The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1877-12-17
CregmtelLiaeneer
now JOE WEAKENED.


men were digging in'o 'ue OASe VI IN
Sl,rk topped mountain in search Of sill
WS.,renotin luck, and though each MAJ
y, gloomy and discouraged, there wa
" .scu,e for murder. We had banded
, ~ to share and share alike, and /
SS,une smiled on one all would receive
benefits. ,,,s,.
.,,sn men yielded an estimate Of only So
4, miners cursed and sWore and felt like
.,,itipv each other. We were abort o.
.,Si,ious, new tools we're needed, and thu
n.u ,nrped in for the night with a deter,
win,tion to strike for some other locality
n tbs next days work should exhibit
lie barren results.
4, midnight there was a great ontory
II wa not an Indian attack, as each
inner anticipated when he rushed out
S"tS horrible murder had been commit
nj and the murderer captured BY one
SIIbe sen,inels. A miner nalned Joseph
Sr,ip but hardly known In camp by any
o,bsr name than "Joe," occupied q TEN
IN company with an old man named Ar
Dold 'rhetwo were on good terms, but
Tbie Arnold had about $4,000 in gold
roin acquired In other specuiAtions,
s",iu hsinl dollar outside Of the com.
mon fund. The gold was buried in the
s',,b nader the bed on which the two
,iept and Swain could not get at 1t by
nigh. without arousing his companion,
lid he secured II during the day and
made of he would have been overhauled
we're 1uickly, and his punishment nothing
il. than hanging. It could be no more
i he added murder to the robbery, and
tb,t night, when all felt go bitter against
@ck and when partners felt 80 much
iike striking each other, Joe Swain muir.
dsred the man who had done 10 much for
him. lie was getting away with the gold
When halted, and though be made sharp
6lht for liberty he was tied hand and
foot within five minutes after the 6rst
alarm.
Arnold was dead, stabbed in three or
four places, and the gold was found in
Joe's belt. There was no show for the
murderer, lie could not even plead i'm.
uuI.e or heat Of passion. Indeed, he was
no, the one to seek to avoid consequen.
Ces. He made a statement to the effect
that he had deliberately murdered and
robbed the good old man, aud added:
"Now, boys, there's NO use OF great
iau over this matter. Put u guard over
me, and the rest Of you go back to your
sleep. You'll hang me, OF course, and
when morning comes l shall have a re.
cues, to make. shAn't try 10 get away,
ind I'm not going to play the baby when
the last hour comes"
Joe Swain was known among US as a
game man. lie had fought MexiCans, trail.
u Indians and killed three or four white
ruliIns who had made themselves a ter.
ror to certain localities. Armed with
his bowie.kniie he would have been q
match for any four OF us, and it was
owing to his presence more than that Of
any one else that our villSge was moi
troubled with the roughs and gamblers
who attach themselves 10 other camps
like leeches.
Murder was crime that could not be
pllliaIed in mining camp. Had II been
anything else majority Of the men
would have been in favor Of letting Joe
jump the diggings and go unpublished.
Bat when they looked in on the blood
stained corpse Of the old manwho hadbeen
like father TO all Of them, each heart
hardened against the murderer, and each
man said TO the other:
"Joe swain must hang for this "
There was no need OF atrial. When he
was brought out after breakfast he said
"Boys, don't want any fuss over this
thing. killed the old man, and 1t is your
duty to swing me up to limb. knew
what was up to, and l knew I'd have
to stretch rope il | couldn't get away.
don't deserve kind word and shan'l
lock for any sympathy. The request I
want to make is that you won't hang me
till sunset. know it's bad to have one
these affairs hanging around camp all
day, but yet it won't make any difference
TO you as long IA you are working fol
almost nothing. Now, then, all in favol
waiting till sunset to hang me say aye 7
AYE shouted every man around him
"rhose opposed will say mol"
Not a voice was heard.
"The ayes have it, and am 10 be hung
at sundOwn." continued Joe. " wan
to write half a dozen lettera, sleep for two
or three hours, and l hope you won
crowd in on me. Select your tree, Re
your rope ready and when the time come
III be on hand"
II Joe had been a captive in the hand
Of the Indians, and was TO be burned a
the stake at shutdown, every miner woulc
have wagered his outfit that Swain woull
have died game. In this case, where hi
was to meet disgracelul death at thu
hands Of men who had worked and Tough
beside him for months, most Of the min
ers thought he'd take the moose without
the culver OF muscle, but there wer'
two or three who said:
"He is brave man, but when he takes
bis last look around he will weaken"
Before the day was four hours old there
was a strange wager between two Of ouI
men. 1t was rifle against ride that Joe
Swain would show u womau'S heart be
fore lc swung of.
The doomed man was left 70 himself all
day long, A strong guard was placed
around his tent, but no one entered 1t L
interrupt the work OF his last hours
The corpse Of his victim was buried a
The foot Of the lone tree on which Joe
was to swing, and as the six men carry
ing the body passed near his tent, the
murderer came out and stood with un'
covered head to show respect for the dead
lie wrote FIVE letters, drew up briei
will, ate full meal about mid afternoon
and half an hour before Sundown he was
ready. Before starting Tor the tree, he
said: After am gone you will find my
SILL The letters in there are &c
Be forwarded as soon as conyen
lent This is shabby old suit Of ciothe,
TO be hung in, but irs all | had, and
couldn't 80 around borrowing. Have
you got the rope aud the barrel ready"
:" Yea, everything is all ready" replied
lvoice.
THAT'S right" said Joe. "NOw, then
form in procession, give me a conspicu
Gus place, and we'll march along"
The man wasn't smiling. His face wa
pale, his eyes had an anxious look, ant
twas plain enough that he realized thu
Erimness Of his last hour on earth. ThI
procession was formed, and Joe marched
away for the tree as steadily as a soldier
on parade. His hands and feet wsrl