The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1899-12-19

Here is a short story from the Chica-
go-Times-Herald that 1t has taken his
tory thirty-six years to write.
AT the beginning of the great civil
war, in 1861. Samuel w. Kenney. a
pennsylvania by birth. was engaged
IN business in Pulaski, Tenn. He
owned farm of 231 acres near that
place, and had $4,000 worth of cotton
stored there He was a strong Union
man. and the southerners burned his
cotton and made it impossible for him
70 live among them A mob attacked
mis- house, and he and his family. after
hiding several days in the woods made
their way northward and went to their
old home in Pennsylvania.
In Spetensor, 1862, Kenney Joined
the mand of General James S.
Neglcy a' iltlslurg, and entered active
servite q S SPY. He went to Louis
VIE ard thence entered the Confed-
crate 3Nes i'e was recognized and
betrayed by Gre of his old Tennessee
neighbors, and was arrested by
Bragg's forces at Lynchburg.
From this point Samuel w. Kenney
disappeared His family knew that he
mad been captured and believed that
ne had been executed, but proof of
that fact was unobtalnable. In 1867
MRS. Kenney left Pennsylvania and re-
moved to Dwight ILL.,, where she has
resided ever since. Two sons. now
grown to sturdy manhood. live in
Chicago
twenty years ago they made an at
tempt to obtain a pension for their
mother, but failed, because the depart
ment records at Washington did not
show that the missing spy of 1862 had
been regularly enlisted, and there was
mo proof Of his death Quite recently.
however, Congressman Woodman of
this city found in the war department
an unofficial reference to the execu-
ton OF northern spy named Kenney
at Tullahoma. Tenn, Feb. 1S. 1863.
This proof was regarded as sufficient.
and pension has just been granted to |
the aged widow in Dwight.
Last week Alexander Kenney and
his brother John went to Tennessee 10 |
discover, If possible, any further facts
about the fate of their father. They
visited Tullahoma, and were most hos |
pitably received by the town officials.
1t was suggested by the mayor that an
aged woman who had lived in the |
place ever since the war might know |
something about the death of the |
northern spy. and she was visited.
There were only four men killed in
Tullahoma during the war" she said
positively. Three of them were con-
federates, and they were buried in the
town cemetery. The other one was n
spy, who had been caught by Bragg's
men. / saw them take him out of the |
Jail and put him into a wagon. and
saw him sitting on a coffin. They
drove away with him, and | heard thai
he had been hanged, but l don't know
where"
Can you remember the name of that
spy" asked one of the Chicagoans
YES" she replied slowly. his name
was Kenney."
But this seemed to be as far as the
search could be carried. There were
no town records which would throw
light upon the matter. and no addi-
'ional facts could be learned. Return
ng to the railway station the two Chi
he railway agent, Archibald Smith
'agoans fell into conversation with
md incidentally mentioned their mis-
lion while waiting for a train.
Well. boys. I'm sorry for Won ha
aid. but guess l can help you some
saw your father hanged. was only
welve years old then, and the sigbt
vas stamped upon my mind indeIlblv
or was scared nearly to death. Re.
ides, the body was buried on nv fatb-
RS farm, and for many years after
yard / used to shudder and run as
asst as l could whenever had to mass
he spot"
The trio, led by the southernor
uickly passed through the little town
nd just outside the suburbs. on. Inc
side. a halt was made.
"They hanged your father to that
ycamore tree there by the spring"
lid the guilds. His body was buried