Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1875-01-28

| George C.. He, too, had come to
seek his fortune in the West and we
were both delighted at the meeting.
He had brought with him, he said,
sum of money which he desired to in
vest in land, on which it was bis pur-
pose to settle. I expressed a strong
wish to have him for O neighbor, and
gave him a cordial invitation to accom-
pany me home, giving it as my belief
that he could nowhere make better
selection than in that vicinity. He
readily consented, and we set out to-
gether. We had not ridden many miles,
when George suddenly recollected
commission he had undertaken for
friend, which would require his attend
ance at public land sale on the follow
ing day. Exacting a promise that he
would not delay his visit longer than
necessary, and having given minute
directions as to the route, I contin-
ued my way homeward, while he turned
back.
81 was about retiring to bed on the
night of my return, when a summons
from without called me TO the door. A
stranger asked shelter for himself and
his horse for the night. 1 invited him
in. Though stranger, his face seemed
not unfamiliar He was probably one
of the men / had seen at the land
office-a place, at that time much fire.
quented. Offering him seat, L went
to see to his horse. The poor animal,
as well as 1 could see by the dim star
light, seemed to have been hardly used.
His painting sides bore witness of mer-
CHESS riding; and tremulous shrink
ing, at the slightest touch, betokened
recent fright. On re-enterlDg the house,
l found the stranger was not there.
His absence excited no surprise; he
would doubtless soon return. It
was little singular, however, that he
sheuld have left his watch lying on the
| table.
"At the enc of half an hour, my
guest not returning, went again to the
stable, thinking he might have found
his way thither to give personal atten-
ton to the wants of his horse. Before
going out, from mere force of habit
for We were as yet uniDfested by either
thieves or policemen-I took the pre-
caution of putting the strangers watch
in a drawer In which 1 kept my own
valuables. found the horse as 1 had
left him, and gave him the food which
he was now sufficiently cooled to he al
lowed to eat but his master was no.
where to be seen. AS approached the
house, q crowd of men on horseback
dashed up, and l was commanded, in
no gentle tones, to stand 7 In
another moment was in the clutches
of those who claimed me as their 'pris-
oner'
6" l was too much stupefed at first to
ask what it ell meant. did so at last,
and the explanation came-it was ter
rible! My friend, with whom had SO
lately set out in company, had been found
murdered and robbed near the spot at
which l, but alone, knew we had sep
arated. Twas the last person known to
be with him, and was now arrested on
suspicion OF his murder. A search of
! the premises was Immediately insti-
tuted. The watch was found in the
drawer in which / had placed it, and
scas identified as the property of the
murdered man. His horse, too, was
found in my stable, for the animal 1
had just put there was none other. l
recognized him myself when 1 saw him
in the light What 1 said, know not.
My confusion was taken as additional
evidence. And when, at length, did
command language to give an intelligent
statement, it was received with sneers
of incredulity.
"The mob spirit is inherent in man
at least, in crowds of men. 1t may not
! always manifest itself In physical vio-
iepce. 1t sometimes contents itself
with lynching character. But what
ever its form, it is always relentless,
pitiless, cruel
GAS the proofs of my guilt, one after
another, came to light, low mutterings
gradually grew into clamor for ven-
geance and but for the frmness of
one mantle officer who had me in
charge would doubtless have paid
the penalty of my supposed offense on
the spot. 1t was not sympathy for me
that actuated my protector. His heart
was as hard as his Office but he repre-
sented the majesty OF the law, and took
sort of grim pride in the position.
As much under the glance of his eye as
before the muzzle of his pistol, the
cowardly clamorers drew back. Per-
haps they were not sufficiently numer-
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