Williamson County, Illinois - The whole text, 1876 (part 4 of 5)

Noah E. Norris, the Sheriff, is about thirty-five years old, a quiet, honest man, and a cousin to the Grains, and on this account there was considerable feeling against him. He was often threatened, and violent outbreaks of passion were sometimes expected, and it was talked '' that some man had to hang on the 21st." But it is true that he performed his duty, and that under the most trying circumstances and greatest disadvantages that ever a Sheriff did. When the feeling against him was at its ebb, he removed Charles Robinson, the jailer, a man that the people had confidence in, and put in David Coke, a comparative stranger. But it so happened that Coke was a man from the ground up, and made one of the best and most reliable jailers in the State.

On the 27th day of October, George W. Sisney, Jr., came to the cell, and Marshall said, " Wash, I am ruined, I murdered your father, and ask you to forgive me," and fell weeping on his knees. Wash said : " You murdered him without cause, and I will never forgive you," and walked away with the excitement of gratified vanity lighting with radiance on the vestal roses of his cheeks. Some said that Wash ought to have forgiven him, " that forgiveness is the odor that flowers breathe when trampled upon," Others said he did right.

Marshall spent his time reading the Bible until, by the 21st of November, he was ready for baptism, according to the rites of the Christian Church. He was dressed in a long, while robe, and taken out, under a heavy guard, to the millpond of Mann & Edwards, and after a sermon by W. H. Boles, was baptized in^o the Church.

November 27th, another militia company was organized in the east end of the county, with J. T. Cunningham as Captain, and George Burnett, first and John Davis second Lieutenants.

December 21st, when the night guards went on duty they went into Marshall's cell, where " Black Bill " and "Big Jep " also stayed, and Marsh was gone. The jail was instantly surrounded by the guards, who cocked their guns to shoot him off the roof. The Captain again went into the cell, and found that a hole had been sawed and burnt through the ceiling. A boy was sent up in the garret but could not find Marshall. The Captain then found him rolled up in a mattress, in the cell, having come down from the garret, when the alarm was given. He had commenced sawing the shingles out of the roof, and had his blankets torn up for a rope to let him down. How the saw got into the cell is not known. The other boys said they had nothing to do with the attempted escape; that they "aimed to saw out with the statute." After this Marshall was chained down, as he said, " for the slaughter."

On the 25th of December, James H. Duncan, assisted by W. M. Davis and J. V. Grider, the plans having been previously arranged by Duncan - ran in on James Norris at Mr. Poteete's, at a ball, five miles southwest of Marion, This man is the most notorious and dreaded of all the assassins. Sisney tried for a year to have him arrested. He was brought to Marion and put in the same cell with Marshall.

"Big Jep " and "Black Bill" remained in jail until the 31st day of December, when they were taken to Cairo for trial. The case was called January 28th, and lasted until the 8th day of February. In addition to the facts detailed heretofore of the killing, two witnesses swore to seeing "Black Bill" going up to Crainville that fatal evening, another that he was at home in bed next morning, facts inconsistent with his alibi. Threats were sworn to by Narcissa Waggoner on " Big Jep " of a bad character. Music was corroborated by many other circumstances, such as the bringing in of the weed broken at the back of Mrs. Hampton's field. Several other witnesses swore to the alibi of both boys. A great many swore they would not believe Music on his oath, and they proved good characters. In all, there were about one hundred witnesses. Clemens, Calvert and Linegar appeared for defendants, Allen and Duff for the People. The jury found a verdict of guilty, and ten of them being for hanging and two for acquitting, they pompromised on a term of twenty years. When the verdict was read, " Big Jep" cried; but "Black Bill " remained unmoved.

"Black Bill" stands six feet three inches in hight, dark skin, sharp features, gray eyes, black hair and mustache, and very neat in his dress, about thirty years old, and unmarried. "Big Jep " is thirty-five years old, stands six feet one inch in hight, a full, round face, large head, light blue eyes, brown hair, fair complexion, and, like Bill, dresses neat.

Music said of "Big Jep:" "He did all the planning, but he is a coward, and whenever anything was to happen he would skulk to some relative, and lay concealed like a cut-throat until the crime was over, and then, like a bird of ill-omen, his death-screech was again heard."

Narcissa Waggoner, who swore against " Big Jep," (she having boarded him and Spence at the same time they had their difficulty) is a daughter of George Duncan, a respectable citizen of this county, and the wife of Carroll Waggoner. She is about thirty years of age, and is a woman of strong intellect. Her testimony was clear, consistent and conclusive. Before the trial at Cairo it was whispered around that her character for truth would be assailed. But persecuted, wounded, bleeding, hunted-down Williamson county rose like a furious lion at the mention of this, and insinuated that it would be considered an assault on honor, an attempt at Justice : and the noise silenced. She is the lady who unlocked the archives of secrecy and let the light shine in. For a time she kept the signet sealed in her own heart, but her spirit chafed and her divine form wasted beneath the load. It came to her in her dreams that she ought to tell it. Honor was beating at her bosom. The lives of future victims were pleading with her. The wild winds wafted begging from suffering women to her. All social life demanded it. The moral sense of the civilized world called on her to tell. Our lands had depreciated three millions of dollars, and the people were hopeless ; but she put her finger on the guilty party, and the fountains of blood dried up ; and the breast of every law-loving citizen swelled with joy and pride at thfe action of this heroic lady. Humanity will not forget the generous woman who, though living among the criminals, dared to take the proud rank of dignified resistance to subordination, and spend the unbought grace of her life saving her country, where men had failed. She lives in this emancipated, disenthralled county to-day, an illustration of exalted womanhood, with the gratitude of her county.

rolling the tin round a stick and wrapping it with wire. He then took a large cartridge which Norris had, and when he was turned loose to exercise, went to the provision door and called Music, and told him he wanted him to look at that, as he wanted to show him a sign. He put the gun in the door and struck the cartridge three times with a poker, but it did not fire. One of the guards -told Sam he was going to shoot him, and Sam got away. Marshall said he did not expect to shoot Sam, but to shoot above his head and make him break his neck jerking back. On the 14th, when he lost all hopes of killing Music, he threw his gun out of the window. On the 15th, the following conversation took place between him and Robert Wallace, day guard. Marshall, looking out into the hall, asked :

M. - "I heard Sisney say when I shot him, ' Oh, Lord, have mercy on me.' The Bible says, ' He that calleth upon the Lord, he will pardon.' Do you think Sisney is in Heaven ? "

Up to this time he had been jovial and funny, but now he said he had troubled the guards enough ; he had something else to think about ; that he would do no more to get out, and he hoped none of them thought hard of him.

