Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1880-04-30

letter He is a native Nermonter who re-
sides in the West, but is sojourning in the
South for his health He is not politician,
but is candid observer
TIE SCENE OF THE POOLS EERAND."
GREENSBORO, y. C., April 81, 1880.
/ Editor Of Messenger 1t has been my for
tune TO spend the last six weeks in ''Nerden-
tor" known on the map as Greensboro, n.
, G., having come here from my home on the
/ shore of Lake Michigan TO meet the ad-
vancns Spring and TO rest and get well and
as "A Fools Errand' was written here and
its principal scenes laid in this neighborhood,
| | have had an unusual opportunity to learn
what is here known. about the facts upon
which it is based To my surprise | find
! that it is nearly all fact except the slender
/ thread of romarce upon which the events arc
strung The author, Colonel and Judge
I Tourgec, WAS one Of little band of ex-C Mon
soldiers, who came here to live shortly after
the close of the war He continued to reside
/ here, regardless of all threats, leading a very
evcniful life, until within the last year,
when, Welding TO the solicitation Of his wife,
| he removed to Denver, Colorado,
! Another of the early carpet baggers" is
! Col Thos b. kcogh who still resides here
and is register in bankruptcy, and, as most
OF your readers doubtless know, is secretary
Of the Republican National Committee. Be
fore the war he lived in Milwaukee and
wrote for the NeHs of that city. From him
| learned many particulars regarding "A
FOOLS Errand" and the tribulations of the
South during the period of reconstruction.
One of the characters in the book-John
Burlcson-is drawn from-Mr John Ii. Gret-
ter and he is accurately described, including
his career in the rebel army and the Ku-
| Klux. He is "A revenue officer here now,
and does portion Of the editorial work
or the North S,ate, bright, stalwart Re
publican paper, which is published here by
Mr.. kcogh.
Tie real name Of the old black man.
Uncle jerry" who is represented MS hav-
Ing been hung Iy the Khan in front of the
Court House in Ncrdcnton, was Wyatt Out
law, and he was murdered precisely as de-
scrlhcd. in front Of the Court House in Ora
ham, Alamance county This character is
made up partly from Wyatt Outlaw and
partly irom an old negro who still wakes
eloquent in prayer and sees visions and
lives in Warncrsville-a southeastern suburb
1 Of Greensboro. which stands in the book
for portion Of Warrington.
The real name Of John Walters was John
W. Stevens His murder was done in the
court house in Ianceyville, Caswell county
II stretches the creduliy of Northern man
to its farthcsi extent to believe this shocking
story but Jet every reader know not only
that il is true, but that leading citizens ol
North Carolina acknowledge the murder and
justify it,
One day ut the dinner table in the Nc
! AdOck iIousi. in Greensboro, ! overheard I;
conversation between two gentlemen. one oi
whom was a strnn.ar and The other Thomas
Ruilin. of iIillshoro, Orange county, wht
was colonel Of North Carolina regiment in
the rebel, II beg pardon,) Conttderate army
during the war, and who is one OF the most
prominent lawyers in North Carolina. The
stranger said Il understand that "A FOOLS
Errand Was written here. You have reac
it, prsune" "No," replied the colonel
Il have not read il, and | never shall
have too profound contempt for the a1
thor" The stranger then said something
about the story of the murder Of John Wal
tiers, and the Colonel said, ellis real name
was Stevens 1t was most singular mur
der. i, was committed in broad day ligh'
aud N the court house, which contained al
the time more than two hundred people oil
both races, and yet no one except the parties
engaged in it knew anything whatever of it
lie was one of the worst men that ever livet
AID his death gave great satisfaction 10 oul