The Vinton record. [volume] (M'arthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1866-1891, 1867-02-28

SAPiNSoOu oOhCf our plIoO az tilo1
and asked me why | did not stop
for breakfast Itold him | had sold
my last load about out, and that a
new lot of goods was waiting for
me at Jackson, and / wanted to get
there before the express agent left
in the morning. 9,ar, ~. 2IEl
"There We're anumber of persons
sitting round while | told this, but
took little notice of them. Only
one arrested my attention, L had
seen notices that week for The de-
lection of a notorious robber. The
bills gave. a description of his per.
son, and the man before me an.
swered very well to it. He was a
tall, well-formed man, rather slight
framed, and had the appearance of
4 gentleman, save that his face
bore those hard, cruel marks which
an observing man cannot mistake
but for the index of villainous
disposition. 81. '' '',.t .'.''1 ''
"When | went to my bed-cham.
Der | asked the landlord who that
man was, describing the individual.
He said that he did not know him;
he had come that afternoon, and
intended to leave the next day
The host asked me why / wished
to know, and if was ever acquain-
ted with him. ''. '' t,'' % .i'.
81 resolved not to let the land
lord into the secret, but hurry on
to Jackson, and there give infor-
nation to the sheriff, and perhaps
lie might reach the inn before the
villain left, for | had no doubt of
his identity. '1l ~ 'a o@ 2'Hl
81 had an alarm watch, and hav.
Ing set it to give the alarm at one
O'clock, I went to sleep. l was
aroused at the proper time, and
dressed myself. When | reached
the yard l found the clouds had
passed away, and the moon was
shining brightly. The hostler was
easily aroused, and by two O'clock
| was on the road. The mud was
deep, and my horse could not trav-
el very fast. However, on we
went, and in the course Of half an
hour | was clear from the village.
At a short distance ahead lay a
large tract of pine forest. The
road lay direct through this wood,
and, as near as / can remember,
the distance was twelve miles,
Yet the moon was in The east, and
as the road ran nearly west l, tho't
/ should have light enough, aIoi y
81 had entered this wood and
gone about half a mile, when my
wagon wheels settled with a bump
and a jerk into deep hole. / ut
tered an exclamation Of astonish-
ment. But this was not ILL heard
another exclamation from some
source. What could it mean?
looked quietly around, but could
see nothing; yet | knew the sound
] heard was very near ME. AS the
hind wheels came UP | heard some
thing tumble from one side to the
other Of my wagon, and l could
feel the jar occasioned by the
movement. 1t was simply a man
in my cartl 1 knew this, on the
instant. OF courseI I felt puzzled
At first | imagined that some one
had taken this method to obtain a
ride. .boMy next idea was that some.
body got in there to sleep; but this
passedIaway as soon as it came, fol
no man would have broken into
my cart for that purpose. And
that thought, gentlemen, . opened
my eyes. Whoever was there had
broken in. My next thought was
of the suspicious individual l had
seen at the tavern. He heard me
say that my load was all sold out
and of, course he supposed that
had some money with me. In this
he was right, for | had over two
thousand dollars. l thought he
meant to leave the cart when he
supposed /; had reached a safe
place, and then creep over ani
Shoot me or knock me down. Al
this passed through my mind by
the time l had got a rod from the
hole. 1o2oT 80 9Gw isognol .oaL
.7"ln a few. moments my resolu
ton was formed. My horse was
knee,deep in mud, and I could slip
t off without noise. so | drew my
pistol, and having twined the reins
J about thefwhip stock, carefully
. slipped down 1nathe emud, and as
| the cartpassed5on L went behind
and examined the hasp.s The out
: erdoor of the cart let's down, and
t it is fastened byea hasp which slips
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