Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1864-04-20
MISCELLANEOUS,
The Trouble in Southern Illinois-The
Facts in the Case.

Facts in the Case.
We fod in the detailed report, furnished
by the special correspondent of the Chca
go Times, some statements which throw a
good deal of light on the late outrages in
Southern Illinois. This account is present
ed under the boldly displayed headline,
THE Bloody Responsibility rests upon the
AbOlitionistS
The correspondent, it must be remem-
ber, is giving story as favorable as posi-
bic for the copperheads, and we may take
as unqueStionahly true all that he admits
that tells against his own party He com
mences by saying, the disturbance was but
the natural and Inevitable result of tine
outrages which the citizens of Coles and
adjoining counties have received at the
hands of the Federal soldiers
The Times correspondent, having re
ferred to the whipping of coppcrheads,
goes on:
Among the men so beaten were some
from so Hairs Settlement who were
qnite as fond of liquor as the soldiers,
aud had betrayed themselves into several
affrays with them while over their cups.
THESE men determnrd to reUcnge them
selOeS upon The SoidierS'
Last Monday was the commencement
OF the Spring term of Court, an event
which usually brings many citizens to the
! county seat. In addition to the commence,
Tent of Court, it was understood that Hon
John h. Eden the Democratic member of
: l',n,rraCS frnr,, th,r I,.t
his constituents, and this would bring to
Charleston large proportion of the Dem
ocrats OF the county The people at
/ O'tiair's Settlement, deemed that the sol
! dlers would make some effort to interrupt
! Eden while speaking, and ronceired the
jdca Of ensJroHing all tie Democrats IN
/ attendance IN tie dfroy tch tie SDidicrS,
by resisting, by .t'rce any attempt made to
! interfere asjM Hem
To this end some thirty or forty Of
/ them came armed, same ,0jh reU0icers nnd
! the remojndcr Cih sho, guns and RITES
J. concedled IN tie stroao az their acGgonS.
| They appear to hare had a concerted plan
thus FIR, that 1chea any shot wus fired, 1t
! Shoald he the signal far genernt assault
/ "P"n tie soh'iers. Surprising the distur
! bance would occur at public meeting, and
that the Democrats would join them, the
! people from 'O' Hairs Settlement" hoped
to oyerpower the soldiers without much
difficulty
The plan of the men from 'O'Hairs
Settlement was deranged by the refusal of
the Hon. John r. Eden to speak But
they yet coutrlved to have the signal for
the massacre given. A soldier named
Oliver Salee, who had been drinking, and
was expressing the opinion that he could
whip any cOpperhead, addressed one Mel
sou Wells, saying Il understand you are
copperhead' Here the stories vary.
One account says the soldier was good
humored in his manner, and that the reply
Of Wells was a volley of oaths and the
presentation Of his pistol. The Chicago
Times story is this:
! Wells answered in the affirmative Sa
lee then put his hand on Wells shoulder,
whether in anger or not have not been
able to satisfy myself Wells drew back,
remarking, Don't you put your hands on
me; if you do, I'll shoot you To which
| SaIee replied that he could shoot too, or
shout back. What trarspired soon after
seems to have obiterated from the minds
OF witnesses what immediately followed
| What he next remembered is that, after a
lapse Of time, Wells drew his pistol and
| fred whether at Salee is not known. In
second or two the men from 40 Hairs
Settlement" responded to the signal, and
the firing became general
Soiu this Copperhead account, we have not
only the admission that the Copperheads
came to town for fight, prepared for it,
with arms, and plan, but that the first
shot aeos fired Jy copperhead, and that
that Wos the agreed signal for general
and marderous assault upon the soldiers,
'chtch 'oos made accordingly. The Times
correspondent says:
The soldier, Salee, fell almost at the
first voley. After he was down he drew
his revolver and shot Wells, who ran some
distance and fell dead Major York, Sur
geon of the 54th, in passing into the court
room was shot in the shoulder, and died
few minutes after at the side of the
Judges stand. Colonel Mitchell, who came
into the yard from the County Clerk 5
Office, had several shots fred at him, and
engaged IN q desperate, hand 20 hand
struggle With man named Winkler Col
! Mitebeits lie was saved b his watch,