The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1883-10-31
A CASE In POINT.

Crusoe and the Arabian Nights, was
looked upon by the youngsters as the
best repository of authentic history.
He had settled out there in the Miami
country when, instead of being, as now,
the garden spot of the third State in the
Union, lit was a vast wilderness, un-
broken save by few scattered white
settlements, maintaining precarious
foothold against wild beasts, savages
and ague. He could tell all about
Simon Kenton, Adam Poe, Big Foot
and the white renegade, Simon Girty,
by the side of whom he considered
Judas Iscariot and Benedict Arnold
models of fidelity and honor.
But it was the rec tai of his personal
adventures that gave US most pleasure
and him, too. It may be added
He was very fond of attending our
debating club: and frequently. after
both sides had exhausted the subject
or their knowledge of it--Old Bill
would be invited to close the exercises
with a few remarks, on which occasion
he rarely failed to produce some pat
Illustration from the archives of his
rich experience.
'sShould capital punishment ever be
inflicted on circumstantial evidenceP"
was the question at one of our meet
ings.
The discussion had been long and
heated. and Old Bill had listened with
marked attention.
"Perhaps our old friend, here" said
the chairman, when all the rest had
fin shed. ''will favor us with his views"
Old BIZ rose deliberately. pla ed his
"chip" hat. brim downwarls, on the
Secretary's table, thrust both hands into
the pockets of his tow-eloth trowsers,
ducked h head, and began:
..MR. CHEER,IAN--I've heer'd it re-
peated ovAr'n over agin this evenin', as
how circumstances, like figgers, won't
lie.
Don't you put too much dependence
onto that Mr.. Cheerman; for tell
you, both figgers and circumstances III
bar clost watchin'. 1 know sarcum-
stances will; for they oncet lied my
neck into the halter, an 'twarn't thar
fault eff it managed to git out in time.
s'Ef 'tain't out o. order, Mr.. Cheer
man, I'll Jest norate the facks; for one
the'ries emmy day.
81 hedn't been out yer long from old
Pennsylvany, when one day, as 1 was
DCCilu IOun Ou lAAC AAuAAl AOA u hACC bAt
o land, what should / light onto but q
buckskin puss. as somebody drapt, with
a wad o. money into it?
81 seed no better way n to put it
In my pocket, an try an find the own
er; an, the most likely place to git
wind on i'm Iknowed was over at Jem
Whackett's-which It was n sort o.
stoppin'-plac for trav'lers an loafin'-
place for the settlers. Jem called it a
tav ring, an KEEP bar'l o. whiskey on
the porch, with ENTERTAINMENT
prented on the head.
THAR was a big crowd at Jem's.
talkin' loud an egcited; but they all
stopt s soon s come in.
Time o. day, gents says /, want
in to be sosh'ble like; won't you all
take su'thin'?
"They all said they wonld, an they
KEEP thar word.
al went to take out my puss to pay,
but, by mistake got holt o. the buck
skin one as I'd found. l slipt it back
quick, but not quick enough to dodge
Jem Whackitt's eyes. / didn' want to
mention findin' afore emmy body KID;
for / know'd thar was some in that
crowd ready to claim your very shadder
the minnit you turnc1 your back on it.
'.Jem waited till I'd paid for the
drinks, am' then g;vin' sort o semmy-
sar' clar wink that tuck in the crowd,
says he: You didn't see anythin' of a
well-dressed stranger a horseback, did
youp'
No, didn't, says /.
Bill Varley,' says Jem, cockin' his
eye at me square, you We got to be
sarched.'
which, says /, drawin' back.
You'll soon see which,. saws he,
advancin', as somebody ketched my
arm.
Hold iml hold 'imr shouted Jem.
till I've sarched 'iml | tell you he's
got the proofs Dnto imr
''In q second all the hands thar was
onto me. and Jem went through my
pockets.
".Yer 'tisl yer 'tisn he shouted
the very puss seed tine stranger hev
this mornin'; an yer, he said. openin'
it, IS the very note give i'm in
change when he paid for S breakfas'
I'd my doubts of it when l tuck it of
Dode Burke lately, an so sot privit
mark onto il.
81 found that puss not an hour ago,
says I.
"'Ohi you did, did youp Yes-of
course SAYS lem. .Mebby you kin
egsplain as well how twas thet the
strangers critter was found roamin'
loose in the woods, with blood onto the
pommel o. the saddle, an how big
splotch O. blood got onto the leaves not
fur off? Mebby you kin egsplain all
them damnifyin' circumstances con-
sistent with somebody innercence.'
Il know noihin' about EN- says /.
"'OU course not, says Jem. Now,
boys, says he, you've seed an heerd
the proofs All as is in favor of hangin'
the culperit, accOrdin' to Moses and the
prophets, II raise thar right bands
you'd a thought you was in a ham
cur;n' fact'ry, to look up at that swarm
o. huge yaller paws. Not one stayed
down.
Emotion kerried. y says Jem. 'Whar
shell we execoot the sentenceg'
"'Pn tell you says the meanest-
iookin' cuss in the lot. Hing i'm over
the brink o. the high Gift. Eff the
rope breaks 'twon't matter much
1.-The very thingr they all agreed.
$50 they drug me long tell they got
to the place. Twas whar thar was q
deep. narrcr gulch, with steep, rocky
sides so overgrow'd with bushes that
you might easy tumble over afore you
was awar'.
..One of 'em clum up an hitched one
eend Of a rope to linn thet stuck out