Nevada County picayune., 1890-04-02
"A sCROP."
An Old Veterans Account of Cat
 terson's Militia.
Their Hellish Work in Howard, seyier and Little River Counties in 1868.
Southwest Arkansian.l


 Southwest Arkansian.
 The so-called Union Labor party has recently put out an Address. It IS severely condemnatory of the Democratic party. It recites sever al little 'scrops" of Democratic hls- tory. Since the Union Labor party claims to be real, simon-pure, third party, opposing both the old partles' and since it has not a word of con demnation of the Republican party, we naturally tlunk, believing i'll the sincerity of its leaders, that they have forgotten the past history of the Republican party in Arkansas, or that condemnatory material was not within reach of Chairman w. S. Morgan' at the time he is supposed to have written his address. Think ing thus. the Arkansian. i'll to-day s issue, cheerfully places at the dis posal of Chairman W. $. Morgan, little "scrop" of Republican hlsto- ", related hy our correspondent, Mir. Todd. If Chairman W. S. Morgan is honest in his declaration of opposing both parties, he will pub fish our correspondent article. He is welcome to it. It is not copy righted. A real, de e-facto, Union La Dor party leader, who was sincere Ill his opposition to the Republican party, would be glad of an oppor- tunity to deliver such a telling blow on the brazen face of such a william ous party. Will Chairman W. ;. Morgan" avail himself of this oppor- tunity? Dare he do it? The Ar kansian challenges him to do it:
 
 Su,-Just before Christmas, 1868, was resident of Belleville, Sevler T county, Ark. being engaged in mer- chandislng at that point. One beautl- ful day, a squad of about sixty armed ragamutiins, clad III every kind oi garb from the long tailed linen dus- ter to the heavy overcoat. came rid ing into Centre Point. The war had been over for more than three years, Not one of these men was ln uniform The squad did not carry colors. A strip of flannel tied on the left arm of each. was the distinguishing badge of those vilIinous looking ruff fans. These officers made no proc lamation. showed no authority, but at once asked that the store of . leading merchant be opened, on the pretense that arms were hidden therein. Their request was refused. The squad then broke open the doors and completely guttcd the store, taking away saddles, bridles and cv- erything else they wanted. After the robbery, they retired to their camp on the Little Missouri. The news of this audaeious burglary, m open daylight, spread through the country around Centre Point, and, the next day, about one hundred and fifty citizens assembled there to see what the trouble was. During the day, without q word of warning, Gen. Cattcrson. at the head of about loo of these rullians, charged down the street, firing upon the people as he advanced. In this charge, sever- al of the citizens were wounded. An old and honorable gentleman, Squire Hester, had brought his gun with him Seeing the armed mob advance, he threw his gun under house. Cattcrson's men told him to get it out While the old man was bent over trying to reach the gun, the dastardly scoundrcls shot him. The citizens lcd to the Saline bridge, to await re-cnforcemcnts, leaving the town in the hands of Cattcrson men. Every old resident of Centre Point remembers how these scound- rela stole everything they could lay their hands on while they held the town. News reached them, however, that three hundred citizens were in arms at Saline bridge, preparing to attack them at night. They then went back to their camp on the Little Missouri, At this junction the Re- publican sheriff of the county arrived. He proposed to visit Catterson s camp and come back and report.