On the 25th day of October he wrote to his cousin, Jesse Ragsdale, of Missouri, giving an account of his melancholy condition, and on the 1 6th he tried writing again. He wrote a letter to an abandoned woman in the south cell of the jail, advising her to live a life of virtue. This was a sensible letter. He was now daily attended by ministers and religious people, and by his faithful wife. On the i8th and 19th, the gallows was erected by Samuel S. Ireland, by cutting a hole in the upper floor, three feet ten inches square, in which he made a trap door, and erected two posts with a cross beam, six and a half feet from the trap door. On the morning of the 19th, Marshall awoke and screamed out, "Oh, Lord, let me die easy ! " and then prayed for a while audibly. On the morning of the 21st, he yearned to pour the balm of forgiveness into the goaded bosom of Music. The strife was over, and the battle lost, and the scars of a wounded spirit were imprinted on his face, as the lightning leaves its scathings, and the storms of passion leave their deep and blasted traces on the soul. He asked for Sam to be brought into his cell ; but Sam would not go. Marsh told them to get me, that I could bring him in. Sam said if I advised him, he would go in. I did not, but offered him protection; he dfd not go. Marsh said, "Tell Sam to forgive me." I did so, but Sam would not, saying that Marsh had told things on him that were not true. Marsh said that was so, and now to ask him again. I did so, and Sam forgave him for all wrongs It was a sad scene - two desperate men tamed to child-like softness, and weeping bitterly. They then went over their troubles together, and I carried the words from one cell to the other. Soon after, Marsh's wife entered his cell, and he took her on his knees and embraced her. It was a scene which should be sacred from all intrusion. Even the eye of friendship should not invade its hallowed bounds. Her eyes glittered with a metallic gleam, and the soft curl of her lips was lost in a quiver of despair. Her's was a deadly pallor. It was the incandescence, and not the flame of passion, that was burning in her inmost being. She would burst out into shrieks of great anguish, and then subside into sobs. She dreaded the heaving of her own bosom - dreaded the future and the world. If she could have died she would have been happy and holy in the hope of mercy. To be torn from a love made holier by past sorrows, was an insult to the attribute of Heaven. Marsh was in his sock feet, with a pair of jeans pants on, and a ragged jeans coat. He looked care-worn, and shed a few tears. Twenty-seven years old, spare made, weight 120 pounds, light hair, fair skin, light-gray eyes, with a bashful expression. He was married to Miss Rhoda Rich, March 4th, 1874. In speaking of the murder ol James Henderson, Marshall said that John Bulliner gave Jonas G. Ellett and Mart. Dyal ^300 to do it. By ten o'clock an anxious and expectant crowd was swaying to and fro in front of the jail. He bade farewell to his friends, and told them to bury him in the Hampton Cemetery. At eleven o'clock the militia formed on the Square, and marched to the jail and surrounded it. At least 3,000 people were present. The jail is situated a little south-east of the Square, and is a brick building, two stories high, with the cells up stairs. At twelve o'clock he was dressed in a white suit, with his robe over it. At twelve o'clock and ten minutes he took leave of his wife. At twelve o'clock and twenty minutes, with a firm step, he walked out of the cell and stood before a window on the east side, and in a strong voice said ; " Gentlemen, I must make a statement in regard to this matter. I feel it my duty to God and man to make it. I am guilty of killing the two men. My punishment is just. I hope all of you will forgive me. I pray God will judge and prosper this country. Good-bye to all." He then read a poem of twenty-four Verses, which he composed for the occasion. Then, with a firm, steady step, he walked on to the trap-door. At 12:34 Sanford W. Gee read a few passages of Scripture from John, and then sung, "There is a fountain filled with blood," Grain and all the rest joining in the singing, and then Gee prayed, Cain getting on his knees. The jury was then called and answered. About thirty persons were in the hall. At 12:46 his legs and arms were bound ; at 12-52 the white cap was put on his head, by John B. Edrington, Deputy Sheriff, who told him that he held a death-warrant, saying, at this hour and at this place he was ordered to hang him. At 12:54 the rope was put on his neck, and the front part of the cap pulled down by J. L. Kelly. When he was asked if he had anything to say, said, " I am the murderer of William Spence and George Sisney ; that is all I have got to say." He was asked if he was ready to receive the execution, and said, ''lam." He was then told that he had four minutes to live, and said, "That was all." At 12:56 the Deputy said, "Time up," and Brice Holland severed the rope which held the trap-door, and Marshall Thomas Grain swung between Heaven and earth. After the jerking of the rope he swung around and then was still ; he did not struggle. At 1:06 his pulse beat twenty; at 1:18 no pulsation at his wrist; at 1:22 pulsation ceased, and life was pronounced extinct by Drs. S. H. Bundy and John O'Hara. After hanging thirty minutes the body was cut down, and his neck was found partially dislocated ; the eyes and countenance looked natural. Sheriff Norris mournfully did his duty up to the time of the execution and then left, saying the law should take its course. At 1:30 his body was put in a coffin and taken outside the jail and exhibited to the people, and then given to his brother Warren, who started, at 3:00, for home. He was buried next day. And the wild winds of Heaven will sing their hoarse lullaby over his grave until the mighty angel Gabriel writes the solemn legend, "Finis," on the hoary page of time.

No polished stela points to his rest. He left to his wife as a legacy, the memory of a sad and unhappy man. He had nothing to plead in extenuation of his crime against the law's of his country ; but he has the frailty of human nature to plead for him at the bar of God. This is a plea that has ever opened the chambers of mercy to the sorrowing children of men. Grain was hung, "and yet men whose guilt has wearied Heaven for vengeance, are left to cumber earth." Marshall was not a man of genius ; but when he came to this work of blood his skill was displayed in a wonderful manner. So ingeniously were his plans laid, and so dexterously executed that nothing but treachery itself could unravel them.

James Norris is twenty-five years old, a large, fine-looking man, very intelligent and pleasant, but was a wild, reckless boy - loved all kinds of amusements, and got into some difficulties, and was several times indicted. His father is a respectable citizen of this county. James worked for Bulliner in 1874, when he got into the trouble with Russell and Pleasant. At the April Term 1876^ he was indicted for the murder of James Henderson, and went to trial defended by Clemens and myself - Allen and Duff prosecuting. Henderson's dying declaration was introduced, saying that he saw and knew Norris ; also, Jacob Beard testified that he met Norris in Cairo, five days after the shooting, and Norris was armed, and said he was on the scout, and asked if Henderson was dead, saying he knew who killed him. The defense was an alibi, four witnesses swearing that he was in Tennessee that very day. The jury found him guilty, and fixed his time at eighteen years. In overruling the motion for a new trial, the Court said he could not let the verdict stand, only on the fact that Beard's testimony made him an accessory to the crime. He was carried to Joliet, April 27. Since then Clemens went to McNairy county, Tennessee, and got fifteen other affidavits that he was there at the time.

It had been reported in Tennessee that some of the Hendersons were seen there, trying to kill Norris and Bulliner, and a company of one hundred men were raised and scouted the country there, in which Norris took part ; but the Governor refused to pardon him. The people said "This 'alibi' business is getting 'too thin'," and there was a strong prejudice existing here against the Bulliner family in Tennessee. They thought David Bulliner, Sr., was running the whole Bulliner side of the Vendetta, and any one coming from McNairy County was looked upon as a scoundrel. This was all wrong. David Bulliner is a good man, and his son George is as polished a gentleman as lives in Tennessee. Those other men are common, sober, honest men. James Norris was not proven guilty.

Samuel Music stands five feet ten inches high, thirty-four years old, spare built, light complexion, high cheek bones, pale blue eyes, moustache, and a low, broad forehead, with black, curling hair, and has an honest, open countenance. He was born in 1842, in Jefferson County, Illinois. He had three sisters and four brothers. His father was a poor farmer, and at ten years of age Sam. lost his mother. In 1854, his father moved to Union County, Ky. When the war came up, he and two of his brothers joined the 13th Kentucky (rebel) Cavalry, and served one year. Was in the battles 'of Fort Donelson, Uniontown and Rollington. He deserted the rebels and took thfe oath. In 1863, his father moved back to this State. Sam came back and was arrested and taken to Louisville, where he remained three months, and was tried for being a guerrilla, and turned over as a prisoner of war, and sent to Camp Chase. In 1865, he was turned loose and came to Illinois. He subsequently lived at Centralia, and for the last eight years lived around Carbondale, working, teaming generally, and drove a hack to Marion for six months, in 1869. In 1872, he hired to drive a log team at Mt. Carbon, and, while at this business, in the edge of Missouri, was married to Miss Mary A. Griffan, a very handsome little lady. In August, 1874, he hired to Landrum to team, and moved to Crainville. He has always been a drunkard, and is illiterate. During all the trial and fatigue of the prosecutions, he stood up without murmur or complaint. His fortitude never failed under the most searching cross-examinations, but mild, firm and confiding, he told the same story over and over. If he had refused to testify, or had broken down, the blood of other men would have stained 8a the soil of this county. He said he got into this thing when he was drunk, and had no idea of killing anybody, and now he had done more than justice, he had not been selfish from passion or principle ; but had told the whole truth. His case went to trial April 17th, 1876, defended by myself alone, Allen and Duff for the People, who proved his confession, etc.

The defense was that the confession was made under the influence of hope, and not proper evidence. After the argument, the jury took the case, and was out twenty-one hours, and failed to agree ; eleven being for acquitting, and one for conviction. And the case was set down for trial on the 2ist. By that time I was afraid to try to clear him again, lest I failed, and it poisoned the public mind against him. Thus far it had been his faithful friend, and the prosecution now threatened to be severe. So, the danger of turning public sentiment against him, was greater than the hope of clearing him. And, if I had failed, and the people turned against him, there would have been no hope of pardon. So, I was forced to agree to a verdict of guilty, and a term of fourteen years. Beveridge told B. F. Lowe and J. W. Landrum that what ever they wanted done with Music he would do. He, also, wrote to Duff and Allen, when he employed them, that they might say to Music, if they thought best, that if he stood firmly by the truth throughout all the trials, he would be the subject of executive clemency. And the people supposed that he would make it a point of honor to keep this promise. A petition was sent him, signed by the parties designated, asking Music's pardon ; but he refused to interfere in the case.

At the April Term, Samuel R. Grain was indicted as accessory to the murder of Spence. He was arrested, but being in the last stages of a pulmonary disease, was bailed in the sum of $5,000.

Milton Baxter had been indicted for the murder of Hinchcliff, and he had been arrested and confined in jail a while. At this Term the People nolled. He, nor his brother, were connected with the Vendetta, no further than being strong -friends to Russell and "Texas Jack."

With this, I seal the volume, and turn my eyes away from the bloody acts of depraved men, hoping with all the fervor of which my soul is capable, that God will add no other plague to our county. Enough has been done, to teach the world that sorrow is the first result of ambition, malice or revenge. The first gun of the Ven- detta that rang out in the air, betokened a coming storm, and since then crime's destiny and miseries' tale has been unfolded with the stencil plates of blood on the souls of men. Many have become bankrupt on the pathway to shame. The different phases of human life display with unmatched and unequaled clearness to our senses the great wrongs and sins of mankind, and when we, in the course of our lives and professions meet them, we are startled from our unusual composure, and always do take them for warning in the future. I wish they would not occur to attract our notice. I wish we could be spared the recital of such crimes, revealing, as they do, one after another the sins and depravity of society. But justice demands that the guilty should bear the reproach, and that the stain should be washed away from the innocent. And while a man has a right before God to protect his own life, he cannot become the aggressor without blame. It was not that spirit of barbarism which kills men in Kansas, that governed the Vendetta, but that spirit which fights duels in Louisiana. It was the knock-down style of the West, coming in contact with the code of the South. The men who killed BuUiner would have fought him a fist fight, but they would not fight a duel ; and they knew that it was death to insult a Bulliner and then face him. So, they laid down all rules, and that is why the shooting commenced on the other side. It never would have commenced on the Bulliner side ; and it is not to be wondered at if they accommodated themselves to this mode of fighting in the bushes.

