Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1916-06-28

Lux tHeT serious OppOSltlOn, and Mr..
Rabbit brought into use his old train
ing on the underground railroad to
throw the blood-hounds off the scent,
so secreted the woman in the house
OF Prof. Stone, and prepared his own
strong residence to bear a siege. For
that siege preparations were made by
the clerical party during the after
noon and evening, without any effort
at concealment, and to brute force the
besieging party added brute cunning.
1t was known that in my lecturing
tours, l was often Mr.. Babitt's guest,
and might arrive at any hour. So,
shortly after midnight, the door-bell
was rung, when Mr.. Rabbit inquired:
"Who is there?"
"Mrs. Swisshelm."
1T is not Mrs. Swisshelm's voice?"
"William Griffin "a colored porter)
is with her."
1T is not William Griffin's voice."
Then, for the first time, there were
signs of multitude on the porch,
and with an oath the speaker replied:
I'VE want that slave"
"You cannot have her."
A rush was made to burst in the
door, but it was of solid walnut and
would not yield, when the assailants
brought fence-posts to batter it in,
and were driven back by a shot from
revolver in the hall. The mob re.
tired to a safer distance, and the lead
er-mine host of frst-class hotel
mounted the carriage-block and har-
angued his followers on the sacred
duty of securing the financial pros
perity of the two cities by restoring
Eliza Winston to her owners, and
made this distinct declaration of prin.
ciples:
II came to this State with five
thousand dollars; have but five hun.
dred left, but will spend the last cent
to see Bill Rabbits hearts blood
After which heroic utterance a
fresh volley of stones and shots were
fired, and fresh rush made for doors
and windows. The side-lights of the
front door had been shattered, and
one burly ruffian thrust himself half
way in, but stuck, when a defender
leveled revolver at his head, and
said to Mrs. Babbitt, who was then
in command of the hall, while her
husband defended the parlor win
dows:
shall I shoot him."
Eyes, shoot him like a dog"
But Mrs. Edward Messer, her sis
ter, who knew Mr.. Rabbits dread OF
taking life, knocked the pistol UP and
struck the ruffian's head with a stick
when it was withdrawn, and again
the mob fell back and resorted tc
stones aind sticks and oaths and
howlings and gunshcts, and threats
Of firing the house.
Mrs. Rabbit thought that personal
appeals might bring citizens to the
rescue, and in an interval of black
darkness between lightning flashes
escaped through a back cellar way
and had almost reached the shelter
of cornfield adjoining the garden
when the lightning revealed her an(
three men started in pursuit. 1t wa!
two months before the birth of ont
of her children, and Mr.. Elliott, ;
neighbor who was Fastening to tn
rescue, saw her danger and ran t.
engage her pursuers. Stumbling thru
the corn, he encountered one an.
cudgeled him, but all were separate,
by the darkness. Mrs. Babbitt, how
ever, succeeded in reaching the NOR,
thickly settled portion of the city, AM
the first man she called upon for help
replied:
"You have made your bed-lie il
it,"
The sheriff came, with two or thre
men, and talked to the mob, which
dispersed before daylight, with opel
threats to "have Rabbits heart
blood" and for months his family liy
ed in momentary apprehension of hi
murder. For months he was hoote,
= at in the streets of Minneapolis a