Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1882-12-16
BORDER VENGEANCE.
An Entire Family Differentiated by the
Survivor of an Episode of the War.

VI I.IlSOue OF tQe W Ar.
Chicago Times Little Rock Special,
William @. Fletcher passed through |
this place to-day en- route to the Texas
border, where he has been for more than
twelve years past engaged in the cattl 9 |
business. From him the Times repre-
| sentative learned of tragic event which
recently occurred on the border of the |
"Lone Star" state, the particulars of
| which have never before been made pub
lie. At the beginning of the late civil
war Abraham Hall lived in one of the
thinly settled border counties. He was
70 years old and reputed to be wealthy,
owning a large tract of land and great
herds of cattle, and large but BY no
means costly residence. He had fami-
ly comprising one boy, aged 10, and four
girls ranging from 8 to l6 years. Al
though the state was in tumult, the
man claimed to be neutral, and while his
neighEors were buckling on the armor
Hall sremained at home. The south
arms. Texas was secured. Hall was call
ed on to volunteer, but declined. One
night party of twelve persons rode up
to the house, and repeated the demand
for volunteers, The old man said he
preferred death. He was taken from the
house to a little ravine two hundred
yards away, rope put around his neck,
and the end thrown over the limb of q
tree, and hall was once more asked to
reconsider his refusal. The old man de-
clned, whereupon he was drawn up and
let down senseless. Reviving, again he
refused and again he was drawn up.
This horrible scene was continued until
. the. victim ceased to breathe, and the
J party rode away. The son of Hall had
followed the party when they dragged
his father from the house, and, hiding
himself behind clump of bushes, the
lad was silent and horriied spectator.
He saw everything, and, more, he recog-
When the men galloped away he ran
from his hiding place, cut down the
} body, and finging himself upon it regis
: tered an oath to slay every man who Lad
taken part III his fathers death.
= Time passed; the war ended; young
.. Hall managed his fathers estate and
: prospered. His sisters aided him in the
: work. Almost their nearest neighbor
! was Frank Parker, who led the band that
= hung old Hall in 1865. Twenty miles
: east lived John and Thomas Mantooth,
L two members of the party. The remain.
: der were scattered throughout the state
One day in October. 1878, young Hall
= bade his sisters good bye forever, saying
y ''The time for revenge has come," and
;, without further explanation, he mounted
e his horse and rode swiftly away. Al
u hour later he drew rein in front of Frank
y. Parker's dwelling. Parker was in the
% yard. II come to ask you why you killed
u u my father" Hall said to him. Parker
y gave the reason adding that his con
v IoI 1oI l.;
T. Hall asked him if he was armed, anc
ls when the man drew pistol, Hall die
II likewise, and fred. Parker dropped il
e the agonies of death. The next day Hal
70 visited the Mantooths. John Mantooth
'e he shot dead on the open prairie, afte
:. explaining the object OF his visit. Thoma
:. Mantooth met a similar fate on the pub
u lie highway. Before spring another o
'e the twelve had been slain, Hall KILN,
le his man in saloon brawl in San Anto
"a MO. By this time the remainin,
Is members of the band had become
:. alarmed, and Hall suddenly pause,
H. in his career of bloolshed. Fo
more than a year nothing was heard O.
him, and the surviving objects of hi
hatred were beginning to think he hai
III persisted, when he suddenly reappeared
This time his victim was named kindred
Rose, one of the twelve. but he died only
% after a desperate struggle. The men me-
,e one afternoon in the winter of 1880 in
y little village on the Mexican border 4
i street fight ensued and Rose was killed
II falling from his horse and dying on th,
l. street, while Hall, though wounded il
le three places, put spurs to his horse ant
J. dashed away. The friends of Rose pur
it sued him into Texas. The pursuit wa
ID continued three days, friends OF his form
ID er victims Joining ill the chase. Hall a
N last was run to cover, in sight of hi
r. home. and near the spot where sixteer
ef years before the father had met his death
t. Here Hall turned on the pursuing part
S, and fought until he was riddled wit
Of bullets. His eldest sister was a horrife
Or spectator of the tragic end of her brother
es A year after she met one of the party il
lie a nelghboring town, she was in compan,
It. with q female friend, and, despite til
81 entreaties sof her companion, calle,
Is. thelnanst0, her, slipping her hand int
I'd the pecketof her dress as she did s,
,h sCapt. .Dayis," said she, when the ma
IN came up & g Aou helped to kill my hrotl
yh ers faGe thu? and, drawing Gtevolyel
er she. fired at him. Davis was, ,seriousl
as wounded, and in the confusion the gil
he escaped. This act alarmed all who ha
p- taken part i'll tho. death of young Hal
al and they resolved upon the externin,
ps ton OF the entire family Of Halls, ,
'c. whom only three were living-the eide
gh girl aud two sisters. One night, aft
Ire Davis life had been attempted, the Ha
yer homestead was surrounded by mask,
ay men. The barred doors were. broke
r.