One day William Colton rode into a town where a young Quaker boy was being led into the saloon. It seems he had set one of McComb's barns on fire. Some time earlier, the Townsend's had found some virgin soil outside of town and offered to pay McComb for it. McComb refused, and the Quakers settled the land and began homesteading. McComb demanded they get off their land. He had threatened all sorts of things against them if they didn't. This particular day, he made his threats again. Townsend Sr. went to Colton's hotel room and asked him to kill McComb for them since it was against their religion to perform the act of violence themselves; but they soon came back to their senses. Townsend decided it would be best to leave.
—Michelle