The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1881-03-31

ing. A barbecue favorite feature
of the Fourth of July celeb rations IN
the south-Was the event Of the day,
and to this everybody was invited.
For the time the utmost good feeling
reigned. Even the vengeance sworn
against the gamblers was forgotten.
or, ifnot forgotten, atleast suspended.
Eminent speakers had been invited
from other states, and among those
there on that day were Alexander
Nc Chung, Of Kentucky, with Foote
and Prentiss and others equally well
known in that day, if not so well
remembered in this. They were all
democrats, and all were noted for
their great personal bravery. One.
table had been reserved for the invit-
ed guests and the other eminent per-
SONS present, and at this were seated
some thirty-five or forty men. Il In
such a mixed assemblage as the bar
becue attracted there was not un-
naturally a large number Of gamblers
professional gamblers-of whom it
was estimated there was not less
than $50 in the city at the time.
These gamblers had their headQuar-
tiers in a colony of their own, or rather
| in three houses, known as the Kan.
garoos Nos. l, 2 and 80 With them,
| in these houses, were associated the
| most abandoned wretches of both
sexes to be found in the whole south
west. Some of the notorious among
these gamblers were known in every
state along the Mississippi, among
them being George Blackburn, Frank
Cabler, Bill Esken, Alexander Mccoy,
Jim Hood, and Tom Carr. The mill.
tary had turned out at the barbecue.
and we're there under arms as a part
of the attractions Of the day. While
the speech-making was going on the
| gambler Blackburn, who was present
in company with Cabler, his partner,
both being seated at a table apart
from the speakers, began interruption,
Blackburn remarking that he was
"going to have some fun, if he clear.
ed out the whole table, Somebody
shouted to Blackburn to sit down and
not cause a disturbance. It was no
use. He was bound, he said, to start
the fun, and SO saying he jumped on
the table. .4a
THE FUN sTARTL., N EARNEST.
AS he did so several of the soldiers
! jumped from the table where they
were Sitting and demanded that he sit
down. Blackburn refused and defied
them. Presenting their guns the sol.
diers damned them against Blackburn
and pushed him off the table. He
struggled Gercely, but was finally over.
powered and cut in the struggle
Cabler, who attempted to assist him
was also mastered. Both men, bleed
ing, but still defiant, were then bound.
canoe was got and they were placed
in it and pushed off from shore. In
another minute they were floating
down the Mississippi, being rescued by
their fellows some half a mile below
The gamblers were furious and
threatened revenge, making no secret
of the threat that they would burn the
town down during nigh The barbe
cue broke up. It was known-77eVery
body felt that the lives and property
of all respectable people were in the
most imminent danger when night
came. Nobody thought of anything
but safety and the widest excitement
prevailed. Citizens everywhere were
arming themselves to await thu
struggle that all felt was at hand. II
the midst Of all the commotion, how
ever, there were some people who die
not lose their heads. One Of these wa!
DR.. William Bodley, of Kentucky
He quietly selected number Of men
formed them into vigilance commit
tee. and placed himself at their head
This done the vigilance committee
| a nfF
to the gamblers that they had onl!
five hours in which to leave Vicksbdfl
or -! Many of them did so. But
in the meantime five gamblers wer'
not idle. They were North, HELMS
Dutch Bill Haines, John A. Murfbl
and another man, whose name haYl
forgotten. These men had gathered
at North's gambling rooms, near tn
river. Here they barricaded them
selves, and to the command to leav,
swore that they would not move ant
would kill any man who interferTet
with them. DR.. Bodley, hearinge OF
this, went down to North's place., az
he said, to make one last effort tx
convince them of the folly Of resistin.
the people. He made his last effor
he had hardly got within speaking
distance when shot from one of the
gamblers was fired and DR.. Bodley fel
dead in his tracks. Henever breathet
again. The result may be imagined
The peace-loving citizens, who but al
hour before were simply bent on self
destruction, were transformed for tn,
time into a bloodthirsty mob, ant
reckless of danger they charged on tn,
house and breaking down the barri
cades captured the five gamblers.
TERRIBLE RETRIBUTION.
The Kanagaroos were separated
from the city by a bayou, which wa:
crossed by a wooden structure known
by the suggestive name Of the. Bridge
of sighs.' Across this the now
frenzied people hurried the captive
gamblers. On the other side trees
were selected and in less than an hou1
after the murder of DR.. Bodley The
five gamblers were swinging by the
necks dead. But this was not the end
1T was only the beginning Of the terri
BILE retribution to be exacted. The
mob advanced on the three houses
known as. the Kangaroos = and found