Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1883-10-25
A CASE In POINT.


Crusoe and the Arabian Nights, was
looked upon by tine 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, it was vast wilderness, I'M
broken save by few scattered white
settlements, maintaining a 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 rectal 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 subjec -
or their knowledge Of it--Old Bill
would be invited to close the exercises
with few remarks, on which occasion
he rarely failed to produce some pat
illustration from the archives of his
rich experience.
'Should capital punishment ever be
inflicted on rcumStantial 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 Bill rose deliberately, placed his
'chip' hat, brim dOwnwards, on the
Sccrctary's table, thrust both hands into
the pockets of his tow-cloth trousers,
ducked his head, and began:
:. "MR. CHEERMAN--Tve hecr'd it re-
peated over over agin this evenin', as
Vow circumstances, like tiggers, won't
lie.
Don't you put too much dependence
onto that, Mr.. Cheerman; for | tell
y0m, both figgers and circumstances I'll
bar clost watchin'. | 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.
''Ef faint out o order, Mr.. Cheer
man, I'll jest nOratc the Jacks; for one
fack II knock the socks off n dozen
the ries emmy day.
81 hednt been out yer long from old
Pennsylvany, when one day. as | was
peerin' roun on the hunt for nice bit
o land, what should l light onto but
buckskin puSs, rs somebody drapt, with
wad o money into it?
Il 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 knowed was over ut Jem
Whackett s-which it was sort o.
stoppin' place 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 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 SUI thin?
They all said they would, an they
KEEP thar word.
IL went to take out my pusS to pay,
but, by mistake got holt O. the buck
skin one as I'd found. | slipt 1t back
quick, but not quick enough to dodge
Jem Whackitt's eyes. l didn' want to
mention tindin' afore ennybody ax'd:
for [ know'd thar was some in that
crowd ready to claim your very shadder
the minnit you turned your back on it.
''ycm waited till I'd paid for the
drinks, am' then givin' a sort O semmy-
sar clar wink that tuck in the crowd,
says he: You didn't see anythin' of a
well-dressed stranger horseback, did
you?'
".No, l didn't SAYS l.
"'Bill Variety says Jem, cockin' his
eye at me square, you've got to be
sarched.'
which, says /, DRAWN back.
You'll soon see which,. SAYS he.
advancin', as somebody ketched my
arm.
"'Hold i'm! hold inn shouted Jem.
till I've sarched i'm! | tell you he's
got the proofs onto inn
I'm a second all the hands thar was
onto me. and Jem went through NV
pockets.
eyer It's! yer 'tis.' he shouted
the very puss seed the stranger hev
this mornin'; an yer, he said. openin'
it, IS the very note l 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 so: privit
mark onto it,
81 found that puss not an hour a.o,'
says l.
"'Oh! you did, did you? Yes-of
course, says Jem. 'Mebby YOU kin
egsplain as well how twas tibet the
strangers critter was found roamin'
loose in the woods, with blood onto the
pommel O. the saddle, an how a big
splotch q blood got onto the leaves not
fur off? Meb5y you kin egsplain all
them damnifyin' circumstances con-
sistent with somebody's inference
81 know nothin' about EN- says !.
$500 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, I'll raise thar right hands
You'd a thought you was in ham,
curin' fact'y, to look up at that swarm
o huge yaller paws. Not one stayed
down.
Motion kerried, says Jem. 'Whar
shell we execoot the sentence?'
"I'll tell ~you,' says the meanest-
iookin' cuss in the lot. Hing i'm over
the brink O. the high cliff. Eff the
rope breaks 'twon't matter much
'..Thc very thing! they all agreed.
$50 they drug me long tell they got
to -he place, Twas whar thar was .