Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-07-28

AT this time there was general sn1SgeI
from the spectators, and Dave Thrasher's
widow, who sat near, looked up with a
sudden hope in her face that was cheer
full to see. I resumed my testimony:
$500 you see that oak on the other
bank?' continued the man on the rock,
pointing to conspicuous pine.
II thought the fellow must be mani
&C, and I did not know just what to an
swer; but presently replied that | was
not certain whether saw it or MOTT
depended upon circumstances. "He was
silent for some moments; then he SILVER.
ed and chartered his teeth.
"'Snow before morning. said he. Per
haps So said I, non-committally: seems
thickening up, but that may be an opti-
cal illusion
ssThen he wanted to know If l remem-
bered what year General Jackson was
elected President-'wasn't it in '52!' l
told him did not recollect. After a
while he said carelsssly:
They're talking, here at the bluff,
about running Ben Franklin Tor next
President
Il made no reply. Then he came up
to me and LAID a hand on my shoulder.
"See here, stranger said he, is there
any subject you feel at home on? Have
you got any hobby any opinions?
81 am not sure, I replied; some peo-
pie have opinions, and some don't have
any Some that do have them don't have
them all the time; and those that have
them all the time often forget them
swell, l swearn said he disguised
Pm going to jump over these falls-bet
you five dollars [ will!'
81 said nothing and he continued: j
shall be exactly three seconds and hall
getting to the bottom won't |, now?'
Possibly. Maybe little more than
that maybe little less-maybe jus
that. I don't remember jumping ovel
airy cascades myself
He gave me one look, laid off his
hat, backed up to the brink of the preci-
pice, and dropped himself down, hanging
on to the edge with his hands. Then hi
let go, falling three hundred feet ipte
the boiling whirlpool beloww
| "May it please the Court" shriekee
the little District Attorney, lunging for
ward upon his hind feet, 81 want to pu
one question to this witness now? You
say, sir, you had never seen the deceased
Mr. Thatcher up to the moment you me
him on the rock--and nevcr heard O
him--and never head Of his relations
Now, sir, On your oath, on your Bible
oath, sir! how do you know this MAJ
you saw 50 over the falls was Dave
Thatcher How do you know it, STRIP
Il don't know it, / know it was no
he. For just before he let go the rocl
he looked up at me with his nose allow
the edge, and said:
"'You think I'm Dave Thatcher, don
your"
~ told him he might be, or he nigh
not.
"'Just SOP said he desperately, as hi
fingers began to slip. Bet you tiy
dollars l aintnn
There was a good deal of loose talk il
court after this, but the spectators would
not listen to it, and Bob Diva
triumphantly acquitted, being born
through the town on the shoulders Of tn
jury, to the music of brass band ant
the cheers of the whole population.
| But Dave Thatcher's widow persisted
in putting up handsome headston'
over the remains Of the unknown dead
and was going to have it inscribed will
her late husbands name, and what sh
still regarded as the manner of his death
when Bob stopped the proceedings b.
marrying her.
81 don't see what all this has to d
with the question OF the ACCESSIBILITY 0
swearing witnesses in court, :" said I, whe
John had finished his yarn.
Don't, eh?" It's got this to do with il
There wasn't prison in the Stat
which I had not broken out Of a thous
and times. If hadn't been put upo
my Bible oath what was to prevent m
telling lie?"