The age of chivalry is gone, but it has left its traces on their hearts, and it may be that they chose to exercise it in a more murderous, but less public way. The chastenings of honor inspired both parties with courage, and mitigated their ferocity ; for they did not rob or steal, but simply killed. Their common cause gave them unbridled and unfettered alliance, each acting in subordination to the other. They held secret meetings, where powder and lead was the toast, and where they rejoiced over the death of an enemy like a conquering gladiator in the Roman Coliseum, with the fire of revenge roasting in their eyes. And so deep-laid were their plans, that treachery alone succeeded where stratagem and ingenuity had failed. The judgments against these parties stand out resplendent with the light of noonday as a beacon of warning that they will be duplicated whenever occasion requires it. At this time, but one side of the Vendetta has been punished. All on the other side have escaped.

Joseph W. Hartwell, the State's Attorney, served the people well in these prosecutions, and they have rewarded him by re-electing him. He was' born in this county, and raised a poor boy. When the war came up, he joined the Thirty-First Regiment Illinois Volunteers, and was at the battles of Raymond, Champion Hill, Vicksburg, Kenesawand Atlanta. July 21st, 1864, at Atlanta, his left arm was taken off by a twelve-pound howitzer ball. He came home March, 1865, and that fall was elected County Treasurer. He lived very hard, having a large family, and studied law under many disadvantages, but was admitted to the bar in December, 1866. It 1868 he was elected Circuit Clerk, and again ran in 1872, but was defeated. In 1874, he was elected Mayor of Marion, and May 15th, 1875, elected State's Attorney.

The people owe a debt of gratitude to Benjamin F. Lowe, for his bravery, skill and firmness. He was born in Effingham county, in 1838, moved to Marion in 1850. He was raised a poor boy, and worked around promiscuously. During the war he went South to see the boys from this county there, and on returning was arrested as a spy, but after a month's confinement, escaped his guards, and went to Canada. But he was not a spy, only having brought some money and letters through the line for the friends of the boys. Since the war he has lived at Marion and Murphyboro, serving as City Marshal at both places. In 1866, he married Miss Letha McCowan, and is a fine looking man, tall, slim, black hair, whiskers, and dark complexion. He is very pleasant, witty and an agreeable, reliable man. He is a professional gambler, and makes most of his money in that way ; but he is a peaceable, sober, quiet man, and a man whom the people have great confidence in, in emergencies. He took hold of our troubles when it seemed like death to do so ; but the people rallied in solid phalanx to his assistance.

All men agree that the man who coolly and deliberately takes the life of his fellow-man is not fit to live, and the Judge or jury who lets such a man go unpunished richly deserves the wrathful condemnation of mankind. Yet, Judge Crawford assumed a responsibility that no Judge in our country ever before took, that of hanging a man who plead guilty. And when judges and juries take the responsibility of trying and punishing criminals like this, the law will become a terror to evil-doers.

much bloodshed, will soon be ended if juries will convict the guilty parties. At the April Term, 1876, twenty-two indictments for this offense were found.

Williamson county has vindicated herself. She not only furnished the men to suppress crime, but she spent $13,032.79, besides jail fees. We are now beginning to have bright hopes of the future. Men of property would not come among us as long as the pistol and gun were used to redress wrongs, and men were allowed to go a "gunning" for human scalps. This has ceased in this county, and now if those editors who labored so hard to traduce our characters and disgrace our county, will do as much to restore it, soon peace and prosperity will be printed on the mangled tape of our county, and soon that odium that hangs around our name, like clouds around a mountain, will disappear, and Williamson county will stand forth resplendent in the light of a new civilization, conspicuous and honorable, and take the rank her sons and resources entitle her to.

Expenses Of The Vendetta Of Political

Until 18 1 8, the nearest court was held at Shawneetown, but our people had very little business in it, for, at that date, there were only one hundred and fifty souls in Franklin county. The county records were kept at the residence of Moses Garrett, from 1818 to 1826. In 1820, Lemuel R. Harrison, surveyed the town of Frankfort, and in 1826 the court-house was built. The first Sheriff of Franklin county was David W. Maxwell, and Samuel T. Russell, of this county, was his deputy, and collected the taxes for 1820 and 1 82 1. Then followed Thomas J. Mansfied and John Crawford. After the division, the

The Collectors of this county were William Hindman, 1839; William Billiard, 1840; James M. Furlong, 1841^ John S. Tutton, 1842 ; Robert P. Erwin, 1843, after which the office was united with the Sheriff's.

The County Judges were Simon Hubbard, who held the office of County and Circuit Clerk, County Judge, Master-in-Chancery, and Recorder of Deeds, followed by W. A. Denning and Samuel K. Casey. After the division, W. H. Eubank, 1849; D-ivid Norman, 1855; I. M. Lewis, Jesse Bishop, J. M. Spain, 1869 ; and now Bishop again.

The Commissioners have been, Cyrus Campbell, Starling Hill, F. F. Dwncan, Joab Goodall, John T. Damron, R. L. Fully, Thomas Scurlock, Thomas D. Davis, John Brown, Jonathan Jimpson,

The first Circuit Court was held by Samuel D. Lockwood, followed by Browne and Hardin. After the division, Walter B. Scates, W. A. Denning, W. K. Parrish, Willis Allen, W. J. Allen, A. D. Duff, and now M. C. Crawford.

The People's Attorneys have been Samuel D. Marshall, and. after the division, W, H. Stickney, Willis Allen, W. A. Denning, S. S. Marshall, F. M. Rawlins, W. K. Parrish, John A, Logan, M.C.Crawford, E.V.Pierce, J. M. Clemison, C. N. Damron, F. M. Youngblood, J. B. Calvert, pro tern., J. D. F. Jennings, and now J. W. Hartwell.

In an early day taxation was no burden to the people, being only twenty-five cents on the hundred dollars' worth of property. Wolf scalps were as good as county orders. For the purpose of paying a premium of one dollar per scalp for wolves, an assessment of two dollars on each voter was made, but wolf scalps, bear, deer and coon skins could be exchanged for tax receipts.

It is common for us to speak of those early settlers as virtuous, honorable and upright men ; but they sometimes committed crimes, and occasionally a man was sent to prison. The law was not enforced then, as at present. The people had an inherent sense of right, which was as efficacious in suppressing crime as the law. Hezekiah Garrett once killed a man in Frankfort with his fist, and was sentenced to the State's prison for one hour. He was a very good man. Most cases were tried by Justices of the Peace, of whom many ridiculous stories are told.

This county being mostly settled by people from Tennessee, in Jackson's times, they were all strong Jackson men, or Democrats ; but after the slavery question was settled, in 181 8, political excitement did not run high here until the election of James K. Polk, described hereafter.

The militia was well organized, and kept up regular musters until 1845. Company musters were held at David Norman's, John Snider's, Sarahsville Thos. Hill's, Solomon Sander's and Bainbridge. Batallion drills were held at David Norman's, John Sander's, and Bainbridge. Regimental musters were held yearly at Frankfort, until the division, then at Marion, there being a regiment in this county. James Corder was the first Major from this county ; Allen Bainbridge was the first Colonel; John Davis, Brigadier General; John S. Tutton, last Colonel^ and R. P. Erwin last Adjutant. A great crowd of these soldiers got into a difficulty at Bainbridge once, and just as they stripped and walked out to fight, a streak of lightning struck a cotton-wood tree, near by, bursting it into splinters, and they all ran off like devils.

In 1832, when the Black Hawk war began, the Governor called for 230 men from Franklin county, and one company, commanded by Jeff. Stephens, went from Franklin county, and the other from what is now this county. The militia were summoned, formed into line ready for the draft. They did not like to go so far_to fight Indians. But just before the " hat " was passed, an order came to give a chance for volunteers.

Enough volunteered to make up the company, and a shout of joy rang out along the line from those who did not want to go, on seeing the company full. Hugh, Samuel, Thomas, Jackson and James Parks, Junior Meredith, Wm. Crain, Wm. Groves, and O. H. Wiley, were among the number who went. Obadiah West was elected Captain ; Hugh Parks First Lieutenant, and Robert West Second Lieutenant. They went through to Rock river on horseback, and after three months returned home without having done any fighting. Black Hawk was defeated, and soon after died.

