Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1882-03-23
NEARLY HANGED.
How a Drummer was Mistaken for
Quite Another Man.

How a Drummer was Mistaken for
Quite Another Man.
Little Rock Gazette.
Last night a sad-lOoking drummer
arrived in the city. He had just made
a tour of several of the northwestern
counties, and, as he expressed it, had
enough experience in one house toward
the ''shank" of his trip to serve for
years of adventurous "reminiscences.
Several days ago." said the drum
mer to party of acquaintance last
night at the Capital hotel, 81 was rid
ing along through the woods, wet,
weary, and hungry. 1 had hired a
horse at farmhouse, and was accom-
panied by colored boy on another
horse, who was sent to take the horse
back when 1 reached the railroad
Well, as was riding along through a
country where the road was mere
path, and where the woods were so
thick that they reminded me of per-
petual evening, l was suddenly con-
fr0nted by two men, who, with leveled
guns, told me to hold up my hands. /
would like to have had an explanation,
but my hands went up. Several other
men advanced, and two of them
searched me. They found borrowed
revolver ard watch. They did not
take the watch, but relieved me of the
pistol.
whats the niger doing with
yOuY one of them asked. L replied
that he had been sent to take back my
horse when l reached the railroad.
"'Yes; when you reach the rail-
roadP one of them said. 1 asked for
an explanation, but they cursed me.
didn't know what TO do, and it didn't
seem that they desired me to do any
thing. They tied a rope around my
neck.
"Let's swing him up here" said one
festive young fellow, whom took to
be in something of a hurry. Then
they began debate. The colored boy
was frightened out Of his wits. Pref
ty soon they told him to go back, and
to take my horse with him. To this
he readily assented, and in a minute
more L was on the ground. 1 begged
for an explanation. One man solemnly
pointed to the rope wore.
"Fellers,' remarked a thoughtful
looking man, we'd better take him
over and see If he is the right man.
This motion seemed to prevail. They
threw me onto a horse behind a little
fellow, and L started off through the
woods. 1t seemed to me that we had
Travelled an age when we reached
clearing, in the center of which stood
a small house. Several men were
gathered in the yard, and L noticed
excited women moving around. Our
arrival was greeted with loud shout.
Where's Abram?' asked the
thoughtful man of our party when We
reached the gate. 'Abram' would be
out in few minutes. He came; an
old man with gray hair and a hickory
shirt.
"'We've got him, Uncle Abe said
the man who had proposed to hang me.
and we're only watin' for the word
The old man regarded me for mo-
ment and said: Boys, he amt the
man. Turn him loose
"The rope was taken from my neck.
'Wnat was l seized forT 1 asked of
Abram.
"Wall, you see he said, "a Teller came
along here this mornin' an tried to
steal my dog. You amt the man.
You can CO. L turned and walked
away. l had gone about two miles
when man on horse overlook me.
The old man must see you he said
hurry back L 'trudged' back to the
farmhouse. The old man was at the
gate. what do you want?' 1 asked.
Il wanted to say, young Teller, that it
would be good idea for you never,
never to steal dog. Then l walked
ten miles to the railroad. 1 have
thought the matter over since, and
blamed If i intend to steal dog.
What'll you all have?'