Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1884-09-26
The Story of Hang Town.

The winter of 1910 was not severe
in the Dry Djggin's. The population
was made up of Eng peaking pee
pie, Sandwich Islanders, old CalifOr-
mans, and such as could get there be
fore the tide of 40 set in. Miners
from the forks of the American rivers
had made their winter quarters there,
and there was, no doubt, a pile Of
gold dust big enough to tempt the
cupidity of enterprislng highwaymen.
The log cabins of the men lay along
both sides of the main ravlne and its
branches, and these We're usually dI-
vided into two rooms, the berths or
sleeping cribs benz built up, one
above another, on both sides of this
partition, which was usually covered
with white muslin; but the logs did
not come close together, and they who
Law in bed on the one side might hear
much of that which was spoken, even
in low tone of voice on the other
side.
1t so fell out that one night an
American, lying awake upon one side,
became interested in what was tran
spring in the house of his neighbors,
who were Frenchmen. 1t seems that
there Was a visiting party of three
countrymen there, and the entire COM
pany had passed the evening playimg,
somebody losing heavily, The occu-
pants of the house had retired to their
berths, and one of the visiting party
proceeded to rife the chest, while the
other two stood with drawn dIrks by
the beds, threatening instant c,eath L
either of the sleepers moved. All OF
this was overheard by our friend Nut
ter, who understood French. The
end of the cabin occupied by his com
pany was next below, and only few
wards distant from the hall in which
he lived. and for which we paid the
modest httel sum of S500-S100 each
the other half of our house beng
owned by Martin, who with his wife
aud two children lived there.
Now it so happened that in the long
evenings and balmy days our little
room was made To- subserve the inter
ests OF a spelling circle, debating,
court of indicature for the trial of I'M
aginary otfeuses, and court of equity
for the settlement of differences be-
tween friends. 1t had fallen to my
lot to preside, and to this date matters
had been arranged 50 as that all felt
that even handed justice had bees
dealt out.
Very naturally Nutter, the Amerl-
can, made his appearance early next
morning seeking advice There was
no Justice of tie peace there, for the
laws of the United States had not been
extended over this region. There was
no alcalde except IN the old settle
ments AID missions. 1t was case re-
curing prompt dispatch. The vii
lains might already be moving off
with their stolen gold dust, or what
was even worse, perhaps domlclled IN
our very midst, like lion IN his lair,
ready to pounce upon some other I'M
wary one The result OF conference
was that Nutter was appointed sheriff,
to give these neighbors call, and ask
for information concerning those Wis
itors who came and went in the pitchy
darkness. The Frenchman refused
from fear of vengeance, until, upon
second visit they were notified they
themselves would be arrested as con
federates, unless they revealed what
they knew. There was cabin sta.d-
ing at distance of, say quarter of
a mile from all others, out in lonely
ravine, past which men from the forks
usually came with their treasure.
How it came there, when it came, who
lived there, what they did, was all
mystery. One old man was some
times seen, but he was busy, appear
lug to notice nothing but his work.
Nevertheless, suspicion had often
pointed her finger at that ba5itation,
when some robbery had been comm
ted, or some murdered man found by
tie wsyslde, and when Nutter return
ed with his report that seven men
lived there; that the three robbers
were a part of that band, it req uired
no long speeches TO bring the company
TO a decisive stand.
Locked in for the season by wretch
ed roads impossible for teams, ten
miles from the nearest settlement
Suffers mili-the discovery OF nest
of vipers az work in our very midst
caused each one TO feel 1t 10 he i'm
portant that no time be lost The two
Frenchmea we're warned not TO move
out of their house, not to communicate
By SIGHT or otherwise with any one
during the day. Meanwhile word
was quietly gwen to such as could be