The division of Franklin County into the counties of Franklin and Williamson, was authorized by Act of the Legislature, approved February the 28th, 1839, which provided that the legal voters of Franklin County should meet at their respective places of voting, on the first Monday in August, 1839, and vote for or against a division of the county. The Act further provided that in case a majority of the votes cast were in favor of division, the new county should be called "Williamson," and then proceeded to bound the county. The election was held, and a majority voted for the division. The Act also provided that an election for county officers should be held on the first Monday in September, 1839, and the returns of said election should be made to Wm. Norris, Starling Hill, and John T. Davis, three Justices, who should meet at Bainbridge, and abstract the returns, and transmit the same to the Secretary of State. This election resulted in the election of Duncan and Hill, as County Commissioners ; Campbell was already one by virtue of being one in Franklin County. Sanders was elected Sheriff. The Act also provided for a division of the school funds, and Williamson County got ^469.51, as her part. By the same Act, Calvin Bridges, of Union County, Thornsberry C. Anderson, of Gallatin, and Jefferson Allen, of Jackson, were appointed to locate and lay out the seat of Justice in this county. They were authorized to require a donation of twenty acres of land, to be made to the county, for this purpose. On the 19th day of August^ 1839, these commissioners appeared before Wm. Norris, and took an oath to locate the county seat as near the center of the county as was eligible.

On the 7th day of October, 1839, the County Commissioners met at the residence of Wm. Benson, and cast lots for their different terms of service. Campbell drew the short term, one year ; Hill, the intermediate, and Duncan the long term, three years. Their first work was to approve the bond of the Sheriff and County Clerk. The Collector's bpnd for 1839 was $1,800. For the year 1875, $167,000. On the 8th day of Octobor, the Commissioners to locate the county seat, made the following report : " We, the Commissioners appointed by Act of the Legislature of the State of Illinois, to locate the county seat of Williamson County, approved February 28, 1839, have agreed on the South-West corner of Section Eighteen, Township Nine, South of Range Three East of the Third Principal Meridian Line, and we do further agree to name the site, Marion. Given under our hands the 20th day of August, 1839."

The first county order issued was to Calvin Bridges, for four days' service in locating the county seat, $12.00 On the same day the county seat was located, William Benson and Bethany, his wife, deeded, as a gift to the county, the West half of the s. w., s. w.. Sec. 18, T. 9, R. 3 East, containing twenty acres, which was the first deed recorded in the county by the County Clerk, who was then Recorder.

On the 8th day of October, town lots were advertised for sale by John S. McCrackin, Wm. T. Turner was appointed first School Commissioner, and John Davis was sworn in as County

Treasurer. On the same day, October 8th, Joh^id Davis reported as Justice of the Peace, of having fined Thos. Culbreth ^3.00 for an assault and battery on Michael Shanks, which is the first criminal case recorded in the county. Two days afterward, the Court laid the county off into five election precincts. Northern, Saline, Grassy, Fredonia and Marion, which extended through the county north and south ; and appointed Judges of Election. They then laid the county out in twelve road districts, corresponding to our twelve townships, and appointed Supervisors. Men were also appointed to mark out and locate roads, Henry W. Perry surveyed the town lots. These were ordered to be sold on six, twelve and eighteen months' time by the Sheriff. The sale commenced on the 17th day of November, 1839, and continued for three days, during which time thirtyeight lots were sold, and went very high.

The southeast corner of the Square was covered with a heavy growth of hazel brush, and R. M. Hundly, Daniel Stroud and Jesse Sanders were employed to "shrub off" the Square.

The History Of

.^he contract for the jail was let to Squire Howel, for ^335.00, on tile 8th day of January, 1840. It was a log house, and stood where the jail now stands. When he got it finished the Court docked him $25, for defective work.

Richard Cook was the first prisoner. He had been in Frankfort jail from this end of the county on a charge of horse-stealing, before the division, and brought here. John G. Sparks was first Jailer, and got thirty- seven and a half cents a day for dieting prisoners.

John Davis was the first man to get license to retail whiskey ; but during 1839, two of the County Court began to sell whiskey. A pretty hard record for this county. Campbell kept at Bainbridge, and Hill at his residence, until he moved to Marion, and the " Honorable the Worshipful" Judges fixed the price of whiskey at tv/enty-five cents a pint, which they afterwards reduced to twelve and a half cents.

On the 3d day of March, 1840, the Court divided the county into two Assessor's districts. Western, with Samuel T. Russell, Assessor, and Eastern, with George W. Binkley. At the first assessment there were 154 tracts of land, valued at ^27,136.00. Personal property was valued at ^139,410 00. Taxes on land was twenty and on personal property twenty-five cents per hundred dollars' worth. Total taxes for 1839, ^749.25 ; delinquent list, $18,013^ ; 1^407. 12 of this amount was county funds. The Clerk received two cents a tract for extending the land on the Collector's books, $3.08, and five per cent, on personal property, $69.70.

In 1 841, John Paschal built the court-house. It was forty feet square, two stories high, and built of brick, on the Square, at a cost of $3,500. It stood until 1859, when it was removed and a house built of the brick on the Brooks farm.

March 3, 1840, the first grand and petit jury were selected by the Court ; only three of the first are alive - O. H. Wiley, Hugh Parks, and Thomas Cox ; and only two of the last - L. C. Parks and James Shaw. During this year the Court appointed Overseers of the Poor, and up to i860, when the county bought the Poor farm, there were a great many sickly people in the county. Ehud Lamaster took the contract to keep the paupers, at $1.40 per week, per head. There were not one-tenth as many. They did not like to be sick, but the idea of going to the poor house was intolerable. The house cost $147. The keepers have been Lamaster, Roberts, Cash and Doty. One

In 1840, Warrington K. Spiller transcribed the land records of Franklin county, pertaining to this county, for ^46. The county records are all now in a perfect condition ; but some of them are badly written and difficult to read. The first Circuit Court was began May 4, 1840, by Walter B. Scates, in the little clerk's office on the Square. This court was conducted very loosely. A Justice's court had simply authority, without dignity, in those days.

While Starling Hill was County Commissioner, he was also ex-officio a Justice of the Peace, and kept a grocery in Marion. He could be seen sitting at his window, selling whiskey to a fighting rabble on the outside, while a case was being tried on the inside by a jury, and the jury, lawyers, witnesses and everybody else half drunk, talking about horse races, etc., so mixed up that nobody could tell the jury from the rabble ; but when the verdict came, it was about right. This was not the case in Hill's court alone, but it was the general custom.

Allen Bainbridge put up the "Western Exchange," the first regular hotel in the town. It was a brick building, fifty feet long, and two stories high, situated on the north side of the Square, on which he paid out 37)4 cents in cash, the rest being paid in goods. In 1844, there were four Abolitionists in the county, and three hundred Whigs. Political excitement ran very high. Some of the Democrats had the horns of their oxen painted with polk berries,* and one teacher brought his whole school into town, with his scholars painted. The Whigs would drag the polk stalk in the dust behind their wagons, and the result was many fights. I tell this to show that thirty years progress has made us no better. The Cutrells, Russells, Roberts, Ryburns and McDonalds were Whigs. The first liberty-pole raised in the county, was raised in 1848, by the Whigs.

When the call for troops was made to fight Mexico, this county responded promptly. In 1846, A. P. Corder and E. A. Phillips took a few men from this county, and entered the service at Caledonia, Illinois. They joined Capt. H. L. Webbs' company, in the 2d regiment of the first call of Illinois Volunteers. On the battle-field of Buena Vista, Corder was promoted to the rank of a captain, from a private, for his reckless bravery. In 1847, John M. Cunningham made up a company of one hundred and twenty-five men, and left Marion, May the 24th, for Alton. On arriving there, Jackson Damron took forty of the men and joined company " E," from St. Clair County. Cunningham's company was Company "B," of the first regiment of the'second call, or 5th Illinois regiment. B. F. Furlong was First Lieutenant, R. M. Hundley was Second Lieutenant, and D. L. Fully was Third Lieutenant, W. H. Enbanks, Orderly Sergeant ; Wm. Sykes, Chief Musician ; Harvey Russell, Color-bearer ; E. W. B. Nubia (a very mean man), was Colonel, and Boykin (a very good man), Lieutenant- Colonel. They left Alton June 17th, 1847; left Leavenworth, July 7th, and marched through to Santa Fe on foot, where they arrived December 12. They returned home October, 1848, and were received with a public dinner in the Court House.

Capt. James Hampton raised another squad in this county, and joined John A, Logan, from Jackson, and one Provo, from Union, and made another company. Thomas I. McKinney, now General

McKinney, was a private in Cunningham's company. A soldier, in 1848, in this county, was a curiosity, and the people came from all quarters to see the troops, as they returned home.

In 1852, J. M. Campbell was appointed Drainage Commissioner, to sell the swamp lands of the county; but he soon resigned, and James D. Pully was appointed in his place. In 1863, Mr, Pully made his final report, having sold all the swamp lands of the county, amounting to over 23,000 acres. These lands were sold in ist, 2d, and 3d classes, for 75, 50, and 25 cents per acre, and the proceeds went to the school fund.

