The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1877-12-01
not have uttered sound had nv life de-

not have uttered sound had my life de
pended on it,
Ihe man, who was alive after the ac
cident which the paper said caused the
death OF Van Scooter and Griggs, and
who had made arrangement for the trans.
portation of their remains, was now here
in this coffin, to all appearances dead
Then 1 remembered that the bereaved
stranger had said that his dead brother
resembled himself very closely. But two
brothers are not apt to both have red
glass eyesl Such a coincidence as this
was beyond the. pale of responsible
probability.
While | yet gazed at the supposed
corpse, the other eye opened little, and
was sure it was looking at me! | was
| convinced that there was fraud here. but
to show that had discovered it might
cost me my life. So very quietly re-
placed the lid of the coffin, and took a
moments time to think the matter all
over.
| remembered my conversation with
the express agent, which we feared had
been overheard by the clerical appearing
stranger, and could only come to the
conclusion that the whole thing was a
deliberate plan to murder me and gain
possession of the $4,000 in my charge.
There was no denying that the man with
the red eye was alive, and had no dou bit
the other man was, also. Kneeling down,
placed my ear close to the side of the
coffin, and could hear him breath quite
distinctly. | remember that it was the
intention of the attendant, who had
boarded the train, to enter the car at
Redwood; and | could not doubt that
the three men intended to attack me
after the train pulled out of the station,
and rob the car before our arrival at the
next stopping place. There was but one
station between us and Redwood, and |
knew that he would be there in ten min
utes more. / had no time for hesitation
Instant action was my only chance for
safety. If | could secure myself against
an attack until we reached the next sta
ton, | felt that all would be well. In
one instant | had decided upon a plan of
action. AS quietly as possible | piled
several heavy boxes of merchandise on
top of the two collins, and then I knew |
was safe. Scarcely was this accomplished
when we ran into the station
Immediately found three or four Of
ficers. First the man in the coach was
secured. He was highly indignant that
he should be disturbed on such solemn
mission. But it was no go. He was
handcuffed in less than two minutes
and marched on the platform.
1t was an easy matter to secure the
two quondam dead men. They were
taken greatly at disadvantage, and
were deprived of all power to resist
almost before they became aware how
their nice little game had terminated.
All three had been well armed.
Bound and guarded the.three miscre-
ants were taken to Redwood and lodged
in the county Jail.
Before | left, | took a good look at
them through the grated doors of their
cell. When [ paid my respects to the
man with the red eye, he smiled little
and remarked patronizingly:
You're pretty sharp young man.
1t takes middling keen boy to outwit
u.s."
Permit me to sympathize with you
in your sorrow at the loss of your dear
brother, just little, +" said, and more
at your failure to get the eighty thou
sand dollars"
They broke Jail in less than week,
but not before one of them, the youngest
corpse" was recognized as the notorious
Jesse James.
There is no doubt that it was the
James boys or some of their crew, who
killed poor honest brave Paxson.