On Dec. 8, 1877, Gov. Anthony made a demand for the surrender of one George I. Hopkins, a fugitive from justice who had sought refuge in the State of Ohio, but Robert F. Hurlbutt, then governor of Ohio, refused to honor the requisition. A correspondence followed and the requisition was again refused by R. M. Bishop, who succeeded Hurlbutt as governor. On Oct. 23, 1878, Gov. Bishop made a requisition for one Peter C. Becker, an embezzler of Butler county, Ohio, who had fled to Kansas, when Gov. Anthony refused, giving the same reasons as those presented by the Ohio authorities in the Hopkins case. This had the desired effect, as on Nov. 21, 1878, Gov. Bishop wrote, explaining the situation, and adding: “I very much regret the circumstance has occurred, as my desire is to remain on the most amicable relations not only with your state, but all the other states. The warrant for Hopkins' arrest will be issued whenever again demanded.” Gov. Anthony deserved great credit for the skill and courage with which he handled this matter in upholding the dignity and enforcing the laws of the state.
The winter of 1877–78 was noted for the temperance movement which swept over the state and culminated in the organization of the State Temperance Society at Topeka on March 9, 1878, with Rev. John A. Anderson as president. On April 4 E. B. Reynolds made the announcement that 100,000 Murphy pledges had been signed by Kansans.
A great strike of the employees of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe railroad commenced on April 4, 1878, and the next day C. F. Morse, general superintendent of the railroad, wrote to Gov. Anthony as follows: “There is a large mob about our depot, threatening violence. I have called on the sheriff, and he is trying to raise a posse, but we may need help from the state. Will you protect this company and its property?”
“I have to assure you,” wrote Gov. Anthony the same day in reply, “of my full sympathy, and that the power of the state shall be brought to bear to suppress any effort to drive peaceable laborers from their work upon your road or elsewhere.” (See Labor Troubles.)
Three state tickets were nominated in the political campaign of 1878 The first party to hold a convention was the Greenback party, delegates of which met at Emporia on July 3 and nominated the following candidates: For governor, D. P. Mitchell; lieutenant-governor, Alfred Taylor; secretary of state, T. P. Leach; auditor, A. B. Cornell; treasurer, A. G. Wolcott; attorney-general, Frank Doster; superintendent of public instruction, I. T. Foot; chief justice, H. V. Vrooman. Frank Doster was later made the candidate for Congress in the third district, the vote of the Greenback party generally going to J. F. Cox, the Democratic candidate for attorney-general. The candidates for Congress in the first and second districts were Elbridge Gale and P. P. Elder, respectively. No nomination was made for Congressman at large, the support of the party being thrown to Samuel J. Crawford, the Democratic candidate.
On Aug. 28 the Republican state convention met at Topeka and nominated John P. St. John for governor; Lyman U. Humphrey, for lieutenant-governor; James Smith, for secretary of state; P. I. Bonebrake,
