Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-05-02
A CALL TO HALT,
The story Of Visit which Sem
ator Vest Paid the Rebel
Joe shelby.
St. Louis Democrat

st. Louis Democrat.
The Senator related his experience
somewhat as follows:
Old Joe Shelby, the Confederate
General. who, at the clese Of the war,
did not surrender, but marched his
men to Mexico and offered his services
to Maximillian, is an old friend Of
mine, and he had been urging me for a
long time to come down to his splendid
place in Lafayette county and spend a
few days hunting and fishing, 1t was
shortly, a few days, perhaps, after the
Gads Hill robbery, on the Iron Noun
tain railroad, that, completely worn
out by close attention to business in
the Sedalia Courts, | determined
to run down TO the farm and
rest for q few days. | took
the night train on the Lexington
branch of the Missouri Pacific, and
got of at the little station near the
Shelby place, called Page City. 1t
was beautiful moonlight night, and
as the house was but little over a mile
distant, | shoaldered my double
barreled shotgun, which | had taken
along for some sport, and trudged
over the white lane leading to the
homestead. The old homo was sur
rounded by some tall forest trees, and
| had Just emerged from their shadow
into the moonlight, twenty steps from
the home, when a clear ringing voice
cried out, haiti" and at the same in
slant saw, shining in the moonlight,
> polished rife barrel protruding from
a partially raised open window. |
intuitively felt that the man at the
other end Of the rife had bead drawn
on me. and / halted. | became a
statue. My blood seemed to chill. In
. moment, it seemed hours to be, l
heard old Joe's voice ring out, Who
are your
&c g-george Vest, come down TO
see you, replied, my lips trembling
in spite Of me.
wait a minute, was the reply.
| waited FIVE minutes, and then
there was rafting of bars and chains,
and the front door was opened eau
tiously and was hidden to lay down
my gun and approach. | did SO until
l came close to the door, when Shell
By S voice said, Its all right, boys
I'll vouch for him" | then entered
and looked about me. The cosy little
sitting room had been converted into
fortress. The windows were barri.
caded securely, and furniture wa
moved up against the door. while OF
3 table in the center Of the room lay
q collection Of revolvers and repeat
ing rifles that would have excited thu
admiration Of a pirate. There wer,
| FIVE men in the room whom | did no
know. They sat around aud did no
talk. The gentlemen also wore theil
small arms. These are some friendl
Of mine, said Shelby, and | was no
introduced further. | immedi
stely knew that the visitors werl
the two james boys and the threl
Younger brothers. Shelby and
INDUCED in conversation for SOM
| tine. which the others showed no dis
position 70 enter, and at last l wa
shown to bed, where | tossed unit
daylight in troubled sleep. WheI
| came down TO breakfast the curtain
we're drawn J; old Doe sat in an cas-,
chair calmly smoking his pipe AM
playing with a couple Of youngsters
The travelling arsenals Of the nigh
before had departed-so quietly as no
10 break my light sleep-hours before
Shelby did not refer 70 the visitors 0
: the night before, nor did /. l did no
. know. however, whether they Eoul
return that night, and 90 | pleade
pressure Of business aud limited m
stay TO one day. And that is the onl
time l met the Missouri bandits. Tha
was nearly nine years ago, when th
. gang guartered themselves on thei
friends in Missouri on tho strength O
the memories Of the war, still fresh !
, the minds Of those who lived on tn
! border.