West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1879-09-27
Escaped the Rope.

One hot day IN July. 1860, hcrlsman
was moving his cattle To new rancho fur
ther north, near Helena, Texas, and passing
down the banks of stream, his herd be
came mixed with other cattle that were
grazing in the valley, and some Of them
Jailed To bc separated. The next daV about
noon a band of "A dozen Rangers overlook
the hcrdsman and demanded their cattle,
which they said were stolen
Ii was before the days of law and court
houses in Texas, and one had better Kill
five men than TO steal mule worth five dol
lars, and the hcrdsmau knew il. lie tried
to explain, hut they told him to cut il short.
lie offered to turn over all the cattle not
his own, hut they laughed at his pruposi-
ton, and limited that they usually ConhsCa-
ted the whole herd and left the thief hang
ing ON tree as "A warning To others i'm like
cases
The poor fellow was completely over
come. They consulted apart for a few mo
mentS and then told him if hc had any ex-
planation To make or business to do they
would allow him ten minutes to do 50, and
defend himself
lie turned 30 the rough faces and com
mcnccd "llow many of YOU have Nivcs}"
Two or three nodded GLOW many of
you have children ~ They nodded ngnin.
Then / know who am talking to and
know you'll hear me, ~ and hc continued:
- never stole any cattle have lived in
these parts over three years CamC from
New hampshire | failed there i'm the fall
OF -, during the panic; | have been saw
ing ! lived ON hard fare have slept out
ON the ground | have no home here my
family remain East, for | 90 from place to
place; these clothes wear are rough, and
! Am hard looking customer; but this is "A
hard country days seem like months To
me, and months like years married men.
you know that but for the letters at home, "
(hcrc he pulled out handful of well -worT
envelopes and letters from his wrc) 't
should get discouraged. | have paid part
OF my debts Here are tine receipts ~ and
lac unfoldcd the letters of Acknowledgement
81 expected TO sell out and 20 home i'm No
vcmbcr Here is the testament my good
old mother gave me; here is my little
child's picture. Now, men, if YOU have de
cidcd To kill me for what am innocent Of.
send these home, and send as much as YOU
can for the cattle when Pm dead Can't
you send half the value my family will
need IT,
"lIoId ON, now; stop right thar!' said
rough ranger "Now, | say, bows, w he
'''''''''' N'NH w llllll w. NiNf uN
your hand, old boy that picture and them
letters did the business You can go free
but you're lucky, mind yc'
"Wcll do more than that, said man
with big heart, in Texan garb, and carry
idg the customary brace of pistols i'm his
belt 'lct's buy his cattle here and let him
go.'
They did, and when the money was paid
over and the man was about to start, he
was too weak TO stand. The long strain of
hopes and fears, being away from home un-
der such trying circumstances, the sudden
dclivcrancc from death, had combined to
render him helpless as child. He sank to
the ground completely overcome. An hour
later, however, he left ON horse back for
the nearest stagc-routc, and, as they shook
hands and bade him goodbye, they looked
the happicst band of men in Texas