Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1906-08-08
A Kansas Feud
[Original.1


bleeding Kansas my father was one of
those rushing in to settle the question
whether the state should be slave or
free territory. We were from the
north-father, mothee, sister and l. My
father had met with reverses in bust
ness and had been persuaded to at
tempt to recoup in the new region, of
which much was expected. l believe,
though l am not certain, that our ex-
penses were paid by abOlitionists.
We had farm between Topeka and
Lecompton, on the Kansas river. How
we got 1t l don't know
One evening about sunset I was
driving the cows in when / saw my
father galloping toward the house. In
another moment man shot out from
behind the trees, and ! heard my ia
Their call to my mother to get his rifle,
quick. She ran into the house and in
a moment was back with it, but just
as she handed it to him there were sew
eral shots in quick succession, and
mother and father both fell BY this
time l was appalled, at my own danger
and hid in the long grass. The man
came up and looked at the bodies. Then
his attention was arrested by my little
sister, three years old, who was stand
ing in the doorway, too young to I'M
derstand what had happened. Then
another man came riding out of the
woods and the two talked together.
heard them say that father and mother
were both dead and there were two
less abolition sQuatters In Kansas.
They were in quandary as to what
to do with my sister, but finally con-
Guided to leave her where she was.
This was equivalent almost to leaving
her to die, for they had not seen me,
and the chances were few that any one
would come to the farm in time to save
her.
AS soon as the men had gone l went
to the house and without stopping to
make any preparations took little Bes-
sic, carried her to the river, few hun
dred feet from the cabin, got out the
boat that we kept there in some BUSH
es, launched 1t, and, putting Bessie In,
we fioated down the river. l was too
shocked and exhausted at first to row,
but as it was getting dark, fearing to
be out in the night, took up the oars
and pulled till saw settlers cabin
on the bank. The occupants. were
southern people, but not ruffians by
any means. Indeed, they gave us every
succor and sympathy. With them Bes-
sic grew up to consider them her par
ents, and l felt as much attachment
for them as she.
/ was often asked If l would recOg
nize my parents murderer and was
several times confronted with men to
identify him, but all l could say about
him was that he was very young, and
/ never saw any one who looked like
him. AS the years passed the indis-
tinct images faded entirely from my
mind. Not so the incident. That re-
manned as distinct as the day it Oc-
TO handle gun l spent hours in the
woods practicing at shooting, prepar-
ing for the day when should meet the
murderer. | was boyish enough not to
doubt that would surely do so.
When the civil war came ON l was
seventeen years old. Having been
born of northern parents and brought
up by southerners, my interest in the
struggle was neutralized. l thought of
entering the northern army, but only
in hopes of meeting the enemy l long
ed to meet But the chances were not
sufficient even for my enthusiastic or,
rather, imaginative temper, and l put
off the day of enlistment
One evening during the middle of the
war l was at hotel in Independence,
Mo, and stepped into the barroom to
get cigar. A number of southern
sympathizers were there, men who had
taken part in the Border ruffian" war.
talking over their experiences. One Of
the number, man about thirty, told
the story about which my life revolved.
His only qualms Of conscience were
having left little child to die uncared
for but he even cracked joke about
this.
The meeting with my enemy was the
happiest moment Of my life. l was de-
batting how l would deal with him
when he turned and, seeing me stand
ing apart, asked me to drink.
Thanks" said, ~ never drink with
murderers!'
or course l had my revolver ready
before / threw down the gauntlet, and
he was obliged to temporize.
Eyer mighty particular" he said.
mot with whom fight"
"And when do you want to fight"
"Now."
We agreed to go out into the street
and take positions at opposite ends Of
the block, then advance and shoot as
soon as we saw each other. / could
have killed him where we were, but II
had done so his friends would have
killed me. Just before going out
went near him and said In low tone,
"I'm the son of the people you murder
ed and the brother of the little girl
you left to die on the farm"
He paled, and l knew his nerve was
gone. AS we went to our respective
positions turned every few moments
to make sure he didn't try to get
away. When at last saw him stand
Ing on his corner l felt that my re-
venge had come. At a given signal we
advanced slowly. The street not be.
Ing very well lighted, we could not
have distinguished each other II there
had been any one else on the sidewalk.
81, % x11