Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1872-12-12

e perhaps, with more friendly feel
e ing than they did the miners
}, they had upon two occasions of
fered the hospitality of their cabin
when l was caught out in the
e storm. sfegF . ar =
: OF course, did not admire the
a character of Jim Bennett, for he
: was villain of the deepest dye,
but ! could defy any one having
! ordinary susceptibilities not to be-
: come infatuated with her who
/ passed for his wife.
t She saw that admired her, and
; guarded herself accordingly and
never by act or look did she ever
, compromise the relative position
, she bore to Jin Bennett. ff
A few weeks after the disap-
pearance of the Mexican boy, the
whole camp was thrown into con-
sternation and gloom by the death
. of three miners, who were discov-
cred dead in their beds early in
the morning. There We're no
marks Of violence on their persons,
and the door of their sleeping a.
partment was found securely lock.
ed. These three men had formed
part Of the gang that had hung
Jim Bennett.
There was great deal of in
vestigation but it resulted in moth
ing further than a belief that the
men died from suffocation or foul
air. But when, little while af-
ter, six more jurymen were dis
covered dead, under exactly the
same circumstances. there was
great excitement. A deputation
Immediately set out for Moll Ben
nett.s cabin, determined to hang
her, as they attributed the act to
her. Later in the day the men
returned satisfied from the evi-
dence of others that Moll Bennett
had pot been away from her home
for a week.
| had been waiting for a party /
of Missouri men to pass by that |
might join them, and thus more
safely cross the Plains, for at that
time it was dangerous to venture
far alone, the Indians being very |
troublesome.
Two days before started the
last three men of Jim Benefits
jury were found dead in their
bunks.
With one voice the entire mi
ner community started for Mol F!
BENEFITS either to hang her or
drive her cut Of the country.
l joined, the party, hoping II
might be able to appease the ire Of
these iDfuriated men if they at
tempted any ill usuage of Mary
Bennett. But | was spared all
anxiety on the subject. Moll Ben
nett had disappeared, and the cab
in she had occupied was a smould-
ering mass of ashes, having burned
almost the earth it was built upon. |
The men now scattered and pur-
suit began in various direct ons,
but each party finally returned
with no tidings of her they sought.
81 = @ !: ::
A few years later I found my
self in the city of Mobile. One
evening Twas induced by a friend
to visit a circus, to see a horse
woman who was turning the heads
of all the men by her daring feats
and beautiful face.
The reader will, no, doubt, guess
who l recognized In this popular
performer. Yes, it was Moll Ben
nett; there was no mistaking that'
splendid figure and exquisite fee
/ scarcely slept that night, for i
intended seeking her out the fol-
lowing day, and / spent the hours
coniecturing how she would re-
ceive me. In the morning bur-
ried to the circus grounds, sup,
posing l could best get informa-
ton there where Sonora Maria
(as she was called in the bills
was staying. Alas the grounds
were deserted; the company had
departed. For the second time
Mary Bennett had slipped away
but this time her destination was
no secret. The company had
gone to New Orleans. All right :
that was in. my way. 1 would
tarry there few days { if only tol
look upon Mary Bennett again 70
A week later Twas in the Gre
sent City, only to arrive the day
Mary Bennett and the circus com.
pany sailed for Vera CRUZ T$I
Now perhaps the reader will
not believe me when | say that my
going to Mexico in the next stea.
mer was purely accidental. It
will ratherbe supposed that I was
following Moll Bennett, and
accident had nothing to do with
/ it; butiI do declare that the fair
horsswoman, had nothing to do