Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1873-12-18
LYNCH LAVA STORY OF THE
LEAD MINES

In the year 1888, small stern.wheel
steamer left the broad track of the Missis.
sippi which ii had been blowing all the
way from St. Louis, and entered the Fevre
River, to pick its way up the tortuous
windings OF that stream; finally running
its PROV into the mud at the Galena land
ing.
On board were the usual complement
of officer and men, together with eight or
ten strangers from below, who were going
to the lead mines. They were already en-
gagged, with one exception, and that
young man about twenty-five years Of age,
whose name upon the boats register APP
peared as Richard Smalley
He was evidently unused to work, yet
he had but little money, so could not pos
sibiy be speculator; and he was very re-
ticent regarding his business. The facts
were he was gambler, who had con-
ceiyed the idea of going to the lead mines
for the purpose of replenishing his ex-
hausted eXchequer rom the hard-earned
wages Of the miners.
He received no welcome from the
crowd who had been waiting for half an
hour for the boat to come; but he did not
notice that He took his carpet-bag in
hand and went ashore with the rest, with
whom he had become acquainted, and who
introduced him to the boss as man
who desired job. The question of
wages was soon settled, and he, in COM
pany with the rest, started for the dig
gins"
Soon he exhibited an evident dislike for
work, and would have been discharged
from the mines, but he had gone to the
'boss' and begged to be retained; and
for a while he did better.
From the log house which was their
boarding place, many articles of value,
such as clothing, watches and money, had
been stolen since the coming of Smalley;
and no elew could be obtained of the
missing articles.
AS such thing as stealing had been
unknown previous to his coming, and
considering the proverbial honesty of the
regular Welsh and Cornish miners, sus-
picion was quite naturally directed to
Smalley as the perpetrator of the theft.
A close watch was kept upon his move
ments, which resulted in nothing but
loss of sleep to the watchers, for long
time, until one night about twelve O'Clock
he was seen to dress himself and proceed
to the chest of comrade, from which he
distracted watch and small sum of
money. Immediately the detectives
awok the "boss" and Smalley was taken
in charge and securely bound Nothing
was done with him until morning, when
the boss" opened his court, and called
his gang of miners to act as jurymen.
The stolen goods being found upon his
person was sufficient evidence of his
guilt, and the question was not whether
he should be punished, but what the ma
ture of the punishment should be.
81 propose" said the "boss," after he
had explained the nature of the case, that
we fog him, and /, therefore, order that
he shall receive fifty blows upon his bare
back, from hazel-bush cato nine-tails,
we'll laid on by the man whose property
he has stolen.
The sentence was received with cheers
by the miners; in silence by the culprit.
He was stripped to the waist, and tied
TO small tree, while the men who had
been sent for whips soon returned, and
everything was in readiness. The man
who had been selected TO do the whipping
came forward, and, taking one of the bun
dies of rods, began laying on with will.
Smalley stood it very we'll until twenty
blows had been administered, when he
began to cry enough" and begged to be
let off with what he had received.
No YOU don't, said the leader; faint
every day we catch a bird like you, and
we are bound to get the worth of our
money! Amid cries of rage and pain
and angry imprecations, the remaining
thirty blows were given, and the majesty
ofthe law" was indicated
In those days of no law, the laws Of
Illinois were better than they are at pres
ent, for il must be admitted that this State