The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1848-11-25

- 'S'fSNh foO y Shtiuoiu'uNiy oii az
| The coachmen and guards Of the vari
GUS coaches took an interest in him;
nay, even the very mail coachman him
self, that king of the road, brief as was
his time for stoppages by the way. more
| than once twitched Dick almost off his
feet, to show him to some one or other
Of his inside passengers as the man that
had "the hextra-hordinary 'ventur 10th.
er day. II is almost superhucus 10
state with what ridiculous CLOSES and
variations Dick told his story; for how
can any man, gifted with spark Of
fancy, forbear 10 fill the nav Of curios.
|ity gaping before him? SO Dick, s'the
Kidnapped" as he had been called, soon
acquired heless romantic name of"Ly-
ing Dick,' when his various auditors
discovered, time after time, his point
blank contradictions. Many began to
surmise that there was no foundation
in truth whatever for Dicks narrative;
but the circumstance of the four guin.
cas-, and the { condition in which he was
actually discovered by his felIow.wag,
oners, sulliced to vindicate at least the
basis Of poor Dicks fourishing super
lstructures. 1'i i' 5@..''e-.'
| One incident, worthy Of record, oc-
Cured on the occasion of one of Dick
Forster's numerous taproom prefec-
tions. He was telling his story for he
tenth time, at least, at the Hunting Horn
inn, in Shrewsbury, about six weeks al.
ter the events took place, before tap
room filed with a brea,hess auditory;
and when he had got down to the con-
cluding incident, about the pistol shot
fired from behind the hedge ut himself
and Fowler, he was pleased to say,
"'rhere were at least three shots fired
at me-" t95'a'"I9 g.. .-,-e
"Three! You lie!" said a man who
had been listening to him. The eyes
of all present were in an instant fixed
on the uncourteous interrupter. There
was pause. Dicks character for ve-
racity had not yet been Ayblown; and
the parish clerk Of Shrewsbury, who
was a very devout and frequent atten.
dant AZ that place Of go1ly resort, the
} Hunting Horn, and shrewd man to
boot, pointedIy inquired, "My good
friend, how do you happen to know
that Dick Forster has told lie?''
"Ay-ay--ay--how do you" echo.
ed many voices, and Dicks among the
rest: whose temporary embarrassment
seemed suddenly transferred with ten
fold intensity to the man who had inter.
rupted him. He gave such poor ac.
count of himself, that constable, who
happened to be present, and was grad
ually inhaming his Imagination with the
"l00l. reward" unable to contain him.
self any longer, rushed up to his man,
plucked out his staff OF Office, seized him
by the collar, and shouted, "Sir, you're
my prisoner!" The suspected man
was had before the magistrate in trice,
the constable made his statement, cor
70 boz ated by host Of others 1.-The man
was remanded, listening to the charge
with derison, and in silence; and at
length, much TO the modification Of the
constable, discharged. He soon dissi.
pated all suspicion by freely conversing
with any one who questioned him on
the subject, and saying, with laugh,
that his only ground for making the OBJ
noxioas observation was his conviction
that "Dick Forster was gammoning
them;" for that he had himself heard
Dick tell his tale. in twenty different
ways, and always, till then had been
content with one pistol as the wind up!
"Then you really know nothing
about the matter" inquired the spec.a.
cled clerk. /" No more than your pray.
er book Of your piety, Mister Snorew
replied the man, and was teased no
more by such inquiries. q a .@|
Yet was this man, as it transpired
long alterward, the very one who had
stood sentinel over Dick Forster, and
fired at him from the other side Of the
hedge. He was, further, the first man
who had seized and thrown him down,
and kept at his side till the moment of
discharging his pistol, as has been told.
What mysterious length of interval
does Providence often ihterpose be.
tween the preparation and discovery
OF crime! aa 20 94shi ~ ,s..oa1al reg
Passing over period Of more than
two months, wa comet to the morning
ofthe 9th of March, 1851. Itwas be-.
tween the hours Of three and four
O'Clock, and the weather was rnisera-
bly, inclement. A cold easterly wind
swept bowling down the road, driving
fastfalling, piercing sleet full into the
face of man who, almost perishing
with cold, poor fellow! sat on the shaft |