The Republican journal., 1872-07-04
Editorial Nerve.
| Thomas Hood
A Boh S. DEFENGE.

twenty-five wears ago, and San Francesca
was in her infancy.
Quite n crowd had gathered on the
street, and the centre of attraction was ~
big fellow. who stood with a newspapers
lin his hand, raving and cursing. 3
"What's the matter, Wolf?n asked, d
newcomer. who was evidently familiar
with the irate man. .. WY .p
Matter p, returned Wolf. for that was
his name, ''matter enough. an rongh
enough it'll be for some folks. The n
young wheps that prints this paper h 5,
gone an published somethin' bout me.
10. I'll fix 'em. They'd better never ha'
been born They'd better 60 an XIII
themselves after ten minutes; it'll be an
\ easier death fur 'em."
\ Wolf was a noted desperate, who, it
was said, had killed more than twenty
men. and but few knew him who did not
\ fear him. He was at that time chlet Of a
gang of loafers and gamblers that We're
nearly always to he found lounging in the
vicinity alluded to, and disturbing the
peace of the whole .neighborhood daily
with riotous conduct. If there was any
law in those days it was seldom executed
against such characters. and in the full
/ consciousness that they were feared they
| did pretty much as they pleased.
/ The newspaper which had given deadly
otlenseto Wolf was little weekly journal,
and its office was in the second story of a
building on the same street with the hotel
III have mentioned, and only a few rods
distant 1t was published by two Young
men-or, might say, boys, tor they were
| only eighteen and twenty years old, re-
| ely-named Darrell and HAYNES.
|! The paper and its youthful proprictors
/ were already well known in the city OF
/ San Francisco,
| The article which had excited the wrath
of the ruilian Wolf was a bold denuncia-
/ ton of himself and his crowd for their
\ lawless conduct, and il particularly men-
| toned him hv name. eharactering him AS
a "hlusterng bully" 1t was the work
| of Young Darrell, a fearless boy hailing
from Ohio. Before leaving his home he
had acquired u tair education. SO that he
l could at least edit a newspaper in those
/ early days; and he possessed besides,
| that courage and daring which may be
| natural in the first place, and which are
more thoroughly developed by exposure
| to dangers and hardships. Young HAYNES
was quite different kind OF person in
| timorous nature. '%
70 return to the scene on Sacramento
street Working himself up into his very
worst mood---;lnd his best was bad enough,
heaven knows-Wolt tore the paper to
atoms and started for the publication
office. He was followed by Il curious rah-
| bic. most of whom were elate with the
prospect Of murder. though there were
II "A i.
| ed with the evil-hearted man, mad they
| larad,
| ''Jest vou watch,N said Wolf, rs he
/ reached the door, ''if We want TO see the'l
\ bloody rarcaSScS tumble out o the Winderi
| II won't be long. don't spend much
| time on sch fellers." It WIS the inlen-
| ton Of the cruel-hearted man actually to
Il cut the thro;tts of the two boyish Jour
nalists and throw their bodies ont at the
/ window. tor the qualification of the crowd
and further eXaltation Of his already fear
tiful name. SO. the mob on the street
awaited the issue with feverish expectation,
Has Wolf, hnurishing his knif,, and revol-
rushed up stairs.
All unconscious Of their danger. the two
| young editors were busilv pursuing their
usual work in their primitive office. If
| they had heard the noise without they had
Ilpaid no attention to it, supposng it was
merely a street row such as they Were ac-
icustomed to hearing every day. Darrell
Twas sitting at a rude table writing, and
/ HAYNES was AT the counter arranging some
Ipapers tor the mail.
| They heard the clatter of heavy boots
on the stairs, but supposed it was some
rough miner coming up to subscribe for
the paper, or, perhaps, to see n lawyer
who occupied Il couple Of rooms on the
same floor; for the building was only Il
|Itwo-story one. and the second floor was
occupied exclusively bv them and the at
Itorney-ther rooms being separated from
his by = narrow hallway that was reached
by the flight Of stairs alluded to-.
'Ah-ha! I've got ye, my young imps"
exclaimed the desperate, bursting in.
HAYNES recognized him and turned pale
Being At the counter, which faced the
door and extended across the room, he
was naturally the first mark for VOLTS
vengeance. ~
eye young .cvilsl" he hissed, scowling
like u mailman, "Ye'H never write nor
print nothin' more bout me - Here he
flourished his knife and revolver above
his head. ''I've got sure thing on both
of yem Saving this he looked about him,
with a careful scrutiny, to, see that there
was no means of escape for the quiet
youth at the table. who. of course, would
not dare to Jump over the counter and try
TO pass him, but would cover down in a
corner and take his turn at being killed;
then he reached across the counter and
seized Haynes by the hair, which was un-
fortunately very long
Coiling the terrified young mans locks
around the great coarse tingers Of the left
hand, Wolf laid his revolver upon the
counter without the slightest apprehension
that his youthful adversary would snatch
it up and use it on him. rs he might have
done had he possessed the nerve; then
hourished his big cleaning knife, deliber-
ftely, with pure devi1shness prolonged
Haynes terror and pain.
"Now say yer prayers, d---n yer" he
hissed, "vnu've got n couple o seconds
or SO left-iest while Pm clippin yer ears
off. I'll take 'em first, clean and smooth :;
then III cut yer throat au' throw yer out
o. the winder Dye hear that P"
Such was VOLTS reliance upon the ter
ror his name everywhere inspired that he
never dreamed of resistance He simply
intended to butcher the two young men,
and such a thing as an obstacle to his will
was not to be. thought Of. Had Darrell
possessed no more nerve than Haynes
there can be no doubt they would both
have been murdered then and there, in
exact accordance with VOLTS programme
"Iime!" he said, grinding his teeth in
nm ecstacy of rage, and drawing HAYNES
white face closer to his own repulslve
countenance. ''They're a waitin' to see
your carcass drap down into the street"
Here he tlourshed his knife and selected
his mark. "The right. ear first Watch
how clean and,smooth Pll take it. off. !
won't even touch u hair."
Haynes bawled for mercy. go
don't the poor fellow shrieked, (rem-
bling with terror. "Oh don't, Mr. Wolf.
| didn't write that, upon my soul % and
he whined ike a schooI-boy. '.
"None o yer lynn Said NNdlf, fero-
riously.l Ye both wrote 1T, 'dAl-n We :;
and YEN both pay for IT," Here he exc
cuted decided circles with his flashing
knife, having apparently prolonged the
torture as much as he desired. 'fHere