Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1883-09-07

we StOlp0U Was IulelV lifted from
the horse and taken inside a LOG house
built so close to the mountain side that
an immense rock formed a side wall Of
the structure. was placed upon a
bench and my hands were united.
saw around me ten or twelve rough
looking men, heavily armed. They
were fierce in action and determined
in expression. had pleaded with .
them, ere they put the gag in my
mouth, but now they had restored to
me the use Of articulation, sat mute
and almost stupefed.. At every
turn saw great copper vessels, and
off to the right, whereny eyes inadyer-
tehtly wandered saw rude corn
mill and a pile of corn.
$50 you've come odt here to take
us to the penitcntiary, chy said a
large, grizzy-bearded man, stepping in
front Of me
mo replied never heard Of you
before. ! came to this country to buy
mountain cattle.
"An' ] reckin you've foun more of
'em than you can buy
q don't understand YOU don't
know why | was brought here. |
never harmed any Of you, and why
you should inhct punishment on me is
something don't understand.
"0h, he's powerful innocent, eN-
claimed a fellow, who looked at me
with an expression of blood-thirsty re-
venge. 1Ie don't know what we mean
now because he amt got his crowd
with him
THAT'S the way he's tryin' to work
it, exclaimed a man who leaned
aga.as ae Of the copper vessels, but
turn IN a lose an he'd show us
"Fes eeiiHsR, eiHHssR, NPe repeated score 0
voices Did you hear that? He's git
tin powerful meek.
Young feler,' said the grizzly
bearded patriarch, were goin' to put
a mighty tellin lesson afore your eyes
We're citizens of this here Amerillir
government, and don't want to be pes
tered in the exercise of our natr'
rights. Our forefathers tit an hleo
fur the Establishment of this Ncwnite.
States an we think we've got a right
to make whiskey when an whar W,
please
"'Now you're talbin'; put it to him.
chimed the chorus.
"You may be brave man. contin
ued the patriarch, an may be discharg
in your duty, but it's our duty to Sc,
that YOU don't. We could have kiIlel
you easy enough without putin our
selves to the trouble of fetchin vot
here but we wanted to furnish an cx
ample to a young feller that turned
traitor We want to hang you rit,
afore his eyes an then hang him.
a groan arrested my attention. anc
looking around, | saw young mar
bound hand and foot, stretched upor
the floor
"That young chap, continued the
grizzly leader, went down to Little
Rock some time ago, an as we found
out by your raid, turned traitor on US
Ef it hadn't been for him you wouldn't
now be 50 close to whar the revela-
ions OF the gospel enls an whar the
real work Of eternal punishment be
gins. Hold the young feller up an let
he sinners look at each other.
"Gentlemen, never saw the Young
elbow before, l declare. There must
)e some mistake here. What do vou
hink my business is, anyhow? For
iod's sake DO not act until you know
What YOU are doing Heaven knows
did not come here to harm anyone.
"Ihat talk mout amount to a good
eal aforea Judge an jury, but afore us
only amounts to what it's worth
-" nat am l charged with. Give
ne a chance to defend myself
"lt want expected that you'd want
chance A man that is 50 bold as 10
ONE rite out as you have done
lighter know that if he's tuck thar
IN no chance fur him. Fetch the
ope, JOSIAH
Inc young man addressed immedi-
iely appeared with the rope. / begged
nd prayed but they slipped a moose
Ner my neck and, throwing the rope
yer something above, tightened it.
Before you murder me, I gasped,
ell me what I've done
"Yoa are a deputy United States
marshal on the hunt of distillers, re-
,lied grizzly beard.
81 am not / am a cattle buyer.
so one can prove that | am deputy
marshal
"l reekin' l kin. replied a voice
nd before me stood the long-haired
nan had met on the train.
i did not tell you that / was depu-
y marshal"
"'No. but yer give me yer ticket,
md he produced a card bearing the
lame and address of j. NJ Pelter,
st.1 ~fHtge IL.