The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1875-12-28
MisrfAa,'g
now TIGER JIM ESCAPED.

HOW HlGER JlM ESCAIEDs
L Mountain Court Scene In the
Far WeSt..The Law Of
-lEH1 l Nature Wins. IL
tiL a .rlut. 1870 3i-
From the Detroit Free Press.)
Old Job Dawson had been duly elect
id to the responsible position Of Jus
lice of the Peace, and this was the first
case which had demanded his attention.
Job was an old veteran mountaineer, and
had lived in the shadow Of the lofty +
peaks, hunting, trapping and fighting In
dians, to use his own words, "sense Ad
am war kid.n In that rough region
an accusation of great crime against
any one is hut q forerunner of chang
ing bee," and the trial even is seldom
thought of. But in tue present instance
a wild "cuss" who, had been frequenting
the settlements had appropriated a
"broncao'' Indiar pony belonging to
a neighboring ranchman, and had been
pursued, captured and brought back
Old Job was summoned to try the, cul'
prit. and spot in rocky gulch Eear
the 'Squire's cabin was selected as the
site for the investigation. A motley
crowd of hunters, trappers, miners and
rancheros had assembled. Some were
lying upon the ground and others sitting
upon the rocks, all anxiously awaiting
the 'Squire's coming. Job soon came
from toward his cabin, and with digni-
fed air seated himself upon boulder,
took of his bear skin cap and said:
"Fellers, the court ar ready to git
down to biz; an want ye all to cheese
yer racket an let up on that chin music
according to law. Throw yer ha'r in
sight and pay 'tention to the court"
Every hat came off at his command,
and 'shis Honor" glancing around the
circle, said: hHs 19gel s.h ea't'4r r.
| ,"Whar is the cuss p"s oi iizeaea
Three mountaineers, armed with Hen
ry rifles snd six shooters, stepped for
ward with the thief, a young man wear
ing bold, devil .may-care expression.
His hands were securely fastened behind
him with buckskin thongs. Clad in buck
skin from head to foot, he presented q
picturesque appearance as he faced the
Squire. E.,,.l,..t. - ...I-.. 4. q5i.,.s -
"W'at do they call you when yer at
home 7" asked the court. .,s5 6.4.
"Ain't got emmy home, leastways in
these parts" sullenly replied the priso-
ner.7 t.......,s .,fif-af sd tSrf
"Ain't, hey2 Well, watts the name
you TUX wen you left the States, thenY
"The boys hyer on the hills call me
Tiger jim"
I avail, Tige, yer spotted as boss
thief, an I reckon thar's something in it
or the boys wudn't a brought you in.--
Yon can't expect q toney trial like you'd
tgTv uUwn -. Laramie nr in any IL. .'r
towns along the road. We hevn't emmy
paper, pens or ink, or emmy O that sor
O. foolishness up hyar in the hills, ant
thar amt one O. US as could engineer 'eu
eff we had, 80 we'll jist grind her through
an do the best we kin for you. In th
name o the law 1 ak you did you cola
that hoss-but stop 'er right thar; dog
gone it. ! forgot to swar you. Cuu
mitey near forgittin it. Hold up ye
fright ham !'1r - -Issf
.Hold up nuthin'. How kin l whe
they're tied titer'n blazes p.
. ,..That's so. Yer k'rect, Tiger, bu
3 CESS emmy member O tie body'll be col
ldin' to law in 'xtreme cases. sSte,id
him little, fellers, s,so's he kin hold up hi
right foot eull5aa no ass can
Is.Tige'' raised his moccasin covere
! foot while guard on each side held hi
y in position. Lpa ga- ~ Z. l.a
e snow, then, l ain't fly on them .
II lawyers affdavys, hut I'll make her stol
= enuff to hold q Mexican mule. tTig'
y Jim, do you swear by the holy. Nose
y accordin' to the laws of Wyoming Te
+ ritory, that every time ye chip into n
racket yen give US the squar truth. A
eft you don't, do you hope that ye mi
as git chawed up by q grizzly, chopped
q pieces by Sioux, strung up to pine wi
or rope round yer thieyin' neck and I;
re to connect on heaven when your Il
On goes out, to tue best u yer understand
:, as provided by law, s'help yer Go
lls eh2's 1929 e lo7lnoo ol h''l' s''.' =
ur saThat's fist what I does, pardy."-
et s"Now, Tiger, yer under oath. o
- ev'ry time yer speak ye. want ter bit
! bulls eye. Did you nip that boss p
rWalI Uncle Job, thar's no use ly
about 1t, and I'll tell you jist how it W
Last. night, you knew, thar war a JAM
rec oyergto AL Wilkins ranch in Mile
ye' gulch, and / war thar. Al had been
Laramie City and got keg O. good {
= = bulge, and we all got purity full Ar
the dancin war over pulled out
~ Bowles' ranch, whar I'm hangin' out, 9
as l was staggerin' down Mountain
anu Hill / runs right onto the broncho t
q war picketed out in the grass, and !
ar just drunk enough to mount him
lite out. know I'm going to swing
it, and I'll die game too. amt wut
d cuss emmy way, and ,ef lit warn't for
a good old mother back in the States (h
the tears began to roll down his bron
1"7 cheeks, who never closes her eyes 'th
W praytu lut ;oOu w oCHu NV ooSN w
u Id laugh at death, and help yer to fix
as rope, but when think O. that darlin'
4bb;s soul get weaker'n wounded antelt
Ms I tell ye, fellers, I've been q tuff
g.. ever sense struck out for these me
h;0 S tains, and I,s'pose the world'll, be be
no m 'thout me in it, My old mother'll su
r ~. l know that, fur I'm her only kid,
w hev sent her every ounce o dust tht
III could spare, and it's all she's he'd to
#oa %n on. She's bin a good un to me,
! III n bless her, and I'm sorry I hevn't i
m ha SOS can camp with her up thar &
.h;e Ie ing his fearful eyes toward heaven,
~, | boys, won't so ne o. ye write to HI
81 i Tom Kirk thar knows whar she liv
'nar u and tell her l got let out by an Injul
~ ~ pegged out nat'rally? For Gods 6
! w don't lei her know 1 was strangled.
~ ~. news 'dd kill her. But then I'll ch
'osn M this CAB or you'll think I'm weaken
! 80 20, and the man don't live as can skeer
% ,ha ger Jim. Elevate me, boys, jist as q
"a We please. I'm ready when you