|
Last Saturday was a large day at our neighboring town of Russell. For a year or more one Newt W__, a widower, has entertained people at his bachelor quarters, near the stock yards in that village, which were not welcome guests to the people living on adjacent lots and much feeling has existed against the "ranch." But not until last Saturday morning did the citizens of that town make an open demonstration of their disapproval. About daylight a woman who had got off from a night train was seen to go from the depot to the Blue Front, as the abode of W__ was called, and steps were immediately taken to issue a warrant for their arrest. About 8 o'clock the constable and a deputy went to make the arrest, followed by a large number of the citizens, who climbed on the stockyard fence and freight cars to see the courageous constable do his work. The constable did not expect to find more than two, in fact only had a warrant for two, and when six persons came tumbling out of the shanty in more or less scanty attire he was badly "rattled," and the men did about as they wanted to, wresting the women from his iron grasp and running them into the adjacent corn fields and meadows. It is said this scene of rescuing the women was quite an exciting one and called forth loud cheers for the constable. Two of the men, Geo. and Emory S__ (W__ being too drunk to help) would grab a woman from the constable and, both getting behind her, compel her to make exceedingly rapid strides to a place of safety, and then return for another, who was helped out of the way of the valiant constable in the same manner, until all were at liberty, and then the S___ boys strolled off with them to commune with nature and pick blackberries, returning after awhile to get the women's shoes and other articles of clothing which had been left behind in the hasty retreat. The constable and deputy, when the rest had disappeared in the distance, marched W__ triumphantly through the streets and put him in a place of safekeeping. Warrants were issued for the arrest of the fleeing offenders, but the constable did not seem in any hurry to add to the glory of the experience he already had, and J. H. C__, who goes on crutches, was deputized to take up the trail and bring them in. With the aid of some of the citizens and their wagons they were soon all captured but one of the women, who had been in that neighborhood before and knew the roads too well to be caught easily. They were found about two miles from town very tired and thirsty. They were taken to "Tammany Hall," where their trial dragged lazily along till noon, when the justice and Mr. C__, the deputy constable, wanted to go to dinner, and left the prisoners in the hall in charge of the valiant constable. They were hardly out of sight when Geo. S__ turned a back somersault out of the window and went up the road at a gait that would put to shame many of the fast horses of the day. The constable rushed boldly out into the street with a cocked revolver in his hand and fearlessly yelled, "George, come back!" The cloud of dust was so dense behind George that he could not hear and did not come back. He went and found his female friend who had not been captured and they two started for Chariton across lots. When Mr. C__ returned he pronounced the constable unfit to be called an American citizen. The women were set free with an injunction from the Court to go and sin in Russell no more. W__ and S__ were held in $300 bonds, which they could not give and were brought to Chariton to await trial, and Russell is at peace again, and will re-elect the constable. |
||
