Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1876-12-27

The Chicago Times, is in Columbia, S.
T., and he gives to his paper the fol-
lowing account Of the peculiarities of
his friends down there-the mild
and harmless Ku-klux
chivalry:
ARTILLERY EXHIBITION,
Last week l had an opportunity to
study in great detail the resources of
South Carolina in the shape of pocket
artillery. There were in town any.
where from four to ten thousand of
the fighting element of the Palmetto
state. They came from God knows
where. One night the streets of Col
umbia were as empty as the wallet of
a Chicago alderman at the end of a
close election; the next day they were
as full as the same wallet at the end
of a busy season. Children of the soil
were they, with the marks of their
paternity all over them. Shaggy in
beard, slim of leg, unkempt as to hair,
variegated and ancient as 10 habili-
iments-they were in no sense a
handsome collection.
During the late unpleasantness |
saw a great many of the same sort,
They came yelling through the woods
at Shiloh, althoug h study of them
then was not close or a satisfactory
one, as it was taken IN tyansitu, and
mainly over the shoulder. A flying
study of man with gun is not apt
to be an accurate one, especially when
the man with the gun is chasing the
student.
The most of these gentlemen had
come into the city to attend the state
fair. There was to be pigeon shoot
ing match, and they had come pre-
pared for that with brecch-loading
rifles and revolvers.
] went to the fair ground one after
noon to witness the display which
had brought in SO many people. The
exhibition was gorgeous. 1t consist
ed of road locomotive and two
cheap buggies. Nothing more. A
strange desire was this which brought
from four to ten thousand men into
the state capital to see an ordinary
road locomotive and two inferior
top buggies Stranger still, that ey-
cry man who came to see this thrill
ing exhibition should have blanket,
a breech-loading gun, and hundred
rounds Of fixed ammunition.
1t was cold then-and it is vet
albeit, this is the sunny south. All
the day and all the night the SOLITARY
stove in the Wheeler House was the
centre of attraction. About it was
always from dozen to a score OF
these rural importations, whose main
business seemed to be to get warm
and
COMPARE REyoLyERs.
This competitive feature is one cal.
culated to prove full of novelty and
excitement to the stranger. 1t would
generally commence by discussion
on the gun question, in which the
range, accuracy, and man-perforatins
power were the main points at issue
Suddenly, to demonstrate some point
some gentleman would fish out a CUR
from beneath his coat-tail, and pro.
coed to expiate upon its merits. This
would create emulation, and i'm two
minutes fifteen other gentlemen from
beneath fifteen other coat-tails would
fish out fifteen other reyolvers.
And now the thing would become
thrillingly exciting-to a pacific for.
eigner. The comparison would have
to be an exhaustive one. 1t must ex.
tend to the size of the bore, the length
of barrel, but especially to her being
''llvely on the trigger" This last i:
an essential feature in a good South
Carolina pistol. If :'she" isn't "easy
con" the cock and lively con the trig.
GER" the other fellow may get nix
work in first. This is something tina,
must be avoided in the selection of {
"gun." Hence this was the thing thai
was most to be examined into by the
gentlemen about the stove.
To ascertain how "she works." she
has got to be cooked. When she is a,
full cock she has to be sighted in or.
| der to see whether she "balances" and
whether the hammer interferes with
getting bead on the other chap
And when all this is being done, the
finger must rest on the trigger. in or.
der to know whether she is right
smart handy when you've got the 9th.
er fellow in line and are ready to lie,
60.
Take southern gentleman direc
from the swamps with from eight tc
thirty slugs of corn juice in him. and
then give him revolver to handle
just under your nose, and let him pro
coed to cock and uncock it with un
steady hand, and to cline her" at full
cock with his finger on the trigger
it becomes quite exhilarating to tn,
spectator-especially when during al
this process, the muzzle of the instru
ment covers alternately every portion
of the spectators person from hi
brain TO his knee-joint. If it be ex
hilarating when one gentleman will
ten slugs of corn-juice in him thu
exploits his pocket-gun, it become
vastly more celebrating whel
fifteen gentlemen, representing a to
tai of $50 slugs, are engaged in tn
same business.
And such a
VARIETY OF GUNS!
One gentleman exhibits sin gle
barrelled Remington, which he pull
out from behind him, and which is s.
long that one thinks that when in DO
siti0n it must extend down through
his trousers leg, with the muzzle rest
ing on his boOt-heel. Out they come
navies, Derringers, Colts, Smith /
Wesson, Tranters, and heaven onl
knows what other kinds. Every ma
has atleast one; many of them two
some three. One gentleman become
a hero by unbuttoning his coat an
vest, throwing them back, and show
ing belt in which are suspendc
four navies, but he has scarcely wor
his honOrs a moment before anothe
man bares his belt and reveals to hi
enthusiastic auditory sac of Mr.. Colt
largest and best.
| THE BOSS PISTOL.
There was one pistol eXhibite
whose wonderful qualities threw eve
the man with six pistols far into til
shade. 1t is said to have been carrie
by General Hampton during the wal
It weighs trIfie less than a ton, an
has ten chambers, each carrying
ball about the size used in Spring
field rifled musket. Nor was this ali
In its center is a single chamber car
rying thirteen buckshot; and which
as its admiring exhibitor stated
"makes it the best weepun for a DO
shot in the wuhld."
This show, comparison and test O
revolvcrs occurred everywhere. /
there were three men on the street il
q group, it was two to nothing tina,
they were comparing revolvers.
Everybody wears revolver here
from the highest to the lowest. A
very charming lady here, who once
resided in Chicago, assures me that
when O gentleman calls to chat for al
bout or SO, she puts his hat on the
.ack and his revolver on the center
able.
Every Niger on the street has a
revolver, if he has nothing else. The
niger Legislators all have them, and
one can discover the butts sticking
wv ~. OF their bOsoms, or see their out
'ihes beneath every buttoncd coat.
), UNIVERSAL as are revolvcrs here, all
, ~ no' nave implicit reliance on them.
Incre Is a well known Judge stop
ping here, and who has b;s enota 81
r Re but who evidently doubts
their infallibility. A co"nSo ~ |o Sns