The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-02-13
Gen. Joe Shelby Dies at
His Missouri Home.
Fought on the Southern Side
in War of the Rebellion.
Wanted to Serve Under Maximilian
After Lees Surrender.

Kansas City, Feb. 13-Genersl Joe
Shelby died at his country home eight
miles from Adrian, Mo-, at o'clock this
NOR ming.
General Joseph OrvilIe Shelby was born
in Lexington, Kentucky, In 1881. AT
nineteen years Of age he came with his
parents to Missouri. When the Kansas
dispute came on, Mr.. Shelby heartily
sympstbized with the pro-slsvery ele-
ment and in the "Border troubles" which
followed Shelby was q leader In several
of the raids into Kansas. Colonel Shelby,
after hostilities opened organized re-
giment, to which weer joined the three
Missouri re giments ina cavalry organiza-
tion known as Sheity's Brigade. This
brigade, under General Shelby, saw much
hard service In Missouri, Ksnsas, Louisi-
ana and Texas. After Lees surrender
Shelby succeeded In convincing his fol-
lowers that further fighting against the
government would be useless and as an
alternative, be proposed q march to Mex
leo, there to espouss the cause OF Maxi
milan. Over q thousand men of his fol-
ling readily joined him At Corsiens an
election was held and Shelby was elected
commander. The column tnen moved
on to Houston and then to Austin, the
capital of Texas, here thee Confedrate gov
ernment mad sub-ireasury in which was
stored $500, 600 In gold and silver. Gen.
eral Shelby's regiment arrived at Austin
barracks in time to save this treasure
from q band of Guerillss under Captain
Babb, who captured the treasury but
failed to loot IT.
Shelbys men after shooting down a
numbe of the marsuders, drove them
off. General shelby's men guarded tine
treasury until the followingday. On the
next morning the Mayor OF Austin
proposed to General Shelby, tnst in "a
much as his men were the last organized
body of the Lopfederacy in Texas, they
should take the money, cut Col. Shelby
positively refused, saying: 81 went into
the war with clean hands, and by Gods
blessing, will go out Of the war with
clean hands,"
From Austin, Sbeiby's band marched
to San Antonio aud to Eagle Pass, where
they crossed into Mexico, and resumed
their msrch. When they reached the city
| Of Mexico, Macmillan had been reigniDg
for year. Shelby offered to take imme-
diate service with his band and to recruit
an army of 10000 Americans to super
cede the native troops, utMsximillian wa'
suspicious and his company wss forced tc
dispand. Many of them settled In Mexico,
others went on to the Pacific coast and
shipped for California, while some re-
turned 10 their former homes.
General Shelby became contractor In
Mexico, but in 1867, he returned to nil
farm in Missouri, where he lived q retired
| life until 1893 when President Clevelano
appointed him United States Marshal fol
the western district of Missouri. During
| the great strike in 1895 in W whicn Ma rsha
Shelby Was active in surpressiDg th'
strikers, he became involved in con
troversy with Governor Stone who con
tended that the United States officers ans
troops were being used in violation o
doctrine of state rig hts-tbe very doctrin
| whi ch Shelby bad fought so bitterly TO
during the civil war, but to Goverpo
Stone, General SHELBY replied that "rh
question of state rights was decided b.
that war, ana settled for all time, whel
Lee surrendered at Appomsttox." In tn
recent campaign, General Shelby was al
active supporter Of the police of Pres
ident Cleveland.