was accorded everybody,

and that he owned one twentieth of the church ... "

"Nearly one third of the inhabitants of Liberal have moved off of Walser's land and established a town of their own, called Denison.

The history of this schism is interesting viewed from any point, and goes to show that men who profess

to be infidels and Liberals can be as bigoted and fanatical as the men who in olden times applied rack and screw to those who would not believe and practice with them ...

"

Waggoner's Addition

O.E. Harmon relates this story on pages 15-16 of his book:

"In 1881, one H. H. Waggoner

made an addition to Liberal with the view of getting a place where Orthodox Christians could live to themselves.

Here they could

live unmolested

and watch with contempt the doings of their infidel

neighbors.

But alas!

Their joy was to be short lived.

A wicked barbed wire fence did the mischief.

An account of the building of the fence is given in the newspaper, 'The Liberal,' of April 18, 1883, and is as follows:

'G.H. Walser has bought the Waggoner's

addition to the town of Liberal. The readers of the Liberal two years ago will remember that this addition

Liberal, Missouri

Page tlambvr 29

GEORGE H. WAlSER

was the great bone of contention between the Liberals and the Christians. The addition

was laid out by Mr. Waggoner

for the purpose of inducing immigration

of Christians who would be strong enough to out number the Liberals and defeat the enterprise.

That was prevented by a high post and barbed-wire fence which was immediately put on a strip of land adjoining the town which had been laid off into lots, which they mistook for a street.

By this fence they could neither get ingress nor egress.

They could not climb over

the fence

because

it was too high; they could not crawl under

it because

it was too low; and could not crawl through

it because

of the stickers

on the wires.

So they just sat down and swore that we were the meanest set on earth, and we guess we were.

We saved the town by it and now we are happy."

Clark Braden wrote:

"When

some persons who would not submit to the infidel bulldozing began to settle on the lots that Mr. Walser did not own, outside his town plot, the infidels of Liberal actually undertook to build a wire fence around Liberal, across a public highway so as to prevent Christians from entering the town, even to go to the depot.

One Monday morning all Liberal could be seen at work, digging holes, carrying posts and wire and putting up this evidence of infidel 'tolerance'

and 'liberality.'

Walser's

wife and other female infidels were

driving

down stakes as ostentatiously

as possible.

The railroad authorities telegraphed

that they would remove the depot if the lunacy was not abandoned,

and that freak of infidel lunacy removed."

J.P. Moore wrote:

"Knowing

Mr. Walser as I did, it is my opinion that he alone conceived and financed the building of the fence; and that it was built in a gesture of contempt, and more as a psychological

than a physical barrier.

As to how well it actually worked, we now have as evidence only the conflicting stories of Mr. Walser and Mr. Braden on which to base our judgment.

Anyway, the fence is long since gone and so are the principals involved."

It appears that there was not as much freedom of expression and thought in Liberal, as liberal people might suppose.

Dean Rusk offers this insight:

Liberal, Missouri

Page tlambvr 10

GEORGE H. WAISER

"Free speech and free press are not based on the notion that everyone is going to tell the truth.

From John Milton through Thomas Jefferson, and up to the present time, the right of free speech and free press is based upon the notion that if everyone is free to say and write what he pleases, then the truth has a better chance to emerge than if these processes were subject to some sort of external control, particularly control by the government."

Liberal, Missouri

Page tlambvr 31

GEORGE H. WAlSER

CHfiPTEIt VIII

FREE LOVE

Everyone seems to agree that some people came to Liberal feeling that freedom of thought meant free everything.

Walser himself was accused of advocating "free love." This is not too surprising.

At this point, Walser did not believe in God, and his wife had not been with him for months, or years.

He did not marry his second wife, Hannah, until about 1887.

Clark Braden wrote:

"In a speech in the U.M.L. Hall, in April 1884, Walser declared before a crowded audience, that he was a 'free lover,' and that he established

Liberal to make it a free love town.

The Lyons woman, President of the Sunday Evening Entertainments, declared in Mr. Cumins Meat Shop that she was a free lover in belief and practice.

Mrs. Belk, the Postmistress, the Replogle woman,

the Yoemans

girls,

and

others

have

made

such

statements repeatedly

... "

"The following facts are well known and will not be denied in Liberal and vicinity.

There lives near Liberal a farmer named George Boulware.

He is a sceptic, but a man whose word is good.

He tells openly and boldly this story.

His hired man attended Sunday Evening Entertainments

in Liberal. He told Mr. Boulware that while the dancing jamboree that always follows the Sunday Evening Entertainment

was in progress, boys, young men and old men, were allowed, after paying a dollar each, to go behind the scenery on the stage and commit fornication

with a female who was there for that purpose ... "

The St. Louis Daily Globe Democrat, May 2, 1885, published a lot of charges, even though the reporter felt that most of them were untrue.

Here is a small sample:

"The freedoms

and unrestraint

of the Liberals,

human

nature

being considered

the same everywhere,

have given rise to scandal of the most

Liberal, Missouri

Page tlambvr 12

GEORGE .1,WAlSER

unsavory

sort, and charges of free love and mixed relations between the sexes are freely made. Young girls and young women in all the enthusiasm of their Liberal belief, use cuss-words that would stagger a sailor.

Books which are generally kept under lock and key are read freely by the young, and 'Plain

Facts,' by Dr. Kellogg,

and 'The Science

of Prevention,'

by another medical quack, have been seen in the hands of young people who would never have the opportunity

see them except in a Liberal town.

The charges include foeticide, and the statement is made by a Denisionian

that but three children have been born in Liberal in five years.

Clark Braden vowed that such charges were true.

He said they were "iron clad," and "water proof."

Regarding the charge of "foeticide,"

he wrote:

"Foeticide

is the prevailing practice in Liberal.

There have not been as many children born in Liberal, born of infidel parents, as it has been years in existence.

Mrs. Rosenkrantz, the wife of a hotel keeper in Liberal, told Dr. Bouton, when dying of foeticide, that it had been performed for her in Liberal sixteen times, and that the ground around the hotel was full of murdered foetuses.

Van Law, the marshal, dug up a half developed embryo in digging a drain for the hotel."

When J.P. Moore wrote ''The Strange Story" in 1963, the earliest resident of Liberal, still living, was Mrs. Bertha Palmer.

She was born June 6, 1875.

She moved with her family

to Liberal in 1880 when she was only five years old.

Her little brother, Claude Bouton, was accidentally scalded to death in the summer of 1882.

He was the first person to be buried in the Liberal Cemetery.

Moore notes p. 98:

"As to freelove,

Mrs. Palmer believes that there were definitely

some votaries of this cult who found their way into Liberal, in the town's very early days, seemingly believing that 'Freethought,'

meant 'free everything'

- which it definitely did not. In respect to this she recalls attending a public meeting at the opera house, when a speaker asked all who believed in freelove to stand

up.

She says there was quite a sprinkling

who did stand

up. According

to the best of her memory, one of those who stood up was a young

man named Sam Suydam.

The young man's mother, who was a Christian,

was present.

When

she saw her son stand up she was so

Liberal, Missouri

Page ltumbvr n

GEORGE H. WAlSER

disturbed that she cried and said, 'Why, Sammy, I didn't know you believed that awful way.' "

The frank presentation

of these unpleasant

facts needs to be tempered

by the realization that "all have sinned and come short of the glory of God."

David is described in Scripture as a "man after God's own heart."

Yet, David was a sinner.

Here is a portion of Ps. 51:

David is thought to have composed this psalm after committing adultery with Bathsheba.

"Have mercy upon me, 0 God, according to thy lovingkindness: according

unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash methroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For Iacknowledgemy transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. Against thee,thee only, have Isinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.

Behold, Iwas shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me. Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom. Purge me with hyssop, and Ishall be clean: wash me, and Ishall be whiter than snow. Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.

Create in me a clean heart, 0 God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence, and take not thy holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation;

and uphold me with thy free spirit.

Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee ... " (Ps. 51:1-13)

Every generation

develops certain "sayings."

For example, almost everyone has heard that a stitch in time saves nine. The early church had "sayings" too.

Paul wrote one to Timothy:

"This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners: of whom I am chief' (I Tim. 1:15.)

We must never become so focused on the sins of others that we forget our own.

Liberal, Missouri

Page tlambvr 34

GEORGE H. WAlSER

CHAPTEItIX

CLARK BRADEN

Since I have quoted so extensively from Clark Braden, it is appropriate

that you be more familiar with him.

O.E. Harmon knew Braden personally and provides this information on pages 17 - 19 of his book, "The Story of Liberal, Missouri."

"As the writer knew Braden before his visit to Liberal, a few words about the history of the man may not be out of place here.

Clark Braden was a native

of Ohio.

He received his early education at Hiram College in that state. This is the same school President Garfield once attended and where the martyred President was at one time a teacher.

In his younger manhood Braden

was an infidel.

Later he became converted

to Christianity

and entered the ministry of the Christian church.

At the same time he was a teacher, and according to reports of pupils who attended his school he was a teacher of considerable

ability.

When the writer first knew him he was at the head of a school at Carbondale,

Illinois, known as Southern

Illinois College. About 1869-70 he came to Anna, Illinois, where the writer lived and preached once a month, delivering three sermons at each visit.

Most of the time during his ministry he was a teacher and he organized the first teachers' institute ever held in Southern Illinois.

He was a great controversialist,

and not many months passed when he was not debating either with some infidel or some preacher of another denomination

...

Braden was a fighter and sometimes an intemperate one.

