The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1875-10-29
4 CHPLAIN SAVED By HIS HEROIC
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Cincinnati 0azette.1

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At the Methodist preachers meeting,
ct the Methodist book concern yesterday
morning, Rev. Dr.. Fisher, Of the Pitts.
burg conference, was introduced as .sthe
man who was wonderfully saved during
Quantrcll's raid by the hcroism Of his
wife. Methodist preachers always have
time to relate or hear ''an experience"
and such IN introduction, of course, set q
dozen or more Lfthem calling for the
story, which the doctor reluctantly con.
scented to tell. u.
After some preliminary remark, DR.:
Fisher Began the story. He said: Il
Was always an anti.slavery man Of the
most anti kind, and after I moved to
Kansas, without any prominence having
been given to- my sentiments by my.
self, found myself the object Of the
most vindictive hatred Of the pro.slavery
party Of the region where I resided. My
life was unsuccessfully sought several
times Most Of the male members of my
church went to the war, and / went as
one Of Jim Lanes chaplains.
"Ihe news of my connection with the
army, and of my being put is charge Of
contrabands who were sent to Kansas, got
abroad. and the rebels hated me worse
than ever. They got my photograph
and distributed it througout the country,
and it was fixed among them that I was
to be shot whenever met: Once when I
was sent up the river with body Of
contrabands, ot*bcing we'll, went home
for little rest. l was living at Law.
renee. The town had few guns in the
armory, and there was an understanding
with the farmers Of the surrounding
country that upon the ringing Of an
alarm, they should come in and defend
the town, but the coming Of Quantrell
and his men was a complete surprise.
When the alarm was rung the arsenal
was already captured and on fire. I was
in bed, and beard, about o'clock in the
morning. horses galloping away, and
woke my wife, telling her that it was
singular that horses should be galloping
so fast so early in the morning but she
said she guessed it was some farmers
who had been in to railroad meeting
the evening before, and were hurrying
back to their work. We lay and talked
for some time. The children were going
out that morning to get some grapes. and
my wife thought she would call them
earlier than usual, and herein, brethren,
I see the hand of Providence. It was not
yet daylight, but day was dawning. Hav.
ed called the children, she went and look
ed out Of the front door, and instantly
called me: Pa, the rebels are in town.
I said that could not;b but, nevertheless,
| sprang from the bed and ran to the
door.
*'Thcrc they were just across the green,
and just then they shot the United
Brethren preacher, as he was milking his
COW in the barn.yard. rushed back in
to the house; my wife caught up her
babe; have four boys; one vas on my
wife's breast. another was by her side,
and the two oldest were twelve or four
teen years old. We all rushed up the lot
in which our house stood. Then I left
my wife, and with the two oldest boys
ran up the hill but something seemed to
tell mo that ] was running away from
safety. So told the boys to run on, and
I would 60 back to mother. It was then
in the gray light Of morning, and the rcb-
els had divided into little squads and
were ransacking the town, killing every
man they found, and burning houses.
My boys separated, the oldest getting
with neighbours boy, Robert Winston,
and while the two were running for life,
the soldiers saw them and fired volley,
killing poor Bobby and frightening my
boy almost to death. He ran in and hid
among some graves in the graveyard.
My younger son ran off on the prairie.
*'1n fixing my cellar had thrown up a
bank Of Garth near the entrance, and I
creptrdown there and laid myself between
the mounds of earth and. the wall, in such
a way that the earth would partially
screen ME. I lay up close 20 the Kitchen
floor. had not been there long when
four Of Quantrell's men rode up to the
house and demanded admittance. Ny
wife went to the front door and let them
in. They demanded whether l was not
in the house or in the cellar. She re-
piled: My husb band and two older boys
ran off as soon as the fighting begun
The leader swore that he knew was in
the cellar. My wife replied that she had
two young children by her, and that she
did not want any more oaths uttered be.
fore them. You have doubted my word,'
she replied; you can look for yourselves
I lay so near the floor that could hear
every word that was said. The men
called for a candle.
MY wife replied that We did not burn
candles. Then they wanted lantern,
but she said we had't any. They asked
then, with an oath, what we did Tor a
light. She replied that we burned kcr-
osene in a lamp. Then they called for
lamp, and my wife had to get it, but the
men in their cagerAess to light it. turned
the wick down into the oil. Failing to
light it themselves, they called on my
wife to light it.
"'Why you've ruined the lamp saik
she; it can't be lighted with the wicd
down in the OIL
"'Havcn't you another lamp!' said
they.
'''Ycs, there's one up stairs said she,
and they then ordered her to go and get it.
Gentlemen said she, 1 can't do it.
Your rudeness has SO frightened me that
I can scarcely hold my babe
"0ne Of the men then offered to hold
it for her, and took It from
her arms. My poor wife then
went and got the lamp, which they light
ed and started on their search. They all
.cked their rcvolvers and passed the
word to kill at sight, and started for the
cellar. I laid myself as fat as I could
be, and turned my face toward the wall,
for knew my face was thinnest from ear
to ear. The light came to the door.