Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-09-21
ELK1Ns INA CHICKEN RoosT.
VIII Some One Please Turn a Chicken
Loose In This Campaign?

"Among the multitude of campaign
stories have wondered the one about
Steve Elkins having once been indicted
for stealing chickens had not found its
way into print remarked a Kansas City
lawyer at the Grand Pacific yesterday,
says the Chicago Herald. Snow, if tell
the story 1t is on condition that my name
is not mentioned, as might be wanting a
post office under the Blaine adminlstra-
ton. Well, then, Elkins and were col
lege chums at the Missouri State Uni
versitY. One night, just before we
graduated, and when our studies were
pretty well completed, a party of us, I'M
der the leadership of Steve Elk1ns, and
composed among others Of eX-COngress-
man John T. Heard and Judge Jere Crav-
ems, of Missouri, started on fishing ex-
cursiOn on little stream near Columbia.
After spending hours we failed to eaten
auy fish We had cooking utensils along,
and were greatly disappointed in not hav-
ing a mess of trout. We did not propose
to return hungry. Near by was a farm
which was noted for its fine chickens.
The chicken roost was right at the house
of the farmer, who had the name Of being
a dangerous man. All hesitated about
stealing the chickens, and it would not do
for the whole crowd to go. We cast lots
to see what two would make the attack on
the fowl. Elkins and John t. Heard
proved the victims. Reaching the rOost,
each selected a tree to climb. Immediate
IY the dogs began to bark and the chick
ems to cackle, ar0using the old farmer. IL
appeared that the negroes in the neigh
borhood were in the habit of raiding the
chicken roosts, and the farmer was on the
alert. He had hardly appeared at his
door when he blazed away with both
barrels of a shotgun filled with line bird
shot. Elkins, who was a great, big, over
grown fellow, and very clumsy, in getting
down fell from the tree, knocking the
breath out of himself He had hardly
reached the ground when he was cap
tured by big dog, which held him fast
until his owner arrived. Poor Elklns, who
was badly bruised, was taken by the col
lar and locked up in a smoke-house,
where he remained until morning. Heard
was more sensible, and kept his position
up the tree, and the night being dark was
not discovered. When the farmer had taken
charge of Elkins, Heard skipped out.
sin the morning Elkins was taken to
Columbia by the farmer. On the pTinci-
pal street Of the town he broke loose and
made his escape. The grand jury was in
session and an indictment was returned
against Elkins Steve, when he broke
house.. never SGOppSu until nc SOC " oOltOA
son City, which is more than thirty miles
distant. When he heard of his indict-
ment he was badly frightened, and was
afraid to return to Columbia, believing he
might be put in Jail. 1t was almost i'm
possible to get him to return to attend the
exercises of his graduating class. He had
an Grafton to deliver that he had taken
great pains in preparing, The day before
he was to deliver it the indictment was
nolle pressed, and he gained complete con-
tidence in himself. Elkins prided himself
upon his oratorical powers and expected
to create favorable impression upon his
audience He started out in fine style,
and gained applause. When he came to
the part with the spread-eagle business
one of the boys turned a chicken loose in
the hall. Elkins did not exactly break
down, but the latter part of the speech
was a failureD