Saint Paul weekly Minnesotian., 1858-12-04
THE WEEKLY MINNESOTIAN
The Litele Falls Dimculties..-A ChaPsel
ON MOecasln Democracy.

i w 416AbA L AAAAN ~ AA0O &AAA~
The Litsls Falls Dimculties..-A Chapter
on Moecasln Democracy.
To ns Editors Of tss Ainnesotian:
LITTLE FALLS, Morrison Co., Nov ~, 1000
The original progress of the recent difncul
ties which have transpired at Little faiis au
ring the past year, ought in justice to thu
respectable portion of the people OF TINS town
be fully stated to the pubic
For a full year past, our town has been dis
graced by gang of rutfians and rowdies
who, setting all law at defiance, have revelled
in riot and crime. This banditti force were
scattered all along the country between Platte
River and Crow Wing, this town being the
central point of operations, and the residence
of many Of the prominent leaders Of the clan.
Being the leaders Of the Democratic party in
this section, too, and occupying high position
among the leading Democratic politicians
throughout the State, they were enabled TO
bring almost the entire force Of the Democrat
ic party to their aid, on the shortest notice.
One of them once represented the Democracy
in the Territorial Council, twice in the Legs
lature, and in the Constitutional Convention,
while others have held, and now are holding
various offices from the Democracy and the
general government.
The immediate occasion of the late out
break, was the commission of murderous
assault upon Mr.. Barnum, of this place, a
Justice of the Peace, who had dared to ques-
ton the propriety Of re-eecting the present
Sheriff, who was known to be one OF the most
unscrupulous of the clan Mr.. Barnum was
enticed out of his house late at night, by some
of the ruffians, when he was Immediately
knocked down with heavy bludgeon, and
after beating him until life was nearly extinct
they dragged him to the hotel, threw him up
on the steps, and left him, one Of them re-
marking, that "the old cuss won't issue any
more writs.'' Mr. Barnum's cries of ''mur-
der" having aroused his neighbors. they came
to his aid. and treated one of the assassins to
full charge of buck shot as he was retreat
ing.
The next day two Of the Democratic would
be murderers, one of them the Sheriff Of the
Ccunty. were arrested There being no act
ing Justice of the Peace in the County beside
the injured man, and fearing that justice
would be administered them by the Court
Commissioner of Morrison County, they pre-
vailed upon the Deputy Sheriff (aided by the
influence of Hon. Judge James Hall, late
Democratic Judge ef the Fourth Jud'c'at
District, acho has been, and now is the stand
ing attorney Of this Democratic bandltt1) to
take them before Court Commissioner Sweet,
of Benton County, for examination, who was
opportunely, on visit to his friend, Hon.
VIM. Sturgess, who is generally supposed to
be the prime mover, and wire-puler, behind
the curtains. of the whole clan. Democratic
Commissioner Sweet, held Democratic Sheriff
Pugh, mot Fuks,) and Democratic " high pri-
vate" Richardson, special "fugleman to
Democratic "BiU" .Stwgis, to bail, Democrat
ic high private" Richardson found Demo
cratic rowdy straw bail, which Democratic
Sheriff Pugh, could not, in Morrison County.
Democratic Commissioner sweet, therefore
made out commitment for democratic Sher-
iff Pugh, and he was started for the Fort In
charge of Deputy Sheriff Brown for safe keep
ing with instructions to take bail on the way,
provided Democratic Sheriff Pugh should be
so fortunate as to obtain that, to him, useful
article.
These proceedings were had at Swan River,
and on the arrival of the Deputy with the
Prisoner at Little Falls they met the Hon.
David Gilman, late Democratic member of the
constitutional Convention, from the adjoining
county of Benton, late candidate in the Dem
ocratic Convention for Congress, and at pres
ent United States Deputy Marshall, who, be-
ing then with warrant for the arrest OF
Democratic "high privates" Thompson and
Stancliffe, two of the most desperate of the
Democratic Banditti, on the charge of shoot
ing at, and attempting to rob Democratic Su-
perintendent of Indian Affairs, Maj. Cullen,
was solicited by Democratic Sheriff Pugh to
60 his bail, which request he most cheerfully
complied with. On his being required to
verify" rich scene transpired At first
he was very rich, a very "Astor" for wealth
but being informed by the Clerk of the Court
that he would like an inventory of his posses
sions, he knocked off, few Seats" and
on farther questioning, bethought himself OF
a certain mortgage, or mortgages, which orna-
mented his landed estates. Being still pressed
for details, he refused to make any further
disclosures as to his worldly possessions. But
memorable was the Court, and Democratic
Deputy L. s. Marshal Gilman was finally
compelled to disclose the fact, that he was in
addition to his ornamental fixtures, by way
of mortgages, &C., holden to the county Of
Benton in the sum of at least six thousand
dollars as bail for tic Treasurer, Sheriff.
County Clerk and Register of Deeds of said
county, but finally through the intercession Of
Democratic Judge Hall, Democratic Deputy
Marshal Gilman was accepted as bal, and Dem
ocratic Sheriff Pugh, to his great joy was re-
leasedfrom "durance vile."
Some weeks prior to the commencement Of
these, proceedings, heavy robbery had been
committed in which some of these parties,
with other confederates were implicated. A
large amount of goods had be stolen, and a
reward of two hundred dollars had been Of
fered for their recovery and the arrest of rob-
bers.
During the tendency of the above pro-
ceedings, it came out that Democratic "Bil y
Sturges, his brother, and some dozen others,
were the enterprising individuals who had so
unceremoniously gone Into trade" on an
other mans capital or stock of goods. Upon
this discovery, Democratic "Bn" Sturges
WAS honored with the frst warrant of ar.