The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1870-07-15
aftistEiIaun.
MURDER WILL OUT.
A GOLD D1eeER's ADVENTURE.

y
vince of that third cOntinenS pAustra
| liza. Our claim " was pretty wei
worked out, and two of our men Wer
out each day prospecting for neN
! ground but nothing payable could w
| strike, and we were getting tired c
working tor our food only, which wa
about all our claim had given us fo
for several weeks, though it had pai
well at first, and we were by no mean
hard up.n One evening, as we sa
around our fires, smoking and talking
of our homes, and of big finds (" G
gold, one of the two who had beel
prospecting that day, spoke up, ''Com
boys, let's get oJit of this. Peg Leg
played out. Pm going to make (
move for Black Jacks in the morning
Who says go ?'
The proposition was duly discussed
and resulted in our striking our tent tn
next morning, shouldering our SCOdgs
(the digger's termsfor anything maj
carries on hisS-5ack,) and all hand
starting across the country to Blacl
Jacks under the guidance of the move
of the expedition, and a compass. No
thing occurred on the tramp wOrtl
mentioning; and the second day afte
leaving Peg Leg, at about ten O'CLOCK
in the forenoon, we sat down to have ;
rest and a smoke.
We were quite near the workings OF
Black Jacks, and had passed mum
Der Of prospecting holes within tht
last mile or two, but had, as yet, me
with no parties at work, nOr. seen any
indications of men having been actual
ly engaged in washing out gold.
"This is a likely looking place." sale
one of our number; let's open a hole
here somewhere"
"Oh," answered another, "it's III
use prospecting to-day; wemay as vel
go in among the shops. Jack, hLre
knows all the stOrekeepers, and, per
haps, some of them may lay us OF
some payable ground"
So it was decided to keep on for the
stores, without stopping to prospect
ShOuldering our sWags, we again start
ed on, expecting shortly to reach the
township, which Jack assured us was
not far off; but our leader suddenly
stopped, looked keenly at his feet for {
moment, and then asked, "DO you SET
any pegs round here, bOys?'
No pe&5Or stakes to mark the bOun'
daries of a claim) could be seen anC
so we told him.
"But why do you ask that ?" sale
another.
"Look here" said the first speaker
/" somebody has been prospecting here
and they've struck it heavy" (mean'
ing that rich gold had been discovered
" they've gone for their mates most
likely, or perhaps for an extended
claim. Right where Pm standing is
where they put down the hoIe-yOu car
see where they threw out the dirt Oh
that side. Row they never put thai
dirt back so carefully, and scattered
these leaves and ferns over it to hide it,
for nothing. So here goes to see what
they got for a prospect. Peg out six
mems ground, boys; Pm going to dig
at once"
And suiting the action to the word
he threw down his swag, and com
menced to shovel out the gravel from
the filled-up hole.
We pegged out a claim, and theI
gathered about the hole. AS our mate
threw out the loose dirt, it became evi
dent that the hole had been but recent
ly filed up, for the blades of grass anC
tree-leaYes, thrown out from the depth
of several feet below the surface, were
as fresh and green as those still grow
ing in the vicinity.
"Ten you what, boys" said the
worker, as he rested on his shovel for {
moment; this hole was sunk this
morning. Won't the chaps look wheI
they find us in it? But I'd have
thought they'd have pegged out theil
claim, any way. But they didn't eX'
pect anybody to find it."
"Get out o. that hole, and take {
smoke" said Jack; "let me have sc
at the shovel.'
Hold on a Bit" was the answer
"pu go down q foot or two yet, anC
then you can have a chance. We
shan't have to sink very deep here
anyway, not mOre'n ten or twelve feet
But what the deuce is that ?n
His shovel had struck a piece 0
wood, and, scraping Oft the loose dirt
he disclosed what we at once knew t.
be the handle of a piclz-aXe.
"That's a pick-handle," said he, re
plying to his own question. "What'
it doing here? By jingo, fellers, they
when they've buried their tools in tn
hole; we're in luck this time, boys"
AS he had by this time uncovered
the handle and one point of the pick
axe, he had his shovel out of the hole
and took hold of the buried tool to re
move it out of the way; but it did no
come easily.
"It's fast, somewhat" he said, tax
ing hold of it with both hands, and Civ
ing a heavy jerk, which brought it up
" I've got yOu," said he, apostrOphizinG
the piCkaXe. "Here, take this up on
of the way, some of you," at the same
time holding its handle up to us whC
were on the surface.
His face suddenly changed its hope
ful expression for one of perplexity anC
distrust, as he looked first at his hanC
and then at the pick; then he climbed
hurriedly out of the hole.
WHATS the matter ?'' asked we IL
chorus.
- iSOnletI,ing's the matter-I dom
know what. Look here ~ at the SAM
time extending his hand, on whicl
were stains of what appeared to b
grease and blood. "What's that p
ThG is blood, believe; I got it off tina
pick, and the chisel point of it, the on
that was stuck down in the hole, i
warm. There's something wrong
bOys-there's something here tina
won't bear the light. But keep you
eyes lifting; Pm going in that hOI
again, to see what is there"
We " kept our eyes lifting" lOOkin,
suspiciOusly through the trees ant
bushes, as our mate again descende'
into the hole, and recommended throw
ing out the dirt. In a few moments b
ceased shoveling, stood his shovel u
in one corner of the hole, and StoOpinj
down, scraped away the gravel witt
his hands.
"LoOk here, mates," said he, turn
ing up white face to US; there
been murder here, and no mistake!-
See this ~
There was a mans body in the hole
and our mate had uncovered the uppe
part of his head, revealing a frightfu
wound, evidently made by the pickaXe