The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1901-06-23

happening Ia another part Of the town. |
SIR. Dallas Matthews. a well known young
man Of this city. who Is a member of the
Light Guard, is an expert telegraph OPP
orator while the attention Of the crowd
was attracted By the attempts Of Captain
Mccormick to communicate with Austin
Afr. Matthews went 70 the telegraph office
Mt the railroad station and sent a telegram
to the state capital explaining the situa.
tIon and asking for endorsements. As a
result Of this telegram the order to Cap
tain Breedlove OF the Houston Cavalry
troop was issued by Adjutant General
Scurry.
Mr. Matthews deserves the highest credit
for his work. During the afternoon, while
the situation was apparently at it's worst,
he sent several important messages and
would have continued to keep up tele
graphic communication had not a man AZ
the station who read the messages as they
were sounded by the ticker told the crowd
OF their nature After that Mr. Matthews
told not 70 return unless he desired to have
q number Of dire penalties visited IN his
devoted head, lie had performed the prin.
cipal part Of his task however. and had
saved the day, for, although Sheriff Chan
dler had established communication from
Phelps, II Is not likely that arrangements
TO send renforcements could have been
made in time to prevent trouble had Il not
been for the message sent by Mr.. Mat
tneNN
During ali Of this time the talk npou,
taking the prisoner TO Groveton was still
going on. Captain Mccormick had received
the authority he asked for over the phone
before the Austin wire had been cut out
and a special train had been asked for
rms train was delayed for some reason
o. o., other. Ia fact, 4 never did Leave
began TO talk Of having been trlcked.
The situation grew more serious. Cap
tain Mccormick posted his men at all avail
able points In the school house, some under
II, come on each of the two floors and
three or four Of the best shots Of the COM
pany IN the cupola.
As night came on precautions against a
surprise were doubled. The men lay with
their rifles In their hands and the utmost
vigilance was practiced. At intervals mp
70 midnight members OF the citizens com.
mittees tried to make terms with Captain
Mccormick, who, feeling sure that rein
forcements were on the way, played for
time. All sorts of threats were made but
none Of them were carried out. Che strain
the little company stood II heroicaily. At
no time was the vigilance relaxed.
~
The special bearing the Houston cavalry
in command Of Captain Breedlove and a
second detachment OF the Light Guard. in
command Of Lieutenant J. $. Roberts left
the International and Great Northern depot
at 1910 Friday night. The train was in
charge of Conductor Manning and con
sisted Of two coaches and an engine. ON
board In addition TO the militiamen, We're
Captain f. A. Relchardt and Mr. Il b.
Gushing. who had been asked by Governor
Sayers to accompany the expedition in an
advisory capacity Mr.. /. A. Miller. Mr..
| Ramp Cook and special correspondent
Of The Post
The trip 10 the Trinity country was
| practically without incident Just before
the train pulled into one or the interme.
| date stations It ran over two torpedoes
! placed on the track by the hagman Of
another train which was going into a side
track In front. Until it was decided that
the reports were not pistol shots, some
little interest was manifested. Guards were
placed at the doors Of the two coaches ana,
after the train passed Waverly, on the
engine. This latter precautlon was taken
In order 10 guard against repetition OF
The experience which befell the enginoe
9l the sonthhound passenger train which
uas already been referred to.
AdjutHnt General Scurry In one OF m
telesrhms TO Captain Reichardt before the
party left Houston. had stated that hc
mad been Informed that Sheriff Chandler
and Captain Mccormick had been cut on
from their men and that they were henl
aeiag by the citizens This Information
The men on board the train all the NOR,
anxious TO reach their destination
Al Phelps the train was boarded b.,
Shcrln Chandler, whose presence at tha
point has already been explained and b,
Shera Brooks u Walker county, who wal
9 ,bs ma. From these two gentlemen
Y came TO be called secured their frs
dennlte Information. He appeared to b,
decply imhued with the Idea that ther,
would be trouble and said that an 80
OF Warlike demonstrations had been mad,
GurhR ne aNIi Although he bad lei
CAPTAIN hcCormlck and his men stand "a,
10y the track as the train, with the eugln Il
covered 10y sixshooters, flashed by tn,
Sherin was sure that the captain had re
turned to the school house and that h,
would be found there Plans were accord
ing made TO march 70 the school house
euect Junction of the two companies
leave for the south This was the genera
Idea. II being night and the real Situation
at that time being unknown details eoul,
not be gone into.
At i15 the train was stopped at a poIn
about quarter OF mile south of th
Trinity station A detail OF sixteen men
In charge OF Lieutenant Roberts was toll
OF TO guard the train. The remainder o
the troops were formed along the tract
and hnal instructions were given them
Immediately after the train stopped Con
duetor Manning, The Post correspondent
and another newspaper man started {,
walk TO the station. the conductor 10 20
orders, the correspondents 10 communlcat
with their papers. They proceeded on
short distance before being stapp d hy
number OF armed men who seemed 4
spring from the ground, SO suddenlr dll
lhey appear The uight WAS inteusel
, dark, the only light being that nirnishe
by conductor Manuiugs lantern.
me hrSt party OF men seemed 10 M
rather uncertain as TO their movements
Ihey merely asked how many troops Iai
arrived aud, when answered allowed M
pedesflans 70 proceed uumoiestod
, betore another nifty yards had been tre
Versed another and larger party. wbicl
seemed 10 appear as n 10y magic as ha,
/. the hrst one Recosted the conductor AN,
MS companions The spokesman ~ ihi
: party was a young man OF hercuieen build
! WHO was heavily armed ana who app1ren.
, ~ wished 10 known that he meant bisin 4.
he commenced hy asking how many troon
( had arrived Then be said thai tho cti
2ens had the Light Guard surrounded a
the school house p"
we are taking care OF them all Right.
. ne SAID and We propose to take care q
! these VINO have Just come IN, TOO. III tb :,
qttempt TO reach the town they vii nj
1 doubtedy be killed We are Hired Of Al
TINS soldier business and propose TO put
: stop 70 u We have heen trlcked into he
E ileNlhg that the prisoner would Dc taken /,
SroNefon tonight and now an attempt vii
+ be made 10 take him elsewhere W. w.n
that prisoner and we are going Ia Inv
{ MN. All We want 10 do Is TO see iusti