Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1858-02-18
9uterestiua Gale.
From the N. Y. Sunday Times.
PETE WHETSTCNE
THE raoDrer OF ARKANSAS DuE1rsrs.

On the second Monday of Septembel
1889 all the people of Washington county
were in motion. The mammoth hive OF
Western Arkansas swarmed. Every high
way, every by-way, every horse path through
the cane, every foot path over the mountain,
sent its hungry human stream to swell the
sea of heads rolling into the public square
of Fayetteville, the seat of justice for tina,
shriveality. And yet a philosopher rea-
soning according to the old fashioned
method of logic, PRIOR, would have been
puzzled to find a sufficient cause in the oc-
casion to justify the gathering of such a
massive multitude. 1t was not muster
for volunteers againt any tribe of Indians,
nor a political meeting for stump orator to
eclipse tightening or use up thunder of
IN election where the bone and sinue of
the frontier must save the republic, at an
enormous expense of gouged eyes and
bloody noses. Nor was it an execution,
by order of his honor Judge Lynch, OF
thieves, or coiners of pewter dollars.
1t was only the first day of the second
week of the Circuit Court of Washington
county-the day of taking up The criminal
side of the docket-that attracted the
whole population. But what to stranger
would have seemed the most extraordinary
phase of the affair, the whole population
came armed-as they express ito the
teeth and toe nails" Big knives were
abundant as snakes in syprus swamp
Every coat pocket was pistol battery
every shoulder bristled with its rifle, and
some actually bore two in order to be in
ferred that such was the common equip
ment of spectators for the court house
The present instance was an exception, pro-
duced by the concurrence of unusual events.
"A brief statement may serve to solve the
mystery. s~s
The Lynchers had recently hung seven
men at once on the same gallows-tree.-
They had reason to fear the commencement
of prosecution for the barbarous deed,
and consequently, the entire band turned
out, SO as, in case an indictment should be
found to move to quash all its counts with
gun-powder and leaden bullets. But there
was still more prolific source of excite
ment than even this. A numerous and
well organized clique in Fayetteville-con-
slstlng Of federal officers, local officers and
officers OF the bank-aspired to complete
an irresponsible dominion over the coun-
try: Their leaders were desperate duelists,
and their reign was truly one of terror
Gradually, however, formidable opposi-
tion to the junto developed itself among
the farmers of the country. These applied
to the Fayetteville clique the odious name
of aristocracy, or as they pronounced it
"horostocracy;;n and the latter avenged
themselves, by calling their enemies 'wood
rats" after peculiarly mischievous little
animal that infests the gardens and fields
of Arkansas. The plebeians adopted this
term, and rallied under it as the appella-
tive and watchword Of their party.
The awood rats" had greatly the ad-
vantage in point of numbers, but unfortu-
nately they were destitute of able and hon
est cheifs, and sadly divided among them
selves. "The horostocrats,n monopolized
the bank with every Office, civil and militia