The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1921-08-23
LARRY CANTT'S WEEKLY LETTER
By T. Larry CAN'T

was left to pull trigger and he
would have died in the last ditch with
them. He refused to take the oath of
allegiance and died as he had lived an
unreconstructed rebel. He refused
to accept a pardon when rendered by
President Grant who was at West
Point with, Bob Toombs and was his
friend and -,admirer.o He told Grant
he had done nothing to be pardoned
for and was ready to try it over the
first chance. =
After Gen. 'Toombs' Visit to Wash
inston, he was asked if he met the
president?
Certainly" replied Toombs, 81
always call on the chief Of police
when L hit a town, for l don't know
when III get in trouble. Grant
tried to get me to take the oath of
allegiance" continued the general,
"but l told him that I'd boil down
hell to pint and drink it before I'd
swallow the ID thing"
When Gen. Toombs visited Lex
ington a chair was always placed for
him on the sidewalk in front of the
Roane house, which he took and was
surrounded by every one on the
street to ask the general questions
on current matters and hear him talk.
During the big fire in Chicago
Toombs was occupying that seat. A
newcomer, after shaking hands with
Toombs,< asked, 'Well, general,
what's the latest news?''
GLORIOUS newsp' replied Gen.
Toembs., .'Chicago is burning like
hell and the wind is still in our IA
vorp' - - 8
Because H. I. Kimball with Repub-
lican money began. rebuilding! At
lanta, he spent a good part of his
time denouncing. the town as pest
hole of radicalism, and did not modi-
fly his language even when oni visit
to that city. But when the Klmbatl
house was burned Gen.. Toombs was
induced to go on note to, rebuild ut
and was left. with the bag to hold.
This stripped him of considerable
part of his wealth. :.
Gen. Toombs would go to-, any
length to assist a man he liked, but
they had to toe the political line ne
had chalked. He furnished Henry
Grady, Bob ,Alston and St. Clair
money to start the Atlanta
Herald, but, when Grady wrote an
article eulogistic, of Jos. E., Brown,
Gen. Toombs made the sheriff fore
close his mortgage and so cleared the
way for the. Constitution. The only 4
bitter article Grady ever penned was
in denunciation of Gen. Toombs on !
this occasion, which concluded with, /
"He loans his money like prince
and collects it like .Shylock." :.
After Lees surrender small! j
army of Federal troops were scour-
ing. the country, after Davis and
Toombs, who were, looked upon by
the Washington authorities as the
chief instigators of the war. My
family had .refugeed from Charles
ton, S. c., and my father had traded
seven negroes for farm in Elbert
county, Georgia, as "a temporary
home. The war had ended and,
squads of Yankee, cavalry; We're seen
on every road in search for Davis and
Toombs. 20 - .,s.... s.s.,.;
Late one afternoon, Mr.. James N.
Carter, another. of Toombs' old sol
diers, rode up ,to. our gate and ASKED }8ss d.
il. my father was at home. replied
that he had gone to a :neighbor's. Mr,
Carter then told me to say to my
father to be wit out fail at the home
of Col. L. H. O.. Martin that night at
12 O'Clock sharp; and as Mr.. Carter
stuck spurs ip his, horse and dashed
off, he turned in his. saddle. and add
ed, "And tell him that it is not be-
yond his, cable tow" =
My father reached home little
after. dark. Il gave him the first part
of the. message he said he was tired
and had no idea of taking such a long
ride that night, but when l added
about the "cable tow he had ser
want. saddle a fresh horse and rode
away and ne did not return home for
several days. 20: r>,. -
1t. was, not until years after and
when l had grown to manhood and
IL f,.o