Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1851-08-14

ways SOt-uuSt " lOSC a. luC SdiiiO
ling table every night. Why, before
THAT fellow came here, | could GO
Iout and leave a dozen pounds Of the
real stuff in my tent. and come back
and find it safe; but it won't do to dc
it now," he said sorrowfully, as
though he was grieved TO find SO
much dishonesty in the world.
Jones bade me good night, and
walked towards his tent, while j
stepped nearer TO the suspected per-
son, and had a good opportunity TO
examine him as he stood at the card
table.
He was as / have said, twenty
eight years old, with small'dark eyes,
that never seemed TO be at rest, heavy
beard and mustache, and very white
teeth which he was at considerable
pains to show. He was about five
leet eight inches high, and rather
strongly built, with a certain reck-
less appearance about him that demo-
ted the very lowest class Of gamblers.
He went by the name OF Morgan. ]
finished my examination Of him, and
then repaired to my tent, where, after
smoking and relating the news ] had
heard, | turned in, and was shortly
dreaming of the dear friends whom |
had left in good old Massachusetts.
The next day we put our cradles
together, and commenced operations,
opposite Eidwell's ranch, but | can
not say that we made the amount
daily that my sanguine friends anti
cipated. At any rate we worked
easy, and managed to lay up little,
but il we had been obliged 10 buy
provisions at the rate they were SELL
ing Tor at the store. we should have
had to send home for money to pay
our debts with, or else taken the
benefit of the bankrupt act.
All went on smoothly for week.
We made the acquaintance Of most
OF the miners at work in the neigh
borhood, and found them all TO be
pretty good fellows; their worst fault
appeared TO be drinking. but then
they worked hard, and pleaded as an
excuse that the climate was so bad
that drinking was beneficial.
One morning, just as day was
breaking, our accustomed hour for
getting up TO breakfast, we observed
large crowd gathered round the
store, and curiosity getting the better
of us, we started to see what the
matter was, leaving one to cook the
breakfast. As we drew near, | could
see the tall form Of Jones mingling
with the crowd, and gesticulating
violently. | inquired OF him what
had brought so many people together
thus early in the morning.
Matter enough" said he, "here's
that Id scoundrel of a Morgan
stole no less than three thousand dol
lars from Dory, the store keeper"
Is he taken?" | asked, astonished
at the robbery.
"Yes, we have him safe enough,
and the money too," chuckled Jones.
After some inquiries, found that
about two O'Clock in the morning,
Dory was awakened by slight noise
inside the tent. In an instant all
was quiet, but thinking that every
thing was not right, he took bis re-
volver from under his bed, and COM
menced a march in the dark. All
at once his hand came in contact with
a mans head. .-
"Who is thisl'' he asked, and re-
ceived for an answer, a tremendous
blow, which nearly stunned him, but
instantly rallying, he discharged mis-
revolver repeatedly at a form that
darted past him, and then followed as
swift as possible in pursuit, shouting
"stop thief"
Some dozen or two turned cut,
gave chase, and succeeded in captu-
ring Morgan, after a desperate resis-
tanee, in which he used his knife very
freely. About sixty yards from the
store he had thrown away the two
buckskin bags that contained the dust
and that was safely delivered TO the
owner. They were now about
forming a jury to try him for robbe-
ry, and twelve Americans were ac-
cordingly chosen with old Jones as
Judge. The trial was soon over, and
the jury were not out more than hall
an hour before they returned and
pronounced him worthy Of death,
leaving it TO the judge in what man
ner he should die.
"Well, boys, you have acted
wisely, and as / am a mericilul man,
i decide that at ten o'clock this
forenoon, he be tied to tree and six
of, our best marksmen load their.
rifles and have crack at him. and
may God have mercy on his soul.
Mr.. s." Jones continued, 81 ap-
point you, with as many assistants
as you want, to see the law carried