The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1882-09-15
ssREYENGE IS SWEET.n
MOUNTAIN MURDER FROM A POLITICAL
QUARREL-A PENNSYLVANIA STORY
OF NEARLY FIFTY YEARS AGO.

PENNSYLVANIA
OF NEARLY FIFTY YEARS AGO.
On the evening of September 9, 1889, two
men were having fierce and angry dispute
upon the subject Of politics in the bar.room
OF the only hotel-it was called a tavern in
those days-in the town Of Tunkhannock
Pa.
Sitting around them and listening to the
dispute were the landlord, two or three of bis
! guests, couple of stage-drivers, the tavern
hostler, and one OF two of the townspeopIe
The 6isputants were, politically, a Whip
I and Democrat in business one was a ped.
| dler, who, with his team, and wagon load of
notions, stopped for the night on his way
/ from Wilkesbarre to Montrose theIother was
traveller, who, it appeared, had at previous
/ times met the peddler at other towns between
| wyoming valley, on the old post road, and
/ Philadelphia
They had been disputing before supper.
/ and now had resumed it with an earnestu ess
and vigor which was fast changing the,polit-
tcal differences of opinion into personal al
tercatton. The peddler, who was a Whig of
the Henry Clay stripe, became violent in his
denunciation of Van Buren, free trade and
everything connected with the then dominant
party, and his antagonist, the traveller, was
equally as bitter in wordy invective against
the aristOcratic Wings, their protective tariff
and all the principles of the party
The peddler was George Riker; the trav-
eler had made himself known to the landlord
as Amos Elliott
In the little bar-room gathering was one
man who sat apart, OF rather in the corner
near the stairway door, and somewhat in the
shadow Of the not verybrightIy lamp-lighted
room. He was evidentlya stranger to those
( present. and, according to the landlord
/ statement as witness was a commercial
I traveller for a Philadelphia dry goods house
/ and had stopped over one stage to transact
/ some business, and on this occasion he was
/ waiting for the next stage to go on his way
| over the mountains northward to Montrose.
/ He was appar emily not inclined to be SC
ciali he had said but little to any one, but il
was noticed that he was intently interested
in the dispute between Rfker and Elliott.
At last the peddleT became terribly excited
and from politics launched into bitter per
sonalities, and Elliott retorted equally saw
agely, and at last, jumping to his feet, he
exclaimed
Il say that Henry Clay is nothing but 2
Kentucky gambler, trickster; and those
who believe in him are no better than he ISL
you're liar % cried the peddler: 'sapd
your whole Locofoco party is made up of the
rutf-scruff, rag-tag and.bobtail of the State,
the prison birds, the scum of creation-anC
Kinderhook Van is the biggest scoundrel Of
the lot"
"DO you call me prison bird ?" cried Ell
lott facing the peddler with cleDehed fists
his eyes cleaning with passion.
You're a LocofOcO, and that covers the
ground" replied the peddler sturdiiy anC
with an equal show Of ferocity of purpose.
In a moment Elliot struck at the peddIe1
with his fist. The peddler partly evaded tn,
blow, and then the antagonists clenched. anC
there was every promise of lively il no
dangerous bar-roOm fight.
The witnesses to this encounter Ieaped tc
their feet, and two or three of them, includ
ing the landlord, rushed in and with some
difficulty pulled the beIgerents apart. Ell
liotts face was bleeding.
''Damn you, III be even with YOU for this
before your day older, you internal thiev
ing peddler.''
The peddler's answer was derisive laugh
'"Therem be one less vote in your Eparty
next election, you-low lived"
The landlord stopped him in his speech
and after some persuasion Elliott was ord er
ed to be quiet
The stranger, sitting in the shadow, made
( no move, as did the rest of the crowd, to in.
/ terfere in the fight; he simply sat there look.
/ ing on, silent and apparently unconcerned as
/ to the result of the brawl.
! Elliott af paar +ba har ooOrvt;y,, -,
[ eyeing the peddler as panther might glare
at its victim before springing upon it.
"What time will the stage get here ?" said
the stranger to the Landlord.
"It's nigh upon eight O'Clock. II ought to
hev dIiv in before this. You see, after il
gifts out of the valley the pullin's hard on the
horses, specially as it is now, after a heavy
rain like we had to-day. But guess it'll be
along soon. Sometimes they git a little
breakdown, OF there's break in the harness
and makes delay"
Nine O'Clock came, and vet the stage had
not arrived, and stage stories occupied tFe
time OF the tavern sitters few minutes
after nine the peddler, taking the hostier's
lantern, started for the stables, which were
at the rear of the tavern and separated from
it by wide yard used for the wagons and
vehicles of travellers.
Elliott, a moment later. went out by the
front door, as was supposed, to look up the
road to catch glimpse of the expected stage.
Fifteen minutes later, according to the tes-
timony of those present, the stage lamps
were seen IN the distance. The arrival of the
stage was daily event. the excitement OF
which made the tavern loungers forget every
thing else. AS the stage drove up to the
door, Elliott suddenly went up to the lard
lord and said