The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1856-11-15

piled.
"Tell me what you are in there for ,
said |.
IL got in here to sleep in your rags" h
answered.
"How did you get in?" asked
4" Let me out, or III shoot you throug
the head" he said
Just at that moment my horses feet strucl
the hard road, and knew that the rest 0
| the route to Jackson would be good going
! The distance was twelve MICS. .Errrc Ct
back on tho foot-board anu took the whip
away We went at q keen jump. The chaI
inside kept yelling to be let out
Finally he stopped, and in q few minute
three-four, one right after the other, and
heard the balls whiz over my head. If
had been on my seat, one of those balls, i
not two Of them would have gone through
me. popped up my head again and gave
said" God, save me, I'm dead man! y
Then made shutting noise as though
were falling off, and finally settled on the
foot-board again. now urged up the old
mare by giving her an occasional poke with
the butt of nay whip stock and she peeled in
faster than ever.
The man called out to me twice more
pretty soon after this, and as he got no re-
ply, he made some tremendous efforts tC
break the door open, and as this failed him
he made several attempts on the top. But
had no fear Of his doiay anything there, for
the top of the cart is framed with doyetails,
and each sleeper biited to the posts with
iron bolts. | had it made so could carry
heavy loads there. by and by, after all else
had failed, the scamp commenced to hollsr
whoa 10 the horse, and kept it up until he
became quite hoarse. All this time kept
perfectly quiet, holding the reins firmly, and
kept pokins the beast with the stock
We were not an hour in going that dozen
miles--not bit Of it. hadn't much fear,
perhaps might tell the truth and say that
! had none, for had good pistol, and more
than that, my passenger was safe, yet | was
glad when | came to the old flour barrel
factory that stands at the edge Of jackson
village, and in ten minutes more hauled up
in front Of the tavern, and found a couple
of men in the barn cleaning down some
stage horses.
Nv ell, old fellow" says as got down
and went round to the back Of the wagon,
"you have had good ride, haven't ye,"
Who are you ," ho erie !. and he kind
of swore a little, too, as he asked the quss-
ton.
I'm the man you tried to Shoot" was my
reply.
Where am |, Let me out" he yelled
Look here, we've come to a safe stopping
place, and mind ye, my pistol is ready for
We the moment you show yourself Now.
lay quiet"
BY this time the two os,lers had come up
TO see what was the IN ttcr, and | explained
it all TO them. After this got one of them
To run and rout out the Sheriff. and tell him
what believed Ia got for him. The first
streaks OF day! sht were just coming NJ,
and in half an hour il would be broad day
light. In less than that time the Sheriff
came, and two meu with him. ! tod him
the whole in a few words, and then he made
for the cart. lie told the chap inside who
he was, and If lac made the least resistance
he'd be a dead man. Then | slipped the
the fellow made a spring. ! caught him by
the ankle and he came down on his face, and
in a moment more the officer had him. IL
was now daylight, and the moment saw TIC
chap recognized him. He was marched off
to the lock up, and tod the S.icr!il should
remain in town all day.
After breakfast the Sheriff cline down 10
the tavern and told me that had caught the
very bird and that If | would remain until
the next morning, should have the reward
of two hundred dollars which had been Of
fercd.
found my goods all safe. paid the express
agent Tor bringing them from Indianapolis,
and then went to work TO stox them away
in my cart. The bullet holes were found IN
the top of my vehicle just as | expected
They were in line about five inches apart.
and had been where ] usually sit, two OF
them would hit me somewhere about the
small of the back and passed upward for
they were sent with heavy charge OF pow
der, and his pistols were heavy ones.
On the next morning the Sheriff called
upon me and paid me two hundred dollars
in gold, for he had made himself sure that
he had got the villain. | afterwards found a
letter in the post office al Portsmouth for
me from the Sheriff Of Hancock county,
and he informed me that the fello who had
tried to kill and rob nc was in prison for
life"