White Cloud Kansas chief. [volume] (White Cloud, Kan.) 1857-1872, 1857-06-11
Stealing saw Logs Ont west

An En9liSnman travelling on the his
Eissipi river, told rather tough stories
about London thieves. A Ciacinnatian.
named Case. heard these stories with a
silent but expressive hunphl a1d then
remarked that the Western thieves beat
the London operators all hollow.
''HOw so 2" inquirsl the Englishman
with surprise. "Prsy. sir, have you
lived much in the West ?"
mot great deal. undertook to
set up business at the Des Moines Rapids.
while ago. but the rascally people stole
nssrlY everything had, and finally q
Welsh miner ran off with nv wife"
"Good God I" exclaimed the English
man, "and have you never found her ~
"Nsver to this day. But that was
not the worst Of it,"
"Worst! Why. what could be worse
than stealing a mans wife ?"
''Stealing his children, should say"
said the implacable Case.
"Children 90
eyes, niger woman, who hadn't
any Of her own. abducted my youngest
daughter and sloped and jined the Injins. I"
ibid you see her %
"See her, yes and she hadn't ten
rods the start of me; but plunged into
the lake and swan off like duck. and
there wasn't canoe to follow her with. I"
The Englishman leaned back in his
chair. aud called fer another mug Of
"alf-2nd- 'alf;" while Case smoked his
cigar, ami eyed his credulous friend at
the same time most remorselessly.
Ill shan't go any farther Vest
think" at length observed the excited
John Bull
81 should not advise any one to go, -
said Case quietly. Only brother once
lived there. but be hal to leave, although
his business was the best in the country"
"What business was he in, pray?"
"Lumbering-had saw mill.".
"And they stole the lumber!"
ayes, and saw-logs too"
"Saw-logs ?"
eyes, whole dozens Of the black wal
nut logs weSe carried away in a single
night"
ais it possible ?"
"True upon my honor, sir. He tried
every way to prevent it. had men hired
to watch his logs, but it was all of no
use. They would whip them all away as
easy as if there had been no one there
They would steal them out of the river,
out of the cove, and even out of the
railways %
\ "Good gracious !"
''Just to give you an idea how they
can steal out there" sending sly wink
to the listening company, 'just to give
you an ides-did you ever work in a
saw mill ?"
"Never."
"Well. one day my brother bought an
alfred fine black walnut log-four feet
three at the butt and not knot in it. He
was determined to keep thatlog any how.
and hired two Scotchmen to watch it all
night. Well. they took a small demi-
John of whiskey with them, snaked the
log up the hill, above the mill, built a
FIRE and then sat down on the log to play
keerds, Just to keep awake, You see
Twas monstrons big log-bark two
inches thick. Well, as / was saying.
they played keerds aud drank whiskey all
night, and as it began to grow light,
went to sleep a-straddle Of the log
About minnie after daylight, George
went over to the mill to see how they
were getting on. aud the log was gone. "
"What were the SoOtchmen doing 90
"iSating on the 6as'ki The thieves
had drove an iron wedge in the butt end,
which pointed down the bill, and hitched
yoke Of oxen on and pulled it right
out, leaving the shell, and the Scotch
men a-straddle Of it fast asleep"