Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1878-07-03

| CnlS ABOUT! Nontlemen. stand DaCk!'
he exclaimed to the pursuers, who were
crowding in. Boys" to his sons,
"keep the peace here Wife, explain. )"
At this Juncture his daughter Mary,
looking flushed and excited, appeared
upon the porch walked to the side of
Prince, laid her hand upon his shoulder
with a gentle, protecting pressure, and
said: Father, look at this poor, perse-
cuted young man, don't you recognize
him?" |#. p
"Why, Pm blessed if it isn't the
ing and got drink of water from
you, Mary. Boys, wife, you all saw
him."
All OF Mr.. Phillips boys answered in
the affirmative.
"And these honest gentlemen have
charged him with mule stealing, of
which he is no more guilty than l an.
They have lynched four men to-day on
the same charge-innocent men, too,
believe,-and would have murdered this
one, if he had not made brave strug-
gle for life and escaped their clutches"
continued the girl, excitedly.
"'Now, my friends, " rejoined Phillips,
"let me tell you something. We were
all in the house when the young man
come up this path from the right We
saw him when he first appeared over
yon knoll, about mile away. He
stopped here and got a drink of water.
Sometime before this we noticed four
men and two mules coming along the
road on the left, directly opposite It
was impossible for this young man and
the others to have met to-day before the
animals were taken"
Mary, her brother, and Mrs. Phillips
confirmed this statement.
"And, gentleman" resumed Old
Buckeye, q think there's been blood
enough split for one day, and two mules.
You had better go back to Hangtown,
and leave us to take care of the young
man."
"That's just my opinion" exclaimed
Dame Phillips; go back and wash the
innocent blood from your hands if you
can"
The gentlemen" were by this time
convinced that Prince was not exactly
mule stealer, and that they had, per-
haps, been a little hasty in the lynching
of the four travellers, all but Tim Petty,
who swore that Prince ought to be hung
for running ofwith the mustang belong
ing to the peoples lawyer
eff there is any more hanging to be
done, Tim Petty, we'll string you up!"
cried George Phillips, placing himself
in front of the fellow. Get out, durn
you: get out and gtp'
The disappointed ruffian turned sui
lenly away toward his borrowed horse.
AS he passed Mary, who still stood by
the side Of Prince, he applied to her an
insulting epithet, for which the spirited
girl, ablaze with indignation, slashed
him full in the face with riding
whip.
Smarting with rage and pain, the bur-
" rascal doubled his bony fist and struck
tiercely at the girl.
But our hero interposed and received
the blow, which sent him staggering in
to the arms of George Phillips. Recov-
ering himself quickly, he snatched the
pistol from the young mans belt, and
advanced upon Petty, whose revolver
was already out, and who, falling back,
fired three shots, all of which missed,
before William Prince could adjust his
weapon. A fourth shot clipped off a
lock of Williams hair. Prince still adj
vancing as fast as weakness would per-
NIT, aimed and fired, just as Petty was
turning to run, terror stricken by the
look of deadly determination in our
heros eyes. The action saved the ruff
fans life, but at the cost Of his sight.
Princes shot scraped across Petty's eye
balls, tearing away the greater portion
of his nose in its flight, and the wretch
toppled, yelling, to the ground, in total
blindness, while his opponent, COM
pletely exhausted, fell fainting upon the
porch.
The impromptu duel was pronounced
g fair thing" by the spectators, es-
pecially on the part of Prince. The
blind and bleeding Petty was placed up
on his borrowed mustang, sustained
thereon by two Of his comrades, and
then the Lynch law exemplifiers de-
parted for HangtoWn wiser, if not better,
men. ...
One of the "honest Miners" on his
return to Hangtown, made a speech to
the assembled citizens, giving an ac-
count of the pursuit, the unexpected
| oNlQCuCC, IlC lllSulG " ndIy L
and the duel. The listeners received
the explanation as satisfactory and dis
persed. Their craving for excitement
was appeased; three men had been
hanged, two shot to death, a fifth badly
wounded, and another made blind for
life. Enough for one Sunday at least!
When Prince recovered, he found
himself on a comfortable couch in the
best room of the cabin; with. Mary
Phillips bending over him. His eyes
met hers, as they opened. Admiration,
if nothing more, was. expressed in his;
pity, at least, beamed from hers.
Explanations followed. Mary had
been sent, by her mother, with a mes
sege to one fthe very. few WON en- who
at that time dwelt in Hangtown. This
message was deem ed Of Importance by
Mrs. Phillips; and, as the boys were all
out 6 prospecting 1.-THE universal
Sunday custom in those daVS-MarV