| Transcribed by Norma Knotts Shaffer from microfilm
of the Calhoun Chronicle dated 5/1/1894.
BUFFALO TOM
or
The Wild West in Calhoun
How Tom Haggerty Fared in Grantsville
After Inviting the People to See Him Take the
Place
The evening of Monday, April 23rd Grantsville was the scene of such
wild excitement as has scarcely been surpassed by a blood shed
riot.Â
About the middle of the afternoon that day two officers, both Depty.
Sheriffs
of Wirt county, arrived in our town, bringing with them two prisoners
from
the Wirt county jail, to be incarced in the Calhoun jail. One's
name
was Mell McCrosky, who was previously confined in the Calhoun jail for
a period of two months, and brought here this time on a capias
to
answer a charge of misdemeanor, but it is to the other party, Tom
Haggerty,
who was brought here on a capias to answer an indictment for
dynamiting
fish, that we turn particular attention. Haggerty, of Creston,
Wirt
county, is a young man of good parentage on his mothers side, but his
father
is alleged to be a desperado of the deepest dye. The son, Tom
Haggerty,
is a young man of good sense and gentlemanly deportment when sober,
and
is respected by many good citizens both in his own county and Calhoun;
but when intoxicated he becomes maniacal to a desperate extent and is
the
terror of his locality. He and McCrosky have been fellow
prisoners
in the Wirt county jail for about a month, and are said to have played
general havoc with the furniture and interior of their cell, and in
two
instances procured what would have been an effectual means of escape
had
not their plans been thwarted by information given by a convict who
was
removed to the "State Pen."Â On examination the authorities found
that a large rock in the wall had been rendered movable, and one hinge
of the cell door had been sawed until it would scarcely sustain the
weight
of the iron door, the defective part being covered with white wash, so
deft were the schemers. On being committed to the Calhoun jail,
Haggerty
was immediately bailed out by friends, and set at liberty, which right
soon proved a dangerous weapon in his hands. No sooner had he
gained
his freedom than he began to settle his gloom by the fiery tea,
preparatory,
as he said in "painting the town red."Â When the ardent spirits
aroused
him to action he proceeded to the Jailor, Chas. Blackshire, and
demanded
the keys, in order to release McCroskly, presenting a set of brass
knucks,
but was repulsed by the Jailor, at the muzzle of a revolver. He
then
repaired to the Stump Hotel and began an uproirous frolic of upsetting
chairs, breaking wash basins and using language which all can
understand
though it is not defined in the dictionary. The Justice of the
Peace
interfered only to be informed that he would shortly see the town
taken
by one man. In the mean time one of his bondsmen avowed his
intention
to restore him to custody and withdraw from the bond, at which he and
the
Justice assisted by the other officers present enlisted all the male
citizens
hard by to secure the capture of the now thoroughly enraged and
frantic
desperado. They were aware that he was armed, but to just what
extend
they did not know, nor was it very inviting investigation.Â
However
after a hot chase in which the citizens pretty generally pursued, they
succeeded in landing the chap in jail, with his side partner,
McCrosky,
and two other prisoners; but no sooner had he heard the click of the
lock
which secured him than with tiger-like ferocity he began the work of
wholesale
destruction to the contents of the cell, both animate and
inanimate.Â
In less than a minute he had wrecked a headstead into more pieces that
the cabinet maker had used for its construction, the ticks, blankets
and
pillows lay profusely scattered on the floor in a torrent of flames
while
smoke and curses filled the room; then the windows began to shatter,
the
furniture to fly, table, chairs, boxes, tumblers, pitchers, bed slats
and
posts rent the air in every direction to the threatened peril of the
other
inmates, who being occasionally struck by flying timbers set up an
unearthly
howl of help! murder!! save me!!! etc., joined by a convict's
mother
in another cell, who paced the floor in wild excitement screaming at
her
utmost, "My God! My God! don't kill my boy."Â Added to these
startling
yells were the shrieks of the infuriated crowd who in the intoxication
of excited madness scrambled and tumbled over each other shouting on
all
sides in thundering tones, kill him! shoot him! shoot him down like a
dog!
why don't you shoot! etc., addressed to Depty Sheriff Weaver, of Wirt
county,
who had by this time drawn a revolver and snapped two or three times
it
failing to fire. The tumultuous ranging of the crowd increased,
the
door was unlocked thrown open and a dozen eager hands soon grasped the
destroyer, and for a spell that fierce grasp seemed to betoken
death.Â
The excitement still reigned like terror itself and the intermingling
of
the ejaculations of pity, horror, fright, rage, revenge and curses,
added
to the chaotic confusion of the moment, the dilapidated furniture of
the
room and burning debris produced a perfect pandemonium seldom to be
seen
more than once in any one's life time. The flames were quenched
and
the "fire bug" hand cuffed, shackles put on his feet, and again locked
in only to renew his destruction by fire, at once seizing a bed
comfort
he stuffed it into the grate, burning his hands horribly in his
attempt.Â
At this the door again opened and a prisoner rushed in, knocking the
monster
down with a slat of wood. This time he was chained securely to
the
grating and thus remained till morning when he was allowed freedom of
limb
to explore his ________ which were painful but not
dangerous.Â
He got many a chaperone that night and confessed the next morning that
Grantsville is not the town he is looking for. He asked one of
the
Wirt county officers on his watch, who would pay for the Calhoun jail
when
he tore it down. He and McCrosky claim to have suggested to the
officers
in charge that they be turned over to our Jailor outside of the jail
so
that they might escape. This the officers attempted to do but
Mr.
Blankenship refused to accept them until committed to jail. When
and where he came to possession of the weapons he carried is not known
and it is quite strange that he should come from a jail bearing such;
but
it seems to be the case as Mr. Weaver was heard to remark that he
didn't
take the knucks away from Haggerty because it would have looked
cowardly.Â
After he had had this setto with Grantsville those two worthy
gentlemen,
his former custodians, told me of several menacing remarks that
Haggerty
had made and it is reported that on leaving the town one was heard
remark
to the other, "I hope he will get out of jail and clean up this
town."Â
Thanks awfully - if the young gentlemen ever paints this town red it
will
be with his own blood. Bites, scratches, bruised hides, torn
clothes,
etc. have not been noticed in the account of this little melee though
they
were quite numerous. Neither has any attempt been made to paint
a
picture half so vivid as the real scene. It baffles description. |