He seemed to glory in controversy,

as the people of Liberal learned on his visit here.

He debated with C.W. Steward ten times in Liberal, and there are some still living here who remember Braden's visit to the town. This was in February 1885. He was placed under arrest while here, and as the writer understands it, was arrested

on a charge of embezzlement

from a firm in Nebraska. Braden's

pamphlet recites his arrest on a charge of libel, in which he was acquitted.

Liberal, Missouri

Page tlamber 15

GEORGE B. WAlSER

Braden's pamphlet is a severe reflection on the character of the people of Liberal.

The writer does not express himself as to the truth or falsity of these charges.

The fact is, the pamphlet was written and caused a big stir at the time."

J.P. Moore acknowledged

the notoriety of Braden's pamphlet and tried to blunt its influence by pointing out errors.

When Braden visited Liberal, for example, people were leaving and property values were declining.

Braden assumed this would continue.

Based on his observations,

he predicted that Liberal would fail and be swallowed up by the neighboring

town of Pedro. Braden was wrong.

Pedro failed, not Liberal.

It should be remembered,

however,

that after Braden made his prediction, Liberal changed.

The Saint Louis Daily Globe Democrat had this to say about Braden:

"Preacher

after preacher

has been here and has been downed

by Walser, whose sharp tongue, power of ridicule and invective have been too much for them. I must except one, though, a man named Braden, who is in Dennison now.

Braden is a Christian preacher, who would just as lief fight as eat, and he lost no time after being interrupted

in his lectures at the U.M.L. Hall in telling Walser so. Well, Braden is the only man who ever shut Walser up. Walser would just sit right down all through a meeting and never say a word. But Walser wasn't altogether defeated, for one day Braden was arrested and taken to Nebraska on a requisition.

He has since returned and you may look out for something to drop before long."

Braden had this to say about Walser and lawsuits:

"The writer was interviewed in Lexington, Mo., April 22, by Sam Keller, a correspondent

of the Globe Democrat of St. Louis.

This interview

was published

in the Post Dispatch of May 2, a most damaging report of affairs in Liberal. The writer returned to Liberal April 23, and delivered six lectures in Liberal.

In these lectures he ventilated Walser, Fishback, Yale, and the parties

who had been covering him with defamation for months.

He was arrested for criminal libel in his statements, published in the Post Dispatch, and was tried before Judge Hall in Lamar, May 18. After the prosecution had presented their evidence, the case was submitted to the jury without any

Liberal, Missouri

Page tlambvr 36

GEORGE H. WAlSER

rebutting evidence by the defence, and the jury speedily brought in a verdict of 'No cause for action.' Then the Post Dispatch, R.F. Holland and the writer were sued for twenty five-thousand dollars damages, in a civil suit.

Learning that the defence were thoroughly

prepared to prove that Liberal was a den of infamy, and its hotels brothels, the prosecution

asked that the suit be dismissed their own costs. Infidels are lying, claiming that the writer signed a libel.

It is a lie made out of whole cloth.

The writer defies the Infidels to face him in any court in the United States."

Braden concluded his pamphlet with this statement:

STATE OF MISSOURI, COUNTY OF BARTON ss.

Clark Braden, was tried before me, Justice of the Peace, in and for Barton County, state of Missouri, on the 18th day of May,

1885, for criminal

libel,

in certain

statements

he was charged

with have made to a reporter for the Post Dispatch, a paper published

in St. Louis, Mo., and which appeared in that paper of May, 2, 1885. After the prosecution had presented all their evidence, the case was submitted to the jory without any rebutting

evidence

by the defence,

and Clark

Braden

was acquited by the jury.

A. HALL - Justice of the Peace

Liberal, Missouri

Page tlambvr 17

GEORGE H. tvAISER

CHfiPTEit X

THE FAILURE OF LIBERALISM

The previous chapter makes reference to the St. Louis Globe Democrat, and an article which became the focal point of a lawsuit.

That article was written in 1885, and alleged, among other things:

"Now, at the end of five years, and at a time when one should be able to determine

pretty accurately

the value of such an experiment,

the great religious daily sends a missionary into Barton County to ascertain how grows a town under a liberal influence and the best of natural advantages.

The missionary remains in Liberal for a day and a half; mixes thoroughly with the people, and, after a due consideration

of everything heard and observed, is compelled

to say that the experiment is a failure; that the town, instead of keeping pace with other towns of the same age, has fallen far behind them, and instead of being the happy, prosperous, community it promised to be, is shriveled, contracted, torn into by dissensions, and is in a condition where only prompt actions in behalf of its friends toward a complete reorganization will save it from disintegrations

...

nearly one third of the inhabitants

of Liberal have moved off of Walser's land and established a town of their own, called Denison ... "

The St. Louis Post Dispatch of May 2, 1885 concurred:

"Nine tenths of those now in town would leave if they could sell their property. More property has been lost by locating in the town than has been made in it. Public schools and infidel meetings have been held in rented buildings,

except what were held in the Universal Mental Liberty Hall, the stupendous

title of a building about the size of a smoke house, which it clearly resembles.

The 'lively paper' is a four column sheet, printed one page at a time on a ram shackling old job press that looks old enough to be contemporaneous

with the discovery

of printing.

The type

had been condemned for the foundry when Walser purchased it years ago. The paper is about as legible as if it had been printed on a curry-comb.

The matter is

Liberal, Missouri

Page Humbvr 18

GEORGE H. WAISER

cheap, low flung abuse of Christianity.

The paper is a fair specimen of the public

spirit, liberality,

intellectual

and educational

condition of the place. The town is as badly collapsed as the printing office.

Property cannot be sold for near its cost. There are many vacant lots from which buildings have been moved, fifteen having been moved at one time ...

"

Clark Braden added:

''The bonds of the town and its warrants are offered at fifteen cents on the dollar and without purchasers.

The marshal, in November 1886, sued the town for the eighty-five cents he lost on each dollar of its warrants issued to pay him. The coal mines, of which so much was said in the paper of Liberal, have not averaged

a car of coal a day during the time they worked.

The miners were idle three fourths of the time, and Walser is preparing to close them.

The paper has suspended

and the office material is for sale.

The public school has no building to meet in, the partly finished school house is locked

up, and loaded with debt, business men are moving their goods, people

are leaving, and those that are left, look like mourners awaiting a funeral, of criminals awaiting the penalty. So stands Liberal, December 1886 "

There can be little doubt that things were not going well for Walser.

In addition to his business and financial

problems, his twenty-seven

year marriage to his wife, Harriet, ended in divorce on October 20, 1884.

Though Mr. Walser was the plaintiff, the court required that he pay Harriet seven thousand two hundred and fifty dollars.

Apparently,

he did not have the total amount in cash. He therefore agreed to pay twelve hundred and fifty dollars cash, the rest in various notes at 10% interest. He was also required to pay for the care and support of his daughter, Lena.

Someone has said that we do not see the light until we feel the heat.

Walser was feeling

plenty

of heat, and the light was beginning

to shine through.

This famous Freethinker,

was in the process of becoming a believer.

Symbolic of this change, was the sale of the Freethinkers,

U.M.L. Hall, to a church. As we have mentioned before, the last meeting of the "Freethinkers"

in this hall, was the Sunday evening before the Presidential

election of 1888.

This was the meeting where Walser was silenced by a ten minute limitation.

The building was sold to the Methodist Church on September

16, 1889 for four hundred and eighty-eight

dollars.

Then, other

Liberal, Missouri

Page ltambvr 19

GEORGE H. WAlSER

churches

came.

In due time there was a Christian Church, Baptist Church, Church of Christ, Church of God Holiness, etc. Soon, Liberal was just like every other small town in S.W. Missouri.

The Globe Democrat predicted that the town would disintegrate

unless there was a complete reorganization.

The town did not disintegrate,

and this was apparently due to considerable

reorganization.

From our present vantage point in history we have seen other failures of liberalism. Take, for example, the recent collapse of the U.S.S.R.

They didn't believe in God either. They even put into practice some of the same erroneous theories that Walser tried.

The cynic

said it best: "One thing we learn from history, is that people do not learn from history."

Again, it is comforting to remember that Walser changed. When he realized that his liberal

theories

were not working,

he had the courage

to abandon

them.

Biblically speaking, there is something good and wholesome about the confession

of sin. "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness"

(I John 1:9.)

The citizens of Liberal should therefore not feel badly that the original inhabitants of their town were sinners.

All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.

No one can be saved without the grace of God!

John Newton wrote the beautiful hymn, "Amazing Grace."

Newton was a much more famous sinner than Walser.

He was born in 1725, the son of a sea captain.

His mother died when he was only six.

After two years of formal education,

he joined his father's

ship at the age of eleven.

The early years of his life were spent in immorality, debauchery,

and failure.

He even sold his fellow human beings into slavery and spent time in jail.

Newton was converted to Christ during a violent storm, and at the age of thirty-nine, became a minister of the Gospel.

He spent the rest of his life in Christian service.

The grace of God truly is amazing!

This is why he wrote his famous song:

"Amazing grace how sweet the sound

that saved a wretch like me.

I once was lost, but now I'm found,

Liberal, Missouri

Page tlambvr 40

GEORGE H. WAlSER

was blind, but now I see."

Newton died in 1807, the year before Walser's mother was born. These words are written on his tombstone

in Olney, England:

"John Newton, Clerk; once an infidel and libertine, a servant of slaves in Africa,

was

by the rich mercy of our Lord and Saviour

Jesus

Christ preserved,

restored, pardoned, and appointed to preach the faith he had long labored to destroy."

