Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1897-06-17


Nouor made matters worse. The horses
were being brought around from the
stable with the troop OF vagrant ne
groes loafng after, when, despite the
efforts OF his friends, the half-drunkeA
man came lurchiLg ont OF neighboring
saloon and with savage oaths rushed
at Walton, demanding satisfaction"
Weapons were drawn and shots eNc
changed on the instant, and one OF the
scattared mob of negroes fell dead With
q bullet through his heart, while for O
moment Walton, with smoking pistol,
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 10 suggest arrest. But he stood
there pale and unuerved now, covered
I with sorrow at the disaster TO the man,
who, even though no friend, was popu-
lar, well and widely known, and, ac-
cording to the somewhat accessible
standard of the state and day, "a per-
feet gentleman" It 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 deeervedly un-
popular. The other man, open-handed,
generous, easy-going, had won not
| little of their unreasoning yet enthusi-
astic regard 1t was while Scroggs
with two advisers, was seated, sad and
trembling, in little room Of the tavern
| awaiting the result of the doctors ex-
amination of his fainting foe that
/ citizen came rushing In "Scrogga
you'll have TO get out Of this-quick.
1 There was n 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"
Conaing2 They were already there.
| With furious yells and yengeful threats
4 a surging crowd of negroes came tear
/ ing along the village street, stopping
/ only a moment TO verify the death of
/ their friend, and-too late now for eN-
planation or denial-they swarmed
/ madIy into the Office, demanding Wal
toms body. The battle was on in an In
slant, n battle for life, Il GO seconds war
OF races. white against black, as 1t had
. to be, since none would listen 10 reason,
and superior nerve and aim told. Pis-
tolls and the office were emptied about
the same moment but five more darkies
/ had gone 10 Join Pete Jackson at the
. r. do r1-iafCr 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 Tugaioo
/ road. and far and wide the affrighted
negroes were scurrving over the coun-
try, carrying tidings of riot as they ran.
1t was all miserable blunder, but
the end was not yet. Lambert and his
detachment took station at Vernon,
| whence the negroes had fed In terror,
and ell warning was at an end. Such
were his orders, and he had no choice;
vet Il would have been wiser counsel
TO recall him and his party within p
hours. They could have done better
service atarcr home Hos" y happened
non. ......;l s.-3 e.r ~"
| the whites il remained Tor years IN
article of faith that desperate and de-
ter1nined negroes had followed Walton
Scroggs 10 his refuge and there wreaked
vengeance for the blood OF their fellows.
Among the negroes 1t 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 a three o'clock in the
morning the few men remaining with
| Capt. Close Ia camp were startled from
their sleep by the report of the sentry's
| musket and the yell OF "Fire!" and,
rpringlng 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
| othera-none were slow-but even the
foremost OF the soldiers were appalled,
and bewildered by what they saw and
hea Katherine Walton and the quad
room maid Elinor wringing their hands
| and imploring them TO save the bed
| ridden mother, while Esther vas max
ing vain effort to drag helpless form
through the blazing hallway. 1t was at
this juncture that Close came laboring
up the path. He was slow, heavy, Ind
@ longer distance 10 run, and was pant
ing hard, but he burst through the
squad already scrambling up the steps,
sprang through the fire-Gashing portal,
and with the strength Of an OK heaved
Walton, groanipg upon his shoulders,
| tumbled him out into the arms OF his
men, then turned on gaspng 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 fame.
Close leaped like Il tiger, with Gun
niugham and Murphy at his back An
instant, and these latter reappeared,
blind, staggering, their faces hidden
In their hands, and burst out into the
open air, stumbling heedlessly down the
steps a groau went mp from the men;
their captain was gone. In vain Bnrns
and Mcbride gtrovc TO rush In 20 the
rescue. Mortal man could not stand
such heat And then, IN the midst OF
lllt WIN ~ fthAAiiAE - N+AN NrAa 49,
helpless women, came from around the
north side Of the house an cxgltgnt
cheer. Those men who had had sense
enough TO strive 20 reach the side win
dows were rewarded by the sudden
thrusting open Of the shuttera and the
appearance OF the well-known burly
form Of their captain with some
blanlet-shrouded shape in his arms.
The flames leaped forth from that very
easement but d second after Close uuA
his precious burden were lowered 70
the walk below.
Aud this wac the story Of = brave
mans deed he heard from every lip.
eaid Lambert, later, as be hastened
back on receipt Of the newai and this
wss the response made by the brave
nan himself, when his lieutenant bent
over his seniors scared and bandpgea
face next day ana rendered his soldierly
/ congratulations. Turning slowly over
on his side, Close pointed TO the wreck
Of pair of uniform trousers, scorched