A History of Southern Missouri and Northern Arkansas: Being an Account of the Early Settlements, the Civil War, the Ku-Klux, and Times of PeaceMonks, William
History
A History of Southern Missouri and Northern Arkansas: Being an Account of the Early Settlements, the Civil War, the Ku-Klux, and Times of Peace
Monks, William
Arkansas -- History -- 19th century; Arkansas -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865; Guerrillas -- Ozark Mountains -- Biography; Missouri -- History -- 19th century; Missouri -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865; Monks, William, 1830-1913; United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Personal narr
The author will now relate another incident that occurred in the same
county. For years the Cokers and Hogans had been intimate friends, and
drank, gambled, and horseraced together a great deal. There came up a
trouble between Coker and one of his brothers-in-law, and one evening
Coker, in company with Hogan, went to the house of this brother-in-law.
Both had been drinking. Coker swore that he would ride onto the porch
of his brother-in-law, and made the attempt. His brother-in-law caught
the horse by the bridle and warned him not to ride onto porch, and
that if he did he would kill him. Coker drew his revolver, spurred his
horse, but as he entered the porch his brother-in-law shot him dead.
Coker being a cousin of the Indian Cokers, they charged Hogan with
inducing him, while drinking, to go to his brother-in-law's house, so
as to give him a chance to kill him, and that Hogan's life should pay
the penalty. Shortly afterwards Hogan was traveling on an old trail
that led along the bluff of White river. The river here made a bend in
horseshoe shape, following the bluff all around. The Cokers learned
that Hogan was going to pass through this gap, and they lay in wait for
him, cutting off all avenues of escape possible so he would be forced
into the horseshoe for his escape. When he came in sight they raised
the Indian war-whoop, and drew their revolvers. Hogan looked around
and saw that his pursuers were in about a hundred yards of him. He saw
his predicament, as for a quarter of a mile he confronted the bluff,
and that there was only one avenue of escape. He went to the edge of
the precipice and looked over. There, under the bluff, lay the deep,
blue waters of White river, 150 feet below. Again he turned his eyes
toward his pursuers. He knew it meant death if they caught him; so he
made the fearful leap over the bluff, striking the water where it was
about twenty-five feet deep. Hogan was a wicked man and cursed a great
deal. He swore it didn't take him long to reach the water, but that he
thought considerable time intervened from the time he struck the water
until he reached the top again. He swam to the bank which was but a
few feet distant. His pursuers came to the precipice, looked over, and
said that they had made Hogan do something they had intended to do, and
that was, to take his own life, as they supposed no human being could
make the leap and live. After cutting his saddle and bridle to pieces,
they turned his horse loose, and reported that Hogan was killed. Hogan
traveled around under the bluff for about two miles, made his way home,
wound up his business, sold his farm, and moved into Fulton county,
Arkansas, which ended the trouble between them.
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