The Republican journal., 1883-01-04
Bloody Revenge.
A SANGUINARN TEXAS VENDETTA GROWING
OUT OF A WAR TRAGEDY.
;t+lo ID I 4

OUT OF WAR TRAGEDY.
Little Rock (Ark.) Cor. Chicago Times.
William G. Fletcher passed through this
place to-day en- route to the Texas bOr-
der where he has been for more than ten
years past engaged in the cattle business.
| From him the Times representative learn
ed of tragic event which recently oc-
CURED on the border of the clone Star
State, the particulars of which have never
before been made public. At the begin
ming of the late civil war Abraham Hall
lived in one Of the thinly settled border
counties. He was seventy years old and
reputed to be wealthy, owning a large
tract of land, great herds Of cattle and d
large but by no means costly residence.
He had family comprising one boy,
aged ten, and four girls ranging from
el1ht to sixteen years. Though the State
was in a tumult, the old man claimed to
be neutral, and while his neighbors were
buckling on the armor Hall remained a t
home. The South called for every man
capable OF bearing arms. Texas was scour-
ed. Hall was called on to volunteer, but
declined. One night party of twelve
persons rode up to his house and repeat
ed the demand for volunteers The old
man said he preferred death. He was
tak n from the house to a ravine 200
yards away, a rope put round his peck,
the end of which was thrown over the
limb Of a tree, and Hall was once more
asked to reconsider his refusal The old
man declined, Wherepon he was drawn
up and let down senseless, Reviying,
again he refused and again he was drawn
up. This horrible scene was continued
until the victim ceased to breathe, and
the 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 a silent and Mortified spectator. He
saw every thing and, more, he recognz-
ed every actor in that cruel affair When
the men galoped away he ran from his
hiding place, cut down the body and,
tiingng himself upon it,
REGISTERED AN OATH
TO slay every man who had taken part in
his fathers death.
Time passed; the war ended Young
Hall managed his fathers estate and pros
pered. 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, two mem
hers OF the party. The remainder were
scattered throughout the State
One day in October, 1878, Young Hall
bade his sisters good bye forever. saNing
1.-The time for revenge has come" ana
without further explanation, lie mounted
| Il,
be drew rein in front Of Frank Parker's
dwelling. Parker was in the yard. II
come 10 ask why YOU killed my father" d"
Hall said to him. Parker gave the reason
adding that his conscience had troubled
him ever since. Hall asked him it he was
armed, and when the man drew a pistol
Hall did likewise and fired. Parker drop
ped in the agonies Of death. The next
day Hall visited the Manto0ths John
Mant0oth be shot dead On the open prai-
rie, after explaining the object of bis visit
Thomas Mantooth met a similar fate on
the public highway. Before spring another
| Of the twelve had been slain, Hall
KILLING HIS MAN IN A SALOON BRAWI
in San Antonio. BY this time the remain
ing members Of the band had become
alarmed, and Hall suddenly paused ID his
career of bloodshed For more than 4 veal
nothing was heard of him, and the suryiv-
ing objects Of his hatred We're beginning
to think he had persisted when he sudden
ly reappe&red- This time his victim was
named Kindred Rose, one Of the twelve,
but he died only after desperate strug-
gle. The men met one afternoon in the
winter Of 1850 in Il little village on the
Mexican border. A street fight ensued
and Rose was killed. falling from bis
horse and dying on the street, while Hail,
though wounded in three places, put
spurs to his horse and dashed away The
friends of Rose pursued him into Texas.
The pursuit was continued three days,
friends Of his former victims Joining il the
chase. Hall at last was run to cover, in
sight of his h0me aud near the spot
where sixteen years before The father had
met bis death. Here Hall turned on the
pursuing party and fought until he was
riddled with bullets. His eldest sister was
Mortified spectator of the tragic end of
her brother, \ year after she met one of
the party in a neighboring town; she
was in company with a female friend, ard,
despite the entIeaties of her companion,
called the man to her, slipping her hand
into the pocket Of her dress as she did 50.
"Captain Davis" said she, when the man
came up, 'you helped to kill my brother
take that. :" and drawing revolver
SHE FIRED AT HIM.
Davis was seriously wounded, and in
the confusion the girl escaped. This act
alarmed all who had taken part in the
death of young Hall, and they resolved
upon the determination Of the whole fam
lily Of Halls, of whom only three were liv-
ing-the eldest girl and two sisters. One
night, after Davis life had been attempt
ed, the Hall homestead was surrounded
by masked men. The barred doors were
broken down and the three girls were
mercilessly murdered. The assassins then
fired the house and disappeared. The
tragedy caused a sensation, but the ex-
PLANTATION was made by interested parties
that Indians or greasers had murdered
the girls, plundered the house, and then
set it on fire. This was generally accept