Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1916-08-02
EXTRACTS FROM THE AUTO
BIOGRAPHY OF
IANE GREY SWISSHELM
First Newspaper Woman Of
Minnesota.
4 Remarkable Woman Of Ante
bellum 0ayo-1016-1o66

| Minnesota.
A Remarkable Woman Of Ante
beIlum Dayo-1616-1oSb
CHAPTER xxx.
Speak In Public.
At length the time had come when
I could no longer skulk behind q
printing press. That bulwark had
been torn down, and now I must it,
orally open my mouth for the dumb,
or be one of those dogs spoken OF In
Scripture who would not bark. The
resolve to speak at that meeting had
come in an instant as a command not
to be questioned, and l began to pre-
pare. James McKelvey, a lawyer, and
nephew of my husband, drew my Will
and executed it, settled my business
and wrote a statement of the Visitor
trouble that it might live II I ceased
to do SO, then went to bed, sent for
Miles Brown to come to my room, and
saw him alone.
He was Pennsylvania, who had
the reputation of being dead shot,
and had a pair Of fine revolvers. He
pledged himself solemnly to 60 with
me and keep near me, and shoot me
square through the brain, If there was
no other way of preventing me falling
alive into the hands of the mob. My
mind was then at ease, and I slept
until my mail was brought. In it was
q letter from William M. Shinn, say
ing that without his knowledge, my
husband had succeeded in having my
one-third interest in the Sw1ssvale
estate sold at sheriff's sale, and had
become the purchaser. Mr.. Shinn
added his opinion that the sale was
fraudulent, and proposed entering suit
to have it set aside; but I could at
tend to no suit and lost all hope of
saving anything from my separate es-
tate. Surely the hand of the Lord lay
heavily upon me that day, but never
doubted that it was His hand. The
feed me and I should know no want.
When it was time to 60 to the meet
ing, was dressed by other hands
brother-in-law, Henry Swisshelm, had
organized for defense, and asked no
| questions, but went with them. Eliz-
abeth carried her camphor bottle as
| cody as If mobs and public meetings
Mrs. Hyke, a New England woman,
held my arm, saying: !:
well have nice time in the river
together, for I am going in with you.
They can't separate U.S."
AS we approached the Stearns
House, the crowd thickened and press
ed upon us. Harry stopped and said:
"Gentlemen, stand back, if you
pleased"
The guard closed around me, every
man with his hand on his revolver.
There were oaths and growls, but the
mob gave way, and made no further
opposition to our entrance.
The meeting was called to order by
Thomas Stearns, the owner of the
house and for whom the county had
been named, who with his brave wife
had made every possible arrangement
for the meeting. The large parlors
were packed with women, and every
other foot Of space downstairs and
even up, were filled with men, while
around the house was q crowd. It
was wonder where all the people
could have come from. A rostrum had
been erected at the end of the parlor
next the hall, but had no sooner TAX
en- It than there was an omnibus MUIR
muir outside, and it was discovered
that my head made a. tempting target
for a shot through the front door, so
the rOstrum was moved out of range.
There was not much excitement un-
til I named Gen. Lowrie and two 9TH
er men as the persons who had de-
stroyed the Visiter Office. Then there
was q perfect howl of oaths and cat
calls. Gen. Lowrie was on the ground
himself, leading his forces outside. A
rush was made, stones hurled against
} the house, pistols fred, and every wo-
man sprang to her feet, but it was to
hear and see, not shrek. Harry held
the doorway into the hall; Henry that
into the dining room. Brown had
joined Harry, and said in low, con.
centrated voice:
Brown"
He turned and pressed up to the
rostrum.
Don't fail me! Don't leave me!
Remember!
II remember! Don't be afraid! I'll
do it! But I'm going to do some other
shooting first"
"Save two bullets for mel" plead,
"and shoot so that can see you"
II will, I WILL" but all the time he
was looking to the door; Mrs. Hyke
was clinging to me sobbing:
well 60 together; no one can part
u.s."
The mob were pressed back and
comparative quiet restored, and when
finished the reading of my address
I began to extemporize. What said
seemed to be the right words at the
right time. A hushed attention fell
upon the audience, inside and out.
Then there was applause inside, which
called forth bowls from the outside,
and when stepped from the platform
I was overwhelmed with congratula-
tions, and more astonished than any
one, to learn that l could speak in
public.
T. H. Barrett, young civil engi-
neer, was chairman of the committee
on resolutions, and brought in a set
which thrilled the audience. They
we're most indignant denunciation
Of the destruction of the Office, an en-
thusiastic endorsement of the course
of the Visiter, and a determination to
re-establish it, under the sole control
of it's editor. They were passed sing
ly by reclamation until the last, when
I protested that they should take time
to think-should consider if it were
not better to get another editor.
There could be no peace with me in
IL l.