Bloomsburg democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1867-1869, 1868-09-02
A Thrilling Sketch.

In the year 1886, the inhabitants living in
q district bordering on Rock River, in the
northern part Of the State Of Illinois, were
much incensed by the depredations of band
Of horse thieves who infested that portion
Of the country. Every exertion had been
made to discover the men engaged in the
nefarious business, but hitherto in vain, and
valuable animals were stolen, and lost to
their owners, in defiance Of the utmost Wig.
lance and care.
During such state Of affairs, the citizens
residing in the region Of the thieves became
thoroughly excited, and were wound up to
such pitch Of indignation, that body Of
men were formed styled Rangers, whose ex.
plicit duty was to expunge the district Of all
suspicious characters, and endeavor to put o
stop to their depredations.
Shortly after this band commenced oper.
atoms word was conveyed to the leader Of
the Rangers that q valuable horse, which
had been stolen the night previous, could
then be found on the premises Of man
named Burt, locked up in the stable. AL.
though Burt heretofore had been looked
upon rs an honest man and an upright citi-
zen, yet the captain deemed it his duty to at
least examine his farm and learn the truth
or falsity Of the report.
Accordingly he summoned some half
dozen Of his Rangers to meet him at q spot
not far from Burt's house, and before morn
ing set out for the same place himself Day
light was hardly discernible in the east, and
the hazy light Of coming dawn had not yet
penetrated the bottom, where the suspected
man resided, as the Rangers, charged with
the fearful mission Of life or death, silently
approached and surrounded the dwelling.
Leaving three Of the band to guard the en-.
trance, the captain opened the door and
found the missing horse, as had been stated,
safely stalled inside.
Not a lingering doubt now remained Of
Burt's guilt, and with stern determination
to make an example Of him that would dc.
ter others from like transaction, the Ran
gers returned to the house. In the mean
time Burt had risen, and upon coming to
the door was seized by those in waiting, and
upon demanding the reason was informed by
them that stolen animal was found in his
stable, and that he was considered thief.
Muttering something about "he knew it
would come to this at last" he quietly sub.
mitted to whatever his captors had in store
for him.
A short consultation was held, and it was
resolved to hang the criminal upon a large
elm tree that grew in front Of his own house,
it being thought that such an act would
strike terror and dismay into the ranks of
the horse thieves.
Burt had asked half an hour to prepare
for his death, and the sun had risen in all
its golden majesty ere the fatal moment had
arrived which would launch him into eter-
nifty. In vain his grayheaded father and
mother pleaded for his life, with trembling
tongues-they tottered forth from the dwell
ling, and kneeling in suppliant mood to his
apparently merciless captors. In vain had
the wife Of his bosom knelt in tears of agony,
and entreated them as husbands to spare
his life, for each Ranger had suffered more
or less in person, and they deemed the ex.
ample absolutely necessary to deter others,
and it seemed as though Burt must die.
The dreadful preparations were complet-
ed-the half hour had expired-and the
criminal was arranged under the limb Of o
stout elm, over which rope was thrown,
one end being noosed around the prisoners 5
neck, and the other held by three of the
Rangers.
Then came q moment of dreadful silence,
that awful stiffness which proceeds the
launching Of fellow-being into eternity
whilo the three strong men, who held the
ropes end, gazed fixedly upon the captain
for the signal. 1t was given by raising the
right arm; and already the moose was tight
cuing around the doomed mans neck, when
the wife Of Burt issued forth from the house
holding an infant little more than year
old in her arms.
Rushing forward, she fell on her knees
directly in front of the captain, and raising
the child, with arms outstretched, towards
him, she exclaimed in tones that would
have pierced heart Of steel
IF you will not spare him for the sake
Of his grayhaired sire, or the wife Of his
bosom, spare him in the name Of God for
the sake Of his infant boyr'
Another dead silence reigned like pail
over the spot; then, as though inspired by
heaven itself, the child also stretched out its
little arms towards its father and exclaimed,
in voice heard by oil, tho single word:
"Papal"
And then, as though despairing Of sue.
cess, huddled into its mothers bosom, and
burst into sobbing cry.
1t was more than the Rangers could stand,
and, after short consultation, tho rope was
taken from the criminals neck, and tho
band left the spot; and Burt became . re-
formed man through the powerful effects Of
his "Iwants Appeal"