Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1846-09-30


Spake ohnson is man Of considerable
no,oriely al Port Lavacca, Texas, where
he keeps'a store with a small assortment
of drysgoods and groceries, principally
Of whitley |; and. 10 use his own words,
makesa decent and respectable living
Snakes a man Of small prelensions, and
honeslly avows that "he wasn't brought
up no Ways superior 10 most folks, aud
ain't 'trloarcount AT algebrny, but knows as
well asShost folks that when lie gives ten
dollarsor a berrill Of whiskey, and re-
tails irout for eighty, he can't be. losin'
much..'fp There is nothing remarkable
about j!hes appearance Of Mr.. Johnson, He
is tall, round -shouldered, powerfully built |:
has gotta long, sharp piercing gray
eyes. hard mouth. and good many
lines onstis face that indicate courage and
cunning In his district he is looked up
to as a pretty sharp sort Of chap, and has
held ihetpffce Of sheriff.
Whilsssitliug IN the head of an empty
'rhiskey . arrel short time since in his
shop at tho Port, surrounded by number
ofneighGors, steanboatsmen. recruits, &C.,
the subjecr Of his having been sheriff Of
The country was brought up. aaf
Snakelook out his plug Of tobacco. cu,
off small piece, put it into his mouth,
shu, up Ills jack-knife, said, "Did ever
tell yon, gentlemen, about my acin' in
my offcIal capacity as sheriff Of this ere
county soon alier l was elected 2"
mo igno !" exclaimed dozen voices,
''lel's have it,"
.WeLkgeItemeu,' said Snake, Il won't
be ugly,san' as don't think auy OH ye
hev heetd it afore, don't mind reIalin'
the circumstance You all on you know,
an those that don't will know it now, that
] allersact right up 10 the mark and don't
do uothil' contrary 10 law, 10 say nuthin'
o. gospel -. NJ
.Oh.w know! we know y was the
general exclamation.
".WelIlhen, that's pint's settled, an I'm
glad on d, coz shouldn't like TO hev he'd
fight al The first start, an should hey
sartinly licked the first feler that sed he
didn'tkaow it. Well, 10 continnu, soon
arter 1.d5 been 'lected sheriff, | was siltin'
on, thar rpnto the door step, tbinkin, il
was about time to hev a job, when two o
chaps cane d -ridin' down the road as Ell
hull tribe Of Injuns was rearin' and
pitchin' Sarter 'em. They charged right up
10 the d01r!apd aYed me if.l knowed the
sheriff. s si$p,,d 'em ] he'd seen him once'l
sor1Mico5 II,l4e, -ssaaie- leb, !!ano.r- whar
they could find him, an | told 'em lreck
ened he. was sitlin' Oh his door slep.--
oh i scd they, be you Snake Johnson?
told 'etn rerkcEed ! was The ouly man
o that name ia these parts, AMI was shsr-
itf of the county 10 boot. Well, they gol
of an passed small sample OF old bald
face behind their shirt collars, au' sed
they'd come 10 gel me to execute the SEN
teuce of the law. Well, gentlemen, ses |,
I'm perfectly agreeable! I'm alters on
hand, an as sheriff of this county | will
see ,ha, bis majesty the law shall be obey
ed accofdin' TO floyle =
Well jest trouble you to mount your
horse and come up 10 - sed they,
small town about six miles back here,
gentlemen Well was little kind o.
Gurus 10 know what was expected to do,
80 Just axed en. 5eys they, We've
col feller up there ;nal's been convicted
Of horse s,ealn' an is sentenced to be
hung, aud we want you to execute him
accordiu,t 10. law. We could hev hung
him ourselves. but we didn't want TO hev
no Iynchin' about it, and determined To
hev the sheriff, who is duly authorized to
hang folks, to choke him off, -
We'll, gentlemen, | saddIed up old San
Ia Anna, an' we started uff. WhcnI go,
10 the place thar was about hundred
folks thar waiin' for me, some gray
headed old chaps, an some red headed
young ones, an thar was ,he culprit, too,
about as meau lookin' while man as
ever did see he was -.eg'iar built Gus,
an when he was pinted ou, didn't feel
very bad at the idea of hangiu' Of him.
Good j. exclaimed one of his auditors
.Good!n said the narrator Maybe you
wouldn't think it gool, il you he'd your
neck as clOst TO a moose as his was Well
as | was sayin' thar they were. An old
Teller come up to me, shuk hands, au' ses
he, Mister Sheriff, you've been called as
the les'I Representative Of the law 10 hang
that miserable cuss thar who has been
convicted of fhorse stealin', so do your duty
an .pu, him ou, Of his misery as soon at
possible ,.a,.s.,.
Certainly, sir says +, kind o stiff, an
dienfied, where's The document z
Fetch the document, says the old fol.
ler. an 10 about half minute another
chap took long coil O. hemp rope out o.
his saddle bags, and handed it to me-
This is. The rope aes t.. 'Yos, sirr. ses
he. 'Bu. want the order Of the court fo
his execution ses 4. Order h-ll!p SO:
the old feller,. kind o. riaed !; he aint hac
no coaft trial. ~, -,s.sr. a
+ .What!! = .ses ], saint had no court ,ra
an you want me TO hang hun! ! 'ain
agoin' to hang no man without a fair trial
That 'aint no wav to do things ,.4,,.,,.
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