Omaha daily bee., 1895-10-12
THE OMAHA Daily BEE SATURDAY. OCTOBER 70 1895

OF business and Of religion on white river.
The basis OF the actson1was that jeffrey who
was sherin OF the county. had called Houston
'an infamous old Atheist" John =. Houston
was brother OF NAh Houston, president
OF the republic Of Texas lie wandered into
the ozark country Rman Of magnificent ply
sical appearance, weli educated, OF great
natural ability. and d drunkard. He was
made one OF the first Officers Of lizard county.
IL was his custom TO do public business sit
ting with a table between himself and the
door. On that table his books we're arranged
before him. At his right hand. and within
easy reach, was a smaller table. on which lay
during business hours, all kinds Of weapons
lie had dirks, bowie Knives. pistols and rifles
of the finest quality for that period One Of
his bowie knives he claimed has cost him
SIS. a high price for snch a weapon in those
days. On one occasion man named Jess Ever
EFT came into the Office about some county
business In the course of the conversation
Everett, unmndful Of the arsenal, told
Houston he was a liar. Houston arose Sc
lected knife, and started around the table.
Everett met him half way and knocked him
Adown. The knife flew across the floor
Houston got on his feet. picked out another
knife, and started again, only to meet the
same fate. Before this interesting fight could
go any further it was stopped by outside
interference. At another time Houston at
tempted to use his weapons on the sheriff,
and then it was that Daniel Jeffrey applied
the worst possible epithet in the estimation
OF the God-fearlng community. He called
Houston Fan infamous old atheist" Hous-
ton brought an action for slander. The trial
went against him. Toward the end of John
+. Houston's career in the Ozark country
Sam Houston was bringing Texas through
her troubles and attracting great attention.
The amabe brother in Arkansas used to tell
people he had but two more journeys to
make-one to Texas, to kill Sam Houston,
and the other to heaven. In the opinion of
the old settlers he made neither, as he died
drunk at Athens.
Questions of economy In public affairs agi-
tated the Ozark country in those early days.
The county of lizard, which at that time en-
braced half dozen OF the counties of today,
arrived at the dignity of new court house.
Tho building was Of frame instead of logs,
and was probably the first departure from
the original architecture OF this region. 1t
was twenty feet square. There was a door
on the east side and door on the west side.
The judges bench was on the south side of
the room, and space had been left on the
north side for a chimney Winter ap-
preached. The issue which divided the county
was whether the proposed chimney should be
of stone or Of sticks and clay. The county court
held session to hear arguments from inter
ested citizens. Advocates of the stone chin
ney led Off with the claim that Peter Young
and Sol Hess were coed stone masons; that
they could lay a stone chimney which would
look better than one of sticks and
last forever Old Jim Criswell a big man.
weighing 200 pounds, who had settled on
Rocky bayou in 1920 led the opposition to
the stone chimney. He made vigorous
speech, in which he denounced those who
would grind the people to death with taxes"
and urged that the county court ho.d fast to
the custom Of the country and build a stick
chimney. The spirit CT progress prevailed.
The fashion CT stone chimneys was set He
was member of the Criswell family, old
Harvey Criswell who left this region fifty
years ago to settle in Texas. saying he was
too crowded and would have to hunt new
home, for 'the id Tennessee renter had
taken possession Of this country"