Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1876-02-04
ROCKVILLE. MARYLAND. FRIDAY MORNING. FEBRUARY4 1876

back door. Going round into the front
yard he saw in the dim moonlight four
young fellows busily engaged in building
fire in dangerous proximity to the front
door. When they caught sight of his
slender, straight form, one shouted to
him, "Halloo, who the deuce are you y
II am Michael G. Kerr, from New AL
bany, and who are you p MY names
Billy Reno, aud them three is my broth
els" What are you making much
noise for at this unseemly hour?" asked
Kerr, with the utmost purtability
Stranger" replied Billy Reno, you
mind your own business. We've come
here to string that Internal scoundrel,
Godfrey Harrison, who murdered our
brother at Seymour well hing him to
this ere tree, so we will !" ''My friend, ,"
said Kerr, there are four men with
wives in the house" why don't they
show fight then p yelled the other Re
no boys. IL viii tell you" replied
Kerr; "they have not fired upon you
yet because | have prevailed upon them
not to do so until have spoken to YOU
"Kerr's fearless manner had evidently
impressed these four notorious outlaws
What do you want to say to us,
then, stranger ?" asked Billy Reno, after
a pause. That you are engaged in
very poor business, y replied Kerr, blunt
ly. "All you are going to accomplish
by your violence is to brighten sick
lady, who is in the house, half to death,
besides standing good chance to get
killed yourselves" Stranger said
Billy, after another pause, ''you seem
to be man of sense. But would you
let your brother be murdered by fell
low and then do nothing to the murder
er" WHO murdered your brother 2"
asked Kerr. why, Harrison. He
was one of the lynchers at Seymour,
We have sworn to kill him" Look
here" said Kerr. II told you my name.
| am a lawyer in New Albany If Mr.
Harrison had hand in putting your
brother Illegally to death, you come to
me, and | pledge you my word that |
will prosecute him for it, and it shall
not cost you cent, either" The boys
were silent. "Besides," added Kerr,
raising his voice, "all of you are very
young men. | see. The world is open
to you. 1t is easy for you to make a
good living. You ought to know that
violence will sooner or later bring you to
jail or to the gallows Don't be fools, ana
instead of riskipg your lives in fruit
less and cowardly undertaking, 90 home
and behave yourselves. If you will do
so, |, Mchcal G. Kerr, will help when
ever you need my services" lie had
become quite eloquent by this time, and
when he had closed his impressive az
peal, the Reno boys shook hands with
him and quietly left the place We
need not say how warmly the landlord
and bis poor frightened wife thanked the
courageous young lawyer for the i'm
portant service he had rendered them.
When Kerr, on the following evening,
left for home, Godfrey Harrison insist
ed upon accompanying him to New Al
bany, where he told number of citi-
zens all about Mike Kerr's plucky
speech to the outlaws The affair be-
came the town talk Kerr got plenty of
clients in consequence, and few months
afterward he was elected prosecuting at
torney for Floyd connty-the FIRST step
on the ladder to distinction and fame.