The Centre reporter. [volume] (Centre Hall, Pa.) 1871-1940, 1878-01-10
now JOE WEAKENED.
Hts Last Glance at the Grassy Prairie, th
saa, the Birds, and the Aatrlopes.

were digging into the bass OF the BLACK
topped mountain in search Of silver.
We were not in luck, and, though each
man WAS gloomy and disappointed, there
was no excuse for murder. We had
banded together TO share and share alike,
and if fortune smiled on one, all would
receive benefits.
One night, when the days toll Of tifty-
seven men yielded an estimate Of only
81, the miners cursed and swore, and
+ felt like striking each other. We were
short of provisions, new tools were need
/ ed, and the men turned III for the night
with determination 10 strike for some
other locality If the next days work
should exhibit like barren results,
/ At midnight there was n great outcry.
Ii was not An Indian attack, as each
miner anticipated when he rushed out,
/ but horrible murder had been COM
mitted, and the murderer captured by
one of the sentinels. A miner named
Joseph Swain, but hardly known IN camp
by any other name than Joe, occupied
tent in company with q man named
Arnold The two were on good terms,
but while Arnold had about $500 in gold
. .
Swain hadn't dollar outside Of the COM
mon fund. The gold was buried in the
earth under the bed on which the
two slept, and Swain could not get AT It
by night without arousing his COM
paniOn Had he secured IL during the
day and made of, he would have been
overhauled very quickly, and his punish
ment nothing less than hanging. IL
could be no more il he added murder 10
the robbery, and that night, when we all
felt so bitter against luck, and when
partners felt 80 much like striking each
other, Joe Swain murdered the man who
had done the most for him. He was get
ting away with the gold when halted,
aud though he made "A sharp fight for
liberty, he was tied hand and foot within
i've minutes after the first alarm.
Arnold was dead, stabbed in three or
four places, and the gold was found in
Jocs belt There was no show for the
murderer. He could not plead impulse
or heat Of passion. Indeed, he WAS not
the one 10 seek 10 avoid consequences.
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 IN a great
fuss over this matter. Pit a guard over
me. and the rest Of you 60 bacl, to yunr
sleep. You'll hang me, Of course. and
when morning comes / shall have a
request 10 make. | shan't trf a. get
away, and I'm not going b play the
baby when the last hour comes
Joe Swain was known among us game
man. He had fought MeIicaus. trailed
Indians and killed three or four white
ruilians who had made themselves q ter.
ror 20 certain localities. Armed with hls
bowie knife, he would have been a
match for four Of US. and il was owing
30 his presence more than that Of any
/ one else that our village was Il troubled
with the roughs and gamblers who at.
tlched themselves 10 the other camps
I ike leeches.
Murder was a crime that cuuld not be
paliiated in a mining camp. Had II been
unything elise, majority of the men
/ would have been in favor of letting Joe
I Jump the diggings aud go unpunishcd.
( But when they looked in on the white
. face and blood stained corpse Of the good
I old man, who had been like father 10
them. each heart hardened against the
murderer, and each man said % the
/ other
Joe Swain must hang for this :"
1 There was no need Of trial When
he was brought ont after breakfast. he
/ said
7 Boys, l don't want any fuss over this
/ thing. | killed the old man, aud IL Is
your duty 10 swing me up to limb. |
knew what was up TO, and | knew I'd
I have to stretch q rope II / couldn't get
away. / don't deserve kind wori, and
/ shan't look for any sympathy. The
( request want 10 make is that you won't
{ hang me until sunset. / know it's bad
I 10 have one of these affairs hanging
around camp all day, but yet 1t won't
/ make no great difference 10 you as long
as you are working for almost nothing,
I Now, then, all in favor OF waiting till
sunset TO hang me, say aye -
AYE |" shouted every man around
/ him.
"Those opposed will say no !"
Not a voice was heard.
"The ayes have il, and am 10 be
hung at sundown, continued Joe. 81
want 10 write half dozen letters. sleep
for two or three hours, and l hope you
won't crowd in on me. Select your tree,
get your rope ready, and when the time
comes I'll be on hand.
II Joe had been a captive in the hands
OF the Indians, and was 10 be burned at
| the stake nt sundown, every miner
would have wagered bis outfit that
Swain would have died game. In this
case, where he was TO meet a disgraccful
death at the hands of men who had
worked and fought beside him for
months, most of the miners Thought he'd
take the moose without the quiver Of a
muscle, but there we're two or three who
said
"He is n brave man, but when he
takes his last look around he will
weaken"
Before the day was four hours old
there was a strange wager between two
of our men. II was rife against rifle
that Joe Swain would show n woman's
heart before he swung Off
The doomed man was left 10 himself
all day long A strong guard was placed
around his tent, but no one entered it 10
interrupt the work OF his last hours.
The corpse Of his victim was buried at
the foot OF the lone tree on which Joe
was 10 swing, and as the six men carry
ing the body passed near his tent the
murderer came ont and stood with un-
covered hea to show his respect for the
dead. He wrote five letters, drew up
brief will, nte full meal about mid
afternoon, and half an hour before sun
down he was ready. Before starting for
the tree he sail "After | am gone You
will find my will. The letters IN there
are TO be forwarded as soon ns convenient.
/ This is a shabby old suit Of clothes TO
be hung in, but it's all / had, and /
couldn't go round borrowing. Have you
got the rope and barrel ready?'
" Yes, everything is all ready, replied
n voice.
That's right" said Joe. "Now,
then, form in procession give me "A
conspicuous place, and wen march
along"
The man wasn't smiling. His face was
pale, his eyes had an anxious look, and it
was plain enough that he realized the
grimDess OF his last hour on earth. The
procession was formed, and Joe marched
away for the tree as steadily ns a soldier
on parade. His hands and feet were free 4;
! but AZ be halted beside the old barrel,
I with the moose dangling above his head,
he said
Boys, tie my arms behind my back,
and after you lift me up, tie my feet
together If you make a bungie OF this,
you'll o,at a haJ mama all through the