The River Falls journal. (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1857-1861, 1859-10-12

sing q number of dark passages found
myself in the open air. TWAS bright
sunny morning, and despite my situation
inhaled the pure atmosphere with de-
light.
Assembled on the spot behold n gang
Of n score or moro of the worst looking
men l hal ever enccunt rel, and
in their midst my friend and conrade-
Andrew HUFF. Andy locked frightfully
pale and emaciate,I, and appeared TO have
suffered much worse than myself. W.
had barely time to greet each other and
say, "God bless you comradc" when We
wero suddenly and roughly seized and
gagged. At the Same time one of the
outlaws, whom at once recognized as
the leader Of the Outlaws which we had
at first encountered STEPPED forward and
addressed us:
"Now cussr" cried lie rossionately,
SVEN make you pay for your handywork
t'other night. Strip en-"
IN few moments we were stripped to
the Skin, and We had neither the power
to resist nor cxpostu-ate.
"Out with the plank Losses," yelled
the same fellow. "Show 'en the wav
they're goin' to travel"
We were lei to the brink of a chas,n
near, and made 10 look down into The al
most unfathomablc depths. A. stream of
water ran along over the rocks 1T the bot
tom. It1nake me dizzy to look down.
We were then stationed fog feet from
the brink, witha guard over US. I began
to comprehend that a fiighlful death avail
ted us, and my feelings were dreadful.
a plank about dozen feet lond and a
foot wido was then brought forward and
placed half way over the prccipice. ny
blood run cold at the preparations.
On one end ofrho plank two men sta
toned themselves.
"Now drive the chap forward shouted
the leader, pointing to Andy. "T'otIer
fellow shall see him drop and then he fol-
olIws arter him. Drive him on thar hos
scs." Es
Every effort was made to move AuIy,
but tho poor fellow continued obstinate
The Outlaws pricked him with their knives
and beat him with their rifles but he re-
fused to stil.
Garry tic r.a4.'' shouted the leader
n,adIy,T
Despite his struggles. Andy was pick
ed up bodily and carried to the plank. :
AS the outlaws let lin down they gave
him violent push which sent him for
ward to the end of the plank over the
prccipice. Andy swayed from side to
side trying TO regain Lis balance. He
faIed however, anl fell over, i'll lis fall
desperately c!utcling at the PLANK
There he held with his finger nails buried
in tie wood. 1t was a hon'id scene, and
my blood runs cold at tic rccco!lection Of
it.
.Letlim gor' shouted Tie fenl;sh
leader. gc .l-.
The men who were Standing on the
other end Of tho plank jumped of, and
plank and Andy whirlcd down into the
SETTLING depths below. Despite the gog
in his month, the poor fellow uttered
loud and terrible Shrek before he disap-
pearcd from SIGHT forever. The cry rings
on my ears now, though years have pass
ed since then. I shall never forget it.
The outlaws sprang to the edge of the
cliff, and with savage cxultation watched
Andy's descent.
snow fur tother one.' shouted the
leader. sa a.H
At that instant a lond report of fire
arms suddenly reverberated fsr-and near
and half of the bandits, ar least, fell dead
to the earth. The balls wIIistled around
me as thick as hal, but escaped unhart.
Instantly afterward a party Of trappcrs
rushed upon the scene and charged at the
outlaws. The fight was Short but des-
perate. In the end not one of them all
remained, though they fought like dey-
lis. "
In The first moments Of the melee /
GOT away out of tliea reach Of .harn.--.
Pinnioned and gagged, I would have been
Of no use to myself norothers. After the
conflict was over l made my appearance
and aeayo statement Of all that had tram
spired. From the trappers | learned that
the cry Of Andy had directed them to the
spot; but they came too late to save
him. .gs
I thanked God and the mountaineers
for. my own preservation, and quitteil the
scene with y sense Of relief mingled with
), c, oT;ro, &c sadness IS