Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1881-02-24

these offenses are punished less frequently
than formerly.
Mr.. Dixie does not lay all these evils of
course to divorce, but merely points out the
increase common to all these social evils.
He moreover finds the same tendency in the
New England stock on the western reserve
in Ohio, while in counties peopled by Welsh
men and Southerners it is less marked.
A LOTTERY OF DEATH.
A. CHASTITY Story Of Mosby's Command in Vir-
ginia Not Hitherto Published.
A writer in the Philadelphia Weekly
Times relates the following story Of the
war as told to him by soldier of Mosby's
command:
"On arriving at Rectortown, Va, we found
Col. Mosby with full command drawn up in
line, and he himself IN consultation with
his principal officers. One of these finally
advanced toward the squad which guarded
the Union prisoners and gave orders to
draw them up in line The adjutant then
rode forward and read an order stating
that seven of our men having been recently
hung by the enemy it was determined that
seven of the prisoners should be hung in
retaliation, and that lots for these seven
would Immediately be drawn. A scene en-
sued which will be impressed upon my
memory until the day of my death. A cry
of anguish and CONSERVATION arose from the
unfortunate prisoners. Some imp,ored the
guard to intercede with Col. Mosby and
have them excluded from the drawing, two
of them declaring that they were merely
suffers, and not fighting men, never having
fired gun at southern soldier. Others
said they had been drafted into the federal
army contrary to their wishes and were
friendly to the south. Others again ex-
pressed a willingness to desert that army
and join our standard. While this tempest
uous appeal was going on among these poor
fellows, the main body of prisoners heard
the awful sentence with deep detection but
sullen resolution.
In the course of twenty minutes, two
officers approached, one of them holding a
hat, in which had been placed number of
wads or balls of paper, corresponding with
the number of prisoners Seven of these
wads were marked. The drawing then
commenced, the officer with the hat requir-
ing the right-hand prisoner to take out a
ball, which when drawn he handed to the
other officer in attendance, who on open
ing pronounced it to be either blank or
otherwise. At first several blanks were
drawn, then came marked ball, which
was drawn by cavalry soldier of Clusters
command and hailing from Michigan
This man very cody remarked that he was
prepared to die for his country.
Six men have now been drawn, cried
the officer with the hat; one more must
come
"The next and last victim was drummer
boy, who, upon being informed of his fate,
uttered the most piercing cries, and throw
ing himself upon the ground, exclaimed
that he was only drummer-boy with
neither father nor mother, and begged to
be spared. So greatly was the pity of the
officers excited that they Immediately ap-
piled to Col. Mosby to spare this boy. He
very promptly replied that he did not know
there was boy among the prisoners, and
ordered that he should be removed and the
drawing taken over again. This was done,
and on the second drawing my friend a
ietenant, drew a marked ball. was great
ly shocked by this, and he was greatly dis
tressed, but exhibited courageous reisigna-
ton to his fate. Calling to him soldier of
his own company, he requested him to take
to his wife an empty pocket-book and pen
Gil case, saying these were the only souven-
irs he had left when condemned to execution
and that his last thoughts were with his wife
and mother. 1 was deeply affected at his fate,
pering to him L asked him if he was Free
mason, to which he replied in the afirma-
tive. Immediately after this the guard was
ordered to march off with the seven men
who had been condemned. We proceeded
with them Il being one Of the guard only
few hundred yards, when we were order
ed to halt and await further orders. and in
a few moments freshly mounted squad of
fifteen men, commanded by lieutenant
and equipped for raid, approached us,
with orders from Col. Mosby that we should
be relieved from care of the prisoners
Among the number of this relief guard was
an intimate friend of mine, to whom rela-
ted the circumstances in connection with
the lieutenant, and also informed him that
he was a Freemason. Being anxious to
learn their destination, questioned him
about the recent order, and he informed
me that they had been commanded to take
the prisoners across the mountains and as
near to Sheridan's headquarters as posi-
BILE, and there to hang them. He prom =
Used me that he would do all that he could
consistently with duty in behalf of the
condemned officer. They then proceeded
on their way and several days elapsed before
I heard anything of their movements. On
meeting with my friend, he gave me the
following particulars:
They reached Paris on the same night
after leaving and we're there met by Capt.
Mountjoy, who was returning from the val
ley with batch of prisoners. Being a
friend of Mountjoy's he took the first op-
portunity Of informing him of the situation
of the lieutenant and also informed him
that he was Freemason, and requested
that he would try to save him. Upon hear
ing this Mountjoy requested an interview
with the officer, and Immediately afterward
he crossed the street to where he kept his
own prisoners, and returned with two of
them. These he presented to the officer in
charge of the prisoners as two of Clusters
men, whom he wished to substitute for
the lieutenant. After some hesitation,
and with the condition that Mountjoy
should assume the responsibility, the ex-
change was made. The officer, after return
ing earnest thanks for his life, was hastily
transferred to batch of prisoners under
the care of sergeant, who was told to
make all possible haste to Gordonville, and
specially to get out of 'Mosbys dominions'
before the break of day. The others met