The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1873-05-16

BELTS a decidedly nasty one; and
sometimes your swindhng clerk, or
absconding bankrupt, will show his
teeth-pull out pistol, or pick up a
decanter or chair, and talk of knock
ing your brains out if you lay a hand
on him though, of course we do lay
hands on 'em for all that If you dash
in boldly at them they generally knock
under.
There is one customer, however as
is more likely than not to make a fight
Of it before he'll be taken, and as is
generally a tough one to fight, and
that is the escaped convict. It's gen.
orally desperate hand shat does man
age to escape, and one that's dreadful
ly fond of his liberty, and knows that
if he is took again he may bid a long
goodbye to it. A gentleman of that
stamp gave me the stiffeSt tussle |
ever had, ard the one IN proudest Of,
for | fought him fair, and took him
single-handed. When he made his
escape he got clean away, and he had
sense enough not to come back to his
old esta blished hadnts while the search
'
he did venture back, and | accidental
ly got wind of IT.
1t was not the man himself that /
was afraid of, though / knew he was
a Tartar; what made the job so risky
was the danger of being set upon by
the whole of the gang to which he be-
Ionged, and who always went about
together, and would, | knew, think
nothing of numbering a policeman. |
waited a few weeks to see what chance
might turn up, and at length one af-
tGfifoOn | heard that the gang had
picked up some sailors, and were
spreeing with thehf IN a public-h0use
some little distance from their regular
lurk and thinking to myself that
might wait long enough without find
ing any much better opportunity, [
determined to try nv luck there and
then, and down to this public-house /
went
There was no one then particular in
the bar, and so | passed through to
the back, and there III a shut-:,1 skittle
alley | caught sight Of the gaTg, eight
III number, and with three sailors in
tow. | felt qualmish. b$.S | knew that
it wouldn't do to give way to that feel
ing; and so seeing my gentleman there
IN the midst as large as life, l put on
nv boldest face, bounced into the al
ley, and shttting the door, placed my
back against it. Though the gang
were taken by surprise, they acted
cleverly enough; they didn't know
which of them might he wafathftt, and
not one of them said word or moved
an inch, but | noticed my man pick up
a pot and make q pretcnce Of slipping
at it, though | could see easy enough
that his real motive was to be ready to
fling it at nv head if it should turn
out that he was the man wanted.
[ caught his eye, and in an ofI.hand-
eG tonc said, 40, you know it's you
I've come for, then; but take my adj
vice, DON'T do any thing in the pot
throwing line. 1t will only make
things worse for you, for the house is
surrounded and there are men enough
in reserve to take houseful of YOU"
81 shall make it death or glory this
time, "he answered, land SO here goes ;"
and as he spoke the words he threw
the pot as hard as he could, and then
made a dash for n window at the end
of the alley. The pot just SKINNED
nv ear and then | was on to him like
panther and dragged him back just
as he had got about half out of the
window. | dOwned him, and had all
but mastered him, when one of the gang,
that had popped out as soon as my
back was from the door, came running
back to tell the others that it was all
CANNON about there being a reserve.
This was enough for them. Without
another word said, they made rush
toward me; and, though | still held
nv man, my heart grew cold, and a
PRAYER flashed through my mind, for
felt that was face to face with death.
knew that they'd stick at nothing,
and that the very same gang had kick
ed a man to death only a few months
, before. But l was in luck.
I would have called to the sailors
for help, but they looked helplessly
drunk, and two of them was, but the
third, as it happened, was only half
seas over. He was a big lump of a
fellow, a Yankee mate, as l knew af-
! forwards, and about as cool and bold
a card as there well could be. AS
they sprang forward, so did he, and
whipping out revolver, says he, in
an aggravating sort of q way, Gen
tlemen fair play is jewel, and l like
to see it espected-and so | will.
They are man to man, and pretty fair
/ Iy matched, and if the officer can take
him. he shall" Whether or lot he
really would have fired at them, they
must have believed so, for they SUNK
back. All the same, they had done q
good thing for their mate.
While this had been going on | had
without knowing it, slackened my hold
and my man, putting out all his strength
in. a sudden move, threw me off, and