The life of George H. Walser, is another reminder of God's amazing grace.

Liberal, Missouri

Page tlambvr 41

GEORGE H. WALSER

CHfiPTEIt XI

SPIRITUALISM

Someone has described man as a "worshiping animal."

Wherever

he has left the ashes of his campfire, he has also left some indication of a belief in the supernatural. Even those who claim to be atheists,

have, for all practical

purposes,

deified

time. Everything which the believer explains by God, the atheist explains by billions of years.

Someone else has suggested that the only atheist who can be intellectually

honest, is the person

who knows everything.

Once someone admits that they do not know everything,

they are also forced to acknowledge

that God may exist in the area of their ignorance.

We should not be surprised, therefore, that the people of Liberal would seek the supernatural.

This hunger for God, manifested itself in various forms of spiritualism.

Walser,

himself,

became

a promoter

of spiritualism.

J.P. Moore

refers

to a discourse

he delivered on "The Chemical Laboratory of the SouL" These remarks were given at the funeral of Mrs. John Becker in the "Spiritualist

Hail."

He said: "The discourse was esoteric, as the Hindoo would say; that is, no one but the initiated could understand it. In the course of his talk, Mr. Walser told of being present on three occasions when the deceased and he, himself, had communicated

with the spirit of her departed son."

Moore wrote that the Spiritualist

Science Association

of Liberal, was formed and incorporated

in 1889.

He quotes from "The Encyclopedia

of Death and Life in the Spirit World," that "modern spiritualism

originated with the three Fox sisters at Hydesville,

N.Y. in 1848."

It is my personal belief that this type of spiritualism

has been around since Eden, and that it has manifested

itself in every generation.

Today, the same, or similar notions are a part of the "New Age" religion.

It seems that G.H. Walser was in the process of spiritual growth and development. He once wrote: "As a Freethinker,

I wandered

into the field of Materialism,

Atheism,

Liberal, Missouri

Page tlambvr 42

GEORGE H. WAlSER

Agnosticism, and finally Spiritualism ... " The death of Walser's third wife, Alice, no doubt helped him to see the weakness,

and inadequacy,

of spiritualism.

I like to think that his interest in spiritual things was at least a step in the right direction.

I pray that his spiritual pilgrimage

ultimately

brought

him to a saving

knowledge

of the Lord Jesus

Christ. Fortunately,

God will sort out all such matters in due time.

It is a fact of history, however, that there was a spiritualist group in Liberal, and that they hosted meetings for people from all over the country. J.P. Moore's grandfather,

John S. Hatten, was a spiritualist.

Moore attended at least two of their encampments.

The first he attended was in 1896, before moving to Liberal. The second in 1899, when he helped operate

a refreshment

stand.

Moore said the 1899 meeting was the "seventh and last encampment."

He also said that: "Mr. Walser was an ardent believer, and it was mostly through

his efforts and because of his willingness

to assume most of the expense that these big meetings were made possible."

The fact that these "spiritualist encampments"

ceased to be sponsored by Walser, may well be an indication of the spiritual changes taking place in his own life.

The Death of Alice Walser

As I said earlier,

the death of Walser's

wife, Alice, may have also helped him abandon spiritualism.

Perhaps I should take time to explain that Walser'S second wife, Hannah, divorced him on June 25, 1895.

The divorce decree granted her $3,600 cash, and an allowance of $25 per month.

Walser had fallen in love with a Mrs. Alice Martha Newman.

This, no doubt,

did not help his marriage to Hanna.

Moore described

Alice as "a brilliant and beautiful woman, thirty-seven

years younger than Mr. Walser."

Then added: "They were married in about 1894 ... "

Since I have a copy of Hannah's divorce decree, dated June 25, 1895, I know he could not have been married to Alice in 1894.

I mention these dates, however, to provide insight into what was going on in Walser's life. He was either seeing Alice while married to Hannah, or shortly thereafter.

It is safe to say there was not much time between his second divorce, and his third marriage.

Walser'S grandiose dream of a liberal paradise had failed.

Both his bank account, and his ability to make money were diminishing.

Liberal's problems were compounded

by

Liberal, Missouri

Page tlambvr 41

GEORGE B. WAlSER

a disastrous fire on November 4, 1897.

Nine businesses on the west side of Main Street were

destroyed.

Walser

said he had seen the errors of materialism,

atheism,

and agnosticism.

His recognition of spiritual reality may have been part of his attraction to the beautiful

and brilliant Alice Newman.

She was a spiritualist

medium and lecturer, and became his wife.

It must have been quite devastating

to Walser when Alice died by suicide.

Her approach

to spiritual reality contained a fatal flaw.

It obviously did not bring fulfilment. She became neurotic, addicted to drugs, and mentally ill. She took a fatal dose of poison July 14, 1902.

By her own request, she was buried at midnight.

Her grave was initially beneath the trees about seventy feet from the Walser home.

In 1940, her remains were moved to make way for a coal mine.

Surely, the death of Alice Walser must have had an impact upon her husband.

He had

tried

atheism,

agnosticism,

materialism,

liberalism,

and spiritualism.

He was sixty-eight years old at the time of her death.

His health was failing.

He was in a search for something, or someone, that would bring meaning and fulfilment to his life.

Everything he had tried, so far, however, had failed.

A Spiritualist Hoax Exposed

I cannot leave the subject of spiritualism, without recounting the comical account of the way a spiritualist

hoax was exposed.

It happened in the spring of 1887, near the beginning of the spiritualist

movement in Liberal.

The standard price for a spiritual encounter was one dollar.

At the time, however, this was a considerable

amount of money.

For your dollar you could have your fortune told, see objects move, receive spirit writing, see spirit photography,

etc.

One poor soul named Wiggins,

traveled all the way from New York to have a seance with his departed mother. When she "appeared," she seemed to have on the very dress she had worn the day before her death.

The old man was overcome with emotion, and wanted to hug and kiss her.

He was restrained from doing so, however, and warned that any attempt at physical contact would break the "en rapport" of the circle and cause the spirit of his mother to vanish.

In reality, poor old Mr. Wiggins would have been kissing Wylie S. VanCamp.

Wylie was a Freethinker,

and one of the town drunks.

He conspired with J.H. Roberts and Dr.

Liberal, Missouri

Page tlambvr 44

GEORGE B. WAlSER

Bouton to take advantage of the spiritual hunger in Liberal, and scam their fellow citizens. VanCamp was the smallest of the three, so he operated in the attic.

He was also a good penman and skilled at free hand drawing.

Their seance business was rudely interrupted by an untimely fire.

When volunteer firemen

chopped

a hole in the roof, they discovered

the cache of paraphernalia

which made the "spirit manifestations"

possible.

The perpetrators of the fraud, however, were unrepentant.

The arrogant Dr. Bouton felt that his deception had provided an "answer" to what many people were looking for at a very

reasonable

cost.

He even capitalized

on the seances

after the hoax was discovered.

He published a pamphlet, revealing in detail his techniques,

and explaining how easy it was to fool people.

It seems, however, to Walser'S credit, that he did genuinely believe in spiritualism. He was apparently

not in it for the money.

Jesus said that the truth would make you free.

Sometimes, however, the truth first makes us miserable.

Liberal, Missouri

Page flambvr 45

GEORGE H. WAlSER

CHAPTEit XII

A MILITARY PENSION?

Alice Walser

died on July 14, 1902.

On October 12, 1902, Mr. Walser married Esther J. Jamieson at Galena, Kansas.

This was his fourth wife.

She was twenty-nine years younger than he was. J.P. Moore described her as "corpulent, matronly and steady - well suited, one might say, as a wife for an elderly man."

Walser

was apparently

running

out of money.

On April

5, 1905,

he made application

for a Veteran's

Pension.

The pension could not have been much, and his application for it is at least one indication of his financial need. The form indicates that he had never applied for a pension before, and that he was partially unable to earn a living because of his age.

Walser, you will recall, served in the Union Army two different times.

The first time he had an honorable discharge, the second he did not. The person filling out one page of his application form wrote: "He has had no service either in the army or navy, other than in 20 III. Inf."

Walser, with trembling hand, wrote: "Except - I served as Captain of Co. I, 43 Mo. In., but in no other service than those mentioned above."

When I read this I said to myself: "Atta boy George!"

He told the truth, even though it kept him from receiving a pension.

His application was rejected May 8, 1905, "because claimant was not honorably discharged from his last contract of service."

I am assuming that the application for this pension was made without the knowledge of his wife. Two things lead me to this conclusion.

First, if Esther had been aware of this, she would

have known George was not a Lieutenant Colonel.

Apparently

she did not know this, for when he died she had the inappropriate rank inscribed upon his mausoleum. Second, Esther applied for a military widow's pension on July 30, 1926.

In her application she stated: "That she has not heretofore applied for a pension; that said soldier was not a pensioner,

never having applied for same."

Liberal, Missouri

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GEORGE H. WAlSER

I am left with the assumption that George didn't tell his own wife the truth about his military service.

If he had done so, he would have saved her a lot of trouble.

Esther was married twice after George died, first to Robert W. Bock on February 14, 1912, and then to James Edsall on February 24,1919.

Both marriages ended in divorce.

On January

10, 1924, the Circuit Court of Jasper County, Missouri granted the name of Walser back to Esther.

Since she had been married at least four times, I am assuming she took back the name of Walser so she could collect his pension.

Esther went to considerable

effort to prove her case.

