The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1916-10-26

tight and the colors3 could not be
raised. When this became noised
around the ardor =, of the crowd sub
sided but everybody and everything
was on tip toe looking for something
to happen. But it didn't. The knot
held tight. Several fellows tried to
climb the pole and gave it up.
You know how crowds are at
times like this, they want what they
want when they want it. First five
dollars was offered to the one who
would release the tackle, one hun
dred feet up from the ground. No
takers. Ten dollars brought none
Fifteen, twenty and twenty-five dol
lars. Money was scarce in. those days
and hard to get but this big sum was
finally offered. Yet no one volunteered
Some one happened to remember
just then that an old sailor, named
Jesse Johnson could turn the trick.
He was working on a huge barn for
Dan Nelson, out on Glendale road,
and by the way, this barn is standing
to this day. Out after Johnson went
a special committee and offered him
the purse. This was pie for Jesse.
Yes he would do it for twenty-five
cash in adVance-money first, and
back to town they went.
up Skinned Johnson, one hundred
feet high above the watching and
waiting crowd. He claimed the lines,
the tackle fell away and the hal
yards swung free. That broke the
pent up enthusiasm of the mob and
cheer followed cheer. johnson still
chung to his lofty perch as though re-
luctant to descent and the crowd was
stilled in watching him. AS the noise
ceased Jesse locked his legs, sailor
fashion about the pole, leaned far out
and swung his arms and beloved
at the top of his voice, 'Hurrah for
Lincoln
Such an act. in the eyes of the
democrats was treason. Republicans
danced in high glee. They cheered
and cheered while the democrats
howled in their rage. They would
get the bloody pup" AS Johnson
started down the democrats made for
the pole to grab him when he should
come within reach. But the republl-
cans would not stand to see their ally
harmed and they tore into the an
gered mob. Then ensued such a
fight about the foot of that pole that
people. talked about it years and
years after. Nick Francis, a great
burly lrishman, swore he would fin
ish the crazy sailor. He fought his
way to the pole and stood waiting.
He was attacked from all sides.
Sticks, stones, boards, clods, bottles,
and what-not rained through the air.
Francis stood his ground. He laid
out twenty or more who dared face
him and with back to the pole he in
vited the crowd to come on.
Jesse, meanwhile, did not hurry
his descent and stayed out of the
range of the missiles. Old Joe Ma
con was sheriff at this time and had
his office in little drug store he OPP
Grated near the hotel along the east
side. The sheriff was insane in his
anger. Said he, I'll bring down the
BLACKBOARD, and rushed into the Store
for his rife.
He brought it out, too and would
have shot the boy from the pole. He
aimed the gun but that was as far as
he got for some one struck him down
and took the rifle. 1t may have been
warm before, but when the gun came
into play the devil himself was there.
Many ran to shelter but more Joined
the fray, which now surged around
the sheriff Nick Francis went to
the sheriffs rescue and Johnson see
ing his chance dropped to the ground
and was soon in the hands of his
friends.
He was quickly hidden by some of
the quick-witted ones and never had
q scratch. The victorious republi-
cans withdrew and left the democrats
in possession of their pole but fighting
among themselves.
THE republicans had a great vic
tory in this county that fall and much
of it was due largely to the influence
of this flag pole incident, which will
be, recalled by those who were resi-
dents of the county at this date"
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