During the campaign of 1856, the Democrats were very noisy, and the Republicans were silent. Griffin Garland made the first Republican speech in the county, during this campaign, and Col. Ben. L. Wiley, Republican candidate for Congress, received forty-four votes in the county. The campaign of 1856 was attended by many rough-and-tumble fights, and whiskey was issued out by the bucket full. Men were generally allowed to vote as they pleased, but abolitionists were looked upon with contempt.

and ^1,800 out of the swamp land fund. He gave bond in the sum of ;^ 19,000 to have it completed by the 15 th day of November 1858, which he did. He then got ^245 for painting it, and N. B. Colvert ^305 for furnishing the court room. It was burned down May 30, 1875. ^^^ the houses on the block on which it stood were also burned, the loss being about $25,000. This was the only fire that ever occurred in Marion of any consequence.

The old court-house was a plain, brick building, without any parrapets, turrets^or ramparts. Many have been the scenes of revelry and romance within its courts. Its walls have resounded with the commotion of war-like preparations, and the still, poisonous breath of treason has been whispered in its precincts. Again, it has been the scene of festive occasions, where our native belles vied with each other in a perfect oreola of beauty. Lot No. 2 of block No. 5 of the original survey, on which this house stood, was sold by the county, June 19, 1S75, foJ* ^i>775- The court then rented a room from Goodall and Campbell, for $500 a year, to hold court in. At the November election of that year, a proposition was submitted to the voters for raising, by special taxation, a sum sufficient in five years to

The first politician that figured in our county was Thomas Roberts, of Northern. He was a member of the Constitutional Convention of 1818. Willis Allen and Allen Bainbridge were both elected in 1838, to the Legislature on the question of a division of the county. Soon after the division, Allen moved to Marion, and bought three acres of land from Benson. It had a log cabin on it, in which he lived for some t'ime. He was a man of considerable talent, great shrewdness, and unbounded energy. He lived respected by all, and idolized by his party. He went to Congress in 1852, again in 1854, served several terms in the Legislature, and died in 1859, while holding court, as circuit judge, in Saline county. Allen was a spare built man, erect, graceful, and of uncommon strength, agility and endurance. His voice was soft and melodious, countenance rudy and fair, his hair was russet brown, a soft grayish blue eye, lighted by a fascinating smile. He was frank, generous and confiding to a fault, and was more interested in doing a kindness to others, than serving himself. When he was engaged his glance was withering. He was the father of the Honorable W. J. Allen,

In 1848, John T. Lowden was a member of the Constitutional Convention from this county. He. was a Whig, but a man of prominence and merit. The Ingersolls came to this county about 1853, and in 1854, Robert J. and Clarke, and W. J. Allen were all admitted to the bar. They were considered a very intellectual family ; but, being Abolitionists, and the boys being deists, rendered them obnoxious to our people in that respect. Robert and J. H. Manier, on one occasion, got the keys to the printing office, and one night went in and printed a long poem, which Robert had written, on the citizens of the town, and left a copy at each man's door. The poem was abusive, and created a considerable stir, but the author could never be found. Robert once got mad at Josh. Allen for something, and used to say on the streets, "I will overshadow Josh. Allen yet." They left here in 1856, and settled at Peoria, and Robert J. Ingersoll is now one of the most renowned orators of ancient or modern times.

Anderson P. Corder was known in Franklin county as a school teacher. He came to Marion in 1840, and commenced the practice of law. He figured in our politics until 1874, and was the most singular politician ever in the county. Sometimes he would rise in public estimation until he could have been elected to any office ; then, again, sink beneath public contempt. He was in the State Senate one term, and held the position of Master-in-Chancery. He was not a profound thinker, but a witty, fluent speaker. From 1840 to 1850, he held almost despotic political influence. No man thought of running for office without his consent ; but in latter years he lived a hard, intemperate life, and not only lost his influence, but lost that respect which ought to attend a man of gray hairs. There are many incidents in the life of this man that would be interesting to our people, had I room to give them. During the war he was an outspoken southern sympathizer, but when invasion threatened this State, he drew his sword for defense.

Hon. W. J. Allen was raised in this county, and was in Congress several terms, and in the Legislature. He moved to Cairo in 1865, and now resides in Carbondale. For the last twentytwo years he has been intimately connected with our politics, and appears conspicuous and interesting at every point. He was for a long time a law partner of Senator John A. Logan, when he (Logan) lived in this county. The characters of these'men^are not local, and therefore not a part of my subject, only where they have operated in our local politics. They are both men whose pro-/ found and universal genius it is impossible to contemplate without respect. And, however much we may differ from either of them politically, we are bound to admit that they are great men - the honor and pride of our county. Our children will be proud that such men ever lived in the county.

Capt. John M. Cunningham, the father-in-law of John A. Logan, was a politician of good aljjjility ; one of the most affable and polished men of his day. He held several county offices, and, like Corder, was a Democrat, and during the War, very bitter. In 1869 he received the appointment of Provost Marshal in Utah Territory, where he died in 1874, and was brought to Marion by Mrs. Mary Logan.

James D. Pully was a leader in the Democratic party during the war, and a man of fine personal appearance, and a high order of intelligence. He served two terms in the Legislature, and was Lieutenant-Colonel of the One Hundred and Twenty-Eighth Regiment of Illinois Volunteers. His outspoken manner of defending his principles was the cause of some personal feelings between

Colonel Robert M. Hundley came into this county in 1838, a penniless boy, and is now one of our wealthiest citizens. He is a man of talent and great shrewdness. During the war he was an ardent Democrat, and wielded a powerful influence. He was Colonel of the One Hundred and Twenty-Eighth Illinois Volunteers, and in 1868 came out as a Republican candidate for State Senator, but was defeated. Since then he has held the balance of power between the two parties in this county, and generally uses it on the side of the Democracy. He is a very outspoken, fluent talker, but does his political work sub rosa, so that the effect can be seen like the bursting up of waters from an undercurrent. He still lives in this county, as a target for the deliberate and persistent defamation of his opponents, and the spontaneous praise of his admirers.

George VV. Goddard is a lawyer and politician of the old stripe and fashion - too honest for modern politics. He is a War Democrat, and was Captain of Company C, Thirty-First Regiment Illinois Volunteers. In the army he was a brave and respected soldier. He has been Circuit Clerk, and is now Mayor of Marion, and is one

Hon. A. C. Nelson came to this county over twenty-five years ago, penniless. As a partisan, he is a Democrat, and is a man of good talent, and very eloquent. He served one term in the Legislature, and won for himself the title of "Egyptian orator." Mr. Nelson has served his party well, and now lives on his farm, a model of all that is honorable in principle, virtuous in nature, and praiseworthy in action. He is a minister who practices what he preaches, and will live in our history in an immortality of respect.

James M. Washburn commenced the practice of law in this county over fifteen years ago, and has since been a Democratic politician of considerable prominence. During the war he was very bitter at times, and has been elected to the State Senate, and also to the Lower House, in 1876, and as a member of the Constitutional Convention in 1869. He is a man that all parties admit is honest and upright in his daily walk, and is now the leader of his party,

Jesse Bishop, a leading Republican, came into this county during the war, and has since held a high place in our politics. He several times fared

William W. Clemens, a leading Democrat, is a man of excellent talent, and, though a man of delicate constitution, has great tenacity of life, and physical endurance. He walked into this county in 1862, a poor boy, without money, and commenced the study of law, and has since worked his way up to the highest room in the public estimation. He possesses a buoyant and happy temperament, lives a pure life, fond of home and the society of his friends. He cares but little for the bitter invectives of crafty demagogues. What he is and what he has, are the legitimate results of persistent labor, backed by economy and good sense. His solid legal attainments have won for him the respect, and placed him in the foremost rank, of the bar in Southern Illinois.

John H. Muikey commenced the practice of law in this county in 1856, and soon removed to Cairo, where he is to-day acknowledged to be the most profound and classic lawyer in all of Egypt.

life was rendered unpleasant by poverty and frequent hardships. He enlisted in the army when a mere boy, and rose to the rank of Lieutenant. He belonged to that class of men who would "rather be right than President," and his unobsequious, self-directed attachment to what he believes to be honest and right, makes him appear abrupt and independent : thereby rendering him unpopular with those who do not share his opinions ; but as a citizen and officer his conduct is emblazoned by the highest morality and integrity.

Jerome B. Calvert, ,a lawyer and leading Democrat, is a man whose life has been marked by the highest integrity, but, owing to his indisposition to ingratiate himself into popular favor, by simulating graces and deceptive smiles, he has not reached that prominence in his party that his ability and honesty entitle him to.