It involved documenting

the marriages,

divorces,

and death of her former husband, etc. She got the bad news in a letter from Winfield Scott, dated November 17, 1926: "Your above-entitled

claim under the Act of May 1, 1920 filed August 3, 1926 is rejected on the ground that as shown by a report from the records of the War Department your husband, the soldier, was not honorably discharged from his final contract for service in Company I, 43rd. Missouri Infantry, during the Civil War."

Apparently

thinking

there

must

have

been

some

mistake,

she went

to her congressman,

the Hon. Joe J. Manlove, for help.

He received the same sad news in a letter dated December 14, 1926.

Esther passed away July 4, 1929. How sad! Some wise man once said: "Be careful when you stretch the truth, for invariably somebody gets hurt when it snaps back."

Liberal, Missouri

Page Mambvr 47

GEORGE B. WAlSER

CHfiPTEit XIII

THE LIFE AND TEACHINGS OF JESUS

In 1909, Walser wrote his last book: "The Life and Teachings of Jesus."

J.P. Moore considered

this his most noted prose work.

This is the book in which Walser described himself as a "converted

infidel."

The next year, Walser would be dead.

Unbelievers,

like Walser, face a philosophical

dilemma.

H.G. Wells expressed it beautifully

in this quotation

(reported to have come from the American Magazine,

July 1922.)

"Jesus

of Nazareth

...

is easily the dominant figure in history.

I am speaking of him, of course, as a man, for I conceive that the historian must treat

Him as a man, just as the painter must paint him as a man ...

To assume that he never lived, that the accounts of his life are inventions,

is more difficult and raises more problems in the path of the historian, than to accept

the essential

elements of the Gospel stories as fact . . . So, the historian,

disregarding

the theological

significance

of his life, writes the name of Jesus of Nazareth at the top of the world's greatest characters."

G.H. Walser

claimed to be in search of truth.

Yet, he could not be intellectually honest without personally investigating the historical Christ. Many, if not most unbelievers, have never personally investigated the claims of Christ.

Perhaps this was true of Walser. When

he did so, however, the teachings

of Jesus apparently

made more sense than anything else he had considered.

Biblical faith rests upon evidence.

Walser was nearing the end of his life. His dreams of a liberal utopia had vanished like a vapor.

His money was gone (Probate Court the following year appraised his assets at only $1,661.60.)

His health was gone.

His home life had been a disaster.

He was reduced to nothing. Someone has observed, however, that when God creates something, He starts from nothing. Walser's personal disaster was therefore something positive.

The same is true of us. When we are reduced to nothing, God can begin a creative work in us.

It is not unusual for unbelievers to be converted when they consider the evidence.

Liberal, Missouri

Page tlambvr 48

GEORGE B. WAlSER

Consider,

for example, a contemporary

of Walser by the name of Sir William

Ramsay. Ramsay was also initially an unbeliever.

He, like Walser, was also a man of action.

He was not content to sit in a class room, or on a bar stool, and criticize Christ.

He was a "doer" not just a "talker."

Therefore,

he decided to sponsor an archeological

expedition and prove the Bible wrong.

Ramsay set out from England in 1881.

His plan was to focus on the writings of Luke. Christians believe that Luke wrote two inspired books, the Gospel of Luke, and the Book of Acts.

Luke was so specific, that Ramsay assumed it would be an easy task to prove him wrong.

Take, for example, the comments of Luke about Jesus as they are recorded in Luke 3:1-3:

"Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother

Philip tetrarch of Ituraea and of the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias the tetrarch of Abilene, Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests, the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness.

And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentancefor the remission of sins."

Luke claimed to be writing accurate history (see Luke 1:1-4.) This brief sample of his writing reveals his attention to detail.

Ramsay could check on such specific historical references.

Supplied with the best equipment of the day, he spent fifteen years in the lands

of the Bible, digging

for evidence.

Skeptics

confidently

expected

all of their allegations

and assertions to be substantiated.

In 1896, however, Ramsay published a large volume in defence of the Christian faith.

It was called: "St. Paul, the traveler and the Roman Citizen."

Ramsay had been converted

by evidence.

He continued to study and write for many years.

He not only became a Christian, but also a staunch defender of the Christian faith.

This remarkable defence

of Christianity

was published at about the same time George was entering his third marriage.

Giovanni Papini, is another example of an unbeliever converted by evidence.

He was also a contemporary

of Walser.

He shocked the world by publishing

his "Life of Christ" in 1921. This famous enemy of Christ concluded that we need a more "Christlike"

Liberal, Missouri

Page rtamb. 49

GEORGE H. WAISER

world.

Lew Wallace

was another

contemporary

of Walsers.

There are a number of similarities

in their lives.

Both were born in Indiana.

Both were lawyers.

Both were officers

in the Union Army.

An atheist once predicted to Wallace

that the little white churches

in his beloved Indiana would some day be buried in the general crash of all religion.

In the course of writing Ben Hur, however, Wallace actually studied the Bible for himself.

His lawyer training in logic forced him to the inescapable conclusion that Jesus was the Christ the Son of the Living God.

The Christian Faith is unique in this regard. Many religions merely propose maxims to live by. Christianity, however, stands or falls upon historical facts.

If Jesus Christ was not raised from the dead, our faith is vain.

The essence of the Christian Gospel is that Jesus Christ lived, died, and rose again "according to the Scriptures."

Every major event of his life and ministry was written

in the Scriptures,

and taught in the synagogues, centuries before it came to pass.

Walser was a lawyer.

His professional

career involved the weighing of evidence. For many years he was paid to prove some conclusion

"beyond a reasonable

doubt." Nothing can ever be proven beyond "any" doubt.

Some, for example, still insist that the world

is flat, or that George Washington

never lived.

Their thinking,

however,

is not "reasonable. "

So Walser became reasonable.

He once doubted Christ, and wound up doubting his doubts.

The evidence he studied forced him to conclusions

that he described

as a conversion.

Fortunately, God will determine the validity of his conversion.

His openness to change, is nevertheless,

commendable.

Since

I have been unable to secure a copy of Walser's

book, "The Life and Teachings of Jesus," I am indebted to J.P. Moore for the following quotations.

They are found on pages 147 -149

of his book "The Strange Town."

"In my early life I rejected much of orthodox Christianity,

and parts of the Old Testament as being merely history and the crude reasonings of primitive men in their first awakening to the belief and dependence

on a power above and beyond themselves."

"As a Freethinker,

I wandered

into the field of Materialism,

Atheism,

Liberal, Missouri

Page tlambvr 50

GEORGE H. WAlSER

Agnosticism, and finally Spiritualism, and I am ever thankful for my schooling along

these

lines,

for my mind has been

broadened,

my conception brightened,

and my nature brought more in harmony with my duty towards my fellow men."

"I write from the standpoint

of a converted

Infidel.

I have patiently investigated without bias all sides of mental and spiritual philosophies.

All I desire is the truth whose footprints I will follow where it leadeth; for what is truth for me is truth for all, whether that truth is divine or secular."

"The

life and teachings

of the Master can only be fully appreciated through the aid of the imagination, guided and stimulated by all the facts and of the world at his time ... "

"I have wandered

in the desert of disbelief, waded in the river of doubt, and in the sands of desolation.

I have looked for hope and found none ... I felt there was something more, there must be something more, or nature is a fraud and life the gall of a bitter cheat."

Of the Bible, Walser wrote:

"I thought

it to be a mixture of imaginations;

a compendium

of laws of ancient times or a peculiar people, with scraps of history interbedded

with their notions of religion, which did not comport with my ideas of what religion is, or at least should be ... "

"My conception was that true religion is the development

of the soul.

It is not measured

by any particular cult, form of words, trained actions, or belief; but it is the soothing elevation of man's higher nature that best fits him for the needs of a proper life, according to his environment

... "

"Reasoning

. . . we must conclude that God is absolute

mind.

He is intelligence

and absolute wisdom, hence he knows everything."

"If the heart is right the religion is good for those who profess it ... "

"Jesus founded

no church, built no temple, wrote no creed; nor did he establish a worship.

He did by example soothe the sorrying heart, healed

Liberal, Missouri

Page tlambvr 51

GEORGE B. WAlSER

the sick, and inculcated the great principles of the brotherhood

of man and the Fatherhood

of God ...

"

'We are passengers on the great ship of life, going to another country to encounter

new realities and experiences.

Every person has a ship of his own and is his own pilot; to reach the port of safety we should study the chart which Jesus has given us."

Walser made a rational choice.

That philosophy of life that is not good enough to die by, is not good enough to live by.

Liberal, Missouri

Page tlambvr 52

GEORGE H. WAlSER

CHfiPTEit XIV

WALSER MEETS HIS MASTER

J.P. Moore wrote:

"Mr. Walser died at this home in Catalpa Park, May 1, 1910, twenty-five days before his 76th birthday.

Death was due to pneumonia,

contracted from getting caught in a cold rain while walking home from town.

He was ill only a few days. On the day of this last trip to town, Mr. Walser was a caller at my office, The Liberal News, and we have a pleasant visit.

He brought some little item for publication

in the paper."

In 1926, when Esther was documenting

George's death, she went to Leta West of Lamar, Missouri.

Leta said she was:

" ...

in possession of all the funeral record No. 3026, at page 294, shows that George

H. Walser

died on May 1, 1910, at Liberal,

Barton County, Missouri, at the age of seventy-five years; that the physician in charge was Dr. C.A. Smith, of Liberal, Missouri, and the cause of death was anemia; that he was buried in Lake Cemetery at Lamar, Missouri, in Vault Section No.1, on the 4th day of May, 1910."

