The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1847-01-22
VOL. VINO. %.

thus implicated was the first object
of the "Regulators;" and, so far as
we could learn, their object met
with the appreciation of almost the
entire county. They had continued
their operations of regulating for
some months. Some individuals were
allowed committee of Regulators
to try them. Some were found gull
ty, and had 'orders TO leave. D
Others were acquitted. Some were
regularly tried before, magistrates,
&C., sc. Some were whipped; and
some received a coat of tar end
feathers. The number implicated
with the counterfeitcrs, it appears
increased rather thar diminished
Men heretofore looked upon as hon
est men were implicated, which in
creased the excitement. Men who
had hitherto remained neutral, or
who had favored the "Regulators,"
now left them, or disapproved Of
their course. While affairs were in
this excited situation, company of
"Regulators," say twenty, more or
less, went to an old mans house, by
the name of Matthias, to arrest him,
in order to force him to give evil
dence, which they supposed was in
his possession, of the guilt of certain
characters in his ncighborhood, and
of one or two individuals who had
staid at his house. He and. the old
lady resisted. The old lady,.being
stout woman, floored one or two
Of the party with her fists, when
gun was presented against her breast
accompanied with a threat of blow
ing her heart out, if she continued
her resistance, She caught hold of
the gun and showed it downwards,
when the gun fred and shot her
through the thigh. She was struck
one or two blows with gun barrel,
on her head, inficting considerable
wounds, and flooring her in turn,
when they captured the old man, and
took him off, since which time he
has net been heard from, and strong
apprclenSions are entertained that
he will not be seen again alive
The "Regulators" say the shot at
the old lady was accidental. She
made the proper affidavit before the
proper authorities, for the purpose
of having those who were concerned
in the preparation of the offence
arrested, which the proper authori-
ties proceeded TO do. After having
arrested, say ten, more or less, of
the individuals who were present
when she was shot, &C., they pro-
cceded with them to the Metropolis
house, in Metropolis city, and there
placed a guard around them, willie
search was made for the old man,
Mathis, whom they wished to pro-
cure as witness against the Greg.
ulators." The news of their arrest
having gone abroad, the "Regula-
tors" assembled in numbers, say one
hundred and fifty, or more, for the
avowed purpose of rescuing the pris-
oners. They (the "Regulators")
say the "Flatheads" had determined
TO put the prisoners to death, if they
failed in convicting them. The
" Flathcads" say they had no such
intention. 1t appears the guard
who had the prisoners in charge
were about as numerous, or nearly
so, as the Regulators" Various
attempts to compromise the diff;
Guilty between the parties, without
the eil'uson Of blood, were made, but
could only be effected by the uncon-
ditional release of the prisoners;
which was granted. There are
some circumstances come ted with
that days proceedings which we
will relate, in order to give you en-
idea Of the feelings which seemed to
have governed them.
After the surrender of the prison.
ers, the regulators proceeded to
take such individuals into custody
as they saw proper. In attempting
to take man, they fired at him once
or twice in the Metropolis House,
(thc holes in the wall were pointed
ont to us, without doing him any
damage, when he surrendered and
was led down stairs by two men,
When in the hall of tie house, man
stabbed him from behind, inlicting
a severe wound. When he was stab
bed he cried and screamed mur-
der, SC. A Methodist Preacher.
who it appears, is Captain of
Regulating Company, and lives in
Johnson county, near the Massac
line, exclaimed, Snow they're usins
them as they should be-" or words
10 that effect. The wounded man,
it is said, will recover of his wounds.
He was, by respectable authority,
represented to us as an honest, in
dustrious young man. No proof was
alduccd against him Of his having
ever been guilty of any criminal Of
fence, but some of his relations wcrc
;y,n,;c,taJ ne b,,;pe, h.on cooc..,>l