Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1897-02-23


stood alone, looking down at his as
sailant writhing on the sidewalk.
Friends rushed in, carried one man into
the drug store and crowded Walton In
to the tavern bar. It was "fair fight"
He had drawn only in self-defense. His
assailant was to blame, and there was
no man to suggest arrest. But he stood
there pale and unnerved now, covered
with sorrow at the disaster to the man,
who, even though no friend, was popu-
lar, we'll and widely known, and, &C.
cording to the somewhat accessible
standard of the state and day, "a per-
feet gentleman" 1t was characteristic
of the time and place that nobody pres
ent happened to. think of the dead
negro.
Among these poor people Walton
Scroggs was. perhaps deservedly un-
popular. The other man, open-handed,
generous, easy-going, had won not q
little of their unreasoning yet enthusi-
astic regard. It was while Scroggs,
with two advisers, was seated, sad and
trembling, in little room Of the tavern
awaiting the result of the doctors ex-
animation of his ,fainting foe that q
citizen came rushing in. "Scroggs,
you'll have to get out Of this-quick.
There was meeting of that old Grant
and Colfax club going on up the street,
and the niggers have rushed in and told
'em you killed Pete jackson. The
whole gang Of 'em are coming"
Coming? They were already there.
With furious yells and vengeful threats
surging crowd of negroes came tear
ing along the village street, stopping
only moment to verify the, death of
their friend, and-too late now for ex-
PLANTATION or denial-they swarmed
madly into the Office, demanding Wal
tons body. The battle was on in an in
slant, battle for life, 60 seconds war
OF races, white against black, as it had
to be, since none would listen to reason,
and superior nerve and aim told. Pts
tolls and the office were emptied about
the same moment, but five more darkies
had gone to join Pete jackson at the
mercy seat, and the proprietor of the
Southern Star had died like the soldier
he was, defending the life of his guest.
Scroggs himself, seriously wounded,
was borne away on the dark Tugaloo
road, and far and wide the affrighted
negroes were scurrying over the coun-
try, carrying tidings of riot as they ran.
1t was all miserable blunder, but
the end was not vet. Lambert and his
detachment took station at Vernon,
whence the negroes had fed in terror,
and all warning was at an end. Such
were his orders, and he had no choice;
yet it would have been wiser counsel
to recall him and his party within "a
hours. They could have done better
service nearer home. How it happened
none could ever surely say. Among
the whites it remained for years an
article of faith that desperate and de.
termined negroes had followed Walton
scroggs to his refuge and there wreaked
vengeance for the blood of their fellows
Among the negroes it has never been
looked on as other than direct mani.
festation of divine wrath upon their
enemies and prosecutors. How the
house could have SO suddenly burst into
fame everyone could theorize and no
one explain, but at three o'clock in the
morning the few men remaining with
Capt. Close in camp were startled fl ON
their sleep by the report Of the sentry's
musket and the yell of "Firel' and,
springing from their tents, were
greeted by the sound of cracking wood
work and screams for aid and the sight
OF Walton Hall one glare of flame.
Some men got there quicker than
others--none were slow-but even the
foremost of the soldiers were appalled,
and bewildered by what they saw and
Katherine Walton and the quad
room maid Elinor wringing their hands
and imploring them to save the bed
ridden mother, while Esther was max
ing vain effort to drag helpless form
through the blazing hallway. 1t was at
this juncture that Close came laborinR
up the path. He was slow, heavy, had
longer distance to run, and was pant
ing hard. but he burst through the
squad already scrambling up the steps
sprang through the fire-flashing portal
and with the strength of an OK heaved
Walton, grooming. upon his shoulders
tumbled him out into the arms OF his
men. then turned on gasping Esther
where's your mothers room?" al.
most fainting. she could only lean upon
the pillar for support and point
through the vista Of smoke and flame
Close lcaped like tiger. with Gun.
ningham and Murphy at his back. AT
instant, and these latter reappearcd
blind, staggering, their faces hidden
in their hands, and burst out into tho
open air, stumbling heedlessly down the
steps. y groan went up from the men;
their captain was gone. In vain Burns
and Mcbride strove to rush in to the
rescue. Mortal man could not stand
such heat. And then, in the midst Of
the wild wailing of the terrified and
helpless women, came from around the
north side of the house an exultant
cheer. Those men who had had sense
enough to strive to reach the side win.
dows We're rewarded by the sudden
thrusting open OF the shutters and the
appearance of the well-known burly
form of their captain with some
blanket-shrouded shape in his arms
The flames leaped forth from that very
easement but q second after Close and
his precious burden were lowered to
the wall. below.
And this was the story of brave
mans deed be heard from every lip
said Lambert. later, as he hastenet
back on receipt OF the news; and this
was the response made by the brave
man himself, when his lieutenant bent