Leta's

account was given to substantiate

Walser's

death in a failed attempt to qualify for a Widow's Pension. Her account did accurately prove the day of his death.

The date of his burial in Lamar, however, is not accurate.

This is evident from two sources of information.

First, J.P. Moore notes that while his funeral was conducted at Catalpa Park on May 4, 1910, his body was first buried in a temporary vault at Fort Scott, Kansas.

He wrote:

"Soon after his father's death, Mark Walser brought legal action, seeking an order authorizing

that a tomb be built in the Walser

lot in the Liberal burying ground to receive the body of his famous father.

But the then Barton County Probate Judge Paul Tucker ruled that the court had no jurisdiction

Liberal, Missouri

Page ltambvr 53

GEORGE B. WALSER

in the matter.

So the will of the widow prevailed, and the mausoleum was built in Lake Cemetery, Lamar.

The cost of construction

of the tomb sought by Mark Walser was to be paid from the Walser estate which was ample to afford the expense.

Mark's petition asked that the expense be held to not exceed $5,000.

In that day that sum would have paid for a handsome structure - much more imposing than the mausoleum at Lamar." (The Strange Town, p. 54.)

As I said before, Walser was nearly broke.

Moore was apparently

unaware of Walser's financial

condition.

Appraisal for Probate Court, dated March 25, 1910, stated that the total amount of his personal estate was $1661.60.

The second source proving that Walser was not buried in Lamar on May 4th, is Marvin

VanGilder,

Barton County Historian.

Marvin recalls some bizzare

information, which, to the best of my knowledge, is not in print anywhere.

It is published,

however, with VanGilder's

permission.

Since Walser died suddenly, arrangements

for his burial were made after his death.

As we have pointed out before, his widow, Esther, and his son, Mark, disagreed

about where he should be buried.

VanGilder

states that he was buried first in Webb City, Missouri.

Local residents were apparently

unaware of Walser's recent "conversion."

Their complaints caused his Walser to be disinterred and buried in another temporary grave in Fort Scott, Kansas. This is the one referred

to by J.P. Moore.

In either instance, a May 4 burial in Lamar would have been impossible.

VanGilder

also states that when the mausoleum was completed

in Lamar, some time later, an open casket service was conducted for him on the Court House lawn.

11m sure the body of the controversial Walser was not welcomed by everybody in Lamar either. At any rate, he was finally placed in his tomb.

His widow buried him with his beloved books.

He was,

however,

not totally

"laid to rest."

The mausoleum,

according

to VanGilder, initially was not sealed.

His unlocked tomb proved an irresistible temptation to the local young people.

Many dared their comrades to open the door and take a look. Finally, by order of the city officials, the hinges on the cement door were removed, and the tomb was sealed.

Walser published three volumes of poems, "Wild Rhymes," "Poems of Leisure," and the "Bouquet."

His Poems of Leisure contain the following words, which he called "An

Liberal, Missouri

Page tlambvr 54

GEORGE H. WALSER

Honest Prayer.

Oh! thou invisible power

That moves the heart and stirs the brain, Give sordid vice a transient hour And let within thy bosom reign

A purer thought, a chaster love

That aye within my bosom move.

Thou motive force within my brain, Let me invoke thee while I can.

Oh! let fraternal justice reign And man become a friend of man;

For he alone, of all the train,

Can grace a saviour's proud domain.

Liberal, Missouri

Page tlambvr 55

GEORGE H. WAlSER

EPILOGUE

The Bible book of Ecclesiastes describes King Solomon's search for happiness.

He sought for wisdom, only to discover that "in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge

increaseth sorrow."

He tried wine, laughter and pleasure, but found that this also was vanity.

He built houses, and planted

lush vinyards.

He had orchards

filled with wide varieties of fruit, and designed magnificent ornamental pools. Happiness, however, always eluded his grasp.

He accumulated

silver and gold, and the peculiar treasure of kings.

Something, however, was still missing.

Life to Solomon was vanity and a vexation of spirit.

He married

many women, but even this did not bring him the gratification

and fulfilment for which he was seeking.

At last, he arrived at the only conclusion to life that made any sense:

"Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments:

for this is the whole duty of man" (Eccl. 12:13.)

George H. Walser tried many of the same things that Solomon did, and apparently came to the same conclusion.

What about you?

Michael C. Pratt died in a plane crash on December 24, 1974.

Shortly before his untimely death, he gave this wise advice to a group of graduates.

"Be selective

in what you think and do!

Our many experiences

are as strokes of the artist's brush, shaping and tinting each of our characters

in sometimes

very subtle ways ...

Always remember that Jesus Christ, our

Liberal, Missouri

Page tlambvr 56

GEORGE H. WAlSER

Lord, Master, Savior, teaches us the true beauty of unselfish giving.

Let us strive to pattern our lives after the One who has opened the door to life, and life more abundant.

Jesus Christ - the Way of Fulfilment."

Liberal, Missouri

Page Plumbvr 57

G. H. WALSER

MRS. ESTHER J. WALSER.

Land like this was purchased from the U.S. Government as swamp land

Liberal's circular cemetery where Walser planned to be buried

Walser's mausoleum in Lamar, Missouri

Downtown in modern Liberal

GEORGE B. WAlSEa

List of Documents

DOCUMENT CONTENTS

Notarized record of G.H. Walser's Family Tree

Military Certificate

Military Records

Military Doctor's Report of Walser's Illness

Walser placed in arrest for refusing orders

Walser resigns

Walser attempts to "remand" his resignation

Fellow Officer recommends that Walser not be allowed back in

Walser back in the Service three years later

Walser's dishonorable discharge for malfeasance in office

11-13

A letter from Walser's lawyer in his defense

Some law suits filed by Walser as a lawyer in Barton County, MO

Advertisement for Liberal mailed out by Walser

16-24

Catalog of the Freethought University -- Courtesy of the Western

Historical Manuscript Collection, 23 Ellis Library, University of

Missouri -- Columbia. Columbia, MO65201

Divorce decree from Hannah Walser

Death certificate of Alice Walser

27-30

Walser's application and rejection of military pension

Affidavit regarding Walser's death

Appraisal of Walser's estate for Probate Court

Esther's application for Widow's Pension rejected

Liberal, Missouri

Page ftambvr 58

CERTIFICATE.

T,John

G. Tod~, a Not.ary Public

wit.hin

and fo%"t.hg count.y

of Barton

and st.at.g of ].r!ssouri;

do hgrqby

Cgrt.ify

t.hat. I

have

9xanir.9d

t.h9 f'amily

rgcord

of' 'Mark WalS9r an1 Sara·h

Wals9r;

which r9cord

is

in a bound d~lin~

t.ablgt,

w1t.h

ot.h9r trrlt.ltlgs,

Clravli!lP-:sand mgmgnt.o'9Sana I find

t,h9 folloVllt19. gntgri9S

in t.h9 f'amily

r9cord.

Mark 1rals9r

born March 21st.,

1903.

Di9d F9b.

13t.h,

1882.

Sarah

Gray born

JUly

r th, 1808.

Digd .u~.

19t.h,

1903.

A.rid V18:3marrigc

t.o V!ark Wals9r

F9b,

1st..

18a4.

Rant'lals Walsgr

'bo!'n F9b.

7t.h,

182[.

Bartmra

Wals9r born

Nov r t.h,

1826.

Di9d F9'b 6t.h,1aaa.·

John Wals9r born

D'9c. 28t.h,

1828.

DlgQ April

16t.h 1847.

Liddy Wals~r born

April

ft.h,

1831.

Dl'9d D9C. aOt.h, 1836.

G'9orp.:gH. "'als~r

born l\~ay26t.h,

18M.

Th~r~ is no 9vid9nCg of any chaTlR9s or graSUr9S having

b99t'l mad9.

As Wit.n9SS ny hatld atld Not.aria1

s9a1 this

th9

7th

day of'

March 189f.

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WAR

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AIlJUTAKT Oll:KERAJ,'1i un'WE,

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Be it remembered

that

on the 25th day of ~~~~~5,

the

•

•

\0< II)

.... +>

IIIoo

o

+>

same being the 26th Judicial

day of the February,

1I~

t.rm

of the Circuit

~ourt

of Barton

cCounty, lis~0~1,

the toll.w- •

~

ing

, among other proceed1ngs

were bad, to-Wit: oo

G)

1-1

to ....

~

0 Hannah

M. Walser,-------------

Plaintiff, co~

=

G)

5+1

..-41-1

e-ooo~ George H. 'falser,

--

Defendant. .~

l.~

1Il:I:

•

.!14

'"

CD

r-iU

vs

)

) DECREE

OF DIVORCE. )

) ALIMONY

• 3600.00. )

Now at this day the above

entitled

cause coming

on to

be beard,

end both parties appearing,

the plaintiff

in per~n

as well as by her attorney,

H. Q. Timmonds,

and the defendant

in his pvn proper ~rson,

and botn part1es

announcing

ready

for trial,

the CaUse

is submitted

to the Court;

Whereupon

Cl.

.. +>

II)

G)

+>

+><

Court,

after hearing

the evidence,

doth find the issues

in favor

of the plaintiff;

that the allegations

in her petition

are true;

that for one whole year next

before

the filing

of plaintif!'

s

petition,

thatdefenda~t,

without

good

cause,

absented

himself

and failed

and refused

to live longer with

plaintiff

as her hus-

band and has ever

since so failed

and refused.

