Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1906-07-12
A Kansas Feud
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! During the border ruffian days In
| bleeding KANSAS my father was one OF
| those rushing la 10 settle the question
| whether the state should he Slave or
| free territory. We were from the
| north-fathcr. mother, sister and l. Ny
father had met with reyerses 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 abolltionists.
| We had n farm between Topeka aud
Lecompton. on the Kansas river. How
we got 1t l don't know
| One evening about sunset l was
| driving the cows In when l saw my
| IN ther 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 1t, but just
as she handed 1t 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
| aud 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 squetters in Kansas.
| They were In quandary as to what
| to do with my sister, but finally con-
| cluded 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 ] 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 cut the
boat that we kept there in some bush
IS, launched it, and, putting Bessie In,
we fioated down the river. | was too
shocked and exhausted at first to row.
but as it was getting dark, fearing to
be out In the night, l took up the oars
and pulled till l 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
z Ia -. 10.
for them as she.
was often asked II would recog
nize my parents murderer and was
several times confronted with men to
Identify him, but all could say about
him was that he was very young, and
I 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-
Cured. AS soon as grew old enough
20 handle Il gun l spent hours In the
woods practicing at shooting, prepar-
ing for the day when l should meet the
murderer | was boyish enough not to
doubt that would surely do so.
w Dcu tuc ClNll WuI CulHC Ou w dS
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 We're not
sufficient even for my enthusiastic or,
rot thor n oil a tfCn and I nut
off the day Of enlistment.
One evening during the middle of the
war was at hotel In Independence,
No. and stepped into the barroom to
| get cigar. A number of southern
| sympathizers were there, men who had
| taken part In the "border rufiian" 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. | was de
| batting how | would deal with him
when he turned and seeing me stand
| ing apart. asked me to drink.
Thanks" | said. Il never drink with
| murderers"
OF course had my revolver ready
| before | threw down the gauntlet. and
he was obliged TO temporiZe.
| Yer mighty particular" he said.
Not with whom fight"
"Aud when do YOU want to tight?"
| "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 ana said IN low tone.
I'm the son of the people you murder
| cd ANA the brother or the i,ttle girl
/ YOU left 10 die a. The farm
He paled, ana | knew his nerve was
gone. AS we went to our respective
| positions turned every few moments
| ~ nj h,,