The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1876-01-12
Kerr@s,First Speeelh.

Kerr-s.First speeeh..
lFron the New York Mercury. Z
Now that Hon. Michael G. Kerr, or. q
they call him in his own Hoosier State,
Mike Kerr, has been elected Speaker of
the ederal House Of Representatives, it
may not be uninteresting TO relate the
somewhat sensational affair which first
attracted public attention to his remark
able qualities. It was 4 good many
years ago. Kerr had just hung out his
shmgle as . Lawyer in New Albany,
Indiana, and was waiting for clients. One
OF MS hrst cases was suit which had to
be argued at Paoli, in Orange comfy.
Paoli was then wretched little village
OF = hundred inhabitants or so. The onlv
decent building in it, besides the Court
House, was the United States Hotel. a
large frame house, of which Mr.. Godfrey
Harrison was the landlord. This Harri.
son was sort of an adventurer. Although
not 40 years old, be had been in business
all over the country. Finally he had
opened grocery store in the thriving
railroad town of Seymour, and there he
had taken leading part in lynching
gang OF outlaws, among whom was the
eldest Reno, whose five brothers were
atteward summarily executed bv a
vigilance committee at the same
place. Harrison was known to the Reno
boys, rs they were called, to have ad.
justed the moose round their eldest
brothers neck, and they had sworn to
take the executioner's life for it. Mys-
ferrous assassins had repeatedly fired
upon Harrison after dark, and finally,
owing to the supplications of his wife, he
had sold out his store in Seymour and
moved to Paoli, where he had bought the
above mentioned hotel. When ::Mike''
Kerr arrived there on the evening proceed.
ing the day on which he was to argue his
case, he was the only guest at the United
States Hotel. He went to bed at an early
hour, and was awakened about midnight
by furious pounding against the front
door. Helistened few moments and
heard parties in front of the hotel shout
ing, "Come out, Harrison! Your hour
has come now! The Reno boys arc here!
Remember Jake Reno! Come out, or we
will burn your house down!' To these
calls were added horrible oaths, and
the pounding was renewed with redoubled
violence. Suddenly Kerr's door opened
and the landlord, pale as sheet, stepped
in. "Mr. Kerr he said, hurriedly, s'my
deadly enemies are at the door. They
want to revenge themselves upon me for
participating in the lynching of Jake
Reno at Seymour. They have sworn to
kill me, and, if they get into the house
they will d, it, ''But will they get
in!" asked Kerr. "They cannot very
easily replied Harrison, "for the front
and back doors are well secured, and it
will be very difficult for them to open
the window shutters s'What kind of
arms have you in the house g asked
Kerr. ''Only double barreled rifle, and
/ doubt if the people in the village would
dare to come to my assistance. They
know the desperate character of the
Reno boys too well.'' 'Humph !" said
young Kerr, "then we are in a pretty
bad box here" Eyes. we are,' replied
the landlord. ''My poor wife, who
has been ailing for some time, is
now half dead from terror, and the two
servant girls are on their knees in the
kitchen, praying for help" Kerr reflect.
ed moment, then he jumped out Of bed,
and hurriedly dressed himself. what
are you going to do?' asked Harrison.
II am going out into the yard, and shall
speak. to, the fellows" replied Kerr,
quietly. :''For Gods sake,
don't!'' said Harrison. stThey are a
desperate crowd: They will shoat you
like a dog! !" 81 will risk it, rejoined
Kerr, and slipped out Of the back door.
Going round into the front yard, he saw
in the dim moonlight four young fellows
busily engaged in building; fire in dan.
gerous proximity to the front door.
When they caught sight Of his slender,
straight form, one of them shouted to
him: ''Halloo. who the deuce are you =
II am Michael G. Kerr, from New AL
bany, and who are you?' my names
Billy Rene, and them three is my broth.
ers.' "What are you making so much
noise for at this unseemly hour" asked
Kerr with the utmost imperturbability.
STRANGER replied Billy Reno,
''mind your own business.
We've come here to string that Internal
scoundrel, Godfrey Harrison, who MUIR
dered our brother at Seymour; we'll hang
him on this ere tree, so we will!'' my
FRIEND" said Kerr, ''there are four men
with wives in the house, s'Why don't
they show fight, then 2" yelled the other
Reno boys. II will tell you," replied
Kerr, ''they have not fired upon YOU yet
because I have prevailed upon them not
to do SO until after I had spoken to you"
Kerr's fearless manner had evidently i'm
pressed the four outlaws. "What do