Some of the men whom I have described were the politicians in the great campaign of i860. Nobody in this county ever dreamed that Abraham Lincoln would be elected President ; and though there were less than one hundred Republicans in the county, yet the excitement ran higher than usual. When Lincoln was elected, many of our people felt it their duty to stand by him. John A. Logan openly declared that he would shoulder his gun to have him inaugurated. The people commenced to change over to the Republican party before Lincoln took his seat. They first declared for the Union, then endorsed General Scott, and finally Abraham Lincoln. But among the old-liners a strong sympathy for the South was felt. By the first of April, 1861, the parties were nearly equally divided, and excitement was running very high. Our leading men were in trouble, and some were noisy and clamorous for Southern Rights. In a few days after the inauguration, Peter Keifer made a speech in the Court-House, in which he said, " Our country must be saved ;" but it was understood that "our country " meant the South, by the motion of his hand. Sympathy for "our Southern brethren" became stronger and stronger every day. Propositions for organizing the people into companies and regiments were made. Secession was openly talked of until the 9th day of April, 1861, when it began to take shape. It was just after the fall of Fort Sumpter ; a party of ten or fifteen got together in a saloon in Marion, and agreed to call a public meeting to pass ordinances of secession. They appointed a Committee on Resolutions, who were to report at the public meeting. The call was made for a meeting to be held in the Court-House, on Mon- 9A day, April 15th, 1861, to provide for the "public safety," A large crowd came in, and the meeting was called to order, and James D. Manier elected President. He then appointed G. W. Goddard, James M. Washburn, Henry C. Hopper, John M. Cunningham, and Wm. R. Scurlock, a committee to draft resolutions of secession. The saloon committee had the resolutions already prepared, and they were reported and passed with but one dissenting voice, and that was A. T. Benson, and were as follows :

Resolved, That we, the citizens of Williamson county, firmly believing, from the distracted condition of our country - the same being brought about by the elevation to power of a strictly sectional party, the, coercive policy of which toward the seceded States will drive all the border Slave States from the Federal Union, and cause them to join the Southern Confederacy.

Resolved, That, ' in that event, the interest of the citizens of Southern Illinois imperatively demands at their hands a division of the State. We hereby pledge ourselves to use all means in our power to effect the same, and attach ourselves to the Southern Confederacy.

troops of the Federal Government that may be stationed in Southern forts, and acknowledge the independence of the Southern Confederacy, believing that such a course would be calculated to restore peace and harmony to our distracted country.

Resolved, That in view of the fact that it is probable that the present Governor of the State of Illinois will call upon the citizens of the same to take up arms for the purpose of subjugating the people of the South, we hereby enter our protest against such a course, and, as loyal citizens, will refuse, frown down and forever oppose the same.

-These resolutions were written by Henry C. Hopper. The Republicans of this county used to accuse the Hon, W. J. Allen of drafting them, on account of the peculiar phraseology ; but in this they were wrong. The news of this meeting spread rapidly, and by the next morning it had reached Carbondale, and had been telegraphed to Gen. Prentiss, at Cairo. The people of Carbondale, seeing the trouble our people were bringing on themselves, sent J. M. Campbell up to Marion on the 1 6th of April, to tell the people to revoke the resolutions. He said they must be repealed, or war would be brought on our own soil and at our own doors. The people were excited badly. A meeting was called to repeal the resolutions, and to meet instanter, but not by the same men who were in the meeting of the 15th. W. J. Allen was called in to address the meeting, which he did at some length. He said he was for repealing the resolutions, and that others could do as they pleased, but as for him and his house, they would stand still and see the salvation of the Lord.

The resolutions were repealed, and A. T. Benson appointed as a committee of one to convey a copy of the proceedings to Gen. Prentiss. When he arrived at Cairo he found Gen. Pentiss reading the resolutions. He gave him a copy of the proceedings of the meeting of the i6th, and Prentiss said, "lam glad to see them. The resolutions of secession would have caused your folks trouble ; but now I hope all will be right."

John A. Logan was not in this county when these meetings were held, and had not been for several days. This is a fact well known in this county. But it was charged against Gen. Logan in 1866, that he was present at, and aided in, the meeting of the 15th, and endorsed the resolutions. This charge was made by some unprincipled man outside of Williamson county. No such charge was ever made in this county, neither by Demo- crats nor Republicans ; but, on the contrary, when the charge was made against Gen. Logan, nine of his political enemies, all prominent men, who were conspicuous at that meeting, volunteered their testimony against the truth of the charge ; and one of them was James D. Manier, the President. The Democrats of this county knew that the charge against him was false, and they went to his rescue, and published to the world the evidence of its falsity. These men did not want to break Gen. Logan down by withholding truth or circulating falsehoods on him. It would not be an exhibition of merit in them, or honorable action. Those men who held the meeting of the 15th, contended that the meeting of the i6th had no right to repeal the resolutions, and that they were not repealed, and that the people must organize. So, a meeting was called to meet on the 27th of April, pursuant to the one of the 15th. The meeting was called to order, and a motion made to "seize the money in the hands of the Sheriff to defray the expenses of arming and equipping soldiers for the Southern Army." The fever for organizing into military companies had cooled off, so that this motion was lost, and the meeting broke up in a row. John A. Logan, who had come home, told the participants in these meetings that " the resolutions were treason, and they would all be hung," and they got scared and sent men out in the country to tear down the " Notices to Organize," which had been stuck up. But excitement continued to increase, and party feeling to deepen, and leading Democrats began to look upon Logan with suspicion, and accuse him of being a "turn-coat." In defense of himself he said that he would suffer his tongue to cleave to the roof of his mouth, and his right arm to wither and fall palsied by his side, before he would take up arms against his Southern brethren, unless it was to sustain the Government ; and, that if the war was prosecuted solely for the purpose of freeing the negroes, he would not ground his arms, but would turn and shoot them North. Logan at this time was against the Abolitionists, but this opposition was lost in his terrible opposition to treason and traitors.

Gen. Prentiss had dropped off a company of men at Big Muddy bridge as he was going to Cairo ; this was intolerable to our people ; the whole country was in a flame. Thorndike Brooks and Harvey Hays raised the whoop in Marion ; runners were sent out all over the country to tell the people to come into town next morning with their guns. Next morning a great many people came into town with guns, anxious to know what was wanted with thenl, when they were told that " the men at the bridge must be whipped away." Most of them turned and went home. Some objected, and said that they had no guns, and that the soldiers had good guns; but some few went on to Carbondale, and others tried to get them not to go. At Carbondale, they found a noisy crowd assembled for the same purpose. Soon after they met they sent Isaiah Harris up to the bridge, which was four miles north of Carbondale, to spy around. When he got in sight of the soldiers he saw a cannon, and returned and told them that they could not whip the soldiers. News of these proceedings having reached Gen. Prentiss, at Cairo, an hour before, he sent up another company, with more cannon. The train stopped at Carbondale, when the crowd was at its highest and most clamorous condition. After staying there awhile, she pulled on up to the bridge. At this crisis. Gov. Dougherty, W. Hecker, of Cairo, and Gen. I. N. Hannie made speeches to the people, and told them to stand by the Union. Gov. Dougherty said, " that the speeches and guns persuaded the people not to attack the bridge." The people of Marion were standing listening for a bloody battle, but they were disapi pointed. A few straggling crowds came back from Carbondale, cursing and frothing like wild men. Wm. Grain swore he could have taken his boys and cleaned out the soldiers, and Brooks and Wheeler called the people cowards and slaves.

In two or three days after the Muddy bridge raid, which was about the 30th of April, John A. Logan, George W. Goddard, John H. White and John M. Cunningham, neither of whom was in the raid, met in secret caucus in White's office, and there solemnly pledged each other their honor that they would stand by the Union. They agreed that Logan should go on to Gongress, and after he returned home they would raise a regiment of Union soldiers, of which he was to be Golonel, John H. White, Lieutenant Golonel, and Goddard was to be a Gaptain ; and White, then Gounty Glerk, and Goddard, Gircuit Glerk, were both to appoint Gunningham deputy to run the offices, and he was to be for the Union. This agreement was faithfully carried out by all parties concerned ; but Gunningham continued to sympathize strongly with the South.

In a few days after the meeting, some one reported having seen eighteen soldiers in the tall grass near town. This raised a general uproar. Nobody knew what to do to save the town.

Finally, John H. White told the people that there was but one salvation, and that was to hoist the flag. In a few minutes the star-spangled banner was seen waving against the blue sky. After Stephen A. Douglas made his Union speech, his liberty pole was cut to the ground in Marion, with some ceremony ; and this was the first time a flag had been displayed. As soon as the excitement subsided, the flag was taken down. There never was but one rebel flag displayed publicly in this county, and that was about the first of June 1861, at one of Charley Goodall's barbacues, four miles east of Marion.

On the 24th day of May 1861, Colonel Brooks and Havey Hayes, despairing of raising an army here, or organizing the county, formed the design of raising a company and going South. They sent a man to Carbondale to recruit, and they commenced at home. By the next evening they had about thirty names on their list, and had given orders for them to rendez vous at the " Delaware Crossing," on the Saline, six miles south of Marion. They all got to the place about two hours by sun, on the 25th day of May 1861, and the few that came from Carbondale swelled the number to thirty or thirty-five men, mostly under the age of twenty-three years. They

Started on to Paducah on foot, and walked all night ; and next day in the afternoon Robert Kelly went on to Linn's Hotel to have supper prepared for the boys. Their number had now increased to about forty men. Their feet became sore, and all of them lagged behind but six, who went on to get supper, where they were surrounded by 135 home-guards and taken prisoners. A friend to the boys got on his horse, knowing that they were coming into the same trap, and went up the road to let them know. The homeguards left a guard with the six boys and came on up the road to meet the others from Marion, but when they came to the forks of the road, north of Linn's Hotel, supposing the boys had taken the one leading to Brooklyn, started down to the river. The boys went on until they came to the forks of the road, and seeing by the tracks, that the guards had gone the left hand, they went on rapidly to Linn's Hotel, where they re-captured their six companions, and went on to the river opposite Paducah. Here Kelly had prepared a ferry-boat for them, but it had laid there twentyfour hours, and the boilers had cooled off. They were in a critical condition ; but just then saw a steamboat, the " Old Kentucky," rounding up to Paducah out of the mouth of the Tennessee, and pretty soon they saw her heading across the Ohio* They boarded her, and crossed over. They went to Mayfield, Kentucky, and joined Company "G," One Hundred and Fifthteenth Regiment of Tennessee Volunteers, and were in General Cheatham's command.

