Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1880-03-11
BLAKES WIDOW

doorway by Antonio GueldO, and tht
trial was to come off directly.
The extraordinary interest in tht
affair was less due to the murder and it!
peculiar circumstances, than TO the fac
that this was the first case tried at Sar
Saba in any more formal court than the
time-henored institution of Judge
Lynch Jem had been quiet man and
a good neigh hor, with a hand always
ready to help one who was out of luck
so public sentiment ran pretty high
against Antonio IF tie general inc1i-
nation had been followed-as, up to that
time it always had-tlle last named gen.
tleman would have found very scant
opportuaity-tO make any remarks in his
own behalf
~ However, things were advancing at
San Saba Us well as elsewhere, and it
wouldn't do to hang Antonia without a
regular trial. no matter how agreeable
such proceeding might be to the peo-
pie at large.
So ran the opinion expressed by Judge
Pilbaldo. whose ideas on such subjects
were usually accepted without com
ment.
Nevertheless there was more than
one dissenter in the present instance, to
whom it was by no means clear that
there could be any sense or profit in thus
beating about the bush.
Eff Antonio's goin ter be hung, why
don't we hang him Pn
This was the pertinent query of Jake
Smith, the leader OF the opposing fac
tion, and his view of the question put it
in SO clear light that the judge had
great difficulty in impressing people with
h ia II ho+ -, L. j
gone on in an irregular way long enough A;
and here was a way to start the law in
properly, and give it fair show. Be-
sides, it didn't make any kind of differ
ence; Antonia had shot Jem, hadn't he ?
Well then, what was the use oftalking
All the jury would have to do now was
to,retuIn their verdict of guilty in the
first degree, and there you were all com
Portable. rs s-las -
It was just the same thing in the end
exactly. sa = rse 'l.s-sas7g- -
"I tell yer,n said thejudge, who felt
the weight-of his title, albeit the same
was altogether one of courtesy; eel tell
yer there's nothin' like doin' thing
reg'lar; parrikerlaHy when yer know
just how it's comm out"
So the judges argument, supported by
his influence, and increasing bias at San
Saba in favor of more civilized views.
settled the matter and it was decided
that Antonio Gueldo should be tried be-
fore he was hanged.
AS there was no place specially ar
ranged for such ceremonies, Judge Pill
baldo Hospitality offered the use of his
shed.2 FFrF an Z Il gHff7E7 :
Here a rough table and chair were
placed for the judge, the other necessary
furniture, intended to represe-t The
dock, the stand, etc., being eked oul
with boxes from Silas Baggett's grocery
store.
Jake Smith looked on at these pre.
parations for time with frowning dis
content, and then strolled down the
road, turning into the lane that led tc
When he reached the door Of The
shanty he leaned against the lamb anC
poked, his naked head inside, famine
himself in an embarrassed way with hi;
greasy fragment of hat. He had come
there with the intention of saying some
thing, but the sight within made hin
forget it.. .x1a ell v8
Blake's widow sat there, as she hac
sat pretty much al the time since th.
murder, staring straight before witt
her chin, in her palm. The sunlioh
struck through the foliage of the red oal
trees that grew before the door. ant
checkered with fickering brig ehtness tn
floor and cradle in which Jenl's bab,
was sleeping.9 TN1 8ilG Ea aG 4
There it was, just as it had been tire
days ago; could it be only three days?
Just as it. had been when she went GU
that morning to look after the dryiny
clothes, and left him standing in iii
doorby the cradle, chow fond he was .
the baby just as it was when she hear,
the crack of the pistol, and ran in wit
an awful sense of suffocating fright
just the same as she had found him lVin
upon the cradle, dab bling its white line
with his blood, and the baby playin
with his hair. She screamed once, th
first and last complaint any one ha
heard her make; then size was quiet an
helpful through all; when the me
came and lifted him up; when they lai
him ON the rough bed inthe otherroom
when they carried him to the grave, sh
followed with the baby in.her arms
Jake Smith was trying to find the lin
missing in his thoughts; he shifted wit
perplexity-ors somethin g--and Blake
widow looked up without speakin.
Jake nodded Pleasantly four or fS
times - rs'e.z sa'sl -
EPooty ciipperpp asked he.s nrsas
Blake's widow smiled sadly, bentov,
the sleeping child and snioothed ii
slpthesWfth 8 tender touch = ~