Free press., 1907-02-09

KENTUCKY as a Doy was noted LOT MS
cowardice. and as man not only
feared his fellow men, but would go
miles out of his way to avoid women.
Yet there came time in Kentucky,
well as other parts Of the South. when the
true courage of all men was severely tested
During the Presidential election of 1850
men in Kentucky voted viuG Uoce, and of
course, every one expected that John Harris
would take to the woods. he known
to be rank Abolitionist and the only Lin
coin man in the whole county.
As John was quiet, inonensiye
have the courage to resent, many insults
were heaped upon him when his anti
slavery statements were known.
at hand: excitement was very great and
The voter had to approach the cleo
tion table and call out the name-either
Douglas breckenridge, Bell Lincoln
for whom he desired to cast his vote. The.
3 election table surrounded by a mob of
desperate men and election buns
John Harris at the appointed hour was in
line ready to cast his vote
The excitement intense. and some
threatened t to shoot him if he dared to vote
Coward" standing calmly in line ap-
parently not needing their threats.
He had told them that voting a
sacred duty and that he intended to cast
his vote even if death should be the result
When John reached the voting table
there were not less than five or six pistols
pointed at MIN ana ne was again warned
that he must die if he voted the BLACK Re
He merely smiled at their threats and
told them he would vote although he died in
After giving his in full he was
asked the usual question-''Who do you
Lincoln
At this moment James Wilson, who was
afterward General Rousseau's Union scout,
sprang to his feet and said, 81 a Demo-
crat, and the first man who attempts to do
harm to John Harris is a dead man"
John voted, and instead of turning around
and walking out of the room, he walked
plrz hAu6f
hand. while James Wilson covered the
buns with a double-barrel shot gun.
The bum element was paralyZed with
tonishment Not a word was spoken for
some time: John Harris went to his home
himself down on the bed and cried like
child. The psychic condition which pos
sessed him was now gone, and his coward
ice again controlled him
On the tenth of June, 1861, there gath
cred large crowd of people near RUSSELL
Vile, Kentucky, to feast upon roasted OK,
and to hear speeches from Humphry, Mar
tial, and others advocating secession.
Many people were ignorant of the pur-
port of the meeting and were out for
good time and among that number was
when he arrived on the grounds there
was already a great gathering of people
nouncing the Northern people, and urged
immediate secession. Above him hoated
sion. John and one of his cousins were
seated upon log listening to the speech
eS when IN the distance was heard the
beating of drums and whistlng of a fife.
A procession of sons of Southern plant
ers approached carrying aloft the Stars and
Bars. and trailing in the dust the Stars
and Stripes. At the sight of the latter John
turned pale and trembled like leaf.
AS they came nearer. Johns face flushed,
his eyes sparkled and springfng to his feet
he grasped the Stars and Bars and in an
instant tore it into shreds.
CONSERVATION seized the whole crowd and
not a word spoken for several mo-
ments- But soon there was an outburst of
ID
vanced upon him for the purpose of aveng
ing the insult to the Confederate flag.
XIII the Abolutionist; hang the Black Re-
John Immediately backed out from the mob
some distance, but that he was
surrounded, and there was no escape. He
stopped down and picked up a club and
blows with the club were powerful that
several were knocked senseless to the earth
before he was overcome.
Finally he was taken by the mob and in
a few moments a rope was around his neck
and he dragged until he was uncon-
scious The rope loosened and he be-
stand his hands and feet were tied to
small sapIing growing near.
Then consultation held to
whether or not they should burn him. On
account of his having two brothers who
were Secessionists and who had already
listed in the Confederate Army, it was
deemed best not to torture him with fire.
With fiendish ingenuity they spread syrup
on his face and exposed parts, to attract
flies of which the woods full.
During all this time not a groan was
people enjoyed themselves as only Ken
tuckians Not mouthful OF water
was given him, and the flies swarmed over
his face and hands like bees.
Two men stood guard to prevent anyone
from relieving his sufferings- When night
came on, and most of the people had gone