The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1880-09-19
THE TWO GRAVES.
a Tale of Passion and Frontier
Justice.
No. l.
BY GAsKELL
BY GAsKELL

Upon the prsiries of the west mel
are more given to rightiDg their Owl
wrongs than waiting for the Glow pro
cess of common Law. There, law
oftentimes but a name, and might il
looked upon by the rude borderers q
right; and. indeed, it is almost uni
versally acknowledged tas same by
the most civilized and enlightened o
nations wherever interest 90 point
out; that is, judging by their practices
and that of individuals. But ever
upon the borders there is a certain
amount of protection 10 be found fol
the weak and unfortunate, and thai
security and immunity from danger,
which cannot be purchased by in
o1ensiveness, or from the good nature
Of the powerful, is often wrung from
their fears. Security is not SO great
as in densely populated countries,
where every man, 20 to speak, among
the Va4t multitude Is known to the
police; yet do We find that even in
toose border regions punishment has
followed swift and terrible upon tEans-
erosion In the absence of law and
proper officers to administer it. bodies
of well disposed men. for their mutual
protection and for the cendign pun
ishment of rome fisgrant outrage,
form themselves into societies, and
according to their ideas OF justice,
mete it out to the offender. In this
manner, although terrible and IN
constitutional, the oulprit meets with
a most speedy check to his guilty acts.
There is something terrifying in thus
placing face to face the assassin and
his victim before, perhaps, even be-
fore, the damp cold OF mortal sleep
has fallen upon the latter; recounting
in stern language to him mis- mis-
leeds, measure out to him the pen.
atty Of crime. 1t is fearful and gum
mary in character, yet patriarchal
in its simplicity. There is no super
abundance of irothy eloquence, Hor
Of words, but an overwhelming array
Of facts confoupd the guilty and re-
ease the worthy; though at times
mistakes occur and the innocent are
punished instead of the guilty. There
are no technicslilies, or subtleties OF
aw, to give plauEibility TO doubt, or
cave loophoie for the escape OF the
guilty. There is nothing but facts to
meet, facts persistently and unmerci-
ully put forward by stern and unre-
eD;ing judges, who feel they have an
and distasieiul duty to
perform, but one, nevertheless, which
must be attended to. net only to &c
,ure individual safety, but likewise fer
he public good The custom OF thus
.Akipg into their own hands the exc
,ution of justice, without being legally
may seem strange and
but as strange diseases at
imes require strange remedies, and il
{ has a beneficial effect it cannot be
Altogether deplored.
Ii Is of this kind OF justice, called
n the language OF the frontiers,
Lynch law" from the name OF the
nan who sat as judge in the fret OF
hese seif-copstituted courts, we have
my account of, that we now write.
Dur attention was frat attracted to
he subject OF the present story BY
eeing ia our travels on the "Oger-
and route befors the advent OF the
Pacific Railway, two graves ride by
tide, Of which We were told the hiU-
Dry. For the qualification of our
and as an instructive Lesson |
If human passion and punishment,
ne reproduce the story. 1t was tale |
VI intemperance, wild passion, I'm.
,urbed desires and retributiYe justice,
lot without warning to the unwary, |
md instruction to the good. Told, as |
t was, by the Pickering camp fire,
while the graves OF both slayer and
lis victim were in sight, made it more
impressive. leaving memory upon
he mind never to be forgotten. 1t
vas beautiful moonlight night, and
he genial breezes of dying spring.
roma laden with the fragrance OF
Wild flowers, famed oar cheeks. The
ude joke. followed by the good
,umored laugh, had passed around
he circle, but arose not again as the
ale was telling, for serious reflections
we're engendered ss the destructive
Effects of evil passion and unbridled
iesires we're related.
Robert DAcres and John Carson
1ad been brought up from childhood
together The father of the former
lsd st one period Of life been en-
gagged in mercantile barter and spec
llation; bnt a series OF disastrous
with the pressure OF q hnan-
,ial crisis, had reduced him to pow
srty, aud be left the home of his
childhood and. iourneying westward,
bad taken up his abode in the State
3f Iowa. But this was in the early
of Robert, and of his east-
ern home he had the faintest possible
He had formed the
OF John as he went to
The village school, situated in wood,
close by the clear. but deep rolling
waters OF the Mississippi River, a
mile or more from their home. In
the times OF recess, the boys. both OF
= bold and fearless disposition, would
wander through the forest or battle in
the liquid wave, striving to Guido
each other in their trials of skill and
hardihcod. They were both Of quick
comprehension and found it easy to
learn the tasks set for them to per-
form, while less favored laggaris we're
porting anxiously and la6oriouSly to
get the Lessons so easy for them. They
we're, however, of opposite tempers-