The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-10-13
PURIFIED TO DEATH
BY PRAYER MEETING,
Strange Story of the Fate OF
GAINESVILLE, ILL.,. Once Il Flour
isling Wicked Village.
GAMBLERS AND BAD men RULED
Finally Righteous Citizens Held
Mass Meeting. Prayed for Death
Ct itinglcader and Birth of IL
Sampson and Toughs Fled.
EEnrRLrc SPECIAL.

1 f.i-ft Blu SfE'ISIs
Bloomington. ILL.,, Oct. ~12-Twelve mile.
north Of Bloomington and three miles Yves
of Lexington, on the line of the old Peoris
and Danville road. lie the ruins of a towr
that, long before the days of Chicago. prom.
ised to become the metropolis OF Illinois.
If tradition and certain records in the
archives of the Mclean County Historical
Society are true. it was a town that wa:
purified to death by a prayer meeting.
Three score years ago this town was -four.
i~shins-and az wicked as Sodom. Gomcrrah
or the Latin quarters OF Paris. ciarksville
was it's corporate name. Its population was
several hundred. and its fame as a dwelling
place of gamblers and high livers' was ok
tensive. II had been laid ont on July u,
iS3@, by Joseph and Marston clark. ard
from its founders got it's title. The original
plat of the town is recorded in book / of the
Mclean County records-an ase-staiaed vol
ume that rubs its musty backs against its
musty fellows in the County Recorders Of
flee.
Ilarksvilio gave promise of becoming the
metropolis Of Central Illinois. II outshone
bloomington and other cities which have
since grown 10 prominence. II was at the
height of it, fame ia the early forties. Ira
ditton has 1t that :Or pure, unadulteratcd
HicEedn.ss. ClarksvIile was uncGuailcd il,
Illinois. 1t VAS infested with gamblers.
leg. the fresiancers owned and raced old
Gear Kitchen supposed 10 he the fastest
riArttT-hU.r-e that MAS ever owned IN tine
county. Numerous inhabitants w-r. known
A. hauituai law -hr.akers ana general bad
boys. and they made it dangerous tor The
ieN chGtCI-S ,trs TO attend services or to
permit IL 10 be known that they had pre-
objections in tn8t direction.
lFi+ staJc Of things was permitted to 20
on uncheckc4 Tor a number o; years, and
Untl ~ the J.-smenJ oi the better .Ie-
meni o! tae o-.nty foroearancc had ceased
to be Il virtue.
TIA. IL .tor:c Prnyer N~c.tIns.
non this condition had been reached a
mas ;:,tit.Ts OF the righteous people OF the
COM. No. called Ia discuss ways and
'i't'iS. 4 ais gathering ~aa neii IA Bloom
!hEt'h md there Was a large attendance.
II i'=r's-n its'u Ia,u e. ~ pfa!eT meet
lfS i": tae cSpr,sGed purpose. is tradition
IA 1t. 81 praying 70: the Geath OF the ring
.-aI"f~ IN Iae reign OF StckelHess. Iua
finaI consideration was that the death of the
~i..oiidI ii.S.c4G.F Nas Thought 80 he
mat "a child might be born OF sufficient
sFtae'h 20 3lIy the wicked mon as ~
-.!nson Of olj.
The story goes that the next day a man
'-.I.ei so~aids. noted as the r!Igieader of
~" bad men. wa taken violently al and Law
g.. ne peiri q death FOR some time.
out tn wicteGneSs continued. and threats
NJ tufthsr prayer meetings were met By
'r'iEterthr=at uf riots an. rough handling
cl Tue persons who invoked the vengeance
OF God The leaders selected certain men
VINO h2o attended ;he prayer meeting as
victims Of torture and death in case Sowards
Gled.
While the excitement was at its height a
cfhld Vas born to a man named Bradley.
and was cir!stencd Joseph. This child grew
10 manhood. and was until a short time ago
a respected citizen of Livingston County.
IT,. IS SAID TO be the only person born in t:lc
village in tn. course of this commotion who
lived TO mature age.
SowaTds finally got well. but the news be-
largely circulated that while tie
church people would hold no more public
prayer meetings they would from time 10
tine engage in secret prayer which IL was
announced would be just as effectual.
Gamblers Flee the Town.
rear OF the result of further prayer, and
the tact that the child Bradley had been
porn, IN evident answer to the petitions of
the righteous. filed the gamblers with Il
Wild terror. and they began TO leave the
town in droves.
Following their departure the town do
The people remaining acted as. IL
there vas a curse resting upon the settle
'nent- some removed their houses from los
within the village and RECONSTRUCTED them
upon the open prairie. The old meeting