At the close of the war, about half of them returned home. Brooks got to be a Lieutenant- Colonel, and is now a wealthy merchant in Baltimore, Maryland. It has been repeatedly charged on John A. Logan, that he assisted in raising this company of men to go South. This is not true. He was not in the county at the time, and neither he, nor W. J. Allen had anything to do with their going South. They were neither of them consulted, or gave any encouragement to the enterprise. In fact, no leading man in the county knew anything about it until they were gone.

In 1866, a man by the name of John Wheatley filed an afifidavit in Cairo, in which he said that he was personally advised to "join this company by John A. Logan, and that he left Williamson county with the company, and that John A. Logan went with them as far as Paducah, and left them, promising to return to them. And that the next time he saw Logan was at Belmont, where he chased him so closely that Logan dismounted, and he got his horse. This man Wheatley simply swore falsely. He was not a citizen of this county, and never has been, and he is unknown to our people. There is not a soldier of that company in this county but will state that Wheatley swore falsely in every respect concerning Logan.

W. M. Davis, one of the soldiers in this company, and one who was badly wounded at Shiloh, also filed an affidavit that he joined this company under the (advice) influence of John A. Logan. Mr. Davis has been a citizen of this county for twenty-one years, and is now the City Marshal of the city of Marion. When he made this affidavit he lived in Equality, Illinois. He says he did not think of going into the Confederate Army until a few days before he started. Logan was not here at that time, and of course could not advise him to go. William M. Davis is thirtyfive years old and very sober, honest, and respectable, and in every way an exemplary and trustworthy citizen. He is now at this moment sitting by my side and dictating to me what to write, and every word concerning his affidavit in this book is written by his consent and dictation. He says that they got his affidavit wrong, in this.

that they put into it the word "advice." He says that he did not swear nor mean that John A. Logan ever advised him, or any other man, to go into the Southern Army, and he says that Logan never did speak to him on that subject in his life, or to any other man in his presence or hearing. He says that what he meant was this, that Logan, being a man of great influence in this county, and he believed that his sympathy was with the South, and in this way Logan influenced him to go South. Or, in other words, he believed so strongly at that time that Logan's sympathy was with the South that the supposed political position thus attributed to him by this belief, caused Logan's influence to effect him in such a manner that in going South to fight, he felt that he had, as a warrant to back his actions, the connivance and friendship of Logan, and that this is all he knows about Logan's disloyalty. Mr. Davis says that Wheatley got with the company at Mayfield, Kentucky, and was not from this county, and that he swore falsely in every particular concerning Logan. He is a strong Democrat, but a man of discretion and firmness, and stands up for what he believes to be right in principle and conduct.

the recruiting or sending off of any of his men. Hibert B. Cunningham, afterward captain of the company, A. H. Morgan, W. R. Tinker and Joshua Lowe, all soldiers in that company in 1866, certified that Logan had nothing to do directly or indirectly with any of the men going south. Also John M. Cunningham, R. J. PuUy, G. C. Campbell, George W, Lowe, B. F. Lowe, William Cook and D. L. PuUy, all at that time prominent citizens of Marion, certified that they were cognizant of all the circumstances attending the recruiting and sending of the soldiers south to join the Confederate Army, and that Logan had nothing to do with it, or had any knowledge of it. James D. PuUy and M. C. Campl;ell went to Paducah the day before the soldiers left here, and it was charged that they were on the " Old Kentucky " when she crossed the Ohio. This charge got circulated, and when Col. Pully, near a month afterwards, started to Springfield as a grand juror, he was arrested at Carbondale on this charge and taken to Springfield. Capt. A. P. Corder, who then lived at Carbondale, became alarmed, and came up to Marion, where he arrived late in the afternoon. He told the people about Pully's arrest and insinuated that a company was coming up from Muddy Bridge that night after Logan and

Allen. This produced the greatest excitement ; the people trembled at the dreadful crisis ; they commenced getting drunk, and by a half hour by sun there were enough drunk to make a considerable crowd. Logan took command, and ordered them to report on the square at dark.

About thirty men reported, and when inquiries were made about "Josh," (Hon. W. J. Allen,) Logan said, " I guess he is at home under the bed. Go and bring him out. * * * " Josh came out, and they took up their line of march to the old Fair Grounds, a half mile west of town, taking jugs and bottles, in place of powder and guns. When they arrived there, Logan gave Capt. G. W. Goddard his pistol (the only firearm in the crowd,) and detailed him to stand guard at the mile tree, and report the approach of the enemy. He was to fire and fall back by the best route, firing all the while. About ten o'clock their whiskey gave out, and the main body had to fall back to town for supplies. After replenishing their depleted quartermaster, they struck up a line of march for the Goodall bridge, one and a half miles southeast of Marion, a locality conspicuous at that time for other reasons.

mise." About the same hour, J. M. Campbell and J. M. Prickett started from Carbondale to come to Marion, to let the people know that there was no danger. They met on the road, but not recognizing each other, did not speak. Campbell and Prickett ran into the picket line about twelve o'clock, and were halted and arrested by Goddard, who, when he saw who it was, started on to town with them. Just before this, the idea got into the heads of the men at the bridge that they had not relieved Goddard. So, R. M. Allen was detained as a courrier - on account of the acuteness of his hearing - to go and call in the pickets. He was on horseback, going on the jump, when he saw Goddard and his friends in the road. Thinking that it was the enemy, he went back to the bridge under the lash, and reported the enemy near by. A scene of the wildest consternation prevailed. By this time they had got two old shot-guns. Logan made a desperate effort to rally his men. Josh commanded one wing, and rallied two. All that were sober enough fell into line, and the rest would have done so if they could. It commenced raining about dark that night, and rained all night a steady rain. Logan formed his line, composed of about six men, and Josh formed his parallel, com- posed of about six men, armed with bottles and clubs. The rest of the men were lying around bylogs and stumps, unable to muster. Logan told Josh not to form his men parallel to his, as they would shoot into each other that way ; but Josh insisted that his lines were formed right. A dispute came up, and ended in a regular pow-wow, and almost a great battle. Josh withdrew his forces and struck camp across the creek ; but no enemy came. The storm-cloud was piling its temples of blackness over the dark hill. The pelting of the rain kept step with the music of the rippling stream in the glen below. The men were lying around, fast asleep, covered with mud, on beds of water. In this condition they were found by R. J. Pully, who was sent dow by Goddard to let them know that no enemy was coming. Josh and his command left the field and went home. Logan retreated in good order to Marion with his squad. The rear was brought up next morning by Clemison, who went to old Negro Sam's and got breakfast. Thus was this splendid army cut to pieces and routed without the loss of a single man. Next day, others hearing this tale of luxury, decided to have another meeting that night, which they did. About one hundred of them met on the creek, south of town, but there were too many 9B

In a few days Logan went to Benton, and^ the county was again thrown into excitement by John A. McClernand sending a dispatch to John M. Cunningham, asking assistance in raising a brigade of soldiers. This was the first time that our folks knew that they would be called upon for troops. Cunningham consulted with his friends, and decided not to assist.

The first troops that were ever in this county were those of Col. Hobb's Third Illinois regiment of cavalry. They passed through the county from Bloomington, on their way to Paducah. They were a fine-looking set of men, and conducted themselves very gentlemanly. They camped at the Deleware Crossings. Gen. Logan was called to meet at Congress on the 4th of July, 1861, and after the great battle of Bull's Run, in which he took part, returned home in the latter part of August, and on the third day of September, made his first speech in this county in raising his regiment; and on the T3th day of September the Thirty-first Illinois Volunteers was organized. Men kept going from this county into other regiments, and party feelings kept getting stronger, until a few words were sufficient to create dis- turbances. Republicans were very coolly received here in the latter part of 1861. P. H. Lang, the postmaster of Marion, and a Republican, was threatened, and he had to move the post-office to Bainbridge, where he kept it about six weeks. This was so inconvenient to the people of Marion that they offered protection to Lang if he would bring the office back. He did so, and the promise was always faithfully kept.

At the June term of our Circuit Court, 1862, out of forty-seven jurors, only two were Republicans, and about the same proportion in 1863-4. And when the Republicans carried the county, in 1865, this feeling was carried as far on the other side. Again, in 1869, when the Democrats carried the county, this feeling had not entirely died out, although all honest men had long been disgusted with it, and ashamed of it. Since 1870, no lawyer asks what a juror's politics are.

