The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1909-05-06
SAVED BY COLE YOUNGER.
Senator EIkinS Tells Of Gap.
ture By QuantTeII's Band.
The Young Union Soldier Was
Allowed to Live Because One
of the GueriIIas Recognized
Him as a Boyhood Friend
How the Debt Was Paid.

How the Debt Was Paid.
From The New York Herald.
"Back IN 1860" said Senator
Stephen b. Elkins, when my class
was graduated from the University
OF Missouri. Governor Sterling Price
addressed us on graduation day and
afterwards urged US to stand by the
South in the approaching conflict.
In the end Governor Price became
one OF the leading generals In the
Confederate army and all but two OF
the class entered that service. We
were graduated almost under the
guns OF the Civil war and feeling was
very high In Missouri and the border
states. My father aud the brother
next to me Joined the Coniederates,
but | had read the Lincoln and
Douglas debates, and for some rea-
soma boy OF Is does not always
know just WHY separated from the
Others OF my family and my class
mates and stood by the Union. This
made matters very warm In our
family and my brother and | came
very near fighting it out even before
we got into the blue and gray uni.
forms.
events moved very rapidly, and
before the Missouri militia, in which
l was enlisted, had its uniforms and
had been sworn into the service OF
the United States we found ourselves
on the outskirts OF the battle Of Lone
Jack, Mo-, which proved very san
culinary contest to the Coniederates
Had matters arranged themselves
Just little differently would have
been fighting against my brother
and bis regiment In this battle.
"When the battle was over rode
over the field and found sight
which | always remember with sad
ness. Hundreds OF men had been kill
ed. In some places their bodies had
been piled up. as breastworks and
horses we're used for the same pur.
pose. The fighting was crude In
those early days OF the war and the
feeling on the two sides In that sec
tion ran very high. Some time after
this battle saw my brother and We
decided to make a visit to lady
whom we had known long before. Or
, our way to see her We had to pass
some pickets.
THE QUANTRELL BAND
Everybody knew all about Guam
trelIs guerrillas In those days. They
roamed over the country carrying
few supplies and living upon what
they could take from those whom
they encountered In their quicl
marches, taking no prisoners anC
} killing nearly every man they cap
tured. They were desperate lot o
two hundred or more men, many o
; them personally known to the sec
: ton In which they operated. Il wal
) their custom when they captured {
man to shoot him, often from thu
back, toss bis body into the bushes
and ride on. Many a man was cap
tured and told to ride on, only Il
drop with q bullet between bis shoul
, ders. His body would be found by
the roadside with his overcoat gone
and his pockets rifed.
"When / started to return to my
home at Kansas City had ne
thought OF encountering QuantrelP'
men. My heart was very light and
, had other things to think abou
than war and its grimness. JUS
about that time all nature seemed Il
sing-you know that time probably
but my head came down out OF tn
clouds with a jolt when saw beior'
: me a group Of men with their horse'
tethered by the roadside, which
0 proved to be Quantrells pickets
. Three OF them were playing card
3 and the other two looking on. The,
Q saw me before l discovered them
, and turning back was out OF tn
Q question. So braced up and rod
? on with as little concern as was pos
sible In the circumstances. / knew