The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1883-01-25
Avenging q Fathers Death.

business. From him the Times repre-
sentative learned of traffic event
which recontly occurred on the border
of the "Lone Star" State, the particu-
lars of which have never before been
made public. At the beginning OF tho
late OWL war Abraham Hall lived in
ore OF the thinly-settled border counties.
He was seventy years old and reputed to
be wealthy, owning q large tract of land,
great herds of catue, and large but by
no means costly residence. He had a
family comprising. one boy. aged ten,
and four girls ranging from eight to six.
teen years. Though the State was in a
tumult, the old man claimed to be ncu-
tral, and while his neighbors were
buckling on the armor Hall remained
at home. The South called for every
man capable of bearing arms. Texas
was secured. Hall was called on to
volunteer, but declined. One night q
party of twelve persons rode up to the
house and repeated the demand for vol
unteers. The old man said he preferred
death. He was taken from the house to
little ravine two hundred yards away,
! a rope put round his neck, the end OF
which was thrown over the limb of u
tree, and Hall was once more asked to
reconsider his refusal. The old man de-
clined, 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
| 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 Mortified spectator.
lie saw everything, and, more, he rec
ognized every actor in that cruel affair.
When the men galloped away he ran
from his hiding-place, cut down the
body, and, fiinging himself upon it, reg
istored 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
prospered, His sisters aided him ir 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 Man
tooth, two members of the party. Tho
remainder were scattered throughout
the State.
One day in October, 1878, young Hall
bade his sisters good-by forever, saying,
"The time for revenge has come" and
without further explanation, he mounted
his horse and rode swiftly away. An
hour later he drew rein in front of Frank
Parker's dwelling. Parker was in the
yard. "l come to ask you why you
killed my father" Hall said to him.
Parker gave the reason, adding that his
| conscience had troubled him ever since.
Hall asked him if he was armed, and
when the man drew q pistol, Hall did
likewise, and fired. Parker dropped in
the agonies of death. Tho next day
Hall visited the Mantooths. John Man
tooth he shot dead on the open prairie,
after explaining the object of his visit
Thomas MantOoth met similar fate on
the public highway. Before spring an
other of the twelve had been slain, Hall
killing his man in saloon brawl in San
Antonio. BY this time the remaining
members of the band had become
alarmed, and Hall suddenly paused in
his career of bloodshed. For more than
9; year nothing was heard of him, and
tho surviving objects of his hatred
were beginning to think ho had
perished, when he suddenly rean.
peared. This time his victim was
named Kindred Rose, one of the twelve,
but he died only after q desperate strug-
| gle. The mon met one afternoon in the
winter OF 1880 in little village on the
Mexican border. A street fight ensued,
and Rose was killed, falling from his
| horse and dying on the street, while
Hall, 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 formor victims join-
ing in the chase. Hall at last was run
to cover, In sight of his homo, and near
the spot where sixteen years before the
father had mot his death. Here u..il
turned on tho pursuing party and fought
until he was ridd!cd with bullets. His
eldest sister was Mortified spectator OF
the tragic end of her brother. A wear
after she met one OF the party in a
neighboring town; she was in com, any
with fomale friend, and, despite the
entroatios of her companion, called the
man to her, slipping her hand into the
| pocket of her dress a5 she did SC. "Capt.
| Davis" said she, when the man came
up, "you helped to kill my brother; take
that!" and drawing a revolver, sho fired
at him. Davis was seriously wounded,
and in the confusion the girl escaped
lhis act alarmed all who had taken part
in the death of young Hall, and they re.
solved upon the eXtermination Of the
entire family of Halls, Of whom only
thrco were liVing-tho oldest girl and
two sisters. Ono night, after Davis
life had been attempted, the Hall homo
stead was surrounded by masked mon.
The barred doors were broken down,
and the three girls were mercilessly
murdered. The assassins then fred the
house and disappeared. The tragedy
caused a sensation, but the explanation
was made by interested parties that In
dams or greascrs had murdered tho
, girls, plundercd the house, and then set
it alire. This was goncrally accepted,
I and only lately have thofacts in the case
leaked out.-Ltttic 'R0cE (ArG.) SpectaI
= TO ChicaQO TIDlcS.