It is therefore

by the Court decreed,

that ~be

plaintiff

be and she is hereby

divorced

from

the bonds

of matrimony

enter-

ed into by ~nd between

her and the defendant

and that she"hava

and recover

of and from the defendant,

as aldmony

in gross,

the

sum of Thirty

Six Hundred

Dollars

($ 3600.00),

which sum shall

b~ in lieu of plaintiff's

dower

interest

in defendants

I prop-

erty;

and also

in lieu and satisfaction

of the judgr.ent hereto-

fore rendered

by this court at its February

Term,

18S4,

between.

the

saffieparties,

granting

plaintiff

a monthly

allowance

or twen-

ty Five Dollars

($ 25.00)

for maintenance;

for all payments

from

and after June 30th,1895,

and that

plaintiff

recover

of defend-

ant her costs 1n this case.

• iJ)ocument
• 25

S..._iIiiiI_

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NAME

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.

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MEDICAL

CERTInCATE

0 .. DPTH

.

II.

DATE 0'

DEATH (......

,,1''''_~

I $L

- It ',1 z-.

17.'

~

I HEIII':.V.C':IIIT'''Y,

1==-._

;

z;...... ..•...•_•.__..•••.•..••_

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• •..•11..•••••••II' ._._
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....

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- ..~-.

- -.....-.--...: .':.

:.

I.

DATE OF BIRTH

(_....

DAt'..,TUII)

I"- CA~SE

OF ,D~TH.

WU~":'~y

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7. AGE

YIWII I

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• • OCCUPATION OF DECEASED .I /

=loI~~ ......~_-

(10) Gusol _ ...

0( w..r.

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.............. (-...,.)

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--

CONTRIBUTORY

_

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··

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·..·•·

.

<-)

-),..

_..- .._ .... ..._

_

(

. .

(c) -

of -...

n II.

W_

WAI DlR:AIK c:aomtACID II

t. BIRTHPLACE :cm a. 1I11III)._

..

• __

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.

.., Mn' AT JII..ACI: ""

z:&lTHl

__

• •••••• _.

__

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(STAn 011coonmrr)

DID All

ClP'DATION

PIID:DC aunn .•__ ....

~

• G"••••••_
• •_ .......

._

10. NAME OF FATHER

WAI_

AllAIIftIPIn.

._ .....

·_·_ .........•..

_

WHAT TZST~~·-ft::=·

..t.;;::ez7?:::::_- ~)....

~;u~···;;;;a···r

~

(STmOlt(l)UllTlft')

£.

& 0 II:

.

• •

J.

I,JI. if

12. MAIDEN

NAME OF MOTHER

~

II. BIRTHPLACE

OF FATHER

(CITYa. ,_..)

.

-alate tho

I>umua

c.......... 0.....

til ill deotho r.- V......., c.......

13. BIRTHPLACE

OF MOTHER

(crrt

..

'_")

...

(1)

w....... """

lU'l'tJU

OP hvnr.

aDd

(2) ...........

A..... ""' .... a-a- or lloom:uw-

(See __

oide Car odditioaal_)

(STAn

011COUIITWI') I u.

IS.

[II.a

1"

..

• iJ)ocument
• 26

Act of June S;r#-t ,f'3J.;f8]'-. INVALID

PENSION.

Pensioned for

)nability

to earn a support by manual

labor.

Fee, $ ..

Alent to pay.

I suhmit;;::!;;;;t:-~Er:::~;;;;r~X=in"

A!Jjroved f~r .u.

: (}

~AP'l0ved

for "j ;n;f;r)-.~7£_. J7~~··~-·~··:W:-.~

z ~-~Z··

1I!1:J:v. _/.(j

J A .A.J.

...

,.J.

-+.J

A~

...

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• •• '~.I7.:...I..L~

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.~_' ~ f-..I_ ....

.

.;

__ ._ ... ~-~~~--~.-xV~-~-~S£-

...-V-

,...,--.;;r

t;.I;f7v

-------------------------------------------------_-----

-----------------

Agurrgat'

01 di8abilitiu .hown,pD11Ulnmt

ill cluJradfr:

1.

_

Jledleal E::ramintr. Mtd/{:al Review".

..................., 190

,

···

··..Ji.di;i.ii~;;;:..

------------------------------------- ..---------------------------------------------------,------------------------------------------------------------------

;'

Olaimant

ipe§ L

'writ&.

~

~

_

,.M. O.

• 150cument
• 27

~ )_

-:{J.-~

-- -.- ---

Diu.

&-889.

~.L

~i v:-

cgt9* t?~

----~-------..,....- r. ~~._

--~-.e:parh~ttut.n tU.e~ut.tri_(Jr, dd~µ;iI/,w::~;::_:';j!.i;_S~.190~

Bm:

IJ'

"t":

Will you kiudly answer, at your ea.rliest convenieuce, the questions enumerated below?

The information is requested for fnture use, and it ma.y be of great vaJue to your family. ~~~

._~<:W';;;:;ullY'

,

~

.._-_...-~....

.- ._-.._._-_._---_._- ..__...._---.-

a,~L-t1

- ._.

... _ ._. ..__..........• 1

--.._._..._.__,

~ Commiuwner.

• iJ)ocument
• 28

'L

~~Dim.io~

1.-4<1.

,

~:

..:

..L

_L~rj:I······,7~··,~tVurlttttltt

t1f itlt ),uttl.'t.O't,

~/X)L'

.... ~

BUREAU

OF~E

SIONS.

Co..~[J~.(?Jle~· ----- .- -.....-. ,

'

~

t,1---" Washington, D. C.,

_

_.._._.._..

.,190 __.

SIR: To aid this Bureau

in preventing

anyone

falsely personating

you, or otherwise

committing

fraud in your name,

or on account

of your service,

you are required

to answer

fully the questions

enumerated below.

~;: Commieeioner .

.--

-~~.... .-

-

_

_

_

_._-_ .. ~ ~·eJ~

~

....••..

• e
• •••••

_•..••

_._1

I

Wh,"

were you born ?

Answer ~.'£~

..~lj?3.?f.m.,m .....

2. "Therewerevonborn?

Answer .. .;z;:,.~~.~

C.... ~ ~

..~.~.A..~

:I. When

did

y:u

enlist?

Answer. ~£./.,f..--

/I.--::~.,u.. ····U··.···-·-~···-···F---;;/./l-

4. Where

did you enlist?

Answer....

.

..

.;./[{ii1'..tP·11;.~7iih"._r/::,.£tJ

5. Where

had you lived hefore

you enlisted?

Answer.

~.z

~~

G. "-hat

was your post-office address

at enlistment?

Answer,

~

...;;;;

..;;m....~rld'Y'-.r

7. What

was your occupationat

enlistment?

~er'..Jl'-k~·~...:.:,;_---:·····-=·"'!I"·····

8. When

were

you

discharged?

Answer ... ~

..7,.";!!f~

../f··V.,,}·······L/~/- .

"D.~-~~b

~ ~

,~

9. Where

were you discharged?

Answer ... :... r·~F·:-·~·········J

..~·'E·_'(7.················

10. 'Where have you l~d.8il('e

discharge?

Give dates, as nearly as possible

<!fal)) cl.lnges

of residence, c7{ l!:.d:.P.I!Y:~__...rhf2.fr~···-/H?·J.~·M.:.-l3..4-_~ ·7~· ...~ ...L.. .~~.,

..~~

y 4.:~;...._~.-~(f.t;.C

...~./i:;JJt-:7J~

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,.,. i

/-

...-.:...~~

~~

'i? ~

~

.~ ~

~

~-

'1~.r-.

(:T""'-. 11. 'Vhat

is your present

occupation

?

Answer

~?

- --

.'.-

- - .

12. What

is your

height?

Ansv.]if

...£.__feet..?-

__._... _.inches.

You~.,we~bt? ~,t:b..([-=-.. --..-

ye

colo: of your eyes?

.. ~

The color of your hair?

.~.:

Jj our complexion? r~"'-

Are

there

any permanent

marks

or scars on your person?

If so, descri~

them . ..-:::::.:~.-.~-.-

-..-.---..-

---..-

--.-.-

__.._._-_

_

__

__ .._

_.__ .._

__.

• lJ)ocument
• 29

SPECIAL NO'l'Ic,E.-The elvUofficer before

wbom this Affidavit II elecuted IIhOU" be eareful to t

flU in all IIpaces, both

In tile

caption

And Jurat.

GENERAL

AFF3RAV~.

$t·::~~;;;;:~~_f~~~: ~,:~;~-7~:r~~'=~:-~~~

l~_f.~~P"':;-~r.=

___~.

__

..__._;n

and for the aforesaid County, ';'1'";"";'" -:.administet ""h~.?6"_~d_;7I_

Y"~,'

resident'L~._

.._.

_

in tbe County of.

.t0"4.1.

_

__ __._.._

, and State or .............•....

-..- 4.==:-

- ---

wbose Post-office address is

_

_._.__.._.._ _ _.._

_..

_

=::::'ire~~t'h~'~~W7F"%~~

d~?!.-Am

etafflbow be &8108.. knowl,

eat the flileu to .. bleb be t.e.Uftu.) _

.:<, q .. \.Z.£.f.'..!...

.

_ .._.~ __

._.

.._

__._

__

_._._

..'fiGioletta'

in ~ftid CAseanl1..

.

B8t ocoeerRed

is

if18 rp8scelttiMi.

_~l.~

&.._ !.t..~ (SIID"to

re of Amon!..)

