Claiborne guardian. [volume] (Homer, La.) 1877-188?, 1880-06-16

was eicdl odk, Win spreading
branches. Procuring IA rope, they
dragged him from his room, and
making one end OF the rope fast
about his neck, threw the other
over one of the limbs of the tree
and hauled him up. After his face
grew black and blue, and his fin
gers began to twitch, they let him
down.
"Will you tell us where to find
the gold and silveri7 asked the
ringleader.
"Never. never." shouted the vic.
tim, defautly. II will die and go
to h-ll before you shall ever know
1t. You may take my life but you
shall be none the better for it, so
help me God"
Again, and again, and again, he
was drawn up until the rope cut
deep into the flesh and his tongue
dropped down upon his chin. Just
before the last diabolical swing he
remarked TO the soldier who seem.
ed To be the master of ceremonies:
"lou internal villain and coward.
| want this TO he the last time YOU
let me down. want you TO finish
me now without further torture.
shall die with my secret. | know
from your looks yon are low liv.
cred brute and coward. and | tell
yon now, will meet yon in hell
before many days, and. in the pres.
ence of the devil himself. denounce
you face to face. Swing me up
again.
And they did-but with no bet.
ter success than before. Limp, and
almost lteless, the old man drag.
ged himself To his door and was
assisted To his bed.
Meanwhile a faithful slave had
mounted hOGSr and had gone
post haste 10 the ncighboring plan.
tiers near by To warn them to his
masters assistance. Several of the
LATE Confederate soldiers had re-.
turned home; among them one who |
had received many personal kind !
uc>ScS at the hands of Howell
Rose. He AT once gathered up six |
or eight of his friends. and started /.
toward the scene OF the outlawry, !
all well armed.
On the failure Of the robbers to
eXtort the secret they mounted |
their horses and beat hasty re.
treat; and, as good luck would !
have II, were met Oh the public /
road 10y the rcScuing squad, led 10y |
the devoted negro. This squad,
seeing AT distance the approach !
OF the outlaws, took ambush near |
the road, and as the latter ap. |
preached they fired upon them, |
killing two outright, and badly |
woundlng another. The other three |
escaped. After taking the wound.
ed scoundrcl prisoner, assisting
him TO IA house near by, and send.
ing for a physician to dress his
wound, they hurried on to learn the
fate of Howell Rose. They found
him, his neck swollen from the
laccratlou, and his eyes almost
protrudlng from their sockets. In.
forming him of the fate of the
robbers, and that one of them Law
mortally wounded at neighbours
honse. the old gentleman, though
scarcely able to utter "A word or hit
u hand, protested that lie must 20
and see the scoundrel before he
died.
81 must 60 and SHALL he declar.
ed. SO his friends assisted him to
his carriage, and he was driven,
more dead than alive, to the bed.
side of the dying robber. The
Interview between the two exceed.
ed the tales OF romance, just rs the
truth is stranger than fiction.
Il thought should find it So
said Mr.. Rose, in "a tone of the ut.
most scorn. IL felt that | should
find you here, the ringleader of
Nonr murderOus elan. | still he.
lieve IN the justice of heaven and
the fates. | told yon, You merci.
less dog, that | wonfd soon meet
you in h-ll' You are dying now,
the doctor tells me, YOU little
thought your time was so near, did
your
The wounded man groaned;
pleaded that he had been led by
wicked associates into the attempt.
ed robbery, and begged OF his late
victim to spare him further re.
proach.
80 you beg for mercy, do youi
| knew from Your looks you were