The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1886-09-09

How Young Man Faced swarm Of Enc
mics and Drove Them Back.

OAlCnlNU N IANhEE STIs
How "a Young Man Faced "a swarm Of Enc
mics and Drove Them Back.
We were just drifting into war, says
a writer In the Atlanta Constitution,
describing an incident which occurred
III Atlanta in 1861. We dreaded the
secret work Of spies and cranks of the
John Brown stamp. 1t seemed that
self-preservation demanded vigilance
and decisive action. 1t was whispered
around the hotels one rainy afternoon
that Yankee abolitionist had been in
the reading-room nearly all day, read
ing the papers and taking copious
notes. What settled the matter was
the fact that he wrote his notes in q
kind of shorthand or cipher that could
not be understood by several patriots
who had been sufficiently public spir-
tied to peep over his shoulder. When
this came out there was general indigna-
ton. Those who had seen the stranger
swore that he was Yankee. His pink
and-white complexion and his brogue
made that plain.
Gradually stray citizens dropped in
to the reading-room, until there was a
considerable crowd. The spy, with
singular stupidity, continued his work.
He whistled as he read, and frequently
paused to scribble in his notebook.
Finally, just about dusk, he put up
his book and turned with the evident
intention of leaving. BY that time
everything had been arranged. The
spectators stood some of them in the
room and the others in the hall leading
to the doorway. A young man APP
preached the suspect, who by the way
was a good-looking, mild-faced youth,
and said, with an air of authority:
"Sir, we know who you are, and we
know your business here. IL you will
go with us quietly it will be better for
you"
The prisoner said not a word. A des-
perate glare flashed from his eyes, his
face hardened, and he suddenly back
ed into a corner.
Look out!" exclaimed two or three
voices.
The warning was not a second too
early. The man thrust his right hand
behind him.
"He's drawing pistol" shouted q
dozen citizens.
Two or three yelled "Murder!" Sew
eral volunteered the statement that
they were going for the police, and the
entire crowd backed precipitately into
the dark hall, where they came in con-
tact with the outsiders, who were doing
their best to get into the room.
In half minute the bewildered
members of the crowd were pommeling
each other, pulling hair, and yelling in
the most blood-curdling way magma
bic. Each man expected a bullet in
his back from the mysterious outlaw,
and at the same time he was afraid of
being knitted by the latest corners, who
appeared to be incapable of under
standing the situation.
So, with yells, cries, and curses rival
ing pandemonium, the vigilantes strug
gled in the gathering darkness to the
stairway, and went laundering down,
kicking and fighting and spluttering,
until they landed, some of them head
foremost, on the pavement. Here they
were picked up and separated.
Re-enforcements arrived, explana-
tions were made, and in less
than five minutes from the time
the racket began everything was ready
for another attack upon the abolition
|
noses, arms, and cracked skulls were
left behind. The others, with half a
dozen well-armed men in front, ascend
ed again to the reading-room. When
they entered they found it difficult to
believe their senses. The desperate
stood thoughtfully in the middle of the
floor, munching big red apple.
"Do you surrender" shouted the
vigilantes.
Surrender? Oh, yes, 1 suppose
So" was the answer. Then the fellow
took another bite at the apple, and
said
whats all this about?"
His insolence was irritating, but it
was thought best to answer him.
"You are Yankee spy and we want
your documents and the extracts you
have copied from these papers"
The man burst into fit of laughter.
He laughed until he was black in the
face. Several started to handle him
roughly, but he braced up, and said:
Its all right, gentlemen. l may
have unintentionally acted suspicious
ly, but / will explain. My name is
John Shuttles. / live at Danville, Va.
and am in the tobacco business. 1
stopped over day here and have been
running over these papers for the quo
tations of tobacco everywhere. Here
is my book. Some of my notes are in
shorthand, but you can make out those
figures. regret having caused all this
excitement"
A dead silence fell upon the crowd.
"Why did you draw pistol?" said
one.
II did not. drew this apple from
my pocket. / was so confused that l
didn't know what was doing, and al
most mechanically commenced tug
cling away at the apple, which L could
hardly get out of my pocket.
Anecdote or Bishop Simpson.
When Bishop Simpson was President
of Indiana Asbury University he occa-