(11 Amant lima by m&rk, two wltneasee

wbo ean

write

"I,n

hpTe.)

• (Document
• 30

8!J.TE OJ' lUSSotmI)

) S8.

Count7 ot lSarton )

Lew. W8at.

ot l.&"tul asl. til's1; being

d~

norn

upon her oath,

'IPOleS

&Dd .By. that

8he is the wole

owner and proprietor

at the HumphreyHardware A JUrniture

Oompany

at Lamar, )[1ssouri~

that

the HumphreyBardware ,. Furniture

CompBnT

was tormerly

ownedby her ta ther,

Hoyt Humphrey. am, during the

litetime ot the 8ald Hoyt Humphrey, he was engaged 1n the undertak-

ing business

at

Lamar,

J.tissouri,

in oonneotion w1th said hardware

and turniture

business;

that

she 1s in possession

ot all

the

tuneral

reoords

and that

tuneral

reoord

No. 3026, at page 294,

shows that George E. Waleer died on May1, 1910, at Liberal,

Barton County, Uissouri,

at the age ot seventy-tive

years:

that

the physlole.tl in oharge was Dr. C. A. Smith, ~

Liberal,

1!1ssouri,

and the oause ot death was anemia;

that

he was buried in Lnlce

Cemetery at

Lamar,

ltissouri.

in Tault

Seot10n No.1,

on the .frth day

ot 11&7. 1910.

Aftiant

further

.aYl that

s~e was well and personally

ao-

quainted with George H. Walser and with Esther 1. fialser, his "11'e,

and knows that

Esther

1. Ylalser 1s the widowot George H. Walser,

abote mentioned.

Further, aff1ant aa1th not.

Subsoribed

and sworn to before My oommission as Notary Publio August, 1927.

me this 19th day ot August, 1926.

W1U.~~.~

,

·0 ary

o.

APPRAISED VALUB

DESCRIPTION

OF PROPERTY.

eta. DolIU1l

, 35.00

(1) One OCl'tf

20 i' 00 79

(1) One B{'g

Corn

1 25tOO

(1) One Horse

76180

La.w Books

10 oloo I

I

8t~ne

Quarry

~.olB & Macllinery

Liberal

~

i

I

;7 oo.oo

List

or notes

1ert

a8 o.11~t.ra1

Beourity

with

Bank

er

sa security

for

note

and ~aney

aavanoed

Guy L.Wade

n.te

,with

int.at

8% with

Edwin

F.James

End~rser

15 o~oo;

II

:'i00~oo

W .L.L8.T~ry Note

with

inhrest

due

frClm Nflvnth 1909

at 8%

A1ex.Barnes

Note

with

interest

from

NeW

lOth

19me

at 8~

75.00 I

Ihary M.Ta.nnahi1.1 Nete

with

interest

due

frem

Feb

lOth

1909

at 1'010

~

:

. __ .

.

.._..

_..

.. ----It0_.

I

.•

-

I.'

I

I ~_~,__

_

===~-!,,-:"'ill+B-_~ll.r.o

TOTA.L A.MOUNT OF APPRAISEMENT,

We, the

under8lJnea

Appra'£ler8,

oerlllv

th~

abolJ" tt; b~ a fuLL

and, lair

.J.pprauement

of the

Good"

Ohattel,

and

other

Perlonal

Enate

of ..."......,...,~.~)~..~,Y.~,a.:,~.~,!,!~"_

..,."'._...__,...

..._.

__'''_''''''''''''''''''_''_''deCl~(Ued' Father

J.Walser

wife

and

J.G.Tedd,AdminiBtra.t~r, (U produced:

befor«

IU by _;..:.

..__._.._..,_.__ .~

__

._._,,'__

_,,_t.._. __.

,,_

-"

"" ""..-----.--

- -." ".."..-"

"" --.- ,-------_._---_

_

_

_ _----_

~--..- - -

-

_

of laid __

G .1i..YL~.l.!i!_.. r

.___ _"

_

deC6lUed.

APPRAI8ERS.

• 'J)ocument
• 32

W1••

Dlyl.l_

ieo ....

WalMJ',

00. 1 ~

Wo. lat. W.O. lIIOl41

111'••

htUr

J. '1.lae!', lIP w. l)8,ngIW"7 5u.e', WebbOUiJ. 1Il•• ouri.

M"".. ,

roUl' .)ove-en~i'led claim UDder the ~o, ot

.., 1, 1920 tlled Auguat ~, 1926 1. rejected on the

groUDd that.

• aa .hon. ~7
• report

trom the recorda

ot

t.be

1'&1' lJIpartlllnt

7CJa.I-huaNZUS,

tbe .oldier,

wa. not

hODora'bq discharged

tram hi.

tinal

COIltract tor

.. r-

vice In Com~

I, 4Zrd. Ilissour 1 lDtc tl'J',

dur ing tb8

Civil War.

Winfield

Saott, CommiasloDer.

EIG/LBb

• iJ)ocument
• 33

SOU

I-t.C:::Ii; S

<:>Ii"

IN

I....OR.MAT

I <:>N

•

"The

Story

of Liberal

Missouri,"

by o. E. Harmon

- Published by

the Liberal

News,

Liberal,

Missouri.

1925

•

"The

Strange

Town

-

Liberal,

Mi ssour i."

by

J.

P.

Moore

- Published

by

the Liberal

News,

Liberal,

Mo.

1963

•

The

St. Louis

Globe

Democrat,

May

2,

1885,

p.

•

The

St. Louis

Post

Dispatch,

May

2, 1885,

p.

•

The

"First

Annual

Catalogue"

of

the Freethought

University, Published

in Ft. Scott, Kansas

by the Monitor

Publishing

House and

Bindery

- so.eti.e

in the

1880s

•

A

pamphl et ,

"The

FuJ Ii II.ent

a

Dream,"

by

CI arJc Braden. Published

1885

and

revised

in 1886

•

Barton

County

Court

House

records

•

Miscellaneous

clippings

and papers

obtained

from a variety

ot sources

over

the past

twenty-five

years

•

Interviews

with

Barton

County

Historian,

Marvin

VanGilder

•

"She

Kept

Men

Standing,"

published

privately

by

Ruth

Black Aten

in 1967

•

Documents

trom

the

National

Archives

Trust

Fund

Board, Washington,

D.C.

20408

•

Inlormation

obtained

from

the Western

Historical

Manuscript Collection,

23 Ellis Library,

University

01 Missouri-CollUlbia, Columbia,

Missouri

65201

•

Inforaation

obtained

fro.

the Library,

in Liberal,

Missouri

N.O

LEFl

......

"

.."

.

TURN

This street sign in Liberal, Missouri provides an interesting commentary

on liberalism. Once you see what liberalism did here, you won't want to make a left turn either!

Order From

College Press P.O. Box 1132 Joplin, MO 64802

From Official Records, Series I, Vol. 48, Part II pp. 33 - 35

Possible explanation for Walser's dishonorable discharge

HEADQUARTERS

DISTRICT

OJ? NOItTII

~fISSOURI, ,

, Macon, ]1[0., April

5, 1865. General

G. 1\1. DODGE,

'

Commanding

Dcpnrtmetu: of the Mi8souri, Saint Louis, J'J{o.:

GENERAL:

J have

the honor

to report

the following

facts in relation to the adlllinistmtioli

of tho provost-marslml's

depa.rt.ment

at Saint JOS~p~l, Mo.: Reports having ren.checlme that there were certain

irreg- ulantles

cOllnectcd

with

the

arrangement

of tho

military

prison

and

LOUISIANA

AND

TilE

TIL\N8-M[SS(S~lrI'L

(CIIU',

LX,

pri$ollers

at ~aillt .loscph,

1\10., illliieatilll;

t.ll;~tillegal

'Wl'el:'ts hall been Blade, :Llld

that. there

was :L collusion

hctwceu

t~~<_lI\Slst;LIIt:_l'l'ov~!:: !.!_Iarshal

and <:~~I<~i_II,_~\.ttornQ.Y,sand

law firms at that

place, by which g'()od, law-abirli

III; citizens

who were k IIOW II to possess cousidcra

ble rueans were

arrested

uud incarcerated

iu (ll'i,;ou alld

malle

the victims of ;~ prcmcdita!~tL~ch(!llle

of

l'asc~di~y, Lat.

once dctcnnillC!1

~I

give the ii'iiLttcr n thor'ollgTlcx'iiinillrilioil'<lm!

emllieate

the evils if found

to exist. For

this

purpose

1 proceeded

ill person

t~l Saillt

Joseph

on the

25t.h ultimo

null made a searching

iuvestigutiou.

I tonk the

stutcmen t (If thirty'

witnesses,

wakillg

upward

of 100 pa.~e~ of t cstiuiony.

The facts -.'is,(lcvcloi')I·d

ill Illy exruuiuation

~cclilcd to 11101'1',

t hall justify

the reports that

hud rcachcd

my ears,

and,

ill fad, I 10uII([ the state

of affairs

much worse

than

I hall :LUYTen-SOIl to :Llltieip;lJ(~,

It; seems that f()'r~oinclrine- P:t~t, tlt.rou~h

Slim!:

agClJey

wh ich l \\';LS 1101,ahie to fully

trace

out, wit, nesses

}1~l.VCbeen

brought,

or caine

voluntarily,

before

thc ~{)vost. marshal

anrl made affidavit»

to show I he disloval

clHlracter of cert:iul -millviduals

residing

within

the

lirn its 'of the suh'llisCIHict.

