Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1903-11-24
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BRIER PATCH CHAMPIONS.
How Uncle James seossins Settled
Giant Pete WestmoreIand.

How Uncle James seossins Settled
Giant Pete WestmoreIand.
Editor Yorkville Enquirer:
AS THE ENQUIRER from time to time
presents the familiar names and faces
of persons we have known for a long
time-ever since our CHILDHOOD rem
iniscent spirit is aroused and we often
feel that we would like to add some
thing that has apparently been omit
ted.
The name and face Of Mr.. James
Scoggins, as 1t appeared In last Tues
days paper, recalls several incidents
that might interest many Of your read
ers, who may not be familiar with his
earlier life-only one Of which I will
mention now.
In his earlier days Mr.. Scoggins was
without doubt one Of the finest speci-
mems Of physical manhood in Western
York and he always bore the reputa-
tion of a man who had the courage to
maintain his natural precedence. The
incident of which l am going to speak
took place at what is known as the
"Brier Patch" muster ground, near
SMYRNA church, a short time before
the beginning Of the Civil war.
It was customary, on muster days,
to have liquor on the grounds. 1t
might be a candidates or some one
who wanted to turn a little booze into
money. In the latter case 1t was not
looked upon as it now is for a man to
sell liquor. In fact, some good men
men of means and character did 1t.
Anyway 1t was always convenient for
those who would do so to get tight,
and sometimes pretty drunk, just as
the spirit moved them in that direc-
ton.
At the time of which we speak the
crowd was pretty we'll liquored up,
among them Tom Lanier and Tom
Whitesides. (who, to distinguish him
from several other Tom Whitesides,
was called bad Legs" How or
where he got this sobriquet
never knew, unless 1t was from
lust such occasions as this, when his
lower extremities afforded such a poor
means of locomotion.) Mr.. Whitesides
though. was a first class gentleman,
and related to some Of the best fami-
lies in Western York. But, like many
otherwise good men, liquor sometimes
got the advantage Of him.
The shooting match was very COM
mon pastime with some people, and
Tom Lanier made it a speciality by
which to increase his income. He was
acknowledged to be one Of the best
marksmen in the country, and many
times he was employed by others
to do their shooting at the mus
ter ground matches when they
had bought chances. On this oc..
casion Tom Lanier claimed to have
won a very fine gun from Mr.. White
sides. (Whether Mr.. Whitesides had
ever wagered the gun or not do not
know. But he was shooting with the
crowd and Mr.. Lanier undertook to
take the gun away from him by force
A tussel ensued, which was followed
by blows, and finally the two men fell
with Lanier on top. The crowd gath
cred around and cries of Hands off;
let 'em fight it out" Don't part 'em,
men; don't part 'em. Let 'em have a
fair fight" while all was going the
same way-against Whitesides. Mr.
Scoggins was always a quiet man and
never took stock In any such carous-
ais. Yet, he would not stand by and see
a man imposed upon when he was una
BILE to help himself. Pressing into the
crowd and seeing into what hands this
traveller from Jerusalem to Jericho had
fallen, Mr.. Scoggins stopped down to
pull Lanier off him, when Pete West
moreland, who was a stout, heavy-set
man, a blacksmith by trade and as
plucky as a bald hornet besides, struck
him such a blow in the back of the
head that Mr.. Scoggins said that ne
| could see stars all over the ground
Pete had struck such a blow that the
force of 1t had staggered him back
few steps. AS Mr.. Scoggins raised UP
he saw Pete's eyes flashing fire, while
he said with an oath, "Pete's hoss."
Just then he made another lunge, but
as he got within proper range he met
blow from the sledge hammer fist of
Jim Scoggins which sent him back
wards with a momentum somewhat
similar to that Of a pair Of old fash
ioned winding blades that had i'st
their equilibrium while running at a
high speed.
This broke up the fun and enled TN.
chapter. J. L.
Eta Jane, S. c., Nov. 20, 1903.
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