Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1893-10-02
TO THE BITTER END.
The Deadly Fe1d That Grew From a Small
Beginning.


ings on the north and east side of the hum
BILE inn are hitched a score of horses and
mules. About the inn are 10 or Is men, on
the steps of the general store opposite are
rs many more, nonresidents of the town.
but living in the county. A stranger would
find himself wondering if the two crowds
were strangers to each other, and if so why
the majority of the men should mutter and
scowl as they looked across the narrow
street.
At o'clock p. m. the crowd at the inn
moves up the street to the schoolhouse.
Ten minutes later it is followed by the
other. Now we know what has brought
these men from their homes 5, 10 or Is miles
away. Here are the lawyers, principals
and witnesses in lawsuit. The Justice of
the peace takes his seat with becoming
dignity, though his countenance betravs
anxiety, and court is opened 1t is the case
of Rives versus White both small farmers.
Each has secured the best legal counsel he
could, and the number of witnesses are
pretty evenly vided.
Here are two of the oldest and strongest
families in the county. They have been
friends for three generations. They have
borrowed and lent, sat at each others ia
bles, attended the same church, looked up
on each other as relatives. Farmer Rives'
mule goes astray and brings up among
Farmer Whites corn. 1t is a large field,
and the corn is scarcely worth hauling
away to market. The damage, therefore,
is not worth mentioning Farmer Rives
comes and demands his mule. Both men
were close friends up to that moment. HUI
man nature has it's off" days. Farmer
White is nettled and asks for damages, and
lar mo- 20
kill each other. A crowd bound for town
rides up, and blows are struck, and the
law Is appealed to. A family friendship
which runs back for almost a century is
broken by word. Rives and White
fought side by side at Stone River, Chicka-
manga, Franklin and on other fields of
battle. Their Grandfathers fought side by
side at Cowpent and Kings Mountain and
Yorktown. Their grandmothers fed the
troopers of Marion, the Swamp Fox, and de-
fled the rough riders of Tarleton. All this
Is forgotten as the case is opened and the
witnesses take the stand.
There Is no jury, though the Justice
doubtless fervertly wishes that there was,
that the responsibility might be shifted
from his shoulder The witnesses exhibit
a bitterness of feeling to surprise you. The
question at issue is who struck the first
blow. There is rank perjury on both sides.
and it is with considerable reluctance that
the justice gives his decision. To an out
slider carefully following the case, it seems
just and legal. Farmer White is adiudged
guilty of the charge of assault and battery
and fined a nominal sum. He is chagrined
and indignant chat the case went against
him, while the other faction is displeased
that he was let off so easily. Men mutter
araI fyln NJ -.
The lawyers advise that the fine be paid
and a reconciliation effected, but their
words are wasted. There is notice of appeal
and angry talk, and the serious look on the
face of the justice is proof that he realizes
what his decision may result in
The factions do not mix as they 90 out.
The witnesses feel all the hatred and ami
mostly firing the hearts of the principals,
and they avoid each other and look sullen
and vindictive One crowd rides away. and
after half an hour the other takes the same
road. The stOrekeeper has sold shotgun.
two revolvers an1 half a dozen boxes of car
tridges today. This is the beginning of the
Rives-White feuI
Twenty years passes away. Farmers
Rives and White have passed the age of 60.
They are white haired and wrinkled The
one limps from a bullet hole in his thigh;
the other has buJ little use of his left arm
because of splntered bone Both shots
were received from ambush and meant to
kill. There have been other shots fired
from behind trees and rocks, but the bull
lets flew wild bingham was a witness for
Rlves. He was ambushed and killed dur
ing the first three months. Thatcher was
a witness for White. He was ambushed and
Killed week after the death of Bingham
Stebbins, Carson, Parsloe, Williams, Brown.
Bebee-all witnesses and all dead Rives
had two sons, and they were shot down
while at work III the field. White had n
son and daughter The son disappeared
one day and his bones have never been
found. The daughter was shot off her
horse while riding home from town.
Twenty years have not added a dozen
houses to the hamlet. The inn stands here
just the same, and across the street is the
same store, though they may have changed
proprletOrs two or three times There are
no loungers at either place. 1t is a peace
lul summer day, and the struggling street !
Is clear OF all life when two old men ride |
into town from opposite directions and |
meet III front OF the inn. 1t is an unex-
pected meeting. Both seem little Hurried |
for moment, but then they ride closer and |
one says
Let us dismount and have it out"
I'm agreedr' is the ready reply.
They have no firearms, but they have |
keen, cruel knives which have been kent |
iharpened for years. There is no waiting. |
Ihey are no sooner on the ground than |
ihey eagerly advance upon each other and |
begin to cut and slash. Not n word is ut |
.ered-neither cries out as the others knife |
thinks blood. 1t is over before any one |
Knows that it had begun. When the alarm |
S given, the village rush to the spot. but |
)nly to find the men dead-two old, gray
haired men, cut and slashed and living dead |
II pool of blood
1T is Rives and White, and this is the
md of their feud " whisper half dozen
men as they look down upon the bodies.
Yes, this is the end. 1t could not go fur
her. Murder or disease has wiped out the
Justice, the lawyers, the principals and
he witnesses, and in some cases all their
hildren. There is no one left to go into
one to come riding along and
Opple Off his horse a cOrDSe Mt the raDor+ |