The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1884-09-07

Kew Narrowly Fisrida Escaped The Fate Of
aaa Dsnlnuo-A spectre.

eaa DsnanBs-A spectre.
LIVE OAK, Fla, Aug. 10-The very first
thing that the carpet baggers determined upon
whom they had captured the State was the or
ganization Of a standing army. As they were
making the Government OF Florida as near an
absolute despotlsm as possible It would DO
necessary to uphold 1t with bayonets. The
bayonet in the hands Of the freedman and
brother was calculatod.it hey argued. to inspire
greater confidence in the stability Of American
| institutions. and particularly In the sooty
breasts OF the sturdy phalanx that had whooped
| It up for Reed and the new Constitution.
| England. France. Germany. and all the
large and powerful nations Of Europe
had standing armies. and the carpet
| baggers were determined that no eirete mon
archy OF the Old World should get ahead OF the
| new State. In other words. It was to DO very
cold day when Florida got left In the race OF
progress Besides they wero still afraid OF the
''Rebos." a. all citizens Of Southern birth werc
| still called. Knowing that their own Intentions
| were all evil. and all their own principles un-
principled. they were In grave doubt - to the
nature Of the reception they would meet whom
their plans became fully developed. The strong
arm Of the military might be needed to protect
them against the vengeance OF q righteously
| exasperAted community.
There was no lack OF material for Q standing
| army. The woods were full Of negroes fairly
| "s'pilin' ter be sojers." Nothing more delight
| cd the dusky now aedged clti zon. who was then
luxuriating In the unwonted feast OF nothing to
| do aud plenty Of bureau rations. than the
| chance to wear some sort OF o uniform and
march behind some kind OF a drum. A stripe
| OF red tape down the outer seam OF his baggy
pantaloons was a poem to him; piece OF car
riage fringe upon his shoulder a symphony Of
| rarest music. To bar the progress Of his old
| m tn tho halla ~ ar IN wna m n tor
prospective delight than a camp meeting Of
| seven weeks duration. each week emphasized
| with q gigantic watermelon and unlimited
| pindcrs.
Given the soldiers. the next problem. and
| one not 80 easy OF solution. WAS how to pro.
cure tho arms. There was no money in tho
| treasury. and very little credit anywhere. But
| there was plenty OF scrip. some State bonds.
and unlimited facilities for procuring more;
so after considerable nosotintion and much d.
plomacy. the Governor entered into contract
| with New York parties. and tho guns were pur-
chased and shipped to Tallahassee. ! regret to
say that they never reached that beautiful lit
tie city. then dominated by negroes. carpet
baggers. and scalawags. The news got out.
and measures were taken by some Of the South
ern leaders to Illustrate tho attompt to still
further endanger their lives and property.
In all the pomp and circumstance Of bis
|
such case made and provided. tho Adjutant-
General OF the State went to Live Oak to re-
esive the arms. witness their transfer to the
cars OF the j.. p and NJ. Railroad and guard
them safely to tho capital. The guns reached
Live Oak in safety. were placed in box cars
and the journey to Tallahassee began. There
tho necessary cartridge boxes and belts. and
untold rounds OF ammunition The doughty
General. who has long since gone to his rest
glance
OF war material. and then. being fond OF good
ross bs to the Asons iHs town T Ws2a
half dozen resoiute men. ordinary travel
lers; apparently. but on dangerous business Y. s
hamlet in Madison county these young men
left their seats one by one and. gainng en- :.
went. to work. The General smoked on in
blissiul uneonsciousness. The boxes were torn
trements were thrown out along the track. By
prscon, erted arrangement. band OF equally
seized. One Ss Snd Of each mus et was placed
under a rail. and they were broken or twisted
SHARP
ssmp.isd INTO iiisIs streams. Then the raiders
Meantime tho authorities at Tallahassee had
not been idle. long line OF drays was at the
depot waiting to receive the goods. A crowd OF
dusky warriors was also in attendance. anxiou
to see the weapons that were to transform them
visaged defenders Of the gospel Of ,reconstruc-
ton: The train rolled slowly in; Tho Adiutant
car. Its doors slowly sita back. AsIopnded
wise. also the gaming ,iders. Only = pi,s 9f
broken boxes returned the gaze. Fob Dc
sad old dsrE whose 1 patehsd
would have made crazy.qnlt die OF envy.
how . yon ,swine ter max sosers outen pieces
Dem Iebbils has done hit" said another.
!, ntylv n nd spl 10 ba
drays and the rabbie to dispense. Tlen he re-
Governor. That worthy exotic from Wiscon-
sin at once called a Cabinet, meeting. and an
was offered for the arrest and conviction OF tho
perpetrators OF this terrible outrage. but bo-
lieyc that has remained unclaimed to this day
| The effort to establish standing army was
) abandoned. and the military arm OF the State
Had this sttompl been successful, no ons I'M
conversant with the state OF affairs can con-
beee armed ama
niles. the officers. even II they 80 desired would
| rors Of San Domingo would have bsen repro
! duced in the Land Of Flowers. thiak at times
the carpet-baggers desired to bring about a
tingens e Of Gnssd States troops 10 tho state
aid tho
adventursrs were always camorous for more
{ food the State with them thus overawing the
) Southern peopio and maxim. tho IN loss inclined
y to resist tho system OF robbery that prevailed.
4 For years the chiefs among the carpet bag
gers were haunted by spectre more terrifyinl
than any that ever romped the halls OF mythol
i | oHy. 1t followed them in their waking mo
Q ments and stradded their sleeping forms a
: midnight. In the hours Of their gayest festivi
0 ties when song and mrth We're at their hegh
9 and the whiskey bottle circulated with The
activity Of a Florida flea. the mention OF this
: spectre would bring cold. creeping sensation
to the stoutest spinal column. The Spectre
t was well-to.do stock raiser who resided IL
!, | Calhoun county. He has estImabe relative,
Q still in the land OF the living. He was man o
v medium height swarthy. eyes II ko Goals o
: fire. black hair and beard, sunknn checks thin
i and was middle aged. He had no regard what
n ever for the law. and. unless all testimony Il
!. wrong. was q murderous assassin. without
4 particle Of chiXa ~ in his MIXTURE. He was