Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1854-09-18

during this week, Rosenburgh and his
friends strained every nerve to discover ev-
idence, of a substantial character. to CON
vict Tom before the public, of the fraud he
was about to perpetrate. Inquiries were
made in every quarter for Dick Sanders,
the alleged partner of Tom upon the dis
puted range, but nothing reliable could be
found. The week wore away and no proof
of kind to be depended upon had been
discovered; yet some slight circumstances,
had come to light which served to confirm
him in his suspicious against Tom
Dummy meanwhile had labored hard
in his new discovery, and he had taken out
large quantities of the ore, showing more
and more that its wealth and extent were
decidedly much greater than any one had
imagined. 1t was truly lode to be coy
eted. He had piled up large masses of
the metal near the range, which delighted
a miners eyes to behold.
Although Rosenburgh had been appri-
sed from day to day by his friends and
such others as he could enlist in Dumny's
favor, of all Toms movements, and of the
assiduity with which he labored to con
vince the miners of the justice of his claim,
still, he could not see exactly how Tom in
tended to proceed. His silence, or rather
his forbearance, in not either resorting to
the law for redress, or openly taking pos
session, leaving it for Dummy to commence
legal proceedings, was matter of great
perplexity--n he did not inter
NIT his efforts to discover all the testimo-
my which, under the circumstances it was
possible to obtain.
He was in great doubt what course to
pursue, should Tom once set about getting
possession. To keep the diggings by force,
by the mere superiority of numbers, with
out having sufficient evidence to Justify it,
Especially since Frost had such an array of
iproof to substantiate his claim, was repug-
nant to his feelings, and quite contrary to
the whole course of his life. He had sus-
tanned always in all the relations of life, a
reputation for honor and probity which too
few can justly lay any claim to; and he
wished to do nothing at this time to com
promit it.
On the following Monday morning, Tom
had concluded to take possession of the
range in question, before Dummy should
rise, taking with him a sufficient number
to protect and insure him against any at
tempt either to injure him bodily or GUST
him Of his possession, This he kept pro
found secret.
Just as the sun showed his large, round,
red face above the range of hills which
rear their heads about six miles east of Ha-
eel Green, on the Monday morning in ques-
ton, Tom and his guard proceeded quick
ly TO. Dummy's lead. Carefully collecting
all his tools, tubs, &c, and placed them in
"a pile convenient distance off, he COM
|menced operations. He did but little
work, as he knew the morning would not
far advance before the matter would be de-
fnitely settled whether he retained posses
sion or not.
The news ran swiftly all through the
diggings that Tom had assumed the own
ership Of the disputed lead, or rather had
taken forcible possession.
Various were the opinions offered "a
bout as many justifying his course as con
demning it.
Dummy was about the last to hear it.,
as he had been detained longer than ordi-
nary that morning at his cabin. When
the news was broken to him, he started up
wildly uttered terrible noise of mingled
despair and intense indignation, bolted
from his cabin, and ran with the heetness
Of deer to the range. He made up at
once to Tom with his countenance full of
terror. and in the frenzy of the moment
was ABOUT to lay violent hands upon him,
but Tom fixed a steady, stern look upon
him and presented pistol in menacing
attitude, which in an instant, changed
Dunmy's feelings to those of great fear
With mournful cry he sunk to the ground.
In moment he arose, ran wildly up and
down the branch calling loudly for help
No one coming to his assistance, he again
came near the diggings and attempted to
remove Tom, wIndlass and frame, and had
partially succeeded before he was discove-
red. Tom rushed upon him with the fero-
city of tiger, and hurled him violently
some distance. Such was the force that
he fell hardly on the ground and lay pro-
badly ten minutes without stirring hand or
foot, Or giving any signs of life. Alarmed
at his appearance Tom sent one of his men
to arouse him if possible, which he accom-
plished after some difficulty. He succeed
cd in getting him in a setting posture and
there left him. In a minute or two poor
Dummy under terrible state of mind.
commenced low, monotonous, plaintive
wall, and swinging his body back and forth,
now and then tearing up the grass with
his hands, and finging it about his head,
all the time keeping his eyes immovably
fixed upon Tom Frost and his assistants
at work. As the terrible reality of the
positive loss of his much coveted RANGE
upon which he had built so many bright
hopes Of the future, became absolutely fix
ed in his mind, he started up again, whirl-
ed about rapidly, filling the air with his
mournful cries, and fell again to the earth.
At this moment, Rosenburgh came upon
the ground, and fastened to the anfortu-
nate idiot. He perceived at glance that
poor Dummy was in extraordinary state of
mind. His eyes were closed, his mouth o
pen and limbs rigid and stiff. His breath
ing was heavy and slow, indicating state
of great bodily suffering. All his efforts