The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1866-03-29

/
|ley~ / should like to show you the
sheriff of county! George, he is
the durndest, ugliest, funniest little cuss
you ever saw. He stands about five feet
in his shoes, and is about as broad as he
is long, and his mug would frighten the
savagest catamount in all creation. Bust
ling about, big with the Importance of
his position, he waddled up to Uncle Bob
and pompously offered his hand.
"Colonel, Pm burned glad you've cum.
These eusses here aint gin me no peace
since sun up, akin me when was gwine
to begin. It's none of their burned biz
mes; I'd invited you to see the hangin',
for knew you liked sport, and wasn't
gwine to begin till you arriv, if had to
put off the execution"
Mounting the steps of the court house,
he then sang out, in tremendous voice :
30, yes! Q, yes! O, yesl I'm now
gwine to proceed to carry out the SEN
tence of the law on Eph Tolley, which
has to be bung for arson, and sottin of a
mans house afire! Whar's Bill Simmons,
my deputy Z"
| aHes over at Jim Boards playin' sew
en-up with Lanty Corrigan, and bcatin'
of him like sikes," answered little pot
bellied, yellow-faced specimen of dirt
eater. sHe wants me to take his place."
aYou take his placel You take his place p
Indignantly interrupted the sheriff !;
ssdurn you, you'd look n heap better ta-
kin Eph Tolley's place. Call Bill Sim
mons"
After some delay Bill Simmons appear
ed, and Mr. Sheriff, taking a piece of
clothes line about four feet long out of
his pocket, tossed it to him and said:
"Mr. Depity, go fetch Tolly out here"
Up to this time ] had been vainly look
ing to find some preparation for the fatal
scene; but the only thing visible was an
enclosure about forty feet square, five feet
high, made of rails laid in the fashion of
aworm fence" and resembling a spa
c;ous pig pen more than anything else.
In the center of the enclosure stood a
pole of black jack forked at the top, and
Lying beside it was another pole, about
twelve feet long, peeled of its bark.
0Mr Sheriff" said I, "arc not these
proceedings rather irregular? The law
says an execution must take place within
an enclosure, and"
"Well, amt that an enclosure, sa-ay !?
The law don't say I'm to build q stone
wall, mort I've.ter chunk up the cracks,
nuther"
aWhere is the gallows7" vcntured to
ask.
Squire said thu Sheriff, with impress
sive dignity; esquire, don't fret your giz-
zard. I know my bizness, and you'll OBJ
lige me by tendin' to your'n. Hold your
hosses and you'll see. I haint been Sher-
iff - county twerty years for nothin',"
Enter Bill Simmons with Tolley. Hc
had tied the bit of clothes line round the
eulprit's neck, and was leading him along
as you would lead horse to water Tol-
lev was almost as short in stature as the
| Sheriff, very stoutly built and had sui
/ XIV, donst-care-a.cuss sort of look on his
stolid face. he was quite complacently
chewing bit of wheat straw. He nod
ded familiarly to all hands, spoke to two
three in the party, and asked me for q
chew of tobacco, informing me at the
same time that he was "dry as meetin'
Ehouse." i carry two kinds-one for my
self, and the other for tobacco beggars ;
but thinking it shame to send man
into eternity with wad Of nigger-head
in his mouth, 1 pulled out my choice hon
ey dew and handed it over. That was the
last l saw of it.. Tolley deposited an
enormous quid in his cheek, and coolly
handed the plug to the little pot-bellied
dirt-eater, and it went from one to anoth-
er as long as it lasted. Lord, George, to
think that man with one foot in the
grave should be capable of an act of in
gratitude and downright robbery
The Sheriff now read document to
FOLEY, informing him That he was to be
hung by the neck, &C., &C., winding up
with the addition:
"And now, Tolley, you're a burned
pretty looking skunk, amt you? I'll
teach you, durn you, to set gentleman s
house afre, and be guilty of arson! Come
along here!" and he took the rope from