Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1883-07-17
n ,NCED AND DIDN'T KNOW IT..

II -so Y
,v;ndows of the courthouse, and swept
in sheets across the jeilyard. Court was
Adjourned for the dav, the clerks nad
cone home, and band OF officials nad
gathered in the iuryroom for haif-nour
Chat. Bat the flow Of conversation was
lea free and iovial than usual. Appa-
rentiy the depressing aspect OF Things
ontside had affected the spirits OF the
cosntv rnaouatss. The usually smiiing
face of the Sheriff wore sad EXPRESSION
and the Jolly Surrogate gazed mourn
folly out upon the cheerless, muddy
street. Upon the benign visage OF the
Conntv Judge was n melancholy look,
as II in his official capacity he had
sentenced himself as private individ-
nal TO suffer the extreme penalty OF
the law. Tilted hack In a big arm
cha;r the foreman of the Grand Jury
thn.,ghtfuIly cleaned his tnger-naiis.
a long silence was broken by the Sher-
IN who observed, as n sudden gust OF
wind dashed the rain noisily against sne
glass: -,
Wretchedr' replied the Surrogate,
carelessly turning the leaves OF the renal
Code. 49,.
II wouldn't be hanged on day like
this for any consideration"
IA fellow would catch bis death OF
cold.- put in the foreman OF the Grand
Jury. "what put the subject OF hanR-
Ing into your head. Sheriff"
"Oh, I was just thinking OF poor
fellow who expiated a murder IN Iowa
ten years ago, ON just suon oas AZ
this."
Another OF your Western yarns. eh.
Sheriff. said the Surrogate, with a
yawn. "Why will man always draw
a long bow when he tells what happened
TO him out westY'
@This il Gospel truth" retorted the
Sheriff quickly, land it's nothing that
happened TO me, or mould not be mere
20 tell il. Moreover, Mr.. Surrogate,
never exaacerate-"
"Oh, no. was the SARCASTIC re1oin-
der.
"Never mind him." said the foreman
If the Grand Jury; go on with your
Sorry"
The Sheriff seated himself on the green
covered table and began:
"Well, as I said, this happened ten
years ago, way out in Iowa. fellow
killed his brosher-in-lsw and Was SEN
fenced to death. Tbs hanging Was
public. the gallows being erected on the
open prairie little distance behind the
jtil. was sworn In AZ a special
deputy. Holy Moses! how II did rain
on that day! The water came down
in chunks, with sufficient force 10 tear
umbrellas 10 tatters IN fifteen min
utes."
"Sheria. Sheriff ~ murmured the
County Judge, in tone OF gentle 70.
preach.
"Oh. TIA a fact The condemned man
was carried to the place OF execution In
an open cart. Another deputy and
rode with him. hanging was too rare
a treat 20 be missed by people out
there, no matter what the veather was.
Shivsfing and vet, a large crowd stood
Ia the coarse saturated grass about the
scaffold. We placed our man under
the crusspiece and fastened the rope
about his neck. Everything was ready
except the last PRAYER and letting the
trap fall. The sheriff asked the prisoner
II he had anything to say.
"'Yes,' said the man. he made q
long speech. declaring his iunooence.
abusing the Judge, and all that kind OF
thing. Suddenly he stopped IN the mid
oto OF b ecnteOoe. All tuth Ntuus yuu
must remember. the rain was falling in
cataracts. Seeing the doomed man n
lent, the Sheriff tipped wink 70 the
clergyman. who. being Baptist. did not
mind the rain. The reverend gentleman
began 20 pray. We all bent our heads,
although no ono vas pious enough TO
take HE hat OF. Just a. Brother Hard
shell was winding up hts petition ve
heard cry Of astonishment from the
crowd. looked mp, and what do yon
think sawy'
"Ths prisoner escapingw asked the
Surrogate.
mo. sir; he was hanging two feet
from the PLATFORM
"whate' cried the Sheriff q auditors.
together.
The rain had shrunk the rope enough
10 hang our man for a..
For moment the silence OF the room
was broken only by the ticking Of the
clock and the rattle of the raindrops
against the pancs. The foreman OF the
Grand Jury drew long breath and
aaid:
.Sherid. man OF your imagination
should write unsolicited testimonials for
patent medicines"
- -