The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1880-04-11
HOW DO YOU LIKE MY LooKs3
AZ the End of u Loaded Riae-A Mon.
tam Mail Contractors Adventure.
Cor. N. Y. Tim,

MILES Cry, Montana, Feb. 14.-An in
cldent which occurred in this neghborhood recently
to which lawless men are yet able to occasionally
resort In the great new Northwest though the speedy
retriDuon which followed It, rather which antic-
pated and frustrated the intended crine gives satis
factory indication of the poverty of Eastern Montana
field for the operations Of thieves and high
waymen. Some months ago semi weekly mail route
was established between Miles City and Deadwood
In mt the , Black HIS 2sS miles distant The
quiet, unassumng man, short In stature, but sodly
planted on his feet with quick, bright eye, and
power of quiet resolution traceable his features
Tho mails carried on horseback and rs the cOu-
try between here and Deadwood is for the most part
wilderness, the mail ranches along the route where
the contractor keeps his relays of horses and riders
constant readiness for the road almost the only
human habtatons encountered in the lonely Journey
few weeks ago raid was made by some unknown
persons upon of tho stations west of Powder river
and several Of Maywes horses we're carried of. On
halt by road agent who relieved him of his horse,
and ordered him on pain Of death, to turn back from
preaching and return to the station he had last left.
The mall route was in a fair way for being speedily
bankrupted, when, about tho middle Of January, Mr..
Maxwell decided upon making personal inspection
Of the limo with view to establishing II possible,
better order of things He set resoueiy alone on
horseback, and had raversed the greater part Of the
route lying In Montana, paying the wages of his en-
poyes and noting the requirements of the several
another solitary horseman riding in the same direc-
tion. Neither one carried rifle, circumstance
which confess do not nnderstand the opposite GUS
changed, and MS the two men plodded along Maxwell
noticed that hie companion was powerfully built,
expressive OF capability for almost any outrageous
action. His contecures on the subject however,
pinmpy that he was out after horses and that when
he had got little 'band ~ together he Intended TO
take them down Into Wyoming, where they could be
safely sold. 1t required no stretch OF conscience for
Maxwell 10 declare earnestly that he was sion tho
horse lay himself, and mutual confidence was
speedily established on this basis. The horse-thief
further explained that he n deserter from Fort
Keogh, and that his special object In that region
he had heard expected along the line with a large
sum Of money IN his possession.
| Certain threats which Maxwell understood to
have uttered respecting the who had stolen his
stock seemed to have peculiarly excited the desperdos
anlmosity, and the former gentleman edihed for
some time with description OF the treatment in store
for himself when his companion should find him To
hear one's own murder thus deliberately planned and
appear TO enter into tho details of the plot with
cheerful acqulesOence, was, under the circumstances
an ordeal sufficient to try the stoutest nerve Max
WE'LL however, was equal to the trial. and, Ginning
In with the mans hnmor, rode by his side the re-
mainder of the day, camped with him In the open air
that night, and the strangely mated pair drew up OH
the superintendent Of which was Maxweii's own step
son. Happily, the risk OF detection was saverted by
the fact OF the young man bearing another name and
the contractor having found opportunity of explain
Ing hiswish to remain incognio, his wouldbe assassin
entered the ranch without suspicion Here the game
two 'pas" selecting from the stock ut the station
such animals as they thought would suit their pur-
poses Dest anu Wheh the young man Ventured TO put
| In a pretended remonstrance, the deserter drew u
knife and threatened, In horrible terms, to "trip him
open " on the spot. It was evident that he would
submit TO no trifing.
An opportunity finally offered itself to turn the
tables The man was sitting by the Fireplace OF the
leaned against the log wall. on the opposite side OF
the apartment stood Sharp's rifle belonging to Max
we'll step-Son. Taking 1t up in apparently
less manner, Maxwell found 1t unloaded. He drew
cartridge from his pocket and inserted 1t In the
breech, and stood toying with the piece for instant
rn1an al hntv In ulta 1aear rln
thought You had no ammunition?'' OH yes, ~ was
MAXWELL reply, 81 always carry It, and then, with
quick decision he droppedth the barrel his left wrist
cooking the piece holding the hammer back with his
runan. ""t'm the Maxwell you've been looking for.
How do you like my appearance now9'' "I'ii take
you In yet ~ was the defiant reply and the speaker
was on the point OF sprnging forward when tho gun
was discharged and the bullet entered his forehead.
lie fell forward corpse. I have omitted the ex-
being unessentia to the story Maxwell, who declares
that his purpose from first last capture the
man alive and return him to Fort Keogh desaIter,
insists that he had not Intentionally discharged the
ride but sanposes that the hair-trgger was set and
that the hammer responded 10 an unconscious pres
sure OF his finger. He at once telegraphed the
casualty to the commanding Oicer of the post, and
announced that he would come III forthwith and give
himself up. II NOT being eof which the military
authorities could take. cognizance Deputy Sheriff
MAXWELL His story was eovrOb0rated by at least one
crediable eyewitness, and the examination, which
took place the 18th instant, before Probate Judge
McBride although conducted with all due Formally
was mere form, the finding being that the shooting
was "accidental. Had 1t been declared ''justi-
fable homicide the sense Of the entire community
would have coincded, the frontier sense OF Justice
excluding vigorously all sympathy for horse. thieves.