Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1899-09-08
STORY OF THE CIVIL WAR.
A Texan Tells Why He Wanted VO-
shOn Defeated for Con-
rres6.
From the Dallas News,

From the Dallas News.
Mr.. William Shea is a silver Democrat.
He is a Missourian, and back in Ireland
they spelled it O'Shea. Mr. Shea took more
than passing interest in the Shackleford-
Vosholl congressional fight in the old
Bland district, and threw up his hat and
let out a few white metal yells when the
returns announced that Hon. Dorsey w.
Shackleford had carried the district by
5000 plurality over the Hon. Mr.. Vosholl,
of Usage.
Mr.. Shea has been in Texas for 10 these
many years, and his friends could not un-
derstand why little matter such as a
congressional election should make him so
hiariously eXuberanr. Last night Mr..
Shea came down town.
Il see that the local committee having
in charge, the Democratic National Carni-
Texas and show himself" said Mr.. Shea
to News representative.
Yes said the scribe
That reminds me of story of the
war; said Mr.. Shea. We lived at Syra-
cuse, Mo, during the war. Syracuse is a
home of Bland's successor. l was a small
boy at the time. and the great majority
of the men of the town had taken sides
and ad were were, away from their homes ghtng
Shackleford, then man well advanced in
years and the father of the new congress-
man, lived at Syracuse. He was a most
excellent gentleman, very charitable and
kind hearted and held in high esteem by
the people of that section of Missouri.
War is hell. according to a great mill
tary genius, now dead, and he told the
truth. One day Captain Todd's mounted
and Captain shackleford. was captured by
them. We lived not far from the Shackle
ford residence, and my mother, noticing
that our neighbor was in the hands of the
Philistines., crossed over. A guerrilla, p:s-
fnl in eytydr RI inc W Ntaiv1 hanly-
leford.
You are not going to kill him." she
said addressing her conversation to the
''Thems my orders, ma'am, and orders
must be obeyed," the man mumbled
Perhaps he was not in love with his
batant who had never harmed him. Just
then Captain Todd rode up and dismount-
Captain Todd, do not kill Captain
Shackeford. He is a good man and has
been kind to all alike since the beginning
of the war" was the fearful appeal Of
Hes. id copperhead,, madam was
the grufEresponse. My mother stepped in
between the doomed man and his execu-
guerrillas and save the life of her neigh
bor Another decisive action was taken.
Take that woman away; roared the cap
aside. the sharp report of pistol rang
out and all was over. An inoffensve and
generous hearted man lay dead on the
green sward, a victim to the ferocious
spirit of the times. The guerrillas mount
ed their horses and rode away. All this
happened many years ago, and to me 1t
seems more like a dream than a reality.
Many time I've heard mother give the
details of the death OF Captain Shackleford
at the hands of the rough riders of Mis-
souri,. Being a silver man, l was very
anxious that the son should turn his fight
against Vosholl for seat in the lower
house of congress-and the sad fate of his
good father away back in the little town
of Syracuse, in war days, made me doubly
interested In the outcome of the congress
sional contest