The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1897-09-30

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" II was characteristic
of the time and place that nobody pres
cnt happened to think of the dead
negro.
Among these poor people Walton
Scroggs was, perhaps deseryedly un-
popular. The other a o~pen-hnnded.
generous, easy-going, had won not a
little of their unreasoning yet enthusi-
astic regard. 1t was while Scroggs.
with two advisers, was seated, sad and
trembling, in a little room of the tavern
awaiting the result of the doctors eN-
animation of his fainting foe that a
citizen came rushing in. -Scroggs,
you'll have to get Out of this-quick.
There vas a meeting of that old Grant
and ColfaN 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 o ing"
Coming? They were already there.
With furious yells and vergefuI threats
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 ex-
PLANTATION or denial-they swarmcd
madly into the Office, demanding Wal
tons body. The battle was on in an in
slant, a battle for life, a 60 seconds wa
of races, white against black. as il had
TO be, since M 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
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 a miserable blunder, but
the end vas mot 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;
yet it would have been wiser counsel
10 recall him and his party within "a
hours. They could have done better
service nearer home. How il happened
none could ever surely say. Among
the whites il remained for years an
article Of faith that desperate and de-
termined negroes had followed Walton
Seroggsto his refuge and there wreaked
vengeance for the blood of their fellows.
Among the negroes it has never been
looked en- as other than "A direct mani
f~estation of divine wrath upon their
enemies and prosecutors. How the
house could have so suddenly burst into
flame 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 from
their sleep by the report of the sentry's
musket and the yell of "Fire!" 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 evea the
foremost Of the soldiers were appalled,
and bewildered by what they saw and
Observation-Disclosures Walton and the quad
roon maid Elinor wriDging their hands