River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1877-11-29

came here Then, suddenly rising, h.
reached up his hand, saying Give u
hand up out of this, boys; feel sick
We gathered in a group, and discussed
/ the matter. That we had discovered the
corpse of man, and murdered man
we did not question; who he was, whS
had slain him, or why the deed had beer
done, we did not know or what we had
best do.
AT last we decided that it was OF no use
for us to try to unearth the corpse, but
thst three of our number should remain
at the hole, and the other three try TO find
the township of Black Jack, where we
should be pretty sure TO find at least one
police officer.
was one OF those that remained at th
hole, and as soon as our companions he'd
left we spread sheet over the dead mans
head, threw in some dirt again, to cover
the horrid object from sight, and then
sat down 10 wait with what patience we
might for the return of our mates.
About the middle of the afternoon they
got back accompanied by an uniformed
policeman and reflective in plain clothes.
They had said nothing of their errand to
any one until they found the officers,
vino had cautioned them to a similar dis
cretiOn until they (the officers were ready
TO accompany them on their return, which
was about an hour; SO that our party,
now increased to eight in number, were
the only ones who knew of the discovery
of the body.
As soon as they arrived we commenced
digging up the corpse, the officers mar
rowly watching and noting everything.
As we cleared away the sand and gravel
it became plain that the man had been
struck while engaged in digging, for his
hands still held short handled shovel. He
had been struck on the head with pick by
some one standing on the surface, and
the dirt he had thrown out had been
filed in on top of him again. He had
dug his own grave! We lifted him out
and laid him or the grass.
The officers looked at each other as
soon as they saw the mans features, and
the detective observed to the other, Tim
Riley, by Jovei and / had drink of
coffee from hTn at his tent this morning
he told me he was going out to prospect
to-day. See if his watch and money are
gone. He carried that old silver bulls
eye that Jake Wilson rallied off Sunday
before last-Tim WON'T and he carried
that and his money in chamois-leather
bag in his lrt,jacl1et. See if it's gone ;
Neither money nor "bull's eye" watch
could be found; poor Tim had been muir
dered for his little money and the old
watch,
Two poles and blanket made rude
bier to transport the body TO the town
ship, for we were soon under way. An
hours walk brought us TO the vicin-
ity of the scamp" or police station,where
we halted and concealed the body,
the detective going into the town
ship, and leaving the other officer with us.
As soon as il was dark he returned, and.
handing something TO the uniformed po-
liceman, he said: ''Do you know thatl'
"Tim's old buIl's-eyel Where did it
come from?' replied the other
Bought it of Big Hans, Tins mate.
jenkins is watching him. He's been
drinking all The afternoon; he'll be locked
up by the time we get in. But come on
boys, if you're ready; you'll get some
grub when we get to camp, and good
place to sleep"
Our ghastly burden was soon deposited
in the camp, aud good supper and good
beds were furnished by the police, though
| had but a poor nights sleep myself.
Big Hans, Riley's mate, bad been locked
up before we arrived, by the vigilant Jen
kens, who handed the detective leathern
bag he had found on Hans person, which
contained seventeen shillings and was
marked with Riley's initials, IT. r., !"
rudely worked with common black
thread.
We've got him; he's safe to swing
for it." remarked the detective, as he
finished examining the bag. This was
Tins"
During the night the body was placed
in an upright position in one corner of
the room in which we were sleeping, and
secured there by a cord passed under the
arms and around a stake driven into the
ground for the purpose, there being TO
boards for floor; clean blue shirt was
put on in the place Of the blood-stained
one, which was removed; the face was
washed, and hat put on the head of the
corpse, a blanket was then hung up as a
screen, and all was ready to give Big
Hans a fearful surprise, in hope TO secure
a confession from him through terror.
At daylight the police threw out some
hints to various parties of diggers on their
way TO work, about the arrest OF a whole
party of new arrivals for some greGe
crime; the news spread like wildire, and
curious crowd was soon collected
around the camp. Our party were all up
carly. but we were kept inside by the po
lice, who did not wish the miners out
side to hear of Riley's murder till they
had seen what effect a view of the
corpse would have on the suspected mu--
derer; but they were not long kept wait
ing.
Big Hans woke from his drunken sleep,
thirsty, aud begged fora drop of whisky.
One of the officers gave him some in a
tin-dipper, at the same time remarkipg,
"You didn't seem to sleep very well,
Hans. What was that you were talking
about in your Sleep Have you and Tim
Riley been having a growlT
If Hans had not been quick in drinking
his whisky he would have lost it, for the
pauuik;n dropped nom his hand, and he
trembled like a leaf as he gasped out
"What did Say. | haven't had any
growl with Tim" =
"Oh, don't know what you said, re-
turned the officer; "but you talked about
Tim, that's all. But come, get out of
this, you're sober enough now to take
care of yourself. Go out to Mr.. Nichol
son (tbe detective) and get your money"
Hans came out, pale and still shaking
and approached the detective, who was
standing near the screen. As he came
no, the officer suddenly demanded, stern
", "Big Hans, where is your mate, Tim
Rileyl"
The guilty wretch glanced at him like
a maniac, but made no answer, when the
officer suddenly dropped the blanket, and
exposed to his sight the awful spectacle
of the murdered man standing erect before
him.
The experiment did not have exactly
the effect expected. Hans seemed to be