_Atchison Daily Times_ was started February 3, 1887, by John N. Reynolds, but after the seventh issue the paper was changed to a weekly, and called the _Atchison Weekly Times_, from March 19 to July 2, 1887. The next issue was dated July 11, 1887, and was again called _The Atchison Daily Times_, and ran as such until August 6, 1887, when it suspended. John N. Reynolds was in many ways, a unique character. He came to Atchison as the organizer and manager of a live stock insurance company. He was at one time a preacher, and his career in Atchison was remarkable for its violence and his disregard for both the proprieties and the ethics of the newspaper profession, he was looked upon by many as an irresponsible demagogue, and it was supposed that he ran his paper for blackmailing purposes. The story goes that during his management of the live stock insurance company, he incurred an advertising bill with one of the local papers, and failing to pay the bill, the editor of the local paper, instead of having recourse to the courts, began to heap abuse upon Reynolds, and using this as a pretext, Reynolds established the _Times_, for the purpose of retaliation. As the result of this episode, Reynolds became very violent in his denunciation of many men of established reputations in the community, and during the time that he published his paper there was much excitement of an undesirable character in the city. Reynolds finally landed in the Kansas State penitentiary, having served a term previously in the Missouri State penitentiary. He wrote a book subsequently, relating largely to his treatment in these two institutions, which he entitled “The Twin Hells.” For a short period he edited his paper from the county jail in Atchison, but in 1888 J. A. Sunderland took hold of the _Times_, and it was published up to January 31, 1891. _The Sunday Morning Call_ was started by the Call Printing Company, with Frank Pearce as editor and publisher, and was first issued in magazine form February 8, 1880. March 28, 1880, Barton Lowe & Company became editors and publishers, enlarging the paper to a five column folio. January 3, 1881, Luther L. Higby appears as a member of the firm, but with the issue of October 9, 1881, Luther L. Higby became sole owner. November 6, 1881, C. F. Cochrane became one of the editors, and January 18, 1882, Chris Rutt became a partner of Mr. Higby, and this firm sold the plant to Herman J. Rodman October 22, 1882, who continued it until November 18, 1883, when the name was changed to _The Western Mercury_, with E. J. Van Deventer and H. J. Rodman as publishers, and it was continued until about 1886.