Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1897-12-17

He has held court as early as 6 a. m.
and as late a 10 midnight There were
two associates on the bench with Judge
Shannon One was stationed at Fargo,
one in the Black Hills and the chief
justice (Judge Shannon himself) at
Yankton the capital Of the territory
Outlaws ruled the country before the
Pittsburger went out into the wi de- to
administer justice. There had been
murders, lynchings and raids without
number Only one lynching came un
der his notice after Judge Shannon
held his first sitting in Dakota. He
made an attempt to apprehend the
lynchers but failed. One of his first
acts was to place on trial notorious
desperado Jack McCaull, for the MUIR
der Of Wild Bill, noted scout and
fighter This was notable trial and
its termination had salutary effect
upon the people Of the territory Nc
Caull was convicted and sentenced to
be hung The sentence was carried
out. It was the first legal hanging in
the history of Dakota. 1t was follow
ed by another public execution. The
desperadoes were terrorized They
had never known law before. There
had been no restraint. Now churches
were invad ng the territory and the
majesty of the law was asserting itself
At the end of Judge Shannon's tenure
there was vast change in the condi-
tions. When he discarded the ermine
outlawry had been subdued and Dakota
was as peaceable as New England
village, So it is to day.
Judge Shannon knew Abraham Lin
coin WELL He was member of the
committee of Pittsburgers appointed to
escort him from Beaver to Pittsburg in
81, when the great ''rail splitter was
enroute to Washington to be inaugu-
rated for his first term. The country
was in turmoil. Lincoln and his wife
we're escorted to the Monongahela house
where banquets was served in their
honor. Judge Shannon sat by the side
Of the president-elect aud chatted with
him all the while, becoming very we'll
acquainted with him. He went to
Harrisburg with the committee and
listened to Lincoln's speech at the capi-
tal That night there were rumors of a
plot to assassinate the president before
his inauguration A council OF promi-
nent men was held and it was resolved
that it would be dangerous to allow
Lincoln to proceed direct to the nation
al capital by way of Baltimore The
committee determined to take the presi
dent over TO Philadelphia and thence to
Washington. This was accomplished,
and the president travelling incog, prac-
tically in disguise. This incident hap
pened in February, ..s61
Judge Shannon regarded President
Lincoln as the most unique man he had
ever met. He once said: "There will
never be second Abraham Lincoln.
He was not handsom man-tall gaunt
and awkward-but there was something
in his eyes that appealed to every hon
est man and made "Old Abe" look
really handsome.
The writer called upon Judge Shan
non at the Hotel Duquesne yesterday
and had an enjoyable chat with him.
He refused, however, to talk about his
own career, leaving that delicate task
to his old friends. One thing he would
say, however; he would tell of the 10y
atty and generosity of Pittsburgers dur
ing the rebellion He said that many
wealthy men called upon him person
ally and proffered financial assistance.
''Mr. Baker-I think Baker was his
of the Harmony society Of Economy
and gave me check for 81, 900 to assist
in equipping the regiments Pittsbure
was sending to the front. Take that,
he said, and if you need any more
money for the same cause come te
Economy We will give YOU all We
have. This incident" the judge con
cluded, illustrates how Pittsburgers
gave of their bounty to the cause of the
Union
Judge Shannon was in Pittsburg dur
ing the worlds fair His son. Chri!
Shannon, is resident of Sewickley. A
daughter, Mrs. DR.. Naylor, and an un
married daughter also live there. An
other son is located in Philadelphia and
a daughter is in France. The judge
has become so accustomed to the salub
rious climate of the Dakotas that hi
feels he will have to end his days there
The temperature was IS degrees below
zero in Canton, S. D., when LEFT
home, said he, 'but it was not as colo
as temperature of 10 above in Pitts
burg. I don't think I can stand tht
damp, foggy atmosphere of Pittsburs
any more :
1t is likely that Judge Shannon viii
remain in Pittsburg until after the holi
1ays He has given I'M his law practice