Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1872-03-14
4 Bar-rOOm Tragedy.

ONCE, in the fall of 1S3-, there came
into Aiken, S. c., an old trapper and
hunter from the neighboring State of
Georgia, for the purpose of selling store
of skins and choice venison-hams which
accompanied by his SOM he had labori-
ously conveyed thither in rough, spring
less cart.
Sam Gregory (the old mans name) was
known to some persons in Aiken as a
straightforward, honest, simple-hearted
Methodist, an individual of few words,
but those always civil and amiable, and
as easy, on most occasions, to deal with
as an unspoiled child. Though seventy
years of age, he was as upright as pine,
tall in stature, with undiminished muscu-
lar vigor and activity. The son, then
about twenty-nine or thirty, was, in the
minutest particulars, the image of his
father, except that he topped the elder by
a couple of inches, although old Gregory
was upward of six feet high.
1t was 'sale-day" upon which these two
found themselves mingling with what, to
their woodland eye, seemed quite crowd,
among the shops and warehouses of
Aiken. A merchant, with whom Gregory
had been accustomed to treat in the dis
position of his hides and hams, having
left the place, our hunter was obliged 10
seek custom elsewhere. He went from
| shop to shop, exhibiting specimens of his
stock in trade, but luck was against him
he could obtain no purchaser upon any
thing like fair terms.
AT length he came to an establishment
which, supposing it to be a grocery, he
| carelessly entered, his SON just be-
hind him. 1t was not grocery, how
ever, but notorious bar-room, kept by a
! falInw uicl-uounaI ssPu1fx- Rnb
| Bully Bob was even worse than his
class in general. Having grown rich by
the sale of liquors, he neutrality-suspicious.,
organized "body guard of 'Mohawks"
who obeyed his slightest nod, and were
the pest of the sober portion of the
community both night and day.
One of the bully's rules las sternly car
ried out as the laws of the Mcdcs and
Persians) was that no man, woman or
child should enter his bar, no matter
h0n or uhon,. without being made to
drink
In this unhallowed place, and in the
presence of the bandy-legged, beetle
browed, broad-chested, and fiery-nosed
genius of the same, the Gregorys now
stood, looking about them in that lost.
bewildered way, Characteristic of the
backwoodSman in town or CITY, and the
effect of which is half ludicrous, half pa
thetic.
''Well, strangers, growled Bully Bob,
''aire ye going 10 stop thar ali day:
Watts the liquor:"
Old Sam explained, in his simple, inno-
cent way, that he had made mistake as
to the place, and that " fact was, nuther
Jenny pointing to his SOM "nor his
dad Chats me, boys) ever TUX to liquor
yet, nor ever mean to ~
Wfereupon, he turned to the door. and
seemed about to leave None o. that,
now y yelled Bully Bob, leaping to the
counter, and Locking the door instantly,
the key of which he put into his pocket.
You old fool" he continued, "I'll
make ye swill pint of whisky neat, and
1 paw double for it, to boot ~
Here was dilemma. Bully Bob was
supported by half-a-dozen loungers, and
to attempt resistance seemed madness.
| That did not strike the Gregorys, how
I ever. After recovering from little
natural surprise at the unexpected posi-
| ton, the elder demanded their freedom.
"Let us go - said he.
! "Whcn you've done your -doOty, and
obeyed orders" replied Bob, who had
again taken his place behind the bar,
and was searching among his bottles.
! Sam wheeled round, but quite deliberate
ly, and walked toward back-door that
was open, beckOning Jem TO follow.