Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1873-12-05

on me, and was told to De on my
guard. I had been In Phoebe elk weeks
aud left As soon a. [ was told he was
there. I came here, and had been
here between six and seven months
when he arrived; he came with q
team. tom Warburton, Deputy Sher-
III. here said: The team was from
Eureka.) I was warned by Mckinney
"a miner employed In the FL Dorado
that Jack said he was going to kill
me; | went and purchased a revolver
and started to East Belmont; he was
standing by a wagon In front OF Hop
kins' store, and when he saw me he
Jumped around between the wagon
and the store, as II to screen himself;
I was with August Vollmer. In the
store delivery wagon, and the thought
crossed my mind that l might do as he
had done at Star and take advantage
OF him ; aud then thought l would
leave the camp; but l had no money
and could not do that. Vollmsr re-
marked that the man acted strangely,
and I told him he had threatened my
life and told him the history Of the
matter at Star, and / pulled out my
revolver to see II everything about It
was correct. l came back from East
Belmont with Vollmer, and when we
returned the wagon was In front OF
Kings store. | was watching him and
he was watching me; was AFRAID 70
turn my back to him. l said to vol.
mer : THAT man said he would Kill
me on sight; ) he was within about 10
feet of ME and kept advancing toward
me, aud when he got about three or
four feet distant from me, | pulled my
pistol and shot him I had my pistol
In my pocket and my hand on 1t while
he was advancing towards me aud OIL.
ly drew when | felt myself In danger"
After the doomed mai had conclud-
ed his statement, I asked him: "Do
you realize your position Yea he
replied, Il do, l know that nothing
can save me now and | have talked to
you straight | had not a shadow OF
Justice ; had no witnesses was told
the State wonld send for them and
bring them here; Hal. Clayton This
counsel) was q good counsel, and l am
satisfied he did for me all that mortal
man could do. Jim Caldwell (tiie Sher-
if) and all Of them have treated mo
well, and I have no fault to find ex-
cept that one Of the jurymen said be-
fore the trial that he would 20 to Aus
tin to help hang me and then sat on
my jury"
This Is Halls story as he told 1t to
mo . II IA not rOrroboratcl either by
the evidence or by public report; the
general sentiment Of the community
being that he committed a cold.6lo0d-
ed. unjustiiable murder. aud that he
met his just deserts.
The scafold
| Was erected IN the open air, about
three.fourths of = mile south Of town
and a short distance from the grave.
yard. the white palings around the
grave looming up significantly. Close
BY the scatTold were four graves, and
two Indians were engaged In digging
a fifth for the reception OF the poor
wretch so soon to meet his death. The
trap rested OIL an iron bolt so arranged
as to be withdrawn by 4 light touch on
q lever attached to one OF the upriShts
of the gallows. The fall was Intended
10 be five feet four inches, but owing
10 the stretch the body fell nearly
seven feet. The whole contrivance
looked Innocent enough, but one could
hut shudder when he reflected on the
use to which 1t was to be put.
Tho Execution.
At about ! o'clock +. NJ. a crowd OF
men, women and children, atoot, In
wagons and OH horseback, began to
course toward the scsffold. A stranger
in town, unaware Of the object Of the
exodus. would have thought the peo,
pie were going to a a horse race, and
almost expected TO hear the drivers
of the wagons sing out "All aboard
for the hanging" Arrived on the
ground I found a crowd Of between
400 and 500 people assembled, white
men. Cinnamon, Indians, women,
children and squaws. Many OF the
women, with children In their arms,
were seated on the ground chatting
and laughing gaily. A rope wal
stretched In a circle around the scat.
fold, outside Of which the crowd was
kept, and inside were our Deputy
Sheriffs armed with Henry rifles. Al
about half-past l o'clock n murmur OF
"Here he comes" a through the
crowd, and In a few moments a car.
riage, In which were seated Sheriff
Caldwell and the prisoner, drove to
the foot Of the gallows. Halls feet
were shackled and the Sheriff made a
motion to assist him to alight, disdaln.
Ing which, he sprang lightly to the
ground and walked up the steps Of the
scaffold. lie was vigorously pulling a
cigar and glanced keenly around al
the crowd without betraying any out
ward sign Of emotion. A chair was
placed on the scaffold In which he
seated himself and remained during
the reading by the Sheriff Of the death
warrant. A cold wind was blowing
aud owing to his long confinement IL
a cell, he felt 1t keenly and shlvered
visibly. At the conclusion Of the
reading of the warrant he arose.
walked across the scaifold and glanced