Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1871-10-03
A Story Of Territorial Days.

is story told ut the meeting by Mr.. |
Free Williams which we have taken |
some pains to write down and give
in his own language Williams is
one OF the pioneer settlers who has
seen all the sights of Territorial
times, and by his actions and sayings
contributed somewhat to its history
81 don't remember the year; we
didn't take any account of time,
when we ranged at will over these
fenceless prairies. We didn't cut up
the year into weeks and Sundays, but
took it as it come But after while
judges and swarm Of lawyers come
to Lancaster and held a court. in the
old two story brick Court House
1t was new building then, and the
people wondered to find red brick
made out OF Wisconsin clay. 1t was
about the first Court Harvey Pepper
was Sheriff; Judge Dunn was on the
bench; | was foreman Of the Jury;
Old yellow Black Paul was plaintiff;
and Col. Jones, who went 10 Congress
and perehed himself on the top of
Sinsinnowa Mound-he was defend
| ant.
Jones owned Paul in kentucky,
aud when Paul got on tho Mound, be
quarrelled with his master, become
obsiropolous, and Jones drove him
oil lie went through the country
and tddled at what they called the
stag dances Females then were
scarce and very dear and bard to get .
so the boys would dance on tho sod
floor, aud Paul would fiddle for his
whiskey; and when he ran too far
out Of his knees and elbows, he would
g back To Jonos, and saw wood, and
Jones would supply him with old
trousers and buds that had shined In
| Washington. After some years Paul
concluded, as Courts and lawyers
had made their appearance, no would
sue his old master for wages and
have a final settlement in this free
country. We heard the evidence.
The yellow darkey hadnt bit OF
proof, but eleven of the Jurors went
in steep for the plaintiff, contending
that if Paul recovered wages, il
would make him free man. | as
serted that he was free here-wages
or no wages, and we W ere sworn TO
go according to law. Some of the
Jurors said d-n the law-when il
comes in at one door, justice runs out
of the other. Pepper, the Sheriff,
locked us up like SO many iculprits,
and kept possession of the keys; and
to make the purgatory complete. he
said be was sworn TO allow US no
meat, or drink except water. Impris-
oned in this 10 by 8 cell, we quarrcl>
ed long and loud | stood out for
the defendant against the eleven who
were determined that Paul should be
paid for our shndig music, and that
Jones was the man to do it, He got
appropriations from Congress.
; told my eleven fellows | was used TO
starvation, and would die at my post
rather than violate the law. They
talked Of fighting, but | was ready
for that sort of game.
We should likly have hung there
to the present time-Lili we were
dead -dead--dead, but for a couple
OF huge groy timber olives that Old
"wolt catching Graham" brought into
the town plot, securely Gagged in his
wagon Every body then attended
Court. There wns no Old Settlers
meetings then--aud every body
? brought his dogs. The old Wolf
Catcher inside a loud out cry, saying.
that he would let out wolf against
all The dogs in creation if the people
who desired the sport would pay him
$40 each for his wolves, and allow
him the scalps The money was
raised quicker than you could count
1t. We would have pald the nation
al debt TO see the wolf fight. The
first wolf-end DO was a fine fellow
an Old Settler / tell you,-was let
loose in the yard here, right under
our window. We ran to it and climbs
ed on each Others shoulders. Such
swapping, barking, growing, and
brlstllng you never heard or saw
Dogs and wolf were piled up almost
to the upper story in living, biting,
snapplng, rolling, tumbling, boiling
mass some of the dogs were thrown
horS du combat, but others took their
place. The rolling mass turned
round the corner so we coulden't see,
aud then my eleven associates cried
out, "tor Heavens sake, Free VII
llamr, do agree, 80 that we can get
out OF this cursed hole and see the
fun" Boys" said /, IL have been
raised with wolves; | wont bulge
an inch for such arguments as dogs
and wolves can furnish" "Well Free.
just say that Jones shall pay S1.00,
and we'll all come down to that"
never a cent" said L. We heard
the uproarious laughter and the
shouts of the GU tside world. 1t was
too much for the eleven friends of
poor yellow Paul. They cried out
with one accord 1--WE agree-write
out the verdict, Free Williams" |
wrote out verdict for the defend
ant. But lol we were in a worse
condition than ever. The Judge an d
Sheriff and all hands had gone to the
entertainment. No time was to be
lost. picked up a chair and smash
ed the window, and the glass ratified
and tell TO the ground. The report
reached Judge Dunn, and he scream
ed out Pepper, Pepper, let those
men out-they'l tear down the
Court House" These words sound.
ed like the trump of jubilee. The
door was opened. We handed our
verdict to the Sheriff; and rushed
down stairs like frightened Sheep,
when tho dog was after them.
But the scene of the fight had
changed. La the dog aud wolf revolt
ution the latter actually entered the
sacred halls of Peppers Hotel. where
all our fair female population were
gathered and gossipping 0, such
screaming, such fright, such a run