'I'he

parties against

whom

such

atlldavits

were filed were ill all cases men of con- siderable

wea lth, and resided.

geuerully

ut some distance

from the post. Upon

these

atlidavits,

110matter

how flimsy, again::lt all individual

the

C

'

)l'()Vos.t·lllar:.;hal

would send

Ollt. a seout or picked

mCII selected

by him- se

all

arrest

the man, bring

hiru

in, and

incarcerate

him

ill jail,

If the prisoner

demanded

to know the charges ;~gainst him he was informed that

he would

fi lid out

SOOIl enough, or that

he could

1I0t know.

In any CVCIIL, he received

no' satisfaction,

but was hurried

off to prison.

Once

•

ill prisun

110 one, Hot even

his wile or any member (If his

family,

was pcruri tted to see or have any corn n.u nicut iou w ill! IIiui whatever,

except a few ruemiJcr>; of the 1~.~_Q~·ofe::;!;i()u_~:i'" were iII favor

with

thc.l'~ovo:~~ marshal.

These were allowe([topass

(0 nud l'rcj~ntuc prison ad libitwn. Aller

the p~isoller

had been

COli fiued several

days, long enough

to real- ize all the

horrors of his situation

and ready to sacrifice

almost

anythiug to regain

his liberty,

au attoruey

visits

the prison ostensibly

to see some clier: t,

Our

prisoner,

allxious

to learn

someth ing of his own probable fate,

approaches

him aud

inquires

if he knows any thing of tile charges against

him.

Attorney

shakes

his

head

ouuuously

uud tells

him

that 11ehas heard

something

of them from the

)roYost-IIlMsilal,

and

that it is a. very

!J'Ml case.

Prisoner

wants

to know

i

he can

do ~~llytuill!!"for

him;

Attorney

replies

that

he will

see what

can

be done.

Sa.ys he possesses

great

iuflucncc

witt! the authorities,

and if any one call save him lie is the mall, but that

he would

llt,t

think

of touchillg-the

case for less than

$i,OUO,

Next

duy attorney

caTf.";;'1,;;Ll-il_

~a.ys-hcT,·:l.s cX:1.ill, inCil the papers and finds it a. much worse case than he had an ticipaterl ; tha.t if the case ever comes

before

a. IlIilita.l'Y

couunissiou

his (prisoner's) lifo is Hot worth

a. cent.

But hc says Iurthcr

th:~t he is ;1brotu.cr,in,}aw of the provost,lll;lrslia.l,

and

th at he III:IY pos,.;iloly l)e-iLl)rcto-imll1~-I;Ti'~ toslIpprcss

the charges

;LIII] I,ut loril'~

the C:l"U to t riul, bu t suys if he does

undertake

the

ease hI: m ns t h:lvI:!ti1

,:.00'

:11111he works

"[lOll

the fears of the prisoucr

uuLi] lie Iiu.rl ly secures t,hat. suru.

l l e then

tells the prisonerthat

his only hope of s;Lvillg'

hi;; lIecl, is tornuk c or sign

a written

applicatioll

to the cOllllrl;Llldilig

~ellcral

to be hauishcd from t.lic State,

uot

t.o return

Utll'ill!,;

t l.c

WOlL

'I'his the prisoner

filially

dues. ~is

a.ppl icatiou

IS of course

!;I:lll ted,

;tll<! t.h?J!E.?_vo~~_:~,~2>~~~L

releases him

from

custody

upon

the~·a: couditious,

~I\,ing: l!I~_I_~_!,~~~~tty,days

tQ make

1I,~~_a.rr~IIf':I,:!~Ell!h fOl'_!I_!_'!_v_i l' g-.

Before

TIC l~ released,

however,

this

(

:\i.'''l'lley

CX'Le"s

1'1'(,,11 Li:ll

:\ "

... ,: .., .... : :,:,

""

'"

iug that

has passed

bctwcc..

L,.~iiL

'I'lu.u,

tv 111010 L~:~'!',:"<"UJ.te

the

CIlAP. LX,]

COlmESPONDENCE,

ETC.-tTNION,

mode of procedure,

and

to show the slig-ht grounds

UpOIl which citizens bave been deprived

of their

liberty

aud made tlu: victims of this species of prosecution

ami, ra,scal,ity:

1 fOl'w;tt'(1 t.ln-m with OXilet <io.)ics of the affidavits

upon wille" J. (),COIll ) ml

'\'!.!:-" arrestee

an(

llllJ)rlsolled

aud nlln. y

alliS led from tie,

tate (s0c.p~,r,t;J.::'· marked

A), together

with all order·

issued

by tile ~'l.:SSlst:tH t tIrovost'I~~arsha.L

'I'hose papers

arc the) only evidence

011 file against!'.

Comptoll,

and

the prov()st,m,\.(silal knew of

110 other

evidence

against

him,

I also

forward the \\'itlHll I'tatement

of Mr. Compton

(marked

B'") talcen before

me, which gives a full history

of the case.

T~

case of COIl~ptoll islw.tl!:l!!:j_L~~!!!.P.!~' The cases of Boone, l"~,

FlCldllJg, a.nd others

are

ill every

way similar and more 'or less aggmvaterr:--'l'uese

parties

luul, during

the first year

).: of the war, been known

as Southern

s~mt:athizers,

but they have from

' the

first been law-abiding

citizens,

an

~ave

givCiI no material

aid to the rebellion

ill any way, shape, or form, and are as bitterly

opposed to guerrillaism

and

kindred

offenses

as the. most

radical

Uuiou

man. Some of them

have aided me materially

during

the past year

by giving important

information

relative

to the

movements

of guerrilla

bands. During

my Investigation

I called in the circuit

judgr,

and laid the mat- ter developed

before him, and requested

that

the rasl.:als be b ou ht

)

I

tUl~~llt.

!have Ri,nce learDeu

. at tw~ of them

have been indicted y

e grand

Jury,

which

was theu

In sessron.

I revoked

th~ order of banishment

~I t~e ca.ses of.. Compton,

Boone,

l1nney,

FiJding,

and ,

Maupin"

subject

to your

approval.

1 cannot

reason

to any other

con- elusion

than

that

the provost-marshal,

Capt.

G. If. \V;l.ls~£,is gnilty

of a cri m iu al couiplicity

ill these

rascalities;

but whether

the evidence

is sufficien t.ly clear to warrant

his arrest

and

trial

before

a. court-martial is somewhat

q uestiouable.

Unless

there

is strong

reasonable

probabil- ity of his conviction,

of course

it would

be impolitic

to bring

him to trial.

Until

the investigation

I had

every

reason

to believe

CaJ)tain WaJser aunouorable

aud

trustworthy

officer, ill whom 1 repose

full con fidence.

I have

the

honor

to

be, very

respectfully,

general,

your

obedient servant,

CLINTON

B. FISK,

n,-iga([·icr. (J cncral.

PREACHING

AND HEALING

~67

lids down upon

this

world

that

they

may

open again on a better

and brighter

one, and made the soul sing the immortal

song

of j OJ',

" Oh, Death, where is thy

sting?

Oh, Grave,

where is thy vic- tory?"

This

was

the

conqueror

Jesus

whose words of truth

pierced

the hearts

of men with the barbs of love and

led them from

the trammels

of sin to the glories

of righteousness,

in mercy,

char- ity and good will toward

men.

Jesus, with boundless

love and forgiving

spirit, carried

his own cross

to the

place

of

crucifixion and with

calmness

he met the

frowns

of scorn, with love

he answered

the shafts

of hate,

and

as the cruel spear

entered

his blessed

side and they could do no more,

he uttered

the grandest

prayer that

ever

ascended

to

the

throne

of

God: " Father,

forgive

them,

they know

not

what they do,"

What

a triumph!

What

a victory

I

'What a conqueror!

Walser, the "converted infidel" writes this description of Jesus in his book about the Life and Teachings of Jesus (1909).

--

---.--

-----'---

%6

LIFE

AND TEACHINGS, OF JESUS

The United

States

has

a list of conquering

pens in her many

periodicals,

directing

the

minds

of statesmen,

molding

the

sentiments

of

the

people along

the line of patriotic

devotion

to the princi- ples

of

self-government,

domestic

purity,

eleva- tion of society,

and the cultivation

of moral

recti- tude.

Of the

great

authors

of the United

States we cannot

speak

in

detail.

While

America

is young

in the sisterhood

of nations,

her sons

lead the world in the practical

development

of the util- ities of life and

in the

elucidation

of man's

obli- gations

to man for the amity

of the world.

But. there

is one conqueror

who stands

alone, above

them

all;

who has

conquered

riches

with poverty,

pride

with'

humility,

ostentation

with meekness,

hate

with love.

He

succored

the

weak and

suppressed

the

strong,

reproved

the

tyrant and

sympathized

with the

oppressed,

The

wails of woe Found pity

in his heart.

He was the

per- sonification

of

goodness,

kindness,

He

was

by nature

as tender

of heart

as a pure

woman,

He was a hero in fortitude

and a great

warrior

in the battles

of right

against

wrong.

He was

a con- queror

of the passions

of the body

and a director

, of the intellect

to the

highest

standard

of

men's

! duties

one to

another.

The

sick

of

body,

soul,

; and

mind

were

of his

charge.

He

had

a

deep concern

for

the

afflictions

of

the

world,

and

in ministering

to them

forgot

himself.

And

finally he transformed

the dreaded

king

of death

into a white-winged

angel

of peace which kisses the eye-