Arriving at Rusk he commanded Lieutenant Sheriff and party to join him in this pursuit, which they did. On parting, on this trip, with his sweetheart, Miss Lou Priest, Sheriff told her where he was going with McAnally and on their return, they were going to arrest Mr. Graber. The whole Priest family being good friends of ours and Miss Lou’s sister, the wife of my friend, Judge Wilson, she immediately went over to Judge Wilson’s and imparted this information about my contemplated arrest. Judge Wilson came over to town and had a meeting of a few of the leading lawyers of the place, notably the Bonners, Judge R. H. Guinn and Judge J. E. Dillard, who after canvassing the matter, decided that the object of my arrest was altogether political. They were expecting to make great capital out of it for the necessity of continuing their Radical regime. Satisfied that they might manufacture evidence to convict me in a Radical court, these friends advised that I had better go into exile again, thereby probably saving my life. I told them to tell me what to do in order to stay, for I had done all the running I ever expected to do. I was satisfied this police had no legal authority for my arrest, as I had never violated any civil law and I could not afford, in justice to my family, my friends and my creditors, to again have my business wrecked.
When these friends found that I was determined not to be arrested by this infamous police and in order to be doubly sure, they advised me to go down to Austin County and investigate the records and know positively that this police had no authority for my arrest.
On leaving for this trip, armed with a letter from Colonel T. R. Bonner to Judge J. D. Giddings, whom they suggested I call on for advice in the matter, and leaving a message for Lieutenant Sheriff, that I had gone on a trip for a week or ten days and promptly on my return I would report to him, I left for Austin County.
Passing through Anderson, I conferred with Hannibal Boone, who suggested there was no necessity for my going to Austin County, where he was living at the time I had trouble with the soldiers. He said that there could be no case against me, as I had violated no civil law and my dealings were altogether with the military. Stopping at Brenham, in my conference with Judge Giddings, he became very much exercised on the threatened arrest of myself and said, “Mr. Graber, go back home; resist their arrest in the most effective manner. It is time we were calling a halt on this infamous police system; resist them, and the whole State of Texas will be at your back.” I said, “Judge Giddings, I thank you for the advice; it is exactly my feeling and determination not to submit, peacefully, to this arrest.”
Being so close to the town of Bellville, I decided to finish my trip, went there and called on Hunt & Holland, leading attorneys, who repeated Judge Giddings’ advice. I now returned home and immediately sent word to Lieutenant Sheriff that I could be seen at my place of business at any time he wanted me.
I returned at night and next morning proceeded up to my store, sent word to Mr. R. B. Reagan, a brother of Judge John H. Reagan, a man of iron nerve, the sheriff of the county, to come up to the store at once. On reaching there I told him that Lieutenant Sheriff, with his police, had threatened to arrest me, that I had just returned from Austin County and had investigated, finding that they had no authority or warrant for my arrest and I claimed his protection. He said, “Mr. Graber, load up your shotguns in your stock, set them behind your door and when they come to effect your arrest, open on them and I and John and George, will be about.” John Reagan was his deputy and a George Taylor, another deputy, all men as fearless and resolute as any set of men ever together, with nerve to fight a hundred police. In about an hour I noticed Lieutenant Sheriff coming up the south side of the square, by himself, apparently unarmed. I met him in my door, when he said, “Mr. Graber, Miss Lou Priest told me that you had some very nice gentlemen’s hats.” I told him I had; he told me he wanted to look at some. I got down a box of hats from the top shelf and allowed him to select his hat out of the box, the size he needed, treating him indifferently. He got out his number, put it on his head and stepped up to a glass suspended on the shelf, passing between the counters. Looking at the hat in the glass he said, “I believe this becomes me pretty well; what is it worth?” I told him, “Five dollars.” When he turned around to walk from behind the counter, he espied the shotguns behind the door. I noticed it seemed to affect him a little but he soon recovered, paid me the money and left the store, saying, “A fine day today,” and this finally settled my trouble. He evidently came there with the intention of spying out the situation before attempting my arrest. When he left the house he noticed Sheriff Reagan with his deputies near.
This ended my trouble. I felt I had conquered a peace which would be a lasting one, as far as the military and our Radical Government were concerned. This changed condition gave me a free hand to engage in further enterprises and to rebuild my own fortune, as well as to work toward the benefit of the community in which I made my home.
CHAPTER XXIX
I Remove to Waxahachie and Go Into Business There.
As heretofore stated, I had spent several years of my boyhood in Waxahachie, during the fifties, and became attached to its people because of their great interest in me, on account of my being an orphan. I felt ever grateful. Furthermore I recognized the value of the rich lands of Ellis County and territory tributary thereto, and I decided to make Waxahachie my permanent home.
Arriving at Ennis, one of its shipping depots, I took stage for Waxahachie, where I rented a storehouse belonging to Judge McMillan, and employed his son, N. A., as bookkeeper and salesman in the house. The two-story building next to the Getzendaner & Ferris Bank, was the most modern store building in the town and young Mr. McMillan, one of the most popular and best posted men on the Ellis County farmer, I could find, having been in business with his father in this house for several years, moving there from Alabama.