On or about the 14th day of August, 1862, A, D. Duff, W. J. Allen, A. P. Corder, John Clemison and A. C. Nelson were all arrested by United States officers, and taken to Cairo, where they were kept about three weeks and then taken to Washington, and kept in the Old Capitol prison for nearly three months, and then turned loose without trial. These parties were charged with making rebel speeches ; with belonging to the Knights of the Golden Circle, and stirring up sedition and treason. They claimed that they had committed no overt act against the Government, or any other crime, and that while they thought the Knights of the Golden Circle was a good and loyal society, they did not belong to it. They denied making rebel speeches, but insisted that they were for peace. They were arrested on affidavits filed in the Provost Marshal's office, in Cairo, charging them with these offenses, and the writ of habeas corpus being suspended by the President, of course they could not get a trial, although they repeatedly demanded one. After their release. Judge Duff published, on the 15th day of December, 1862, an address to the People of South Illinois, " Relative to his arrest by the Abolition Despotism." It was a caustic and scathing letter. A regular diabolical slayer of marshals, detectives, police, etc. He claimed that they were arrested in order that the Republicans could carry the fall election. Their arrests had but little effect on the county. The people grew more turbulent, and personal difficulties became more frequent. At this time the Golden Circle was in its most flourishing condition. The design was formed in this Order of raising a regiment for the Union Army, for the purpose of repelling the imputation of disloyalty laid on some of its .Tiembers.

R. M. Hundley and James D. Pully went to work, in August and September 1862, and raised the One Hundred and Twenty-Eighth Regiment Illinois Volunteers. There were some doubts whether the Governor would receive the regiment or not, and I. M. Lewis and G. L. Owen, Republican, and A. T. Benson, Democrat, were sent to Springfield. At DuQuoIn, they fell in with Dr. Burges, who went with them. He talked principally with Owen, and Benson became suspicious that Owen was not in good faith. Burges told Benson that the proposed officers for that regiment ought to be hung, and that he ought to be arrested, and he did not know but what it would be done. Benson got scared at this, and wanted Lewis to return. Lewis said he was in good faith, and intended to go on. At Springfield, Lewis and Benson went to Harmon G. Reynolds, secretary of the Grand Lodge of Masons, and got a recommendation from him to the Governor. It was three days before they could get an audience with him. When they did get a hearing, Owen wanted Burges to do the talking, but Benson passed up his recommendation, and Yates asked him what they wanted. Benson stated the object of their visit, and their request was granted, and they dismissed. Benson said, "They were treated kindly by the finest-looking man on earth." After the regiment was raised, they went into quarters for a few days at the Fair Grounds ; from here they went to Springfield, where they organized, with R. M. Hundley as Colonel, and James D. Fully as Lieutenant Colonel. They remained there about a month before they drew clothing, and it was very cold, and they half naked. The Republican press abused them without mercy, and the officers were looked upon with suspicion and contempt, and given no chance to exhibit their loyalty. They were called the "Whang Doodle Regiment." The men became dissatisfied, and soon began to desert ; but after they drew clothes, half of them were furloughed home. The remainder escorted General McClernand to Cairo. Those who had been furloughed home never reported back. A few of the remaining privates were transferred to other regiments, and the others discharged. While at Cairo, George Aikin, the Quartermaster of this regiment, went over to Jeff. Thompson's army, and proposed to assist them in capturing Cairo. He agreed that this regiment should all understand it, and not fire on them. He made two trips for this purpose, and had a gentleman with him one time. The last trip, a lieutenant from Thompson's army came with him to view the situation. The intention was for Aikin and his confederate to post all the soldiers, and for Thompson to send soldiers over and capture the city. Aiken commenced his insidious work of informing the boys of his plot. About the first man he told it to was Dr. J. Clemison. Clemison went immediately and told Colonel Hundley all about the infamous plot, and Hundley indignantly vetoed the whole thing. This regiment was composed of as good material as any in the service, but they were badly treated. The Chaplain said : " That there were men in this regiment that would have turned their guns against the Government I have no doubt, but the majority of them would have made as good soldiers as lived, under favorable circumstances."

In the spring of 1863, one company of the Thirty-Fifth Iowa were stationed here for a short time. They were paroled prisoners off military duty, said to be, and were sent here to assist the

In July and August, 1863, Major Biers, with the third battalion of the Sixteenth Illinois Cavalry, was camped in the old Fair Ground. He was sent here to arrest deserters, suppress sedition, and enroll the county. He put the town under martial law, with Capt. Wilcot as Provost-Marshal, who stationed guards on all the principal streets. They required some persons to take the oath before leaving town. W. J. Allen was asked to take the oath of allegiance, or remain in town inside the lines. He remained in town, and part of the time with a guard around his residence. He said he had taken the oath in Congress and was willing to do so again, but that to be forced to would be construed in the light that he was acting so as to make it necessary. The Republicans charge that he refused to swear allegiance to his country because he was for the South. Col. Hundly refused to take the oath for a while, but he lived outside of the lines, and was forced to as a matter of convenience.

The Provost-Marshal issued an order that no man should sell whiskey to the soldiers. One day one of them got drunk, and a man by the name of McDaniel was caught running the guard line with a jug. When captured, he said he got the whiskey at Lowe's saloon. Wilcot ordered all Lowe's whiskey to be thrown into the streets, and several barrels of that popular article were wasted. At the August Term, 1863, of the Circuit Court, George Aikin, then foreman of the Grand Jury, swore before that body that Biers and some of his men came to his house in the day-time, took him out and whipped him, and then tied his hands behind him to a long pole, and then left him in a grove of L'lick saplings. Upon this evidence Biers was indicted, ^t"d a bench warrant issued for his arrest, and placed in the hands of Sheriff Spencer, who executed it by his deputy, Alex. Manier, without any resistance. But Biers' men soon heard of his arrest, and they formed on the Square, and told the Sheriff that he must release Biers. Spencer said he could not do that, as he had a warrant, but that he could not fight a regiment. Biers then walked out. The soldiers had just started to leave the county, when the Grand Jury adjourned. Biers arrested Aikin, who, when he started off, halloed out to the people, " Now you see where your liberty has gone to." They took him to Springfield, where he remained about a month, then came home and got a good start, and ran away. He was a very mean man. I have elsewhere spoken of the

" Aikin gang," of which he was the leader. Aikin might have got whipped, but that United States soldiers did it is preposterous. While Wilcot was in town he made an order that no man but a soldier should wear brass buttons on their clothes. This was a tag at the soldiers of the One Hundred and Twenty-Eighth, who were still wearing their uniform. They cut the buttons off some of their coats. A good many soldiers from this county went into the Ninth, Sixtieth, One Hundred and Tenth Illinois Infantry, and a company was raised to guard Muddy Bridge, which served three months in 1862; and in 1863 a company of hundred days' men were raised in this county.

A majority of our people were true to the Government, true to her traditions, and taught the world that they were liberal of their blood when the flag of their country was assailed. The campaign of 1865 was the hottest one ever known in this county. The soldiers had returned and swelled the strength of the Republican party up to a majority. This city, which had witnessed all the horrors of 1863-4, was now again the constant scene of fights, riots and routs. The Republican politicians walked all over the county, and the Democrats worked with equal vigor. It was during this canvass that Capt. Cunningham is reported to have said to a friend, '' Come up and help me, they are trying to take my offices away from me." The election came off, and the Republicans were successful. They attributed their success to the return of the soldiery, and the Democrats attributed their defeat to the " boiling of sorghum." For two or three days after the election, the Republicans made themselves scarce on the streets. One was seen running through a field, and when accosted by a friend, told him not to go up town, for the whole Democratic party were on a drunk. It was the first time that the county had ever gone Republican, and the Democrats were concerned about it. Some of them said it was ruined ; others threatened to leave it, while one insisted that they had just as well turn the paupers out to feed on wild grapes.

The commissions of the new County Court were mislaid, somehow, so that they were in danger of not getting them in time. They charged the Democrats of suppressing them in the post-office, so that the old Court would get to meet once more, and fix the salaries. Jesse Bishop went to Springfield to get the commissions, and he was told that the commissions had been sent long ago. He got certified copies and returned. On the day that Court was to meet, in stepped the new members with their certified copies, and demanded the offices. They were given up without a word, and the original commissions soon produced. With the exception of this, there has been but one charge of fraud in the election of this county. That was in 1864. The Republicans accused the Democrats of stuffing the ballot-box in Lake Creek Precinct ; but I know nothing of the truth of the charge. At the June Term of the County Court, 1864, R. M. Hundley and Arthur Boyle contracted to build the jail for the sum of ^9,000, which they built, and Lodge & Spencer painted it, in 1865, for ^350.

The campaign of 1868 was carried on grandly in this county, by both parties. Reason was taking the place of violence, and the politicians got down to hard work. The county again went Republican. Since then it has been very near evenly divided. People have laid aside their prejudices to a great extent, and the elections have been conducted as becomes freemen. No man has been whipped for opinion's sake. Sympathetic feelings have sprung up among our people.

The campaign of 1876, in this county, was one vast scene of peace and friendship. The election, though strongly contested, passed off without a single ripple of discord to ruffle the political sea.