Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1905-12-05
of DR.. Cameron, as the leader Of pub


When Gus marched his black jani-
Zaries into the house, no one was In
the office. Margaret had gone for q
ride with Phil, and Ben had strolled
with Elsie to Lovers Leap, uncon-
scious of the excitement in town.
DR.. Cameron himself had heard moth
ing of it, having just reached home
from a visit to country patient.
Gus stationed his men at each door,
and with another trooper walked
straight into Mrs. Cameron's bedroom,
where the doctor was resting on a
lounge.
Had an imp of perdition suddenly
sprung through the floor the master of
the house Of Cameron would not have
been more enraged or surprised.
A sudden leap, as the spring Of a
panther, and he stood before his former
slave, his slender frame erect his face
a livid spot in its snow-white hair his
brilliant eyes flashing with fury.
Gus suddenly lost control Of his
knees.
His old master transfixed him with
his eyes, and in q voice, whose tones
gripped him by the throat said:
How dare you?"
| The gun fell from the negro's hand,
and he dropped to the floor on his face.
His companion uttered a yell and
sprang through the door, rallying the
men as he went:
Fall back! Fall back! He's killed
Gus! Shot him dead wild his eye. He's
conjured him! Git de whole army
quick"
| They fled to the commandant.
Gilbert ordered the negroes to their
tents and led his whole company Of
white regulars to the hotel arrested DR..
Cameron, and rescued his fainting
trooper who had been revived and
placed under a tree on the lawn.
The little captain had a wicked look
on his face. He refused to allow the
doctor a moments delay to leave in
structions for his wife, who had gone
| to visit a neighbor. He was placed
| in the guard-house, and q detail OF
twenty soldiers stationed around 1t.
The arrest was made so quickly, not
dozen people in town had heard Of
it, AS fast as it was known, people
poured into the house, one by one, to
express their sympathy. But greater
surprise awaited them.
Within thirty minutes after he had
been placed in prison, a lieutenant en-
tered, accompanied by soldier and
negro blacksmith who. carried in his
hand two big chains with shackles on
each end.
The doctor gazed at the intruders a
moment with incredulity, and then, as
the enormity of the outrage dawned on
him, he flushed and drew himself erect,
his face livid and rigid.
He clutched his throat with his slen-
der fingers slowly recovered himself,
glanced at the shackles in the black
hands and then at the young lieuten-
ans face, and said slowly, with heav-
| ing breast:
"My God! Have you been sent to
place these irons on me?"
Such are my orders, sir" replied the
officer, motioning to the negro smith
to approach. He stepped forward, un-
locked the paddock and prepared the
fetters TO be placed on his arms and
| legs. These fetters were OF enormous
weight. made of iron rods three-quar-
ters of an inch thick and connected to-
gether by chains of like weight.
This is monstrous" groaned the
doctor, with choking agony, glancing
| helplessly about the bare cell for some
weapon with which to defend himself.
Suddenly, looking the lieutenant in
the face, he said:
II demand, sir, to see your command
ing officer. He cannot pretend that
these shackles are needed 10 hold
weak unarmed man in prison, guarded
by two hundred soldiers?'
| 1t is useless. l nave MS ORDERS Ill
rect.
But I must see him. No such out
rage has ever been recorded In the his
tory of the American people. appeal to
the Magma Charta rights Of every man
who speaks the English tongue-no
man shall be arrested or imprisoned or
deprived of his own household, or Of
his liberties, unless by the legal judg-
ment of his peers or by the law Of the
land!"
THE bayonet is your only law. My
orders admit of no delay. For your own
sake. l advise you to submit. AS
soldier DR.. Cameron, you know must
execute orders"
These are not the orders of a. SOL
dier!" shouted the prisoner, enraged
beyond all control. "They are orders
for a jailer, hangman, a scullion-
no soldier who wears the sword of a
civilized nation can take such orders.
The war is over, the south Is conquer
ed: l have no country save America.
For the honor of the flag, for which l
once poured out my blood on the
heights of Buena Vista, l protest
agains. this shame!"
| The lieutenant fell back moment
before the burst Of his anger.
Kill me! Kill me-" he went on, pas
sionately throwing his arms wide open
and exposing his breast. "Kill-I am
in your power l have no desire to
live under such conditions. XIII, but
you must not inf1ict on me and on my
people this insult worse than DEATH!
do your duty, blacksmith, said the
officer. turning his back and walking
toward the door.
The negro advanced with the chains
cautiously, and attempted to snap one
| % t1,o eho lnntnrfS right
arm.
With sudden maniac frenzy, DR..
Cameron seized the negro by the throat
hurled him to the floor, and backed
against the wall.
The lieutenant approached and re-
monStrated:
why compel me to add the indignity
of personal violence? You must sub
mit."
81 am your prisoner" fiercely re-
torted the doctor II have been SOL
dier i'm the armies Of America, and |
know how to die. Kill me, and my last
breath will be a blessing. But while
have life to resist for myself and for
my people, this thing shall not be
done!"
The lieutenant called a sergeant and
a file of soldiers. and the sergeant
stepped forward to seize the prisoner.
DR.. Cameron sprang on him with the
ferocity of a tiger. seized his musket,
and attempted to wrench 1T from his
grasp.
The men closed in on him. short
passionate fight. and the slender, proud
gray-haired man lay painting on the
floor
Four powerful assailants held his
hands and feet, and the negro smith,
with grin, secured the rivet on the
right ankle and turned the key on the
paddock on the left.
As he drove the rivet into the shackle
on his left arm, a squirt of bruised
blood from the old Mexican wound
stained the iron.
DR.. Cameron lay for a moment In a
stupor At length he slowly rose. The
clank of the heavy chains seemed to
choke him with horror He sank on
the floor. covered his face with his
hands and groaned.
THE shame! The shame! God that
might have died! My poor, poor
wife!"
Captain Gilbert entered and said with