The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1899-09-28
SKELETON IN A CLOSET.
Whose Friends Was Murdered
In War Times.

Morning, colonel"
Morning, sir,'' replied the man who
was leaning over the fence.
He was short, thickset man, with
clear and piercing eye, his face shaved
smooth, with not the suggestion offa
wrinkle; vet his hair was as white as
snow. He had slight southern ac-
cent, and his hearty manner OF invlt-
ing the visitors in and his cordial hos
pitality were wholly southern. One OF
the visitors knew him, and had told the
other that here was man with bona
fide skeleton in his closet and that the
skeleton had a story. It did not require
any persuasion to obtain glimpse OF
the skeleton. The owner presently led
the way to an clubhouse, and, opening
the door, displayed the skeleton of
man, badly fastened together, and
hanging to the wall by the neck. The
Missourian did not object to telling the
story.
''That fellow" he said, motioning
with his thumb to the skeleton, ''was
once an acquaintance of mine, and l
liked him so well''-this with a laugh
that l have kept him by me ever since,
so that I can come out and stir him up
whenever I feel disposed" and he gave
the skeleton dig in the ribs. ut was
this way" he continued, closing the
door on his acquaintance. During the
war lived in one of the southern states
where I was about the only northern
man. They took nearly everything
that l had, as time went on; killed my
stock, killed some of my people, and
finally announced that they were going
to kill me. Nearly all the country was
terrorized at that time by good-for-
nothing chap whom we will call Jim
Conner; that was not his name, but it
will do-one name is as good as another
now.
"When the war broke out he started
in as sort of independent guerrilla,
and began system Of lcoting and kill
ing. I knew him well, and he sent me
word that he was coming my way and
was going to burn my house and hang
me to the trees in the yard. l sent
word back that I was ready for him.
We heard of him all around-men shot,
niggers killed, houses burned-so that
the name of Jim Conner became thing
to scare children, not to speak of men.
I was always trying to help northern
men, and one time had two or three
with me, passing them on as occasion
offered. I had not heard from Conner
or his raids for some weeks when one
day he rode into the yard and swore
that he was going to burn the house.
We had no means of protecting our
selves except by using a rifle, and with
that tried to pick him off from the top
story; but he had picked up one of my
friends who had been in the field, and
they put him on horse and stood be-
hind him and shot at the windows of
the house, at the same time gathering
brush with which they said to burn the
house.
But no one dared to approach the
house, as was sure shot. I supposed
that they would wait until night, and
then creep up and burn me out. l kept
out OF sight, and could not believe they
would murder man in cold blood.
But hearing shout, glanced through
a bullet hole in the shutter, and saw
them driving my friends horse up to
tree-a fine old tree that had planted as
a boy. One of the limbs crossed the drive,
and to this they fastened the rope, and
drove the horse away, leaving my
friend dangling there, and 1 watching
the operation, totally helpless, while