Bloody War In Wilson Township
October 13, 1882
Clinton Public
Clinton, Illinois
BLOODY WAR IN WILSON TOWNSHIP.
George CAIN had a fine melon patch which tempted the boys of his neighborhood beyond what their mortal natures could bear. One night a party of them made a raid on the melon patch, when George appeared on the scene, armed with a shot-gun, and threatened to prepare every one of them for a funeral if they did not leave. The boys laughed at George and helped themselves to melons. George discharged his musket in the air, and told them if they came back he would fill their bodies with lead. The boys promised to return, which they did a few nights afterward. This time George appeared on the scene to protect his melons, armed with a shot-gun and a revolver. The boys paid no attention to them and George discharged his musket into the crowd. Charley GIBSON received a part of the charge in his leg. The other boys then made an attack on Cain, when he drew his revolver and discharged the six shots at them. One shot pierced Mac JOHNSON in the side and passed around toward his spinal column, and Boon MERRIFIELD received a bullet in the fleshy part of his shoulder. The wounded boys were taken home. The ball was extracted from Johnson’s back, but for some time after he was in a dangerous condition. Merrifield still carries the ball in his shoulder, but the doctor thinks nothing serious will result from it. Gibson was as well as ever after the shot was picked out of his leg. Two or three days after, Cain’s father and Merrifield’s father met at a sale and the two old men got to discussing the shooting and finally fell to blows. Their boys joined in the fight and for a time it seemed as if the sale ground would be turned into a battle-field. Peace was proclaimed for the time being, but it is feared that the end is not yet.
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October 27, 1882
Clinton Public
Clinton, Illinois
"BLOODY WAR IN WILSON TOWNSHIP."
Editor Public.—In your issue of last week I see a communication from Boon MERRIFIELD under the above heading, in which he claims an injustice has been done himself and friends. The facts are as follows:
On the night of September 20th myself and sister went to my watermelon patch for some melons. I had taken my gun which was only loaded with powder. We had only been in the patch about two minutes when some one began throwing stones into the patch from the corn that bordered it on one side. I told my sister to keep out of sight, as we could not get to the house without danger. In a few minutes seven young men came out of the corn into the patch, throwing as they came. Some of them had their arms full of stones. They did not seem to want the melons so much as they wanted someone to throw at. When they were within thirty or forty feet of me, I arose to my feet and said, "Halt, what do you want?" Mac JOHNSON who was in advance cried out, "There he is, give him h---!" and began throwing. The others all ran up, throwing and crying, "Kill him. Mob the s---. Rock [the] h--- out of him." When I fired, Johnson cried out, "Come on, it is nothing but powder. Give it to him before he can load." Then I began to retreat, firing at random, Johnson still following and throwing at me. He followed some distance and then turned and ran to his crowd, some fifty yards distant, where they stood throwing and swearing, after which they went over into Mr. GARDINER’s place where they were when I left them and went home.
Now, these young men did not go for the purpose of bringing melons as Mr. W. states. They had learned I had been watching the melons and they left the tile kiln with the avowed intention of making me leave the patch or kill me, and before they started they tried to borrow a revolver. Merrifield states that Johnson was severely wounded. Such is not the case. Johnson was able to be out at a sale the next day and assault me with a knife and strike a man with a club who interfered. He has not been sick a day or disabled from his work. Mr. M. states that none of the boys were even in the patch before. The fact is, they hardly allowed the melons to ripen, but carried them off or destroyed them before ripe, and on one occasion they took off a notice to trespassers and carried it to their usual resort at the tile factory and there posted it up. He says none of the boys were ever arrested or accused of crime. The people have often talked of prosecuting them for other misdemeanors, but it is no use when they can [not] prove anything. He says I was always handy with my gun. The case he refers to was a trumped up, malicious charge to extort money from me. Merrifield has been very handy with his knife on several occasions and is regarded as a dangerous character. He is nearly thirty years of age and ought to know better than to be in a melon-stealing scrape. Johnson and the others are a set of young men who call themselves the James boys, and who seem anxious to follow in the footsteps of these famous outlaws. From reading this, one would suppose this to be a very hard place. Such is not the case. There are as good people in this neighborhood as anywhere in the county, but these half dozen scapegraces have given the community a hard name, and people are apt to suppose all are like them.—George CAIN
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November 3, 1882
Clinton Public
Clinton, Illinois
MORE ABOUT THE BLOODY WAR IN WILSON TOWNSHIP.
In your issue of last week is a communication from George CAIN, the sharp-shooter of Wilson township, to which I desire to offer a few thoughts by way of reply.
I wish the readers of that communication to notice that George claims to have loaded his gun with nothing but powder and consequently did not wound Mac JOHNSON, Boone MERRIFIELD, or anyone at the watermelon patch.
Now, kind reader, compare this statement with the one made in the Bloomington Pantagraph of Oct. 6th, by John CAIN, in relation to the same affair and then form your own conclusion as to the character for truth and veracity of this scion of modern chivalry.
