The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1875-11-19
That Midnight March.


lFrom the New Lexingten Tribune
The alln~ios in the Press Of last week
to The midnight march in Samer-et. IN
1850. known as the .'Sons st Malta blow
out" recalls some of the funny incidents
that tran~pired On that occasion. The
masterlv piece of fun consisted OF ahnnt
one hnddred of the choice spirits of that
dlv, and the scheme had its birth in
George N. Dittoe'< printing Office, who
by the way, was the prime mover. and "a
the Grand Marshal, acquitted himself
with great honor. The arrangements
were perfected with 80 much secrecy
that scarcely half dozen persons out
side of the movement knew anything
about il. The procession formed at Laws
tan yard, and as the head of the cnwled
and white rnhed column made ghaslly
by the lnrid glare of a hundred torches,
preceded by a coffin, pail bearers, the
old Buckeve Brass Band, hannerS and
others paraphernalia. reached Main street
prSeisely at midnight, the Court H0nse
hell was tolled and the band struck up a
solemn funeral march. The effect of
this scene upon the suddenly awakened
sleepsrs is not easily described. As the
windows went up and the citizens looked
down upon that sepulehral train, lead
by a white rohed Knight on a white
charger. it came near producing panic
In fact quite number were very con-
siderablv demoralized. We shall never
forget the fright of dentist and his
wife-name forgotten. He rn$hed 10 the
window, took one look. fell upon his
knees and cried nIt 80 Lord, forgive my
home to glory" The rest Of the sup
plicatiOn was lost in the screams of his
wife Poor fellow, he thought the day
of retribntion had come. A day or two
after when asked if that prayer had
been answered, the DIR. said it was a lie
and that he ,=as not home the night of
the blow out. A certain shoemaker in
the same locality went down on his
knees and prayed like good fellow.
Numerous others were affected in the
same way. An incident which caused
considerable remark at the time, WAS
the mysterious disappearance of Johnny
H--who during the march on
High street, became entangled in his
robes and fell. 1t must have been a
hard fall for it was not until after the
lapse of many months that Johnny was
seen again. A certain member of the
band was so deeply impressed with the
solemnity of the occasion that he found
it impossible to march in straight line
from which coarse he frequently de-
waited to the right and left, to the great
disgust of the Tuba and second Alto.
His emotions finally overcame him and
making the remark that he must go
home and see his mother, he lodged
down the first alley and the Buckeyes
were without first baritone the rest of
the night. As the procession fled left
from Main to High street, the side
drummer who marched in front, failed
to hear the order and continued on to-
ward GAINESVILLE. The procession had
marched some distance on High street
before he discovered that he was alone.
He expressed some surprise that the
procession should switch off in that in
formal way As the column wended it's
way through the town. on each one of
the streets it wOnld halt at the h0arse
command of the mas!,al. front face and
repeat in gutteral tones and in unison
three times, the word Revenge" One
old lady remark that they looked like
! bandits and she believed the town WAS
g,cine to he robbed. Many other incidents
of similar nature occurred but enough
have been given to afford tolerable
| idea of the nature of the outbreak. 1t
was a night of innocent fun; funny
| transaction, snre enough, and we are
Under obligations to you Mike, for re-
calling it to our memory.