The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1869-11-20

u iii -hCiItnB 10 ne amount OF SSOOtUu. i ne
neighbors all know that Jim McLaue always
lived from hand to mouth, and never had
anything to be stolen or taken from him.
| | wish 70 add a few remarks to explain
my late troubles
After the excitement about the war, and
its troubles seemed to die out, and men
seemed disposed to heal over past sores, in
the spring of 1868, came back to St Fran
co.'s county, and talked to many of the good
people Of the county concerning the prOpri
ETY. Of returning to my old home. All
spoke to of all parties said, Sam, come
home"
came back in good faith l moved to
my mothers old place and lived there six
months. | then moved to HiIlsboro and
stayed there until last fall Finding it hard
to make living there, l moved on the Mis-
sissippi River, near Rush Tower, and chop
ped " ood all last winter. l then moved
back to the Three Rivers, on the Sam Herd
place to raise a crop. There l lived and
worked until the fourth of June last, when
was waylaid and shot by Jim McLane, or
Walter Evans and two others, that | or my
friends may yet call to account.
Jim McLaRe, McQuinn aud others way
laid my house to murder me in April last,
for several days On the 4th Of June [ was
shot through the thigh ut my house
l went to my uncle Williams where they
attacked me six days after. They shot all
day at me there. | selected Jim McLane,
whom l knew only by description, an shot
him frocl the house. Sheriff Breckenridge
and the balance of his party took good care
of their scalps after l killed NcLane 1t
was then three o'clock, and as | had eaten
no breakfast or dinner, 1 cooked my supper
and ate it while they kept firing at me. l
70
liams dodging the balls as they came in
through the cracks. They fired the house,
and as l had finished my supper abandon
ed my burning fortifcation. As l went out
counted thIrty-fve men that were guarding
the bRrning house. | saw George DogGett,
Asa jackson, Joe McGahan and Hills boy.
When the house got too hot for comfort |
left it and walked within six feet of some Of
the guard. They seemed blind, or at least
they did not oler to shoot me-
| wish to say to the Radicals in and about
FarmingJOn to beware how they mistreat my
wife and children, rs l heard they have had
them under arrest by order Of the drunken
Bowen, and | will say to Bill Hill and Joe
McGahan to walk smoothly and not let my
family suffer. They helped kill my broth
ars, but they have not killed me yet
Jim McLane was tool IN the hands of
ludl illldIubuS creature anu CONdfu, NEuSI
St. Gem, Of st Geneyieve, who will some
day, no matter where lie may hide himself,
have to answer for many crimes he planned,
and was too cOwardly to execute, but got
others to do for him. McLaue murdered
Judge Burke, of St. Genevieve, and preach
er Polk, over eighty-three years of age.
I wish to say to Gov. McClurg that l
could have easily killed him while he was in
Pennington, if l had wanted to do So but /
look upon him as gentleman, and that he
is misled by listening TO lies from bad men,
who are Radicals.
All have written is every word true. l
DO not want to be killed yet awhile neither
do I wish to kill any one if they will let me
alone. Ny enemies have charged me with
being a thief during the war | was not. All
that fairly captured l gave away to the
widows and orphans who had been robbed
and were suffering.
l Will refer to any honest man who knew
me, whether l was not an honest man. In
the latter part Of August the Radical govern
ment Of Missouri had 400 or 500 armed
men hunting me down, and declared martial
law. What a tempest one Loor hunted man
can raise 1t is because of guilty conscien-
ces. They know the wrongs they did, and
know that vengeance should fall upon the
guilty.
nave had TWO bushels OF Radical bullets
shot at me, but only two ever drew blood.
The old Indian when he fred fourteen shots
at General Washington, and miss ed him
every shot, said that the Great Spirit had
turned away the bullets AIMED at his life,
and put my trust in Him and believe the
balance Of nay days will be spent more hap,
PLY.
/ am in as fine spirits and good health as
ever L was. My wound is entirely healed,
and am good for many years of life if my
foes allow me to live in peace and if they
do not on them be the consequences.
Let spies and informers keep at safe
distance froTa me. | do not think | can be
easily trailed, but still it Is safest for any
person that has Il desire to hunt up Hilder-
brand to let that dCOHe. Remember the
greenhorn that started out to hunt grizzly
bears in California.
SAM. HmDERBRAND.