American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1878-01-19

seemed to quiet him and he returned
with me. We called back for Jim Ly-
ons and brought them both back to jail.
In the meantime the Coroner's jury had
met, the suspicious against Lyons had
been cleared up and the murder and the
burning fixed on the lawyer. When l
returned with the two prisoners l lock-
ed them up in our somewhat insecure
jail and the Coroner continued the in
vestigation. Ho had previously given
out warrants to arrest Bob Pore and
Jim Lyons as witnesses in the case.
The trial of the lawyer was the first
business now on hand. Summary pun
ishment was then the rule, and the
laws's delay but provoked swift retri-
button. There was no putting off until
another term time. Right now, was the
word with those men in that rough life,
who still carried with them the notions
of well regulated society and the love of
liberty and justice in their hearts. The
accused could not prove an alibi. He
had been at home sick for several days
and the law did not allow his wife to
testify. The wounded man swore di-
rectly and point blank that he saw the
lawyer shoot his brother and Mexican
swore that he saw the accused the night
of the murder pass his door on a white
horse with double-barreled gun over
his shoulder and he could no. be mis-
taken. This seemed to finish the case.
During the trial, German IabOrer
came to me and said that the morning
after the murder, a young man had
come to his house with double-barrel
ed gun on his shoulder, that he said he
had fallen down, struck the trigger on a
stone and discharged both barrels; that
he worked for Mr.. Lyons up at the ice
house. l went out at once for Wallace,
the young man described, and in bring
ing him in l said. Wallace, you are
young man; this is bad business to
be mixed up in. There was more than
one man present at that murder. Law
yer Watson never could have done it all
himself, and that story of you falling
down and striking the double-barreled
gun against the stones sounds sus-
picious. Now do not let any one put
you in hole in this matter; life is still
before you, and it may be bright and
successful" Wallace said nothing in
reply except to ask what the law officers
would do if any one would tell the
whole affair. 1 told him they often let
that one go unmolested. We reached
the jail. L put him in cell, and be-
fore leaving, talked again to him. As l
closed the door to leave him, he raped
on it and called me back.
sDid you say asked he,
&C. that any one had blowed the
whole NATTER "No," 1 said, Is but
some one might and your young life
would be gone" "Well, Mr.. Stewart, y
said Wallace, 81 will tell you all about
it. Jim Lyons, Bob Pore, and myself
did it! We went there on Saturday
night. was stationed outside near the
back door to shoot any one who came
out that way. Jim Lyons shot through
the window and Bob Pore put the mat
tress under the stair and set fire to it.
l rushed out, said Stewart, for some cit
1 liens to come in and hear the same
story, and, whilst they listened to it,
went to the Prosecuting Attorney ant
laid the matter before him. 81 car
not" he said, ''promise him immunity
if he wishes to take the chances with the
people and the officers of the law lie
him do So" 1 hurried back and tolC
young Wallace. He said he would TAKE
the chances, and then he went into {
minute account of the movements. HI
said: &C About one hundred yards from
the house is a little cave; we stopped
there several hours. You will find, i
you go there, a broken-lipped bottle tia
had whisky in it, tin box with cap
and balls, and some crackers and cheese
all wrapped up in a spotted handker
chief
1 went there at once and got the yer,
articles he described. On my way bacl
1 stopped at store; the suspicion hac
already been widespread that jim
Lyons had done the business. Tn
storekeeper told me he didn't believe it
because Jim Lyons had stopped on Fri
day night at his place and bought som
things to take with him to his home il
the mountains. He described the arti
cles, and said ne had wrapped them VI
in spotted handkerchief. l opene'
the sacnel, said Stewart, and hande'
the articles out. "Does that look lik
themP" "Those are the very things,
said the storekeeper.
l hurried back to the Courthouse on
ly to be astonished at the full confession
of both Bob Pore and Jim Lyons, con
frming the statement of young Wallac
and duplicating a young man names
Duncan.
The shadow of Bob Pore on the wal
had grown, day by day, into a realit
until now he stood transfixed before me
1 held the keys which closed around hi
palpable form, shackled as it was by tn
meshes of evidence which kind Provi
dence had revealed to us. 1t seemed a
if 1 had been driven by an irresistibl
power to make this matter right, an,
that could neither stop nor resist unit
the whole affair was unraveled and re
vealed.
We had brought the wounded Morri
son in to the trial and had him at tn
hotel. 1 went to the hotel, and, takin
Bob Pore with me, 1 marched him dow
to the hotel to see if the wounded MOI
! rison would recognize him. Befor
r ~ l, Il