The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1883-05-25
Old Times in Vieksburg.


-feN Aotk news.
"When | came to vicksburg,n
said lie, sit WAS worse than ever
Leadyllle was. The gamblers aud
the wicked women had things pret.
~ much their OWN way. The former
ran their gaming tables IN broad
daylight ont on the sidewalks un.
der the awnings; the latter made
the night hideous with most terrible
orgies. All man .er of ontnges
were every day occurrences, aud the
worst OF it was that things kept 20.
ing ffom bad TO worse. At length,
in 1888, they had come to such
pass that something had 10 be done
or else AL decent people would DO
compelled to abandon their homes
and seek safety in flight. 1t was in
this year that the unprovoked kill
lug OF two inoffensive rural victims
resulted IN u declaration of war
upon them by the law and order ele
ment. They were warned on the
morning after the double murder
that unless they left town, bag and
baggage, ere sunset, their houses
would be burned to ashes.
Tbey laughed ut the warning, and
Haunted their scarlet in the vary
titces of the citizens. Meantime
the leaders were making ready to
carry ont their threat. Silently
they approached the section that
had long been given over TO de-
bauchery. Soon the occupants of
the sin-stained domiciles began to
sing II different song; but 1t was
then too late. Ere night all that
was left Of their dwelling places was
-ashes. Tho miserable inmates
were panic.strlcken, and, seeking n
place of safety on board u boat that
l,y at the wharf, concluded to take
passage on her that night. They
were never again seen in Vicksburg,
aud thus was the town puryed of
one iniquity."
But, Mr.. Shannon" | asked,
"did the owners of the burned
property do nothing in tue prem.
ises "
"Oh, yes; they had three OF the
leaders in the movement, myself
among the number, indicted tor ar.
son. We were duly tried, and few
trials have proven so exciting Gs
was that. Among those who vo!uu-
tecred rs our counsel WAS Sargent
s. Preniiss, u veritable Childe
Harold. OF course we, who com.
mitted the alleged arscn, were nc.
quilted amid the plaudits, of the
multitude, which hnl been attract.
ed for miles aud niles around"
MIR. Shannon then told mo about
the hanging of the gamblers, tho
details of which are substantially as
follows: The gamblers were not
hung antil July, 1885. The burn.
ing Of the houses of the i'll famed
women had had Il good effect upon
them, but only for u time. Soon
they were worse than ever, having
everything their own way, and
openly detying the advocates of law
and order. The circumstances that
led to the tragedies accompanying
;he eradication Of this second curse
upon town were these On the 4th
OF July, 1885, there was a grand
barbecue going on just outside the
town limits.. Various patriotic
toasts were being proposed and res
ponded to, among them one to the
Vicksburg Volunteers, Il military
company that had recently becu
organized. No sooner was this
proposed than gambler named
Cabler mounted the table and pro.
cccded to kick plates, glasses and
decanters helter skelter, right and
lett. For this high.handed piece OF
insolence the Lieutenant in con-
mand OF the company ,his name was
Fishery caused Cabler to te put off
the grounds.
He made the very air black with
blasphaIny as he swore to b. re.
veuged. Hurrying back to town
he loaded himself down with wea.
pons and declared he would kin
Fisher on sight. Unfortunately for
him and bis marderous project bic
was little too previous with his
threats, and having approached the
door Of the courthouse, where the
company'sdrillroo was located, ht
suddenly found an orderly and Ave
men around him each with a cooked
musket's muzzle ut his head. lie
was compelled to surrender at dis
cretion, and was taken to the drill
room aud there tried by selfcon-
situated court martial. Tue late
very gay gamb0lier soon looked
very sad, tor tile sentence OF the
court martial was that he be beaten
with many stripas and then tarred
and feathered, and he knew that
the sentence would be carried into
execution, which it was forthwith
Howling Ikea madman under this
irighttul punishment, he returned
to town and. called upon his brother
knights Of the green baize to rally
for a "grand coup de vengeance
They rallied and threatenesl to burn
the town.
The citizeas, in turn, also rallied
anu decided that the gamblers mus
20. The former were now tue mors
numerous, but the latter were mor'
desperate. aud were well fortified
Barricadlng themselves behind vel
barred doors, they bade the citi
zensdefnance. A determined band
| lei bv A DIR. Bodlev. attemDted [,