The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-12-29
waking upt Wrong Man.
now PARTY OF MINERS FRIGHTENED
= $500 Esf;5.i .ksSonzes -

SS0HESh' i
800 From tho Territorial Enterprise.l
q An evening or two since some OF the en-
ploy2s Of the ophir Company found an III.
soxicated man sleeping OF bis oVer-atloW-
ance OF taran,ula juice" among ire
shaYiugs IN one OF the temporary sneos
near the works. They had some trouble 10
Getting the fellow aroused, and more in try
Inc 10 make him comprehend where he was,
or rather that he was not in pla.s where
HE iegitimately belonged.
= TWAS determined by the men who found
the boozy party that they would give him
such a fright that he would never again Ven-
fure within mile OF the works. There
fore they told their man that they had posi-
tjte orders to kill any person found about
the works after dark. They said it was
fhine1bey did not like to do, but the works
had lately been destroyed By fire, and the
company were not in humor to take any
more chances-thcir orders were impera-
tive.
The man tried to beg of, saying that be
did not know how he came into the shed,
and swearing by all that was good and BAD
he meant no harm; bat all would not 40.
He was seized and dragged some distance
mn the bill toward the Masonic Cemetery, to
.a2lace in the open country, where five or
six rified cannon, belonging to the Nevada
Artillery, have been standing since the Gay
of the fise. Two stout men then seized the
trembling t.snooZer," and placing his heao
in front Of the muZZe Of one OF the guns
told him he had but three minutes to live, as
they were about to blow his head oil.
Again the man begged for mercy, saying
that he had only taken drop too much and
got into the shed he knew not how, but GER
civil, ,,itb onf any evil Intentions.
Said nan who had taken bis place at the
breech of the gun, and was taking some
matches from his vest pocket: 1T you have
ans word to leave for wife, an old father
or mother, or any friend or relative, you Will
do well 10 make known your wishes"
al reckon / bain't got airy wife, or old
father or mother, or any body else as cared
chaw oftobacker ABOUT me-"
"Well, but have you no dying wish, no
dying request"
avail. now you talk. Mout 1 make a
aYou may, and be quick about it eight
ing matcb), Us when apply this match to
Ihe touch.hole of this gun, off goes your
head. You have request to make"
"Stranger. hev."
1Out with i, then. We can't fool with
YOU all plight when there may be other fire.
bugs proving about the works."
81 kin lev my last request, then"
"YOu can"
"You wont go back on me ~
aNo."
.Wha,ever lax you'll gran:?'
"Dou't say SO? Let's bear your dying
request, or dab goes match into this pow
der, and of goes your head"
"Weli, then, as l have your word as
LAT Ia, n ic a
You'll put me at tie other end Of the gun
before yer stick that match inter its touch
hole.'
"Too tbin!" cried all hands. "Good,
but too thin You can't get of that way"
"Oh, ho," said the SUoozer, "you 60 back
on yer word, do yer? Yer don't know who
j am, reckon. You don't know you've
picked up Bill Steer from the Muddy Fork
of the Mohican !" And suddenly shaking
himself free of the hold Of the men who held
his arms he reached down into the top of bis
right boot and brought out revolver nearly
as large as Calling gun.
aOh, hop cooking the formidable shoot;
ing.iroD "go back on your word! Go back
on my dyin' request! Now l know the kind OF
men Pve got 10 deal with-infernal liars and
murderers."
half this speech had not been concluded
indeed, the pistol bad hardly cicked-before
there was wild scattering Of the little party
of practical jokers. They ran behind the
group Of cannon, bounded over the ceme-
terry fence toward the shelter Of the tomb
stones, and, in short, tumbled in all diree.
tions.
"Oh, no - cried Old Bill, "why don't yer
sand by yer gun? Come out OF yer holes
You've got n bigger gun nor hev, but Eve
got the most Shots, and III give yer fair
fight and die game! Wall. here's some for
YOU at randOmu and Old Bill let off q
couple of shots among the cannon and tomb.
stones.
The jokcgs were mighty glad when their
old snoozer ceased to rage about the spot,
and took bis way, mutterlngiy, towards the
distant lights of the town.