Daily Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1854-1855, 1855-08-28
HOW wIDDER wEsTBRooK "TooY" THE
SHERIFF.

~ Soeteiu couHty, Win Mr.. StuDbS, itsSheY-
III. BY the middle Of the afternoon we
had exhausted, as subjects OF conversation,
the particular attachment case which
brought US together, the political condition
OF the country, the prospects of the growing
crop. and several matters Of personal hsto-
ry. In fact we had run Quito US a tr,e
but expressive metaphor-when suddenly
DIR. Stubs eye flashed, and strange smile
huttered across his lip. as he remarked;
81 havn't told you, Squire, believe, how
got ruined servin' the first process (the
Sheriff was not a learned man, and occa-
sionally did misplace he accenD that ever
came into my hands"
mo; let's have it," replied, turning half
10 the saddle; cit cost you some money, did
it-your mistake"
"Ah," he calculated with a sigh. at cost
heap-a heap"
| This was said with the air of much suffer
ing. And told him IL II awakened painful
emotions, he must not think Of opening the
old wound, merely for my entertainment.
Its all over now" said he, "and don't
mind tellin' it," don't know how it was,
just at this moment caught sight Of a shab-
| by fold Of Grape around his hat, and could
4 not help associatiDg it with the sigh, the
lugnJrious expression, aud The serving o the
7 first process. -Anent that, we shall discover
something presently.
NJ. Stubs proceeded
~ was 'lected the first Sheriff ofthe coun-
ty, and at that time. there weren't mare'n
three or four hundred voters in it. To be
sure, ! was right proud-it was zach an
honor-like."
"This is your second term, then ?"
"Yes, had to miss one term of service
on account Of the law; but then was de-
putty under Stokes, and when his time run
out last, two years ago, Iuas elected again
But that ain't tellin' how ! got ruinated by
that writ. Now it's reasonable to suppose
that the first OF thing amt SO easy TO
know as the middle OF the last. So when
the lawyer down at town made out the paper
and put it in my hands, was just as bad
nonpnsscd as ever you seq
"Wliat sort of writ was ii ~
"Nothin' but the Common sort, (capiq,
RESI-; know 'em now, like book Ell
had only knowed 'em then !" Here another
deep drawn sigh supplied the place of words.
II took the plaguy thing home, and call
I'd in Bill Stokes (Which was Sheriff him
self, after that,) and old Squire I.umpkin to
four times 1t ordered me TO take the body
of Hannah Westbrook, eff to be founl in my
county, and her safely - keep 50 that
should have her 10 answer before the judges
at the next Circuit, for debt she owed; and
moren'tthat, it said was to doit without, de-
lay--and il was ngh on 10 five months till
Court Whist WAS to do with her all
that time, and no sign Of Jail in that coun-
try !"
"Well. il was hard looking case, bet
that was simply form, and the writ might
have been served By leaving copy with the
lady"
"0h, know th m'ghty well nov. but |
didn't know it then Beside, at the bottom
Of the paper was writ IN Bail, y aud know
now thu, them words means no bail rcqutre}; (
but thought then il meant that efshe was |
to offer the best security in the State, ! !
wnrn't to take it. And il vas the construc-
ton that Stokes and Lumpkn both put up !
on il; and the old Squire went 50 far as to |
say, ef he was Sheriff. he'd TAX. that woman !
and carry her home. and lock her up in the |
small room with himself aud his wife, every /
night, ontil Court came around."
That would have m,de it pretty safe"
EYES," said Stubbs; .but knowed that
wouldn't suit me, for M vale Chat was
them was high tempered, aud never could
bear strange people in The room but, how
ever. after coun clln', ! glt Stokes b 90
with ne, and went up to the widder and
told my business. Sac was mighty bad
scared at FIRST, but when she got over that,
she r'arcd and pitched. should jist gin
out and gone home and resigned. but Stokes
Quilted her, sayin' we could pat her in Jail,
but eff she behaved herself we'd only take
her down To my house and let her st7y tn
C,u.t, Then she turned into cryln' aud beg
GIN me 10 take her niger woman and keep
he, for security for the debt, which was on
IL oms,hing over hun6r ii dollars, and The
rirger was likely. But | locked in my pa
ptrr and rpad out to her--'to take the body
u Hannah w estbrook -
"Shc said she'd go, and she had the cid
rnau horse ssddlcd up, aud, While Stokes
and me were ,alk,n' and not noticin', she
mounted him and started Off in lively can
ter. on the Georgia end Of the trail. We
mounted and gallopped after her. and she
hadn't got half mile before we hia hef..
Then she cried and begged again but we
pu, plough line around her waist ana heid
the end, aud after iettin' her give some d.
rHctiOns to ner HlnntE tooh NJ """s ~
NV house. NV wife treated her mighty ciVii'
and every day or two we'd let her go up
home and look after her consnrns. 80 time
oiled on ill about month before Court
and enc day Stokes rid up to the gate IN a
powerful hurry, and called me out.
"You,ve played thunder SAID ne.
GLOW y said L. ,...u
"Whr. think of Mrs. Westbrook, IT'S an
wronr, and she's sent word down 10 'he
very lawyer that put out that writ against
her: and got two against you; one to make
Won ,urn her loose, and tother to make you
nav twenty thousand dollars for takln' herr
IL shsnt serve 'em," said l.
"Makes no odds. They've done appoint-
Cd . kurriner (coronerD and he'll be up to-
mo,r,w. soon as Mrs. Westbrook has
chance 10 swear to somethin.' You'd better
lock out ~
"WelI." said La reckon they've got you,
,oo. You was along, and helPt to do II.
ooh, yes" said he, but they've got me
for witness y
81 said no more, but walked right into the
4 t,l, a,.yil dor tnDk