A CHAPTER FROM THE ANNALS OF ARKANSAS.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3608, 3 February 1883, Page 4

A CHAPTER FROM THE ANNALS OF ARKANSAS.

The following tragic story lias just conic to light iv America, that home of wild romance and crime: — At the beginning- of the rebellion Abraham Hall lived in one of the thinly-settled border comities of Tc_s. Ho was seventy

years old, wealthy, owning a large tract of land and 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. The man claimed to be neutral, and Avhile his neighbors were buckling on their armor, ;Hall remained at home. Tho South called for every man capable of bearing arms. Texas seceded. Hall was called on to volunteer, but declined. 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 his neck, the end thrown over a tree, and Hall ay.-is once asked to reconsider his answer, but declined. AVhcreunon he was drawn up and let down senseless. Recovering, he again refused, and again ho Avas drawn up. This horrible scene Avas 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, Avas a .silent, horrified spectator. He recognised every actor in the cruel affair. AVhen the men*galloped aAvay he ran from his hidingplace, cut down'the body, and flinging himself upon it registered an oath to slay every man who had taken part in his father's death.

Tho Avar ended, and young Hall managed his father's estate and prospered. His sisters aided him. Almost their nearest neighbor was Frank Parker, avlio led the baud that hung Hall in ISG-3. Twenty milos east lived John aud Thomas Mantooth, two members of the party, and the remainder Avere scattered throughout the State. In October, 1878, young Hall bade his sisters good-bye for ever, saying, _" The time for revenge* has come;" and without further explanation he mounted a horse aud rode swiftly away. An hour later he drew up in front <>f Frank Parker's dwelling. Parker Avas in the yard. "I come to ask you Avhy you killed my father," flail said to him. * Parker gave a reason, adding that his conscience had troubled him ever since. Hall asked him if he was armed, and when the man drew a. pistol. Hall did likewise and tired. I.'arker dropped in the aironies of death. The next day Hall ' visited th-- Alan tooths. John Mantooth he shot dead on the open prairie, after explaining his visit. Thomas Mantooth met a similar fate on a public highway. Before lun_- another of the twelve had been slain, Hall killing this man in a saloon brawl in San Antonio.

By this time the remaining members of the band became alarmed, and Hall suddenly paused in his career of bloodshed. For more than a year nothing had been heard of him, and the . irviving objects of his hatred began to think he had perished, when suddenly he re-appeared. This time his victim was Rose, one of the twelve. Rose and I fall met one evening iv the winter of 1880, in a little village on the Mexican border. A street fight ensued and Rose was killed, falling from'his horse and dying on the spot, while Hall, though wounded in three places, put spurs 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. Hall at last was run to cover in sight of his home, and near the spot Avheee sixteen years before his father had met with his death. Here Hall turned on the pursuing party, and fought until he Avas riddled Avith bullets. His eldest sister was a- horrified spectator of the tragic end of her brother. The year after she met one of the party in a neighboring town. She was iv company Avith a female friend, and, despite the entreaties of her companion, called the man to her, slipping her hands into a pocket of her dress as she did so. " Captain Davis," said she, when the man came up to her, "you helped to kill my brother," aud drawing a revolver, fired at him. Davis Avas .seriously Avouuded, 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, and they resolved upon the extermination of the entire family of Hall, of whom only three Avere living—three sisters. One night, after Davis's life had been attempted, the Hall household Avas surrounded by masked men, the bar door broken down, and the three girls mercilessly murdered. The assassins then fired the house and disappeared. The tragedy caused a sensation, but the explanations made by interested parties—that the Indians or Greasers had murdered the girls, and that they plundered the house and set, it on lire—Avere geuerally accepted, and only lately have the facts leaked out.