The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1897-04-03
CAPTAIN HERNDON'S STORY.
He Tells How He Saved the Life OF
General 10 She!by's Wife During
the War.

From the st. Louis Rcpublic-
81 saved the life of Mrs. Bette
Shelby, wife of the late General Joseph
O. Shelby during the war;" remarked
Captain Ed Hcrndon, Il wealthy iron
miner of Cherry Valley, Mo, to IL
group of friends in The corridor of the
Laclede hotel, yesterday afternoon.
The men drew their chairs closer to-
gether and settled back for a good
story. 81 shall never forget the Cen
eral or his wife as long as 1 live" con
timed Captain IIerndon. ''But | rave
special cause to remember Mrs. Shelby.
I'm going to tell you a wal reminis-
cence of Mrs. Shelby, which has never
been published and will he new To some
of Shelby's men who are listening"
The group of veterans were all atten-
ton. They were good listeners to a
war story of any kind, but one con-
cernining Il narrow escape of the Gen
erals wife was of more than usual
interest. Captain Herndon paused for
awhile as though in deep reflection and
then began his story.
'sBack in the Cos when the federals
trembled ut the name of Shelby, | was
Captain on the steamboat Ezeta, which
piled up and down the Missouri river"
SAID Herndon. ''Our principal cargo,
gathered from the river towns for st.
Louis, was hemp. Berlin, a village
with II big warehouse and a sprinkiing
of residences, was one of the chief
points in Lafayette county for the TAX
ing on of hemp, which grew in that
vicinity very prolilicaIly. Berlin is
.,.rD,rlal h., hill, Il,ff nn1 =, oE4,t
midway between Lexington and Dover,
towns in Lafayette county where a
great number of Confederate veterans
now reside, and which were the scenes
of many fiercely contested battle be-
tween Shelby and the federals. Near
City, about six miles south of
resided the Shelby family at
their fine country home. The federals
had taken Lexington and were over
running Lafayette county at an alarm
ing rate. Berlin was sliced and Louis
Wernwag, who had charge of the ware
house, cautioned against showing any
or giving any assistance to
the rebels in the bushes on Big Tabo
at Dover and AT First Branch.
ssWhile the federals were at their
NOISb III lLdld1 CllC COuul1 dlu bullSliuS |
for the blood of anybody who bore the
name of Shelby, | landed at Berlin for
a cargo of hemp and some federal
who were gong to st. Lonis. |
went up II high bluff leading TO Wern-
house and was on my way back
to the BOAT when an apparently feeble
dressed IN black, her face
almost concealed by n black bonnet,
Iottered across my path. She plucked
my sleeve and called me behind a
clump of bushes. saw that the woman
was disguised. Peering under her pom
net | saw n young and handsome face.
She was o the least bit nervous and
the most matter-of- fact matter COM
.unicated to me that she was Mrs.
Bette Shelby. The information would
have shocked anybody but n steamboat
| simply listened.
" The federals have threatened my
.ife,' remarked the lady, 'and wish to
get to St. Louis. From there | can
AXE a tram to the home of relatives in
Kentucky and will then be safe ]
Hhistled softly TO myself and and looked
the bluff where the crew were
busy loading hemp and the soldiers
we're loungig about here and there
lwaIting the order TO board ship. Had
.hese soldiers known that | was then
to Mrs. Shelby they would
been about us in II moment.
al determined to take her, and
her TO tOtter down the road
md get on board in full view of any
whose attention was attracted
L., OLa olaraI nIn,trohly and
on board like Il feeble old woman.
the confusion she was unnotIced and
lid herself behind a lot of hemp IN the
ear of the engine room. There she
waited until the cargo was loaded and
he soldiers were all on hoard. After
while | found time to go to her.
NEW her presence on board would
suspicion, so | feared to take her
Up to a stateroom by the stairs. A
adder near her hiding place furnished
he means of getting her above with
nut beng observed. Once in the state
DOM a new danger threatened. The
.hambermaid was a negress and had
developed a hatred of all Confederates.
guarded against arousIng her suspic-
by a bold move. called her and
Ihowed her the old woman in the room.
That woman Is old feeble, but some
lines she has spells and tries to kill
'verybody who comes near her. At
hat the negress' eyes nearly popped
rom her head. s'There is no danger,
said, keep her locked in, lgive her
he meals regularly, and keep away at
II other times, and you will be safe
The negress obeyed instructions to the
etter. f.;
ssEverything progressed smoothly
until we got to Waverly, a hemp land
ng 10 miles down the river from Ber-
in. There we took on several troops
# federals, and 1 thought sure they
would overhaul the boat and discover
he fugitive, but luckily they did not.
s'Further on down the river l got
vord to land the soldiers at the foot of
cedar ST. eet IN st. Louis. | knew that
meant that the boat would be searched.
was determined 10 take Mrs.
Shelby through safely at all hazards, so
about scheming how | could land
Ter without detection.
ssWhen at the head of Bloody Island
stopped the boat on the pretext of
and during the copfusion
Tipped Mrs. Shelby off the boat. {
ook her to the train and purchased her (
ticket to Louisville, Ky. In addition
gave her 50. She had not one cent
# money with her. :
"One day, after the war closed,
eceiVed "A letter of thanks from Gen.
oseph-O o. Shelby. Accompanying the
etter were the price of the railway
had purchased and a tive-dollar
ill., F.,
"SilveF Newspapers" I
In the last chapter of Mr.. Bryan's
reat work, 1.-The First Battle" he
ays: ''In preparing Tor future works
nore attention should he paid TO our {
.ewspapers. No words of praise are
90 strong to commend the work dore Z
y the silver papers during the last
ampaign. While we were not nearly
o well supplied as our opponents with
ally papers, those which we did have
lid most effective work, while the