Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1871-11-10
LITTER FROM MONTGOMERY TWP.
"nrcKErE BROAD Axe.0-nEnnY onAYcE.

LLAlEh EhOm mUNAUOmEhA AWEs
"BucKEYE BROAD AxE."-HESRY CHANCE.
The above named gentleman, who now resides
in Fremont commenced his career as a temper
ancc lecturer in the Black Swamp. very well !
remember his first eiTirts. lie wore very curly,
shaggy, long locks aud was not very particular
about tho cut his coat There was nm inimit-
ablo waRgishncss about his manner. The boys,
and some Of them pretty old at that, uso to feel
the symptoms Of q shake'in the sides and expc-
rienoe great difficulty in the effort to keep the
muscles the face in order, even when they saw
him at a distance, But in his lectures he man
aged to keep his hearers pretty well stirred up.
Those who were seated with him in the stand
would often feel the force Of his muscular lrgic.
lie would often 60 through all manner OF mo-
tons, hitting right and left On one occasion in
the ea1rt to attract the attention Of the people,
he turned around and in playful wav ran his
fingers through the hair Of distinguished but
very sober faced divine. But, to his consterna-
tion, his fingers became cnangled in the Rever-
end gentleman's wig so that he pulled II off en-
tire and exposed bald head. This sleigM OF
hand movement excited much laughter and
'DTOuu axe nOt nANlnR "uuClPhteN suCH ieSu'it
felt considerably embarrassed. But ho soon
rcgaincd his wonted scifpossession, and turning
towards the bald.headed notable, he said in his
peculiar nimitaLle drol way, "my dear sir, beg
your pardon, Iidid not know that your skull-cap
was loose" The effect was electrical. The whole
audience broke out into roars Of laughter. There
were some, however, wto attended his lectures,
| .bp l,,nI,oA nr Of Itair nnnuih
! While he ever spared the drunkard, he hewed the
drunkard mixer most numerically. 1t was his
custom to hire whiskcy sellers to take seat on
the stand. Ifthey could stand the edge Of his
axe to the end Of the lecture without wincing ho
paid them promptly. Butt blows often started
blood. The proprieturs o1saloons and rum holes
threw at him eggs that had lost their health"
and sometimes threatened TO shoot him. Once
or twice he was pretty roughly handled, but for
the most part escaped all harm. Some thought
that although his lectures were thronged, they
were too olUwnish to be use ful. But there was
"method in his madness" which an attentive
hearcr could not fail to see. His questions we're
well put, aud his illustrations were all to the
point Many Of his hearers well remember his
story Of "How Betsy and Killed. the Bear =
when Pat saw the bear coming into the door OF
his hut, he forgot the bnby IN the cradle and
climbed up for dear life upon one Of the beams
But Betsy si,zed the axe and soon slaughtered
old bruin. While the conflict was going on, Pa
looked down from his sa afe retreat and cried ou
in high glee, Give it to him Betsy. give il L
him ?" Pretty soon after the fight was over
Pat INST one Of his ne Ghbors and in consequen
tial air, as II he had done great 'thing, said
ibid you hear how Betsy and killed the bear ?
Those only could feel the full force Of the Gu
who lived in the early days of.the temperance re
form, when mini sters, congressman and justice.
Of the peace seeking popularity, stood aloof anC
hid themselves till they saw the people shouting
temperance, and then joined in the huzzas Rnt
cried out to the top Of their voices, Did yol
hear how Betsy and KILLED the bear To th
class Of men 'Broad axe" showed no mercy, bu
e bringing down lis heavy blade directly upoI
G their heads did some rough .hewing. In thos,
e Tvs men, anl som ;iim IS woman not often how
ever be it ever sa ID to her credit drank intox
cating liz unrs because they verify thought "i
Z did both soul aud body goad," To convince tn
! people that they were taking poison, took lonJ
5 time This required close accurate work. Broat
. axe comprehended the situation, and brough
his AK. close to the line. lie proved that run
r and whisky an the like, was the Devils dy
] stuff" at tanned he drunkard's stomach col
ored his nose, put snakes in his boots, fuddle,
| his brains, stole his purse clothed him with rags
made him dance the delirium tremens to, tn
devils music, threw him into the ditch, the VIII
ofhs bosom and his little enes were afraid q
4 him he stole the food out cf their mouths 70
r rum, whippeGi abused aud murdered Them" il
short he would say, when the devil wants any
h body to do a wicked or mean thing, ho give
them dose Of his dye stuff Aud then after b
has tormented poor fellow and led him aroun'
by the nose all his life time, he ssads him to tn
drunkard's grave and the drunkards hell.
= After a course of lectures in which be con
viuced his hearers that they were really drink
= ing this bdmix,urs of the devils getting up, b
gave notice that he would burn up what the gro
q GERS hadon hand. In the evening he mounte
:, the cart on which the whisky barrel had bee
brought near the church, and gave orders to Sc
it on fire. AS the flames arose he pointed witt
his finger to the barrel and cried out to the peo
- pie, see here, "the devils dye stuff burns blue,
. no wonder it gives the druukard the "blues" an
= makes every body and every thing look "blue.
y The next step WAS to repeal the license Law
- Then to pass a law forbddng the sale of intox
icating drinks tohabtual dsunkards and minor:
: The next step was to induce the pcople'to exc
cute the law. Finding that This law did nc
wholly meet the Ri, he secured the passage q
the present OHIO Liquor Law, which holds trai
icxers andlhc premises on which the sales ar
made, responsible for the damages caused b.
Z the use of the liquor.
+ He recently informed me that he was tryin
10 to secure the passage Of law which will com
1t pei the drunkard to give in his testimony as
g, where he bought the devils dye stuff"
May our " Broad axe" preserve its keen edg
D. and swing triumphantly ill the last chip is hew
Is off and the old bluck is fairly hewn and made i
: Tor the Good TcmPlur's use.
80 ONE OF THE BOYS.
~ Pie. M1chjOan Suffarerq