The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1891-10-09
UNs,cRuPuLous PARTIsANs.

UNSCRUPULOUS PARTISANS.
A Traitorous Gang Who, For Partisan Ad.
vantage. Would Reopen tho Wounds
and Rekfndle the Hatreds Engendered
by the Late War.
The Kansas City Journal of Septem-
Der II contained the following item of
news:
WICHITA, Kan, Sept 16.-[Special I
The e1-brigadier from North Caro-
lima, who has been going around the
state denying that he was ever con-
federate officer, met with snag here
to-day and came near being treated to
little lynch law. Had it not been for
the prompt interference of the police
the president of the alliance would now
be wearing coat of tar and feathers.
The veterans are very bitter against
the alliance leader, and many of them
left the camp this morning while the
North Carolinian was speaking, and
they vowed if they could prove that he
told what was not so they would visit
him with punishment
Among the old soldiers who were
present at the. speaking was M. M. Nc
Allister. of this county. He heard
Polk say in his speech that he had
never occupied any position of. COM
mand in the confederacy, and had never
reached higher grade than third lieu
tenant and had consequently never
mistreated any union prisoners, as had,
been reported
Calling some of his comrades to him
McAllister produced a parole granted
him when he was thought to be dying
at the prison at Salisbury, N. c., signed
by L. L. Polk, brigadier-heneral, COM
handing the post. He then detailed to
his hearers some of the horrors he and
his fellow prisoners had undergone at
the Jail which was in charge of Polk, as
governor.
'This recital and the evidence shown
on the parole that Polk had deliberate
ly told what was not so in regard to
his position in the confederate army
was like spark to powder magazine
and it was determined then and there
to give the brig adler, who was now
ashamed of his title, coat of tar and.
feathers. Had the conspirators kept
the matter to themselves it would un-
doubtedly have been carried out but the
police got wind of it and nipped it in
the bud"
The Kansas City Star on the evening
of the same day published the follow
ing interview with President Polk:
president L. L. Polk, of the National
Farmers Alliance and Industrial Union
passed through the city this morning,
in company with Gen. Weaver, on his
way from Wichita to Iowa, where he
will take part in the campaign. He
was considerably worked up over
dispatch from Wichita stating that he
was in danger of coat Of tar and
feathers while in that city.
The entire story is utterly false
said the president 4 have never met
with better treatment in my life than
has been given me in Kansas and so
far from any ones having threatened
me with coat of tar and feathers,
every man met treated me with the
utmost consideration. I met many ex-
union soldiers and they took pains to
make everything pleasant for me, not
only as an alliance man but as an ex-
confederate soldier. Why stood be-
to produce proof that I held position
higher than that of lieutenant in the
Carolina company or any other COM
pany. If any one knew different it
would have been made known at that
time. At Wichita there was no feeling
of the kind reported in the article which
was printed for political effect. l asked
the men in attendance at the meeting
what their feeling was. l suggested
that all who were in favor of forgetting
the past and burying the old war feel
ing should raise their right hands and
the hand of every man in the audience
went up, and the tears that stood in the
eyes of many showed that they were in
earnest want to make the statement
to the old soldiers of the union that the
dispatch is utterly false, as are the
charges made that my position in the
confederate army was higher than lieu
tenant. l want all of them to know it.
It's political scheme and do not care
what the politicians think of the charges
so long as the old soldiers do not be-
lieve them"
On the 18Th (the next day. the Kansas
City Journal referring to the so-called
parole which is almost certainly for
gerry, at least so far as L. L. Folks
name is concerned, says editorrially:
THE Polk incident at Wichita is sig
nificant as indicating that the farmers
of Kansas are in no mood to tolerate
the petty receptions of would-be polit-
ical leaders of the reform school, and
that these leaders are not above resort
ing to such disreputable methods for
the purpose of making little political
capital.
1.-THE mere fact that Mr.. Polk served
in the confederate army had little to do
with the spirit of anger against him at
Wichita. The people of Kansas, while
intensely loyal to the old flag, are yet
possessed of too broad spirit of patri-
otto tolerance to ever be guilty of any
manifestation of anger from such a