The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1905-12-20
eW Spelling In the Yaa' 1An7
Excerpts Taken From st. Paul Papers of
Forty Years Ago.


An almost incredible story of the
desperate methods adopted by the
rebels has been related to US by a
returned Minnesota soldier who had
been locked up for six months in the
infamous Libby prison. 1t is as
follows: Two rebel captains had
been captured by the Union troops
and hanged as spies. In retaliation
for this the rebels decided to hang
two union captains. All the officers
of that rank in Libby prison were
drawn up in line. A vessel contain
ing a number of beans, two of which
were black ones, were then passed,
each taking one. The black beans
were removed by Capt. Sawyer, of
a New Jersey cavalry regiment and
Capt. Flynn, of an Indiana infantry
regiment. They were given a few
hours to prepare for an awful death
on the gallows. Capt. SaWyer's wife
was notified. She fastened at once
to President Lincoln. The latter was
greatly shocked and promised the
terror-stricken woman to save her
husband, if possible. After a sleep
less night "Old Abe" had a plan
devised, and at once notified the con-
federate cabinet and President Davis
that, if those innocent men were
hanged he Lincoln) would at once
mete out the same fate to Gen. w.
H. F. Lee, son of their great COM
mander, and one other confederate
officer, whom he would decide upon
later. The rebel cabinet did not
expect such drastic measures, and
quickly ordered the release of the
two captains from the death SEN
tence. But the time for execution
was near at hand in fact, the pro-
cession to the gallows had already
commenced when the bishop of Rich
mond dashed up on horse with the
reprieve.
The firm of Culver & harrington,
one of the oldest and most pros
porous business houses in the city,
has : been dissolved. Since their
establishment, in 1852, they have
been the leading fur traders in this
city. Their operations were very
extensive, and their trading posts
dotted nearly every part Of our
frontier among Sioux, Chippewa,
Winnebagoes, Pembinas and Sci
kirkers. Norman w. Kittson was
the first to establish an American
trading post at Pembina, as far back
as 1874, but Culver & Harrington
were the first to establish an Ameri-
can competition with the Hudson
Bay company on British soil, in their
own domain. Their annual collec-
ton Of furs averaged nearly $500, 000
Though still young men they have
amassed large fortunes, and are now
enabled to retire from business tc
4 enioy the fruits of their enterprise
in opulent leisure.
The discovery Of gold at Vermil.
lion lake, in northeastern Minnesota
eighty miles north of Lake Superior
has resulted in the formation of -four
different joint stock gold mining
companies in this city. Maj. T. M
Newson now comes forward with
another company, formed upon diff
ferent principles, in the nature Of
mutual aid and protection, with {
view to emigration to the mines anc
settle on the land for common bene
/ fit. twenty-five men have already
joined, taken oath and paid $15t
each into a common fund, making
total of So, $50, which Maj. Newsol
says will be sufficient to transpor
the whole party and the necessar,
supplies to maintain them for tire
months. If their claims are goo,
ones every man of the party will b
wealthy. If they fail their loss wi
be only their time and $40 less thei
share of the common property whe
sold. The company is organized o
military principles, with officer;
similar to a regiment of infantry.
Patrick Nash with a force of ninet
men, is at work on the branch roa
FROM Mandate RI u1oC+ CT Dor,