Wichita eagle., 1888-03-30
SEB OUR SHOES.
WEBSTER'S Deaf j,
HOW THE SAD NEWS WAS FIRST
BROUGHT FROM MARSHFlELD.

Ebcn Gains Wonderful Ride One SUM-
day Morning in 1924 Little
Spra,ned Mare Carries tine Dispatch
| Bearer Ahead of Everything Else.
Well over on Fort Hill street, in West
bingham, lives Eben Wheeler Cain. He is
the man who first carried the news Of the
death of Daniel Webster to Boston. He rode
from Marshfield on the morning of Sunday,
! Oct. "a 1852, in the time intervening between
3:33 and by the Old South clock His was
| the credit that The Gazette was able to print
| the last words of the dying statesman three
hours before the other paper could. Eben
Cain is full of wit, too, as well as remi-
! niscence, as many an old expressman can
testify. In fuckers "Way Billsr this story
is told of him.
One morning which succeeded night of
hilarity-the occasion being the annual ex-
pressmen's sleigh ride-he was accosted by
fellow driver with: "Cain, were you the man
that slew Abel:'
No." says Eben, II was the man that was
slowed"
Eben Cain is 81 now. He stopped driving
Tor Adams half dozen years ago, but he
seems just as vigorous as he ever did. He
farms it a little around his house, that stands
in back from the road, and takes good care
of his good wife. | was asking him the other
day about his ride from Marshfald.
"Well," the tall. brown armed, gray
whiskered man said, u went down twice,
you know. Jack Clapp we used to call
him-yes, Col. Clapp. of The Journal, of The
Gazette then-lives down here on Jerusalem
road summers-he got me to so. Webster
died of a Sunday morning. We went down
first Saturday George Blanchard, the agent
of the Associated Press, a straight saller with
white specs, wanted me to go. John Bradley,
then Of The Times, and since dead in Califor-
MIA, went with me for company. We went
over to Jim Mullam's stable and got four
wheel trotting gig; we wanted to get back by
IL, in time to telegraph to New York-and-
WELL we shifted bosses at George French's, in
Quincy, Wash French's father. and again at
John Prouty's in Scituate. 1t was thirty six
miles to Marshtield, over the Queen Anne
turnpike, through Pembroke.
TIE LITTLE WHITE MARE.
1--WE got his condition-no change" the
messenger continued, "and come home.
Bradley stopped to chat at Frenchs. and there
was fellow named Huntress who wanted to
make dollar. He hitched up racker to
get our news to Boston ahead of US. But on
che old bridge-Federal street, now-we over
took him. The draw was UP. and he had to
wait. and tell you we ratified into town to-
gether a-spanking.
We'll, went about my regular work for
Harnden-one team used to do all his work
then-when in comes Clapp and asks ME if
there is a man there by the name OF Cain,
and wants to know if l will 60 to Marshfeld
for him, same as l did for the Associated
Press / says yes. il the boss is willing: be
says yes, if | want to go. So l went over TO
Josh Stuartis stable. on School street this
time, where the Parker house is now He
said he had . good reader for ms, and took
him and an open buggy. Well, goes down
and gets as far as French's, and be SAYS:
'Eoen, I've got a spawned nag here that will
go like thunder. but you won't know it when
she's gone forty rod. and you'd better take
her John Prouty he bad little white mare
for me. and SAYS be: If you give her the
rein on tbs way bone she'll fetch you right
here TO the door, So took her and got there
and some Of the servants put up my hos in
the stable-the servants s~armed around
there ike bees-and / went into q private Ii
brary there was there 70 one side, where there
were fiftesn or twenty o. them sitting by the
freplsoe-one Of those where you can burn
logs four feet long. There was Peter Har-
vey, Wehs.ers particular friend, and J. W.
Page, think. tee dry goods man on Frank
lin street. and some more; and pretty soon
down comes Mr. Marsh. of The Bee Mr..
Gin, of The Gazette. had been down and gone
away a. la, and l was to wait tin Webster
died They invited Marsh into,the house,
and so-sc one SAYS TO mel told en- was
from Mr.. Ciapp-.hat l had better get some
rest hsd been up two nights, Won know.
and Just rode seventy-two miiss-so laid
down on a lounge. Great fellow to run ex.
ard "a dian AAr