Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1885-07-16
MExCo MISSOURI, THURsDAY,JULY 16, 1885.



Prominent Minister Of the Gospel
In the South.
From the Daily Waiehman. Admission. Alabama
Rev. W. Mccoy was born and
reared poor boy in Missouri. His
father died when he was quite small.
The war came on and be. though un-
der the legal age, entered the Con-
federate service. The enemy in his
absence treated his mother harsbly,
and burned the poor widows house.
Qnantrell and the James boys aveng-
ed her. Upon his return to Missouri
he served time under the desperate
Quantrell; but seeing TO what length
this terrible man and his troops were
going, he asked TO be transferred to
the Eastern service. Having fought
many battles, be was captured and
kept prisoner to the close of the
war;.
AS his mother was dead, and his
little home destroyed, he concluded
not to return to Missouri, but he
came farther South. He was sent
down with others by rail to East
Tennessee and was put off at a little
way station just before night, alone
in strange land. Ragged and bare
footed he sat down on the iron rails
and wept. After awhile he saw the
smoke of a chimney in the distance.
He concluded to 60 to it and ask for
nights rest and something to eat
He found the place was the home of
an old local preacher. The young
barefooted soldier stated his case and
received kind welcome. The old
man took him in, gave him suit of
clothes and pair of shoes, and asked
him to share his hospitality for some
days. The kindness of the old man
won the heart of the young soldier
for Christ. But Mccoy would not
be idle; he wanted work. The old
preacher told him there was widow
in the neighborhood whose only son
had been killed in the army, and who
desired to find young man whom
she might take and treat as a son.
The old preacher took his guest over
and introduced him to the widow.
She was pleased with him and re-
ceived him as son. She proposed
to educate him. Being Presbyteri
an, she wished him to become a min.
lister in that church, but he told he,
he was a Methodist and could bs
nothing else. She did not object tt
that and sent him to school. In tint
he joined the itinerant ranks and be
gan to rise rapidly. He is now /,
member of the North Alabama Con
ference, and agent of the Southern
University. He is man of clear in
t6llect, fine appearance and splendit
oratorical powers.
While Frank James was IN prisol
at Huntsville last year, Mr.. McCo,
visited him in his cell. What mus
have been his feelings, to see him VIII
had been his playmate in boyhood
his eomrade in arms, and the aven
ger of his mother in a felon's cell
They had not met before since th
war ragged in all its fury. Mr.. Nc
Coy. asked the jailor to introduc
him into the prisoners cell withou
making known his name. Standin,
face to face in the prison, and th
lprisoner eyeing him closely, th
preacher asked him if he knew hin
James said, 'tNo sir; 1 never sa'
you before" Said the preacher
"Look at me closely" The prisone
, replied, 'It is Arthur Mccoy.
NO." said the preacher. "Then,
said the prisoner, sit must be Wi
liam Mccoy" As soon as he recei,
ed an affirmative answer he threw h
, arms around the preacher and wei
like child.
l They talked of old times. NJ
Mccoy finally asked him if he ha
j. made up his mind to abandon entir'
ly his wicked course. The prisont
SAID he had, and wanted to be a quie
L peaceahle citizen the remainder ,
. his days.
Having asked Mr.. Mccoy what
was doing, and having learned tn
he was a preacher, James naive
said !: "There is chance for me yet
b The prisoners in the penitentiar
o at Jefferson City, were given ho
n day on the glorious Fourth, col
/ mencing at Q O'Clock and ending Ia
o in the evening. The number of co
It vlcts now reaches 1888, and th
y were all given full liberty of the pr