Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1867-10-02

tSotiLionJ OH tHe OtheI SioS eto iuaui4iSSI-
Bile. The Judge gravely replied:
'"The Court sustains the objection, and
rules that the question cannot be asked
at tbis stage Of tie game
The inference was that "the Court"
played poker.
g5.- - pRE-EMpTToN.
We selected and stakod our quarter
sections, and after returning to Quindaro,
sent out boards and had cabin erected
upon each. But few weeks later, when
we went back to look at our dive llings ;
some enterprising scoundrel had carried
away every one of them He did not
leave a single board, rafter or splinter.
Notwithstanding the forty dollars which
his cupidity cost me, | have profound re-
spect for the shrewd speculator who not
only obtain so much valuable lumber for
nothing, but found it already delivered
thirty miles in the interior, when the ex-
penses Of hauling were enormous. It
must have enabled him to build palatial
mansion; but my experience was ludic-
rous satire upon the ancient legal fiction
that every mans house was his castle
From such school must have gradu-
ated the---th Kansas infantry, which
acquired rare reputation for plundering
during the great rebellion. A number
of Kansas regiments, marching through
Missouri, revenged themselves upon
their old enemies; but this had unap-
proaehable genius for plunder, which the
camp stories used to illustrate with genu-
inc American exaggeration. One Of
them ran thus: In an Arkansas cam
paign general officer found the entire
---th grouped around saw-miil and
weeping like Niobes.
"Why, boys" he asked, "what is the
matter?'
Matter enoughv' sobbed one enter
prising volunteer "Thus far we have
never left anything behind US; but we
can't possible steal this saw mill!''
A KANSAS LEGIsLATURE.
That body meant business; but its para
phernalia was not gorgeous. Indeed, it
looked good deal like the Arizona Leg
islature, which used to meet in log cab
in with dirt floor. Our sessions were
held in Lawrence hall, over the "Com-
mercial," restaurant. The members
lived in widely separated portion of the
Territory. Chilled with long winter
rides, they would enter in slouched hats,
top boots and blue army ovorcoats with
enormous capes, crowd around the stove
and canvass the latest news of rumor of
disturbance. No inferior rank was toll
Grated; every man was a General. At
the appointed hour Lane, ec-oBic,e Presi-
dent, would rap on the table, and COM
mand in his hoarse gutturals:
''The Board will come to order"
Then he pulled at the bell rope until a
waiter appeared.
"John, bring us one, two, three, four, :"
Counting the members present) fourteen
hot whisky punches and box of cigars.
All! John, fifteen hot whiskies.- General
Walker, you are just in time. General
Richardson, you will read the minutes of
the last meeting"
The completion of the reading found
the Board warmed externally and inter-
nally for the transaction of business. I'm
der its auspices Organization and enroll
ment progressed rapidly The territor-
ial Governor Denver) issued proclaim
alton against it; but lproclamations were
cheap aud plenty, and his were unheeded.
There were frequent rumors that he was
about to promote its leading members TO
the honors of martyrdom by arresting
them; but, once began, he could hardly
have stopped without arresting the whole
population of Kansas. So he confined his
warfare to paper bullets of the brain.
80 A RULE THAT CUT BOTH WAYS.
:. On Thursday, June Sd, 1858, I was in
the Office of the Lawrence Herald OF
Freedom, when boy came in with the
report:
There has just been fight up town" !"
This was such everyday affair that I
did not, look up from my writing. A
moment afterward another messenger en-
tered and said:
wThere's man killed."
Even this excited little attention in
those times Of violence But suddenly a
voice was heard from the street:
Jim Lane has Killed Galus jenkins,
and mob has gathered around his house
to hang him?"
There was no more Indifference; the
unarmed ran for revolvers; and we all
hastened to Lanes house, half mile
away. Around it were two or three hum
dred excited men, q few proposing to
lynch Lane, hua the majority ssdeclaring
that he should be tried by due course of
law. Among the former was the motor
ious ex Sheriff Jones, who had led the
border rufhan horde in sacking Lawrence
two years earlier. During the compare
tive quiet which now prevailed he fire.
quently visited the city. In the midst
of his loud talk Sheriff Samuel Walk er
quietly remarked:
{ H"Look here, Jones: be careful how you
recommend hanging These people are