The intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1887-1891, 1891-01-24
HOW NEAR I GAME BEING HANGED.
n Reniniscence of Kansas city at
the Outbreak of the War.

lBY an EX-cOnfederate.
"Did L ever tell you how pear came
being hanged once?' asked an old con-
iederate veteran of the writer.
mo. When was it?" asked
"It was during the summer of 1861.
| was boy of Is, and lived in Kansas
City. The town then had about six or
seven thousand people, though the real
estate people claimed twice that num-
her. The war had broken out, and
Kansas City was all torn up over it.
However, there were no severe re-
s'rictive measures TO paddock mems
tongues then. Clay county hadn't been
bDmbarded, and the 'seCesh element as
il was called, was pretty bold. During
the winter of 60 81 a military company
had been organized and had Joined.
| was made Il corporal, and thought !
outrankcd the American congress
I here were good many German cit
Zens in Kansas City, and they all beihs
union men, we of tue 'secesi' were
sometimes just little saucy toward
them.
.'In June lot of us ran down to
Independence, joined resinent, shot
over each others heads at Rock Greek,
and then in excellent order fell back To
| Lexington. AS | had hired a horse
and buggy at livery stable, and SOL
diering in Il buggy was reserved tor
Sergt. Majors only, had 10 return it,
SO went back to Kansas City. Price
had gone south, promising to return TO
the Missouri river later, so / returned
to business on Main street. In the
| meantime the federal forces had taken
possession of Kansas City, and IL. Il,
Van Horn, then mayor of the town, had
| been commissioned to raise q battalion
| of volunteers. He soon organized three
| companies. One of these was com
posed of Americans, one of lrisbmen
and one of Germans. A fort was built
out on Broadway near where ;he
| Coates house now stands, and here were
barracks, .ofiicers' quarters, guard
house, etc.
| In the Irish company was an old
regular soldier named Sharky. Sharky,
unlike most lrishmen, was exceedingly
fond OF his 'tay,' and when good and
boozy was as hard case TO manage as
ever put on a soldiers uniform.
"One afternoon in August, Sharky
got Oh 'divil OF tear He was ar
rested and started TO the fort but brske
away. He was Overtaken down on
Main street by Captain Henry Spiers OF
the German company, aud an attempt
made to rearrest him; and fun alive,
what a row it was! The Union hotel
stood then where the Nelson Weller
building now stands, and 1t was in the
stree. opposite this where Sharky was
making Rome howl aud Germany
swear Soon a crowd of two or three
hundred men had assembled TO see the
fun. was one of this crowd and was
enjoying the show immensely, when uL
came Colonel VanHorn, accompanied
by his orderly, McDavitt. Conone
. VanHorn peremptorily commanded the
crowd to disperse. / had seated myself
on the curbstone in front of the hotel
aud the enraged commandant, desig
mating me by name, ordered me to my
place of business. | was sung by bi,
tone and gave him to understand that
would go when il suited my con
veBience to do 30. Colonel VanHorI
became furious. Here. McDavitt,
said he, turning to his orderly, great
brawny Irishman, 'take this boy up tC
f camp aud put him in the guard house.
"McDavitt, who was riding largt
| clav-bank horse, dismounted, picked IN,
s up and placed me behind his saddle
Then mounting in front of me, guiding
/, his horse with his right hand while h'
n held me firmly by the thigh 9Th hi
left, started off 10 camp threatening t
q kill mo If / didn't behave myself. A
he turned up Main street, amused a
n my predicament and yet somew ha
n defiant, ! waved by hat in the air ant
/, hurrahed for jeff Davis at the top u
q my voice.
o Mack soon covered the distance {
p the fort and for the arst time in my lif
h saw the inside of guard house. Th
), news that battle mad been fought an
h one rebel captured spread like will
is fire over the camp and l soon ht
o over a score of visitors.
Zone of these, an Irishman who ha
been drinking came up and bega
abusing Lie in a rather profane manner
This was offensive to my dignity, an
jerking Mississippi rifle from stac
made lunge at him which set him
n yelling for the 'sargiut av the gyard.'
Is "Hearing the row, Captain Miller
e of Wyandotte, who was officer of th
II day, came running up, and learnin
Is | u6 Cdu66 vi Tue TdChCt, sCut iCllo'
r about bis business and took me to Col
e onel VsnHorn's quarters, where, b
r said, was less likely to be insulteC
e There was no one there SO | ha
u headquarters all to myself. l had nc
It been there long, however, befor
u George Craig, a personal friend, bu
g who had donned the uniform of th
u union soldier, came in bringing
IS Sharp's rifle aud some cartridges
d Handing them to me he said: ed, yo
II are in danger here. That bloody Dutc
d company out there are getting read
e for some mischief, aud as the other tw
IS companies are nearly all away, the
e are going to be hard to manage. TAX
,f this rifle,' he continued, explainn
l. how it was charged and fired, ana
v these fellows start this way, don
e. hesitate to kill the first one that enters
,e then Jump out of that window lheI
n and run for your life. Goodbye, all
st don't forget TO kill the first fellow th,
II puts his nose i'm that door,
At Now. wasn't this pleasant! Di
d you ever have house girl dash pa
,t of cold slop down your back when yo
were preparing to sereDade your be
Ia girl? Well, felt worse even than tina
ne Disposing OF my gun and stout hicl
,r ory club l found inside so | cOu
,e easily reach them in case of necessity,
a posted myself near the door SO cou
watch the actions of the excited TIE
y tons outside. There were about for
n of them; all were mad and all doll
ne their best to talk. They were takil
in the tangle out Of long seagrass rol
n. ana were trying to tie a hangmai
ne knot in one end OF it.
en 40 you tam secesh, We hang you OF
n kveekr exclaimed an excited o
n German, shaking the rope at me-
m eyes, We hang 'im oop high
n seconded another, pointing to the ia
.v staff, as if he thought l would make
nr good decoration for It.
of "'You say you punch der lop-eart
he Dutchman in de pelly, aind itp screar
N ed another-and having the rope al
lie knot in shape and in satisfactory cCnd
9. ton the excited mob started towa
II me.
I'd "Was | scared!
al "Well, don't ssk me. | confess th
ra much. | wasn't feeling well al
cd wanted to go home. Still, my NH
lie was made up, and didn't intend
decorate that flagstaff If could help
Reaching for the rifle Craig had lC
nd there, got ready for the worst, VIII,
a Captain Spers coming upon the see
ne and catching on to the situatio