Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1874-07-10

|
! your shanty and robbed and killed him {"
! mo, Captain" burst out Joe al bar
! that. don't deny the horses nor the
: cattle; and / may hev killed man
! or two; so may hev Phil; but l never
touched the jew, nor killed a man in my
own shanty; and this here traveller
should have gone his way safe man. :"
Then, turning to me, he said: d" You don't
believe l meant killing of you, stran.
J ger,p
u do notl" / said very emphatically,
for meant it,"
We'll there's enough agin you with
out that" said the spokesman, "though
WE know you amt 50 bad as Phil.
You've been warned to go, time after
tine"
| Not reglar warned, Captain" argued
joe; land now we are agoin."
No, you amt, you bet" said the Cap.
tam, with meaning smile, which ran re-
spnsively through his band; mo you
Ant. Your time has come; but you
shall have a fair trial from the Vigilantes
here assembled, and what their judg.
ment is you must abide by"
In an instant sort of formality was
given to the assembly, the Captain and
another being the center of semi-circle,
/
| prisoners, guarded by four men. sup.
pose there must have been seventeen or
eighteen of the Vigilantes altogether.
! with rapidity that almost stunned me
the trial began and concluded The
| prisoners offered no particular defense;
| they seemed conscious of its inutility,
and the evidence" against them was
chiefly accusation-but 1t sufflced. When
the Captain asked the verdict, there was
unanimous reply of Guilty" and he
addressed the culprits thus: "Say, Joe
Blakey and Phil Marll, you hev heard the
evidence in this honorable Committee of
Vigilantes, and the verdict of guilty. We
therefore intend to string you up, and we
mean to clear the country of all the
thieves, right away. You have ten minutes
allowed you to leave any message you
wish"
The apathy of the two men was ex.
traordinary. Phil only scowled savagely
at the speaker; while Joe absolutely
turned to his nearest guard and asked
him for chew" and the guard, pulling
cake of tobacco from his breast, handed
it to Joe, who broke a piece off, and began
was lhYxed Ike On on Il me With such hopeless yet
appalling look that could hesitate no
longer. With an energy that surprised
L
the lives of the condemned, explained
how l had been received by them, and
given the best they had, and how Joe had
helped me to find my horse in the day.
will be security" | concluded, "that
they leave the neighborhood. bear
letters from good houses in New York to
several persons in this vicinity, some of |
whom may be known to you. and which |
will prove | can bear out my offer" |
drew my letters from my pocket and read |
the addresses: "Capt. Hiram Danks, |
Maj. Julius Bumper, Sheriff Gollopy, |
Col. Vanwoort, Capt. Himpus-"
"That's me-" said a rough-looking man. |
"Give it here"
He wasn't much after my idea of a
captain; but, as it could do no harm, l |
gave him the letter. He read it, and |
handed it to the Captain, leader of the |
band, who read it also
"Yes; that's all squar enough" said |
the latter; but the Vigilantes out here
don't yally New Workers, and don't work |
according to New York laws"
monSSn M9r 'ney ne;s don't want no New York
An asserting murmur indorsed this
sentiment, and felt things were looking
vuy black for my hosts. They were
evidently of the same opinion, for Joe
smiled sadly and said: at amt of no
use Squire; we're just as much obliged,
though. | wouldn't say no more, or
you'll maybe get into trouble yourself
If things is ready, I'm ready" he con-
tined, turning to the leader.
We'll, we shan't keep you waiting long,
Joe Blakey," responded the latter; II
hearthe young men a-coming back; they
havebeen choosing tree"
With horror l exclaimed: "I never
dreant of such cold.blooded work as
thisl Look here, Captain the only rea-
son don't offer money is, because be-
lieve should do more harm than good
by H. but if you hang these men you
will end me away with the feeling that
hav their blood on my head, for they
expeced your visit, and believe that, but
for my presence, they would have made
their ecape tonight. If you won't listen
to anything else, you might think of that"
i was pleased to see that my words
made some impression, for instead of an
swering me in his calm, cruel style the
Captain turned to his gang and low but
earnest discussion took place. AT last he
turned round and, in very stern voice,
quite different from that in which he had
previously spoken, said: Here me,
stranger The Vigilantes are quite sorry
for your position, and respect your feel
ms; but this is their decision, and / warn
=, you that if you question it by a single
word you will ruin the man you most
seek 10 help: Joe Blakey, you are con-
sideTed by this honorable court the best
of the two, but you are very bad for all
that. Your life Is spared on condition
that you hev cleared out from here in six
hours and are not found within hun
dred miles of here ever after, OF course
! we give you time to 60 the journey. Phil
> Marll, we know yer a murderer and O
! treacherous one-you diel These is the
q sentence. Boys! string up Phil Marll
q If you want to see justice done in thest
v Western parts, stranger, come out will
Z us; if not, goOd-by,"
al | turned deathly sick as the procession
left the shanty, Joe and being its onl.
:. occupants. One man, however, turneC
O back and said 80 Squire! you must eS
euse my neglecti but am Capt. Him
d pus, and live at Three Creek Farm
& over yonder. My wife and the youn
J. ladies will be glad to see you; and if yo
will stop a month with us we shall he al
il the more pleased | will introduce yo
e to all our Sest citizens, and III answe
s. they will be happy to have you anon
them"
II stammered out a few words, and
hurried off to be present at the catastrC
Ie phe. We saw no more of them; bu
e after a few moments of almost agonizin
silence, we heard a band of horsemen rid
past the cabin, and could even hear the
re voices in laughter | looked almost tin
4, idly at Joe, who heaved heavy sigl
g. and breaking silence for the first tim
r since his reprieve, said; They've dor
N with Phil: there was worse men in Ill
IL room than him when the Vigilantes wei
Is Is here; though don't deny, Squire, thu
n. we hev been hard wretches." He pause
n as If taking mental retrospect of I'll
le wreiched portion of his life, then, vel
e. suddenly changing his tone, said: NOV
,e Squire, | must go, and that right ava,
~ ] know where they've hung Phil sha
Ie cut him down and leave some none
with old Pndrn Ernnciscn To hava hi