Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1876-05-09
BLACK HILL SKETCHES.

Tho First Hanging EplsOde-Judge
Lynch Oficiates - The Victim
Writes nLetter 20 Brother in st.
Louis.
Kansas City Timesl
There were four Of us seated to-
gether around a cheerful pitch pine
fire upon the side Of a grassy knoll
among the foot hills, about forty
miles from Custer. One Of the party
was mountaineer, the rest were
members of a large well-armed
train of Black Killers, then toiling
and working its way through awil-
derness of sage brush, endeayoring
to reach the trail our party had dis
covered a few hours before. We
had selected spot for a rest, where
the wind or sun, or perhaps both,
had cleared away the snow from
about a huge pine knot, almost pet
rifed by age. The grass, too, was
quite luxurant, and offered an in
ducement for us to halt and rest
until the train came up. The fire
lighted and the knot in a blaze, we
brought forth our pipes to smoke,
and watch the misty curtain rise.
Twas a glorious scene ON that
crisp, frosty morning, and the man
| that died there that day should
have felt proud Of his magnificent
death chamber, Nature seems to
have lavished unlimited wealth OF
beauty upon the Black Hills, and
fate seems to have led Dick Burnett
to the most beautiful spot in the
Hills in which to die. While We
were calmly smoking around the
fire, Watching the misty canopy rise
like a feathery veil from the valley
beneath us; while we silently adj
mired the magnificent background
of glistening snow and bright greer
lpines, which in the morning sur
appeared more beautiful than evel
before; while we were thus quietly
admiring the beautiful, bloOd-red
iron-tinctured valley below us, nov
plainly visible beneath the slowly
rising curtains of mist, admirins
the winding creek in its center
which, with its broad fringe o
orange-colored Kinnekennio viii
| low, appeared like a huge yellow
snake in a basin Of blood, MAI
rode suddenly npon US.
Each sprang to his feet rifle in
hand. The stranger turned hi
horse away in alarm and rode
quickly away. He was II white
man, and we could not and had NJ
reason to halt him. He rode ou
to the side Of the road and dis
mounted. Then he proceeded t.
arrange and to write upon some
paper, which he placed in his bo
som, and, after some hesitation
led his horse toward our surprised
party and halted about thirty pace
distant, rifle and pistol in hand.
4, "Hallo there "
Halo YOURSELF"
els this the Custer road ?"
Don't know. l have been los
all night Who are you ?"
"Pilgrims from Cheyenne. Bee,
lost on Jenney's trail two days"
Then the lonely stranger rod
hp and stood restlessly awaiting il
terrogation. He said he left Ouste
: two days before; that he was drum
: when he left, and did not kno,
what he done or how he had GO
lost. He received a lot of letter
from our party, and soon aftC
bade us adieu. he said he Wa
going to the States, and we bad
him look out fer his scalp, and sal
goodbye. Poor fellow unfol
Il tunate drunk! It cost him h
life. 1t was late in the aitemoo
Il when we met him again. We wei
in a dry camp, a camp in whic
- snow must be melted for water fl
,,on and haaet Tho hove Wern hu,
at work shoyeling snow into CAM
kettles and melting it for I'll
horses. Supper was over and Il
guards were out. A shot awol
> the reverberating echoes Of IL
hills, and minute afterward eyel
man of the fifty-ive "pilgrims
y were prepared for duty. A par
r of vigilantes rode into camp; tn,
had come upon the guards sudde
La 'AIL .E1 mn.