The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1904-04-29

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The mob was carefully organized.
They had taken their time and had
prepared everything deliberately, know
ing that nothing could stop them. No
one had any thought of concealment;
1t was all as open as the light of day.
all done in the broad sunshine Moth
ing hNd been determined as to what
was to be done at the Crossroads more
definite than that the place was to be
wiped out That was comprehensive
enough; the details We're quite certain
to occur. They were all on foot. march
ing in fairly regular ranks. In front
walked Mr.. Watts, the man Harkless
had abhorred in public spirit and be-
friended in private. Today he was a
hero and leader, marching to avenge
his professional oppressor and personal
brother. Cool, unruffied and to out
ward vision unarmed, marching the
miles in his brown frock coat and gen.
erous linen, he led the way On one
side of him were the two Bowlders. on
the other was Lige Willetts, Mr.. Watts
preserving peace between the young
men with perfect tact and sang froid
They kept good order and a simili
tude of quiet for so many except far TO
the rear. where old Wilkerson was
bringing up the tail of the procession,
dragging a wretched yellow dog by
rope fastened around the poor ours
protesting neck. the knot carefully ar
ranged under his right ear. In spite of
every command and protest Wilkerson
I had marched the whole way uproari-
0usIy singing John Browns Body"
I The sun was in the west when they
the cabins on the low slope stood out
angularly against the radiance beyond.
As they beheld the hated settlement
the heretofore orderly ranks showed a
disposition to depart from the steady
advance and rush the shanties. Will
let's, the Bowlders, Parker, Ross Scho-
field and a dozen others did, in fact.
break away and set a sharp pace up
the slope.
Watts tried to call them back.
"Whats the use your gettin' killed."
he shouted
"Why not?" answered Lige, and, like
the others, was increasing his speed
when old .Wimby" rose up suddenly
from the roadside ahead of them and
motioned them franticallY to 60 ka2!!--.
They're laid out along the fence wait,
in fer ye," he warned them. cit out
the road. Come by the fields. Fer the
Lords sake, Spreadp' Then as sudden
ly as he had appeared he dropped down
into the weeds again. Lige and those
with him paused, and the whole body
came to a halt while the leaders con-
suited. There was a sound of metallic
clicking and a thin rattle of Steel From
far to the rear came the voice of old
Wilkerson:
"John Browns body lies a-moldering in
the ground,
John Browns body lies a-moldering in
the ground
A few near him as they stood wait
ing began to take up the burden of the
song, singing it in slow time like a
dirge. Then those farther away took
1t up. 1t spread, reached the leaders
They, too, began to sing, taking off
their hats as they joined in, and soon
the whole concourse, solemn, earnest,
uncovered, was singing-a thunderous
requiem for John Harkless.
The sun was swinging lower, and
the edges of the world were embroider-
ed with gold. while that deep volume
OF sound shook the air, the song of a
stern, savage, just cause-sung perhaps
as some Of the ancestors of these men
sang with Hampden before the bris-
Ting walls of a hostile city. 1t had
iron and steel in 1t. The men lying on
their guns in the ambuscade along the
fence heard the dirge rise and grow
to its mighty fullness, and they shiver-
ed. One of them, posted nearest the
advance, had his rifle carefully leveled
at Lge Willetts, a fair target in the
road. When he heard the singing he
turned to the man next behind him
and laughed harshly, II reckon we'll
see big jamboree other side Jordan
tonight, huh?'
The huge murmur of the chorus ex-
panded and gathered in rhythmic
strength and swelled to power and
rolled and Numbered across the plain.
"John Browns body lies a-moldering in
the ground,
John Browns body lies a-moldering in
the ground,
John Browns body lies a-moldering In
the ground,
His soul goes marching ont
Glory, glory. halleluiah!
Glory, glory. halleluiah!
Glory, glory, halleluiah!
his soul goes marching ONT!
A gun spat fire from the higher
ground, and Willetts dropped where
ne stood, but was up again in second,
with red line across his forehead
where the. ball had grazed his temple.
The mob spread out like q fan, the
men climbing the fence and beginning
me advance through the fields, thus
closing on the ambuscade from both
SIDES. Mr.. Watts, wading through the
nigh grass in the field north of the
road, perceived the barrel of a gun
shining from the fence some distance
In front OF him and the same second
although no weapon was seen in his
hand, discharged revolver at the
clump Of grass and weeds behind the
gun. Instantly ten or twelve men
leaped from their hiding places along
the fences of both fields and, firing
hurriedly and harmlessly into the scat
tered ranks Of the oncoming mob,
broke for the shelter of the houses.
where their fellows were posted. TAX.
en- on the TANKS and from the rear,
there was but one thing for them to
do to keep from being hemmed in and
shot or captured. (They excessively pre-
ferred being shotD With a wild. high.