Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1859-10-07
Frnrn {" Our Newspaper.n .
MURDER MOST FOUL.
THE GAMBLERS FATE.
Prepared Expressly for " Our Newspaper" )"

at that time, with the exception of the
government posts, was a wilderness
Fort Towson, Doxborougb, Jonesbor-
ough, Lost Prairie, Horse Prairie, Pc
can Point and several other places
throughout this wild and newiy-settled
country, were crowded with every kind
and description of people from the
States, from the government agents and
contractors to the wild and mysterious
refugee-the latter being very numerous,
and having settled upon the south side
of Red river, to evade the pursuit of the
United States officer of justice, that por-
ton then being considered within the
boundaries of Texas. The whole re-
gion was one of peculiar debasement
in all respects. AS might be suspected,
seasoned as it was with such popula-
ton, drunkenness, debauchery, and muir
der walked abroad, hand in hand, day
and night. Human life was valued no
higher than the life of an OK, or hog,
and the heart of the settlement was cold,
and palsied to the most remote touch of
feeling, and hardened to the recital of
brutalities and crimes of the most indie
scribable enormity. Men talked of their
evil doings, their deep, revolving guilt
with the most impudent freedom, and
laughed and chuckled over them as
though they were the best jokes in the
world!
1t was in one of the Texan settlements,
in this rude, wicked tract of country,
that an incident came to my knowledge.
quite by accident, which / will relate
The settlement contained some seventy
or eighty people, men, women and child
ren, white and black. / was taking g
stroll with one of the settlers among the
cabins and huts, he being familiar witt
the occupation of each, their habits an6
history. When we passed a spot worth
notice, he gave me the character of the
owner, his wealth, &C., and although al
about the settlement wore an appearances
of the most abject poverty, l was sur
prised to find the wealth which many o
the inhabitants of so desolate, dreary
and forbidding place possessed. W.
finally came to small log cabin, at th
extreme end of the settlement, appar
emily about twenty feet long by eighteel
deep, story and half high.
Who lives here? said /.
The widow ---, replied N.
guide, whose name was Edmonds; tn
widow of -; but-yes-the widoI
of DR.. -, who was killed fey
days ago.
l was struck with my companion
pauses, and thought there was somethin
singular in them, especially as his cour
tenance at the time seemed to chang
slightly. soon mustered resolution
ask him who were the murderers of D
-, but his reply was simply that /
did not know.
L should like to see the widow sal
/; ;'will you introduce me?'
He declined, stating that he must the
leave me, and go along some half a mi
further, where some men were at worl
telling bee-tree.
Very well,' said I; g will step
and introduce myself. You have awal
ened some little curiosity in my mind
know more about the murder of th
man.
He left me without making any repl
and L entered the cabin, the door
which was standing ajar. Hound, ses
ed near the fire on a rude bench, {
male, perhaps thirty years old, who
countenance wore look of deep deje
ton, but at the same time betrayed strol
evidence of having been once quite 6
tractive. A little girl sat in her lap
two boys of the ages perhaps of sew
and eleven occupied bench at her rig
An infant of, l should think, thr
months old, slept in the cradle which
little girl apparently about five years G
stood rocking. The group was We
imposing one. As entered, / gave
tap upon the door, which caused t
mother to turn towards me but she d
not speak, waiting, it would seem, for I
to introduce my business. l apologiz
for my unceremonious entrance, sayir
that had learned she was formerly
resident in the States; and that bel
also from thence, felt some interest in
and her family. She beckoned me to
seat, and after some time, told me S
was born in Philadelphia, but that, ba
ing married a Kentuckian, she NOV
there, and lived some eight or nine yea