The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1859-04-07
The sherif's story.
BY WILL TRACY.

BY WILL TRACY.
.1 E -I e5
I In the summer of 1856, while travel
ing on business in. the wilderness OF
Northern Maine, we stopped one after.
noon in elittle village of p, which
nestles cozily in the shade of Saddle
back mountain. After supper, while
enjoying our cigar upon the porch, we
noticed peculiar looking scar upol
the landlords cheek. Thinking ssthere
by hangs tale" we asked him to in
form us of the cause of so unusual q
mark. He professed himself perfect,
willing to relate the story, and, drawing
chair close to our side commenced:
"In my younger days / was a sheriff
in the county in which then resided.
In the spring of 1929 murder was
committed in neighboring town, un-
der circumstances of unusual atrocity.
The deed was done by Frenchman,
whose name was Liste. He, with his
wife, lived in log cabin in the woods,
some ten miles from where the deed
was committed, and had long been sus-
pected as being a thief and secreter OF
stolen goods. 1 was sent to secure him,
and you may be sure l did not relish
the job much, but 60 l must AS
had ten miles te ride, I started early.
and arrived at the cabin about noon.
Tying my horse to tree, went up to
the door and knocked. After consider
able delay in unfastening more than
was necessary, the door was opened by
his wife, who demanded, in no very
pleasant tone, what wanted.
''Is your husband at homer" / asked.
''No, he has gone to the village, and
will notbe back llnight," she answered.
'Then will wait till he comes home,'
said l; and, without giving her time to
reply, stepped into the room.
One glance around convinced me
that the murderer was at home. A
rifle stood in the corner of the room,
which he had been cleaning, as / drove
up, for the water was even dripping
from the tube. said nothing, however,
but sat down, and began to take a sur
vey of the room. He could not have
left, while I stood at the door, without
my seeing him; so that he must either
have left before came, or else, which
I considered more likely, was concealed
about the cabin. My eye fell upon a
rag mat, lying on the floor, aud taking
that up, the mystery was explained.
A trap door was underneath, which
probably led to the hole, or cellar in
which he was concealed. lifted the
door up, and was looking for some
means of descending, when vigorous
push from the ''gude wife" sent me
down without the use of ladder, and
the door was suddenly shut l tell
you, sir, / was in no enviable position,
in dark cellar with a murderer-for
he was there, as very soon after found
out.
Thinking heard him move, / took
step in the direction of the sound
In an instant there was flash. loud
report, and / felt burning pain in my
cheek. / saw him by the flash of the
pistol, crouched in the further corner
of the cellar. My blood was up, and /
made a spring and closed with him.
We had a sharp tussle for a few mo-
ments, but at length managed to get
the bracelets on his wrists, and then it
was all over. Meanwhile his wife was
above, standing on the door, and asking
every now and then
''Have you fixed him, Jem?"
Putting my hand upon the mans
mouth, initiating his voice, as near as
| could, l told her had, and ordered
her to lead the sheriff's horse into the
shed. My ruse succeeded perfectly,
and, as she left the room, l ordered
him up the ladder, and by the argument
of a pistol, persuaded him to 60. Once
up, the rest was easy. His wife was
some astonished when she came in,
but seeing l was well armed, made no
resistance. The man was sullen, and
refused to speak, but l did not care for
that. put him on the horse, and led
the horse two miles through the woods,
to the nearest neighbors. Securing the
assistance of one of the "men folk" l
had him securely lodged in the jail
that night, and he is now in the State
Prison serving his sentence, imprison-
ment for life. But that was the hardest
fight / ever had, and l shall carry a
mark of it to my grave. Thus ends
the sheriff's story.