Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1885-10-02
THE WRONG SIGNAL
Singular Mistake OF . Teleeraphio
Operator.
Tho CommOtIoa fhst was Caused In an In.
diana village By ths Receipt OF the Sig
nal 4" General Grant II Dgad--It Was
Cipher Announcing Strike
Lafayette dnd.l Letter.l

Lafayette dnd.) letter.
The story Of the message, General
Grant is dead" sent over the wires as a
signal for the strike Of the Brotherhood Of
Telegraph Operators n little over two
years ago, Is n matter OF common informa-
iion, and pretty generally revived at
present; but there Is q singular piece Of
history connected with It that has never
found its way into print. Its scene was at
erwin, little place about twelve miles
south Of here. Corwiu is a typical coun-
try town, with about one hundred and
hfty Inhabitants. IL has one long, strag-
Cling street, with few general stores, -
where are supplied tn Q simple wants of its
people aud the scattered population Of the
broad vista Of farming land that forms its
background. At the end of the street is
its sole link with the outside world-a
telegraph Office, presided over by an old
man named Samuel Givens. He has been
In the employ of the Western Union ever
since its origin, and his duties are light,
for nothing ever happens at Corwin, and
its buster neighbors generally overlook its
existence. Givens learned tele1raphv be-
lore the modern system OF reading by
sound was in vogue, and the instrument
he uses is the old-fashioned "Morse regis
ter" very few Of which still remain ON
the Western Union lines in out-of- the wav
places.
On the morning Of July 10, 1883, Givens
was droning over his instrument when It
suddenly called. To save the paper rib
Don on which the brass point of the regis
Ter recorded its message he always kept II
closed until he heard his call It was the
letter D-.wo dots, dash and dot-and
1t ratified out its staccato warning with an
energy this time that made him open II
with unwonted suddenness.
Out rolled the ribbon bearing upon its
surface the words: General Giant Is
dead." Givens was not a brotherhood
man. Living in the isolated village he
did not know that his profession was on
the eve of a great strike, and the message
had no Importance save that Of its face.
He had been a soldier in the Army of the
Tennessee, had laid down his arms at An
pomattox, and he regarded General Grant
with that solema reverence that is found
among his followers alone. lie seized the
taps with trembling fingers, and, bursting
into sobs, rushed out to spread the news.
Corwin is settled largely by soldiers of
the late war, who have taken farm land
In the vicinity. No news to them could
nave been more startling, more deeply
moving than this. Instantly the village
was In such stir as it never saw before.
and will probably never see again. All
crowded around the old telegrapher. anx-
ious to hear him read and reread the mes
sage. They were eager to learn more, but
the instrument had stopped after those
four words, and was silent
Some one sugge sted to toll the village
school bell, and n dozen mon ran. To nut
the idea into effect. Grant at that time
was sixty-one years old, and for an hour
and one minnie the slow notes of the bell
echoed through the town. This toIlinp
was heard for a long distance through the
Silly air, and 10, together with the farmers
who happened to be In Corwin at the
time, and left Immediately on th cir wag-
ons, sufiiced to rapidly spread the news.
Had stranger passed through the vii.
lage at about noon he would have been
surprised to see every store aud house
draped In mourning. There was little
Grape to be had, but the black calico at the
store was pressed into service at the sug-
gestion that every one splay some mark
OF grief. Meantime the farmers from the
surrounding country had hurried into
town, and a strangely y-unwonted crowd
filled the street. Givens had suddenly as
sumed Importance, and the ribbon, with
its cabalistic dots aud dashes translated
into English with pencil, was eagerly
passed from hand to hand until its mes
sag was obliterated. Every one, however,
had the few words by heart, and many
were the surmises as to the details Of the
old Commanders end.
In early afternoon IL was thought well
that there should be some forma express
sion Of the sentiment OF the town, and a
meeting was accordingly held in the Iarg-
est store, owned by a man named Wright.
IL was not, however, nearly large enough
TO hold the crowd, and a thronx was clus-
tered about the door. An old farmer. who
had been sergeant In an Indiana reRi-
ment, and whose name, believe, was
Andrews, was Chairman OF the meeting.
and It was opened by prayer and song,
Lincoln's favorite, "Why Should the
Spirit Of Mortal be Proud!" was chosen.
Many was the speech made and MANY the
reminiscence told by those who had carried
n musket In the great Captains legions.
The people Of Corwin will never forget
that meeting, because all participated in
IL. AT its close a series of resolutions were
adopted, expressing sorrow and agreeing
that no more labor be done for that day.
A copy of these resolutions, written in
pencil on a sheet of legal cap, are still at
the store where the meeting was held.
It was not until next morning that the
little town learned Of its strange mistake.
A few copies of the indianapolis papers
reached It then, containing news of the
strike and the story of the signal, and great
was the rejoicing thereat Old Givens was
still at his obsolete instrument, when for
the second time the ribbon bore the mes
sage Of death.