The Kenosha telegraph and tribune. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1859-1860, 1860-06-07
Thrilling Episode in the Life of "Abe
Lincoln"

Correspondence Of the Cleveland Leader.
AS Western man, | wish space to
give vent to my enthusiasm over the
nomination of the Hon. Abraham Lin
coin for President ofthe United States.
Mr.. Lincoln, or "OldAbe," as his friends
Familiarity call him, is self-made man.
A Kentuckian by birth, he emigrated
to Illinois in his boyhood, where he
earned his living at the anvil, devoting
his leisure hours to study. Having
chosen the law as his future calling, he
devoted himself assiduously to its mas
terry, contending at every step with adj
verse fortune. During this period of
study, he for some time found a home
under the hospitable roof Of one Arm
strong, farmer who lived in a log
house some eight miles from the Vii
lage of Petersburg, Menard county,
Here, clad in home spun, with elbows
out and knees covered with patches,
young Lincoln would master his lessons
by the freight of the cabin, and then
walk to town for the purpose of recita-
ton. This man Armstrong was him
self poor, but he saw the genius strug-
Cling in the young student, and open
ed to him his rude home. and bid him
welcome to his coarse fare How L in
coin graduated with promise, how he
has more than fulfilled that promise,
how honorably he acquitted himself
alike on the battlefield, he defended
our border settlements against the raw
ages Of savage foes, and in the halls
OF our national Legislature, are matters
OF history, and need no reputation here.
But one little incident of q more pri-
vate nature, standing as it does as a
sort of sequel to some things alre ady
alluded to, l deem worthy of record.
Some few years since the oldest son
OF Mr.. LiRcolne ed friend Armstreng,
the ,.chief support of his widowed
motheI-the good old man having some
time previously death-was arrested
on the charge Of murder. A young
man had been killed during a riotous
melee, IN the night time, at a camp
meeting, and one of his associates stat
ed that the death wound was inflicted
by yonng Armstrong. A preliminary
examination was gone into, at which
the accuser testified so positively that
their seemed no doubt of the prison err,
and therefore he was held for trial. AS
is too often the case, the bloody act
caused an undue degree Of excitement
in the public mind. Every improper
incident in the life of the prisoner
each act which bore the least resem-
blance of roWdyism-each school. boy
quarrel was suddenly remembered and
magnifed, until they pictured him
tiend of the most horrid hue AS the ru-
mors spread abroad, they were receiv>
ed as gospel truth, and feverish des-
ire for vengeance seized upon the infat-
uated populace, while only@@prison- bars
prevented horrible death at the hands
of mob. The events were heralded
In the county papers, painted in high
est colors, accompanied by rejoicing
over the certainty of punishment being
meted out Of the guilty party. The pris-
oner, overwhelmed by the circumstan-
ces under which he found himself
| placed, fell into a melancholy condi-
ton, bordering upon despair; and the
widowed mother, looking through her
tears, saw no cause for hope from
earthly aid.
AT this juncture, the widow received
a letter from Mr.. Lincoln, volunteering
his services in an effort to save them
from the impending stroke Gladly was
his aid accepted, although it seemed
impossible for even his sagacity to pre-
vail in such a desperate case but the
heart of the attorney was in his work,
and he set about it with a will that
knew no such word as fail. Feeling
that the poisoned condition of the pub
lie mind was such as to preclude the
possibility of impanneling an impartial
Jury In the court having jurisdiction,
he procured a change of venue, and a
postpOnement of the trial. He then
went studiousl y to work unraveling the
history OF the case, and satisfied himself
that his client was the victim of malice
and the statements of the accuser were
a tissue of falsehoods. When the trial
was called on, the prisoner, pale and
emaciated, with hopelessness written
on every feature, and accompanied by
his halfhoping, half-despairing mother
whose only hope was in a mothers
belief OF her sons innocence, in the Jus.
tice Of the God she worshipned, and in
the noble counsel, who, without hope
of fee or reward upon earth, had under
taken the cause-took his seat in the
prisoners box, and with ''stony firm
ness" listened to the reading of the in
dictment Lincoln sat quietly by,while
the large auditory looked on him as tho
wondering what he could say in defense
of one whose guilt they regarded as
certain. The examination of witnesses
tor the State was begun, and a we'll ar
ranged mass Of evidence, circumstan-
tial and positive, was introduced, which
seemed to impale the prisoner beyond
the possibility of extrication The coun.
+ sci for the defense propounded but q
: few questions and those of a character
s which excited no uneasiness on the
part of the overwhelmingly in most
E cases, requiring the main witness to be
definite as to time and place. When
I . he 81 E Al.