Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1868-01-13
09io Statesman.
ALMOST A VICTIM.
A Story of fArkan.as Justice.

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prosperous region of adventurous enter
prise, legitimate and illegitimate. The
teeming wealth of the cotton regions no,
only attracted capital and energy in the
course of honest labor, but a horde O
greedy snd unscrupulous adventures
flooded the whole country, ready to prey
upon the fullness f the land, who wer.
restrained neither by the fear of the law
nor the dread of personal resentment
whose depredations were marked by sig
nal boldness, and ON scale of unex
ampled magnitude. Gamblers, thieves
and counterfeiters infested the whole
country, and carried OH their nefarious
Operations with degree of success and
impunity which fairly startled the re.
spectacle portion of the community, and
compelled them to look about for a
means of defense and self-protection
which the ordinary course of justice
seemed incompetent to afford. This was
the cause of vigilance committees and
l"Lynch law" atf5
The system was established upon the
great natural right of communities, as
well as individuals, to protect them
selves, where the course of legal vindi-
cation was tardy or inefficient.
At about that period man named
Guyon established himself at Helena,
Arkansas, in general mercantile busi-
ness, whose disposition and habits soon
made him remarked in the community
He neither frequented the grog-shops nor
INDUCED in the designations which were
so universal.
Taciturn in manner, strict in business
and fearless in the assertion of his rights,
if he did not win popularity he soon
commanded respect, and even the most
reckless, when they regarded his gigan-
tic form, his fearless countenance, and
his firm glance, failed to modest him.
His transactions in trade were rigidly
lexacting, but always fair and open.
One fact had, however, become marked
in his conduct; on various occasions
when hehad received sums of money in
the course of business he returned Ger
tain notes as counterfeit, and insisted OIL
theirredemption by the party from whom
he alleged that he had received them.
This was resisted in several cases; but
as there was much counterfeit money
ahoat, and the denominations of the bills
corresponded with those paid, his earn
est, vehement demands were complied
with.
These transactions, however, left an
unpleasant feeling in the minds of the
persons concerned, and as he took no
pains to conciliate his neighbors, it is
not to be wondered at that he made enc
mics, though none of them cared to as
sail him, especially, too, as he gave no
other occasion for ofense.
1t happened at last that Guyon. had
transaction with naturalized Yankee
named Sharpe, who was of an equally
positive character and fearless disposi-
ton. The difference between them
amounted to a considerable sum of money
which Sharpe paid to Guyon in bills.
These the latter carefully. examined in
the presence of a witness, and objected
to several, the genuineness of which
was finally admitted, and Guyon gave
his receipt and went away apparently
contented.
The next day he returned, however,
and presented several bills, which were
evidently bogus, and demanded their
redemption. Sharpe positively refused,
and referred to his scrutiny of the notes
at the time of receiving them. Guyon
as positively insisted they were the
same paid him, and stated that on going
home he mad locked up the money in
his bureau, where it remained until the
next morning, when he took it out to
use, and discovered the bills in ques-
tion.
Sharpe persisted in his refusal, and
Guyon threatened suit, as well as a
Wordsr ran high, and COL
lision would have undoubtedly taken
place, but that Sharpe either lacked
pluck, or was awed by the superior phys
ical power of his antagonist.
They parted, however, with bitter
feelings Of animosity on both sides.
The next day Guyon, true to his
threat, instituted suit for the recovery
of the amount of the notes, and his op-
ponent, who was a prominent member
Of vigilance committee, called it to-
gether at night. The meeting was se-
cret, and Sharpe laid his case before the
g court, as it was styled, boldly charg
ing Guyon with a systematic plan to
pass counterfeit money and swindle the
-
1t happened that one or two persons
were present, from whom Guyon had
money under the same circum-
and who, smarting from the idea
that they had been cheated, were very
severe upon the accused. The action of
such tribunals is generally summary.
The cireumstantial proofs were very
strong, and the offense one particularly
obnoxious to community liable to that
species Of fraud; SO it was proposed to
appoint committee at once to proceed
to Guyon's place, put him under arrest,
and search the premises for further evil
dences of his guilt. As soon as this
proposition was made, the figure of
person who had concealed himself be-
hind some rubbish on the outside of the
building, and heard the whole proceed
ings. might have been seen creeping
stealthily av az, until beyond the danger
of observation, when, springing, to
his feet, he fed rapidly in the
direction of Guyon's house. 1 may as
well say this was man who lived in the
vicinity named Sam Burt--"Slinky SAM
he was called. In person he was lean and
lank, almost to emaciation, and possessed
a countenance Of singular ugliness-a
heartless, yellow. shriveled face, with
deep-set, snake-like eyes. His habits
were idle and desultory, and his DISPOSE
ton vicious, though he was generally
considered a harmless good-for-nothing
This man, who had a wife, poor, sickly.
ill-used creature. was occasionally en-
ployed by Guyon, as much, probably,