Again, George says that the charge for which he was arrested about a year ago was trumped up for the purpose of extorting money from him. Now, Mr. Editor, no sensible person would ever think of extorting money from George. You might as well expect to extract blood from a turnip, because his sole earthly possessions consist of a small cannon, shotgun, two or three revolvers and a bugle. It is reported that he furnished Parker GARDINER, a little boy twelve or fifteen years old, with a revolver, and about two weeks ago when the little boy was trying to load it, it accidentally went off, taking effect in a vital part of his person, and probably has ruined him for life.
Now, Mr. Editor, this arrest of said George Cain is a matter of record, and the charge was sustained at the justice’s court in Clinton, and no doubt would have been found guilty in the circuit court. But the prosecuting witnesses in the case became convinced that the defendant was not possessed of good natural sense, hence they abandoned the prosecution.
Mr. George Cain states in his communication that Mac Johnson assaulted him the next day after the shooting affray with a knife. Now, the fact is that forty or fifty men were present on that occasion, and I am warranted in saying that not one of them saw Mac Johnson with a knife. But when George Cain assaulted Boone Merrifield, and Boone was giving George some of what he deserved, then it was that Dave CAIN and two or three others showed foul play by kicking and striking Boone when he was contending with George. Mac gave Dave warning not to interfere, but he gave no heed and Mac was compelled to strike him a light tap with a small stick, though it caused him great pain.
This is a quiet community. Most of the people are quiet, civil, and law-abiding. We do not need a standing army with arms and munitions of war. John MERRIFIELD, when George Cain stole his watermelons last year, says he was welcome to them. A gentleman never complains at the loss of a few melons in this way. And I here state as my honest conviction that if Cain was removed [from] this locality the society here would rise one grade higher in civilization.
Whoever heard of Boone using a knife? I challenge anyone from Cain, the murderer of Abel, to George Cain to show in one instance in which Boone ever used a knife as a weapon of assault or defense.
These boys are called scapegraces by Mr. Cain. Why, what have they done? They are not the ones who broke up singing school last winter; nor did the perjure themselves to clear the ones who were charged with this offense. Nor did they steal John Merrifield’s turkeys. Nobody but Cain calls these boys scapegraces or roughs.
Now, Mr. Editor, the substance of everything referred to in this communication is true, and can be established by good and sufficient testimony; and I want these facts placed before the people that they may know for themselves who the "scapegraces, roughs and James boys" are.
I am now done writing on this subject. Let George write lies, brush his coat or drill with his revolver, I shall decline to say anything else publicly.—Boone MERRIFIELD
Submitted by Judy Simpson
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April 5, 1883
Decatur Daily Republican
Decatur, Illinois
Seven young men belonging to prominent families of Dewitt county, were tried March 29 and found guilty of stealing watermelons last fall. They raided a patch which belonged to George CAIN who was lying in wait for them, and as they jumped into the field he fired and wounded five of them seriously. The case has caused great excitement and much bad blood in that vicinity.
Submitted by Sheryl Byrd
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March 30, 1883
Clinton Public
Clinton, Illinois
THE BATTLE OF THE WATER MELON PATCH.
The readers of THE PUBLIC cannot have forgotten the account given in these columns of the celebrated battle in the water melon patch, which occurred in Wilson township last fall. To refresh their memories, if any have forgotten it, we will briefly restate the incident. One bright night toward the fall of the year the young folks, and the old folks, too, living up in the northeast corner of the township met at Gardiner's tile yard for a frolic. They were to have a chicken roast and roast corn, and sweet potatoes from Jim WALDEN's patch, if Aunt Sallie didn't catch them at it. And when the bill of fare was all planned they still lacked the requisites for a desert, so it was agreed that seven of the boys should make a raid on George CAIN's water melon patch. George Cain got an intimation of the threatened raid and prepared to defend his melons, though there should as a result be seven funerals in Wilson township on the following day. Just as the boys were drawing close to the coveted melons, they were startled by hearing the stentorian voice of George commanding them to halt, and immediately the command was followed by the sharp rattle of musketry. George proved to be a pretty good marksman, for five of the seven boys were wounded and one of them had two holes riddled in his hat. The raiders stood not upon the order of their retreat but broke ranks and fled to the protection of a ditch where they thought themselves safe from the range of George's unerring aim. They then opened an attack with brickbats and stones to cover the retreat of one of their comrades who was wounded in the breast and in the arm. It is needless to say that the feast of roast chicken and corn and Aunt Sallie's sweet potatoes was postponed till a more convenient season. It was not to be expected that Wilson township could fill its stomach with the fat of the land and indulge in revelry when its brave sons, who had stormed the melon patch, were wounded, and probably dying.
George, flushed with victory in routing the enemy, was not satisfied, but came before the grand jury and had all of the wounded indicted. They were tried on Wednesday, and the jury after being out all night and part of Thursday finally decided on a verdict of guilty. Judge Tipton, counsel for the boys, entered a motion for a new trial, but finally withdrew it with the understanding that the court would assess only a small fine of $5 each and costs. Thus ends the celebrated battle of the water melon patch.
Submitted by Judy Simpson
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