A TRAGIC STORY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XX, Issue 6613, 27 January 1883, Page 2 (Supplement)

A TRAGIC STORY.

The following tragic story has just come to light in America, that home of wild romance and crime:—At tlio beginning of the rebellion Abraham Hall lived m one of the thinly settltd border counties of Texas. H ; was 70 years old, wealthy, owning a large tract of land, great herds of cattle, and a large but not costly residence. He had a family of one boy aged ten and four girls from eight to sixteen years old. Tne man claimed to be neutral, and while hia neighbour* were backling on their armour Hall remained at home. The South called for every man capable of bearing arms. Texas seceded. Hall was called ou to volunteer, but declin d, One night a party of twelve rode up to the house and repeated the demand for volunteers. The old man said he preferred death. He was taken from tho house to a little ravine 200 yards away, a rope put round hia neck, the end thrown over a tree, and Hall was once more asked to reconsider his answer, but declined. Whereupon he was drawn up and let down senseless. Recovering, he again refused, and again he was drawn up. This horrible scene continued until the victim ceased to breathe. The party then rode away. The son of Hall had followed the party, and, hiding behind a clump of bushes, was a silent, horrifii-d spectator. He recognised every actor in the cruel affair. When the men galloped away he ran from his hiding-place, cut down the body, and flinging himself npoa is registered an oath to slay every mau who had taken part in his father's death. The war ended, and young Hall managed his father's estate and piospered. His sisters aided him. Almost their nearest neighbour was Frank Parker, who led the band that hung Hall in ISGS. Twenty miles eas; lived John and Thomas Mantooth, two memb. rs of the party, and the remainder were scattered throughout the State. In October, IS7S, young Hall bade his sisters good-bye for ever, saying, " The time for revengehas come." and without furtherexplanatiouiie mounteda horseandrodeswiftly away. An hour later he drew up in front of Frank Parker's dwelling. Paiker wasin the yard. "I came to ask you why you killed my father," Hall said to him. Parker gave a reason, adding that hia conscience had troubled him ever since. Hall asked him if he was r.rmed, and when the man drew a pistol Hall did hkewise and fired. Parker dropped in the agonit-s of death. The next day Hall visited the Mantooths. John Mantooth he shot dead on the opeo prairie, after explaining hi 3 visit. Thomas Mantooth met a similar fate on the public highway. Before long another of tho twelve had been slain, Hall killiDg his man in a saloon brawl in San Antonio. Bj' this time the remaining members of the band became alarmed, and Hall suddenly p&used in his career of bloodshed. For more than a year nothing had been beard of him, and the surviving objects of his hatred began to think he had perished, when suddenly he reappeared. This time his victim was Rose, one of the twelve. Kose and Hail met one evening in the winter of ISSO, in a little village on the Mexican border. A street light ensued and Rose was killed, falling from his horse and dying on the spot, while Hall, though woundel in three places, putepurs to his horse and dashed away. The friends of Rose pursued him into Texas. Pursuit was continued for three days, the friends of his former victims joining in the chase. Hail at last was run to cover in sight of his ho:ne, and near tho spot where sixteen years before his father had met with his death. Here Hall turned on the pursuing party and fought until he was riddled witli bullets. His eldest sister was a horrified spectator of the tragic end of her brother. Toe year after she met one of tho party, in a neighbouring town. She was in company with a female friend, and despite the entreaties of her comganion, called the man to her, slipping her hand into n pocket of her dress as she did so. '' Captain Davis," said she, when the man had come up to her, "you helped kill my brother," and drawing a revolver, fired at him. Davis was seriously wounded, and in the confusion the girl escaped. This act of the young woman alarmed all who had taken part in the death of young Hall, aud they resolved upon the extermination of tho entire family of Hall, of whom only three were living—-three sisters. One night after Davis's life hail been attempted the Hall household was surrounded by masked men, the barred doors broken down, and the threegirls mercilessly murJered. The assassins then tiredthe house and disappeared. The tragedy caused a sensation, but tho explanations made by interested parties, that the Indians or Greasers had murdered the girls, and that they plundered the house and set it on fire, was generally accepted, and only lately have the facts leaked out,

Heard on the train :—"Do you object to smoking, air?" "No, not at all." " Well, then, just give me a cigar, will you? I've left mice at home."