New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-09-12

80 NO uhoSuuASN VIC Pohy' 40 ~ NOuAA Va
yer ,hum's!" he asked, with roguish leer.
Mime" answered Flank. when the
scOundrel who is the cause of my trouble
changed horses he didn't change saddles. y
81 s'pose." said Nibbs, II might have she
use of it until-a-you need lit You ain't
likely to need it very soon, you know"
you may use it till heed it, " said Frank
who saw he had better make virtue Of
necessity. 1t struck him, however, that il
Nibbs were one of his judges he might be
biased by the reflection that if Frank were
acquitted he would reclaim the saddle.
Here, Bill, take yer pony"
Dutch Bill, who by this time had picked
himself up, came forward, rubbing his mos,
promin. mt points. II CLAIMS dat saddle
PEGS on mein pony ven he pc stholes."
"fOu want another tumble, that's Wha,
you want" said Nibbs; land I'm derned il
don't give you one if you don't take your
old pony and clear out"
Supper was ready when they entered the
house. and the table was pretty full. Frank
was told to sit down and ''eat hearty
Another member of the vigilance committee
of Boggsville relieved Jake and NiDbs in
charge of him. The sentinel stood over him
while he ate. Frank astOnished himself by
making quite q good supper. He felt muon
better after he had eateu-strOnger and
more hopeful. He smoked a cigar he had
left, and was soothed by the dreamy weed
After every body had had his evening
smoke there was some consultation in a
corner of the room, and then the gnests
dispersed. Nibbs told Frank his trial be-
fore the vigilance committee would take
place Immediately in the "city hall, and
they had better walk over there pretty
soon" He cons led Frank for being dis
turbed SO coon after supper by assuring
him that ait couldn't take long, nohow."
Frank was conducted by his guard, Nibbs
and Jacob Grimsley, to the city hall, q
crazy structure of bOsrds-a mere shell
without flooring Or window frames. 1t was
dimly lighted by few very dirty tallow
candles, which tickered in the wind, and
ominOus sign, wrapped themselves all
around with winding sheets. There was a
considerable number Of people in the '.hall'
when Frank and bis guardians arrived, but
it was some minutes before they commenced
business" A tall, red. headed individual
in shirt sleeves and pipe in mouth entered.
Nibbs told Frank it was Tom Boggs, the
chairman of the committee, who was to
preside as Judge in his case. His appear.
ance was not such as to inspire Frank with
much confidence in his legal knowledge
Tom Boggs took his judicial seat on a
char raised on an old counter at one end of
the room. He called the assembly to order
by three knocks on the counter with his
boot heel. The other members of the COM
mittee, with the exception of Jake and
Nibbs, composed "the jury" and Fat on the
counter on either side of the Judge" The
secretary Of the committee acted as clerk of
the court
"Mr. Secretary. what's the indictment
az in the pris'ner2" asked Judge Boggs
Horse .stealin'," answered the secretary.
"Let's hev the witnesses,' said the judge.
Dutch Bill was first called.
"Now, Bill" said the judge, ''yOu tell the
truth, s'help yer God, and don't be long
about it. Jest tell us what yer know, and
don't tell us nothin' yer don't know"
$40 helb mein Gott!' said Bill; fund how
can tell vat don't knows. shoodgel"
"Well, don't go on jawin, but tell us what
you know about this yere business" said
Tom Boggs rather testify.
Vat l knwsl Some tam schountrel he
shdeals mein bony,"
Don't be 80 free with your dams before
the court" said Tom Boggs in an angry
tome Its contempt, and I'll be damned if
l stand it,"
II means no gondempt shoodge," said
Bill, penitenly.
"All right, then. Go ahead ~
One of the iurors-a little man with q
head shaped like pear, and light, peaked
beard--now rose, and with countenance
that denoted some very important commu-
nication, said, with impressive solemnity,
"Mr. President before we proceed any
further should like to ask one question"
Tom Boggs turned toward the speaker.
upon whom all eyes were now fixed. well,
then, ask it," said Tom.
Every body waited in hushed expectation
for something very weighty from the little
man. IL should like to know" said he in
tone as solemn as q funeral bell, and look
ing around him with a self Satisfied air, 81
if he we're about to make an unanswerable
point-"I should like to know if this yere
court is open!"
Tom Boggs turned his back upon the
speaker, and in tone of contemptuous
disappointment and disgust, calculated the
pregnant monOsyllable by which English
brevity des:gnates the Internal reg Ons.
Nearly every one present joined him in
chorus. 1T amt shut, no how" continued
BOggs: and it don't make no difference, any
way. We amt got any time to waste with
such derhed fool-nonsense. Go Oh, Bill
The pear headed little man collapsed.
Bill went on with his story: well, some
def he shdeals mein bony, and sees him
Shake gooms pack, und Nipps be say, sPill,
here's your class-eyed blug;' und he gives
me de bony, put he keebs de sattle und
pritle."
THAT amt got nothin' to do with it,"
interrupted Nibbs; "the saddle and bride
warn't yourn."
Yell, dey pees on mein bony."
Tom Bogg's boot heel struck the counter
with q crash, and cut off the end of the
sentence.
"Ordell' ne shouted, "or I'll hev to
throw some o. you cusses out O. the win
der"
what else do you know about it, Bill"
asked the secretary.
"vell, knows NIGHT more apout dat"
"PrisoDer, do you want to cross examine
the witness 7" asked Judge Boggs.
mo, sir" was Franks answer.
"Who's the next witness ~
"Me," said Nibbs.
"The evidence you shall give" etc.
$50 help me God p
"Howl away. then"
"The committee allowed that me and
Jake wuz to take the northern trail after
the animals wuz stole. We fust struck
tracks at the stage station, where two
fellows took dinner. One of 'em, mounted
on hne sorrel, started right after dinner
The other one, who rode glass-e eyed calico
pony, had only left few moments be-
fore we got thar. So Jake and me we
put spurs to our horses and lit out after
him. We recognized the pony, from the
station-keeper's description, to be Bills old
nag. We soon KEN in sight of the priznur
thar maxim the liveliest tracks he could out
of the four legs under him. We hailed him,
and he turned round and seed us, and he
didn't 60 no slower, kin tell yer. NThen
sent q bullet after him, and that stopped
him, and he turned round and fired at u.s.
We got up to him before he could fire agip,
and tuck him. Then he told US dog -goHed
fool story, as how the other one stole his
horse and left him this 'uu, and how he was
agoin' after him then. But we told him il
wuz too thin. And the station keeper told