The Montgomery tribune. (Montgomery City, Mo.) 1892-1910, 1907-10-25
WHIPPED BY GUERRILLA
Mr.. Rosenberger's thrilling
experience at High Hill
about forty years ago
BY II. c. TURNER

Walking up to q company Of
friends at Danville on October 10,
Emil Rosenberger, of Montgomery
County, who is seventy seven
years old, and has been q member
of the bar In Missouri for nearly
forty years, said:-
Gentlemen, 1t was just forty
three years ago today that l was
horse whipped at High Hill, this
County, by Bill Anderson's Gusr-
rillas, which occurred q few hours
after this town was, burned
and Ave of the citizens killed by
these same people," The gontle-
men knew that Mr.. Rosenberger
was telling the truth, for it recalled
to their minds the down fall of this
place, which was then a prosper
GUS city, and is now only q little
village.
Mr.. Rosenberger celebrates the
occasion because he suffered in
good cause and that it is an event
that gives him some distinction
above the other mem bers of the
Missouri bar. He has been an at
torney for nearly forty years in
this County. His story of his hor-
rible experience is as follows:-
"Bill Anderson with thirty-six
of his desperadoes came into High
Hill forty three years ago this
week. They called at my house
and said if would not let them in
they would smash the door down.
l knew they would do it, and it did
not take me long to decide to open
the door. Without giving me a
chance to dress, after taking my
money at the point Of a gun, they
marched me up town where eight
of them horsewhipped me with
whips that they had gotten from
my own harness shop, and this
was done while had on nothing
but an undershirt and pants
While they we're pouring lashee
upon nae, Bill Anderson himself
galloped up and said, Throw
down your whips you
If you want to kill the man, shoot
him! but don't whip him!"
The Guerrillas obeyed theil
chiefs order, and turning to the
bleeding victim one of them said
''Oome on, you damn Dutohmsn
and take drink
Mr.. Rosenberger says Tom Hub.
bert, q man raised in the County
was the leader of the whipping
brigade, and that the reason they
did il was because he was the bosi
of the Underground railroad" "anG
kept q "freed mans bureau" Mr.
Rosenberger's back was as raw al
q piece of meat, and his skull haG
been fractured with the butt enc
of a pistol.
''It was about nine o'clock q
night when Bill Anderson's Guer-
rillas entered this town. A grouI
of citizens were standing in from
of the court house discussing the
advisability of putting out picketl
that night and placing half doz.
en- men to sleep in the block house
Their apprehension was vel
founded; soon the horses fee
! were heard and in a few minutel
the band of Guerrillas were in the
city. Bill Anderson shouted Fire
on them!' A terrible scene ther
followed. The Guerrillas with
yells and shouts charged on the
citizens, firing and riding upon
them, killing everything in view
Next morning the town was il
ashes. Five of her citizens were
killed, women and children were
In q state of distraction. Few had
slept any that night and with the
peep of day came forth womer
weeping from the corners Of fences
and walking slowly toward the
square and casting furtive glancel
up and down the street. They
found that Ave Of their citizenl
were dead, Henry l.. Diggs, DIR
Samuel j. Moore, Michael A. Gill
bert, N. s. Simmons and q schoo
boy named Ira Ohinn. He was ,
Widows SON and was shot down II
the doorway Of his mothers hom'
while he was Watching the fright